Air superiority fighters vs Multirole fighters

[knight11]

Air superiority fighters:

An air superiority fighter is a type of fighter aircraft intended to enter and seize control of enemy airspace. Air superiority fighters have long range and have BVR (Beyond Visual Range) capabilities. They generally take more scramble time(i.e they generally take more time to be mission ready). The maintainable cost is also high.

Air superiority fighters are usually expensive aircraft, and generally procured in lesser numbers. The payload configuration also differs from multirole aircraft where more emphasis is given on the BVR capabilities. (i.e they have more number of radar guided missiles than heat seeking missiles but number of bombs depend upon the mission)

Examples:

F-15
F-22
Su-30MKI
Eurofighter

Multirole fighters:
A multirole (or multi-role) combat aircraft is an aircraft that can be used as both a fighter aircraft and a ground attack aircraft. They are lighter and less powerful than air superiority fighters. They are generally easy to maintain and cost effective. They are usually built large in number. And they have fast scramble time. They are used to defend a base or territory from enemy threat effectively. They have payload more emphasized on heat seaking missiles.

Example:

F-16
F-18
F-35
Mig-29/35
Rafale

Air superiority fighter or not?
Well, there has been some arguments on if Rafale, Euro Fighter, Mig-35 and Gripen (yes even gripen) are considered Air superiority fighters or not. Well we must understand that Air superiority fighters are sometimes used as multirole fighters but multirole fighters cannot not used as a air superiority fighters mainly because of their range. Some analysts say that a country’s advanced fighter is it’s air superiority fighter.

Examples of controversial Air superiority fighters:

Eurofighter
Mig-35
Rafale
Gripen

I would love to hear what you think about these concepts and if possible provide links. Please share your views

Air superiority fighters vs Multirole fightersDefence Aviation

 

[Audio]

All the aircraft listed in first category have multirole versions (ie can perform air superiority, suppression of air defense, surface attack modes etc etc) or have been used as land attack platform
On the other hand the only true remaining interceptor (MiG-31) has been left out.
F-14 also belongs in this category, although latter proposals which lost to F-18E/F modernization included multirole duties.

Generally it could be said that despite dropping some bombs over Syria, F-22 can be considered a pure air superiority fighter, at least as far as it's doctrinal use goes.

 

[knight11]

@PARIKRAMA @nForce @Whazzup @Blue Marlin @mike2000 is back @MilSpec @Abingdonboy @NKVD @dadeechi @GURU DUTT
@Imran Khan @Indian Patriot@gslv mk3 @Perpendicular @sr 91 @nair @Sri @gslv mk3 @DESERT FIGHTER @MastanKhan @Oscar @waz

 

[GURU DUTT]

its constant evolution the air warfare first became important in WW2 and many nations kept on developing in that doctroine but after vietnam things began to change and arab israeli wars also showed the importence of multi role fighters and it was most visisble during gulf wars now every fighter jet is concieved as a true multi role omni role

 

[untitled]

The f-16 was initially designed as fighter before anything else

 

[knight11]

The f-16 was initially designed as fighter before anything else

f16 was initially designed as the dogfighter with guns only

 

[Rangila]

Air superiority fighters vs Multirole fightersDefence Aviation

 

[untitled]

f16 was initially designed as the dogfighter with guns only

Not exactly a gun fighter. Of courses it could carry the side winders and sparrows. But it's first mission turned out to be a bombing mission

 

[dadeechi]

Air superiority fighters:

An air superiority fighter is a type of fighter aircraft intended to enter and seize control of enemy airspace. Air superiority fighters have long range and have BVR (Beyond Visual Range) capabilities. They generally take more scramble time(i.e they generally take more time to be mission ready). The maintainable cost is also high.

Air superiority fighters are usually expensive aircraft, and generally procured in lesser numbers. The payload configuration also differs from multirole aircraft where more emphasis is given on the BVR capabilities. (i.e they have more number of radar guided missiles than heat seeking missiles but number of bombs depend upon the mission)

Examples:

F-15
F-22
Su-30MKI
Eurofighter

Multirole fighters:
A multirole (or multi-role) combat aircraft is an aircraft that can be used as both a fighter aircraft and a ground attack aircraft. They are lighter and less powerful than air superiority fighters. They are generally easy to maintain and cost effective. They are usually built large in number. And they have fast scramble time. They are used to defend a base or territory from enemy threat effectively. They have payload more emphasized on heat seaking missiles.

