The term "multirole" was originally reserved for aircraft designed with the aim of using a common airframe for multiple tasks where the same basic airframe is adapted to a number of differing roles. The main motivation for developing multirole aircraft is cost reduction in using a common airframe.
Multirole has also been applied to one aircraft with both major roles, a primary air-to-air combat role, and a secondary role like air-to-surface attack. However, those designed with an emphasis on aerial combat are usually regarded as air superiority fighters and usually deployed solely in that role, even though they are theoretically capable of ground attack. The Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale are classified as multirole fighters; however the Typhoon is frequently considered an air superiority fighter due to its higher dogfighting prowess while its built-in strike capability has a lighter bomb load compared to contemporaries like the Rafale, which sacrifices air-to-air ability for a heavier payload.[2]
Swing-role
Some aircraft, like the Saab JAS 39 Gripen,[3] are called swing-role, to emphasize the ability of a quick role change, either at short notice, or even within the same mission. According to the Military Dictionary: "the ability to employ a multi-role aircraft for multiple purposes during the same mission."[4]
According to BAE Systems, "an aircraft that can accomplish both air-to-air and air-to-surface roles on the same mission and swing between these roles instantly offers true flexibility. This reduces cost, increases effectiveness and enhances interoperability with allied air forces".[5]
"[Swing-role] capability also offers considerable cost-of-ownership benefits to operational commanders."[6]
Although the term "multirole aircraft" may be relatively novel, certain airframes in history have proven versatile to multiple roles. In particular, the Junkers Ju 88 was renowned in Germany for being a "jack-of-all-trades", capable of performing as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, and so on, much as the British de Havilland Mosquito did as a fast bomber/strike aircraft, reconnaissance, and night fighter. The Hawker Hart was also quite 'multirole' in its numerous variants, being designed as a light bomber but serving as an army cooperation aircraft, a two-seat fighter, a fleet spotter, a fighter-bomber (in fact it was probably the first)[citation needed] and a trainer.
The US joint forces F-4 Phantom II built by McDonnell-Douglas also fits the definition of a multi-role aircraft in its various configurations of the basic airframe design. The various F-4 Phantom II configurations were used in air-to-air, fighter bomber, reconnaissance, and suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) mission roles to name a few.
The first use of the term was by the multinational European project named Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, which was formed in 1968 to produce an aircraft capable of tactical strike, aerial reconnaissance, air defense, and maritime roles.[citation needed] The design was aimed to replace a multitude of different types in the cooperating air forces. The project produced the Panavia Tornado, which used the same basic design to undertake a variety of roles, the Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike) variant and later the Panavia Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant). By contrast, the F-15 Eagle which was another fighter aircraft of that era was designed for air superiority and interception, with the mantra "not a pound, air to ground", although the F-15C did have a rarely used secondary ground attack capability. That program eventually evolved into the F-15E Strike Eagle interdictor/strike derivative which retained the air-to-air combat lethality of earlier F-15s.
The newest fighter jet that fits the definition of 'multi-role' is the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II/Joint Strike Fighter, designed to perform stealth-based ground/naval strike, fighter, reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles. Like a modern-day F-4, 3 variants of this aircraft fulfill the various strike and air defense roles among its joint service requirements: the standard variant is intended to eventually replace the F-16 and A-10 in the USAF and other Western air forces, a STOVL version intended to replace the Harrier in US Marine Corps, British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy service, and a carrier variant intended to eventually replace the older F/A-18C/D for the US Navy and other F/A-18 operators. The F-35's design goal can be compared to its larger and more air superiority-focused cousin, the F-22 Raptor.
