军用飞机及其发展

Military aircraft Combat aircraft 作战飞机

Bomber (Strategic) 轰炸机（战略）

EW 电子战飞机

Fighter Air superiority 战斗机（空中优势）Attack Gunship 攻击机

Maritime patrol

Multi-role (Strike fighter) 多功能战斗机（攻击机）Non-combat aircraft 非作战飞机

AEW&C 预警机

Experimental 试验机

Reconnaissance 侦察机

Surveillance 监视机

Tanker 加油机

Trainer 教练机

Transport 运输机

Warbird

Military balloon军用气球

Military glider军用滑翔机

Military helicopter军用直升机

Missile导弹

UA V无人机

on manoeuvrability and traditional ground-attack capabilities. Over the course of the 1960s, increasing combat experience with guided

"steam-gauge" cockpit instrumentation. Enhancements to improve the aerodynamic performance of third-generation fighters

4.5th generation jet fighters (1990s to present)

inventories were cut. Research and development programs working on "fifth-generation" fighters took serious hits. Many programs were canceled during the first half of the 1990s, and those that survived were "stretched out". While the practice of slowing the pace of development reduces annual investment expenses, it comes at the penalty of increased overall program and unit costs over the long-term. In this instance, however, it also permitted designers to make use of the tremendous achievements being made in the fields of computers, avionics and other flight electronics, which had become possible largely due to the advances made

designs – or redesigns – with significantly enhanced capabilities. These improved designs have become known as "Generation 4.5" fighters, recognizing their intermediate nature between the 4th and 5th generations, and their contribution in furthering development of individual fifth-generation technologies.

Fifth generation jet fighters (2005 to the present)

Sixth generation jet fighters

France has abandoned any attempt to develop an indigenous fifth-generation fighter and have moved resources directly to development of a sixth-generation fighter aircraft.