Example:

F-16
F-18
F-35
Mig-29/35
Rafale

Air superiority fighter or not?
Well, there has been some arguments on if Rafale, Euro Fighter, Mig-35 and Gripen (yes even gripen) are considered Air superiority fighters or not. Well we must understand that Air superiority fighters are sometimes used as multirole fighters but multirole fighters cannot not used as a air superiority fighters mainly because of their range. Some analysts say that a country’s advanced fighter is it’s air superiority fighter.

Examples of controversial Air superiority fighters:

Eurofighter
Mig-35
Rafale
Gripen

I would love to hear what you think about these concepts and if possible provide links. Please share your views

My taken on this is traditionally we had Air Superiority fighters (A2A) & Air to Ground fighters (A2G). This akin to old Desktop tower vs Laptop situation.

Now Air Superiority Fighters are trying to include the A2G roles while A2G fighter including A2A roles. This is akin to All-in-one with a battery vs Power Book.

In future we would see more and more all-in-one convertible tablets with high power, great battery and mobility. This is akin to having a true multiple role fighter. Every fighter is trying to be there. May be in the next 30 years we would see such a true multi-role fighter.

 

[knight11]

My taken on this is traditionally we had Air Superiority fighters (A2A) & Air to Ground fighters (A2G). This akin to old Desktop tower vs Laptop situation.

Now Air Superiority Fighters are trying to include the A2G roles while A2G fighter including A2A roles. This is akin to All-in-one with a battery vs Power Book.

In future we would see more and more all-in-one convertible tablets with high power, great battery and mobility. This is akin to having a true multiple role fighter. Every fighter is trying to be there. May be in the next 30 years we would see such a true multi-role fighter.

Fighter airframes are usually exceptionally well suited to one task, reasonably good at a range of other tasks, and marginal for some tasks. In the days of single purpose highly specialised airframes, this was never an issue, since a designer built an aircraft for a particular mission and that was all it ever did. Advances in avionics and shrinking budgets spawned the idea of the multirole fighter, which by virtue of tacking on extra bits of avionic equipment could perform a wide range of tasks, and if we are to believe proponents of the model, equally well. Certainly there are good economic and strategic/doctrinal arguments for multirole fighters, all deriving from the idea that you never have idle assets. The flip side of the argument is overcommitment of assets in combat, since you thought you saved money by buying half the equivalent number of multirole assets, and suddenly find you don't have enough airframes to fly counter-air and strike at the same time.

 

[Blue Marlin]

thanks @knight11 for the tag.

well it depends on the scenario. and there is no jets thats truly a dedicated air superioity fighter, with the exception of a few, being the eft, f22 and su35

 

[knight11]

Important Question arises -- Which is the best composition

1. Have dedicated Aircraft on the role basis ---- Air superiority, Strike fighter, Interceptor, Ground Attack, Recce+ ECM
Airframe

2. Or having Multirole Fighter aircrafts that will lower down the training, maintainability, Cost.

thanks @knight11 for the tag.

well it depends on the scenario. and there is no jets thats truly a dedicated air superioity fighter, with the exception of a few, being the eft, f22 and su35

SU-35 is a strike fighter not a airsuperiority fighter. Air superitority fighter could be easily converted into ground attack aircraft but can multirole fighter can be converted into Air Superiority fighter.

The now classical air superiority aerodynamic performance model is based on the idea of superior energy manoeuvrability

In the surface and maritime strike missions, the decisive measure of performance, sensor capability being equal, is payload/range performance. The more stores you can carry further, the better. A typical land strike sortie for a conventional fighter or bomber would involve an efficient cruise climb and high wing loading on deep penetration sorties, to reduce crew fatigue, and improve the stability of the airframe as a bombing platform.

 

[Styx]

I think all designated 'air superiority' fighters can be configured as bomb trucks/ground attack or a combination of a2a and a2g roles but designated bombers will struggle in a2a vs an 'air superiority' fighter

 

[UkroTurk]

Of course stealth +air superioty + multirole fighters.
Doctrines have been changing since BVR missiles.
They are very expensive.
No money , no honey.
But Dogfights also need for diplomatic shows.

 

[Jat Boy]

Any real TOP CLASS air force WILL have BOTH

Air Superiority Fighters & Multi Role Fighters.

I would argue Typhoon is a Air Superiority Fighter and Rafale Multi Role

I would also say F22 raptor is more Air Superiority F35 multi role

I Think PAK FA is more Air Superirity too but iaf WANTS fgfa to be more multi role