multirole, combat, aircraft, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Multirole combat aircraft news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message A multirole combat aircraft MRCA is a combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat 1 These roles can include air to air combat air support aerial bombing reconnaissance electronic warfare and suppression of air defenses United States Air Force F 35A Lightning II fifth generation multirole stealth fighters Contents 1 Definition 1 1 Swing role 2 History 3 Aircraft 4 See also 5 ReferencesDefinition EditThe term multirole was originally reserved for aircraft designed with the aim of using a common airframe for multiple tasks where the same basic airframe is adapted to a number of differing roles The main motivation for developing multirole aircraft is cost reduction in using a common airframe More roles can be added such as aerial reconnaissance forward air control and electronic warfare aircraft Attack missions include the subtypes air interdiction suppression of enemy air defense SEAD and close air support CAS The de Havilland Mosquito was a Night fighter which performed light bombing and reconnaissance during World War II Multirole has also been applied to one aircraft with both major roles a primary air to air combat role and a secondary role like air to surface attack However those designed with an emphasis on aerial combat are usually regarded as air superiority fighters and usually deployed solely in that role even though they are theoretically capable of ground attack The Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale are classified as multirole fighters however the Typhoon is frequently considered an air superiority fighter due to its higher dogfighting prowess while its built in strike capability has a lighter bomb load compared to contemporaries like the Rafale which sacrifices air to air ability for a heavier payload 2 Swing role Edit Some aircraft like the Saab JAS 39 Gripen 3 are called swing role to emphasize the ability of a quick role change either at short notice or even within the same mission According to the Military Dictionary the ability to employ a multi role aircraft for multiple purposes during the same mission 4 According to BAE Systems an aircraft that can accomplish both air to air and air to surface roles on the same mission and swing between these roles instantly offers true flexibility This reduces cost increases effectiveness and enhances interoperability with allied air forces 5 Swing role capability also offers considerable cost of ownership benefits to operational commanders 6 History EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Multirole combat aircraft news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message An RAF Panavia Tornado GR4 flying through Mach Loop Although the term multirole aircraft may be relatively novel certain airframes in history have proven versatile to multiple roles In particular the Junkers Ju 88 was renowned in Germany for being a jack of all trades capable of performing as a bomber dive bomber night fighter and so on much as the British de Havilland Mosquito did as a fast bomber strike aircraft reconnaissance and night fighter The Hawker Hart was also quite multirole in its numerous variants being designed as a light bomber but serving as an army cooperation aircraft a two seat fighter a fleet spotter a fighter bomber in fact it was probably the first citation needed and a trainer The US joint forces F 4 Phantom II built by McDonnell Douglas also fits the definition of a multi role aircraft in its various configurations of the basic airframe design The various F 4 Phantom II configurations were used in air to air fighter bomber reconnaissance and suppression of enemy air defenses SEAD mission roles to name a few The first use of the term was by the multinational European project named Multi Role Combat Aircraft which was formed in 1968 to produce an aircraft capable of tactical strike aerial reconnaissance air defense and maritime roles citation needed The design was aimed to replace a multitude of different types in the cooperating air forces The project produced the Panavia Tornado which used the same basic design to undertake a variety of roles the Tornado IDS Interdictor Strike variant and later the Panavia Tornado ADV Air Defence Variant By contrast the F 15 Eagle which was another fighter aircraft of that era was designed for air superiority and interception with the mantra not a pound air to ground although the F 15C did have a rarely used secondary ground attack capability That program eventually evolved into the F 15E Strike Eagle interdictor strike derivative which retained the air to air combat lethality of earlier F 15s The newest fighter jet that fits the definition of multi role is the Lockheed Martin F 35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter designed to perform stealth based ground naval strike fighter reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles Like a modern day F 4 3 variants of this aircraft fulfill the various strike and air defense roles among its joint service requirements the standard variant is intended to eventually replace the F 16 and A 10 in the USAF and other Western air forces a STOVL version intended to replace the Harrier in US Marine Corps British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy service and a carrier variant intended to eventually replace the older F A 18C D for the US Navy and other F A 18 operators The F 35 s design goal can be compared to its larger and more air superiority focused cousin the F 22 Raptor Aircraft EditBelow is a list of some current examples A US Navy F A 18F Super Hornet Country Manufacturer Aircraft IntroducedUnited States Lockheed Martin F 16 1978Russia Mikoyan MiG 29 1982United States Boeing F 15E 1988Taiwan AIDC F CK 1 1992Russia Sukhoi Su 30 1996Sweden Saab JAS 39 1997United States Boeing F A 18E F 1999Japan Mitsubishi Mitsubishi F 2 2000France Dassault Rafale 2001Germany Italy Spain UK Eurofighter Typhoon 2003China Chengdu Aerospace J 10 2005Pakistan China CAC PAC JF 17 2007Russia Sukhoi Su 35 2007Russia Mikoyan Mikoyan MiG 29K 2010China Shenyang J 16 2012China Shenyang J 15 2013Russia Sukhoi Su 34 2014United States Lockheed Martin F 35 Lightning II 2015India HAL HAL Tejas 2015Russia Mikoyan Mikoyan MiG 35 2019Russia Sukhoi Su 57 2020South Korea Indonesia Korea Aerospace Industries Indonesian Aerospace KAI KF 21 Boramae 2022See also EditAir superiority fighter Attack aircraft Fighter bomber Interceptor aircraft Interdictor Lead in fighter trainer Light combat aircraft Strike fighter Tactical bomberReferences Edit multirole Archived 2012 05 02 at the Wayback Machine Military Dictionary org Cambridge Dictionary only list multirole and not multi role Rafale Vs F A 18 Super Hornet Which one between Rafale and Rhino is the better multirole fighter aircraft 25 September 2020 Fact file Saab JAS39 C D Gripen October 20 2008 Retrieved September 8 2019 swing role Military dictionary org BAE Systems delivers Swing Role Radar capability to Eurofighter Typhoon press release BAe 2001 Mission configuration Swing Role Typhoon Eurofighter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Multirole combat aircraft amp oldid 1122804428, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
