Aircraft
|
Primary
Builder |
Number
built |
First
flight |
Service
life |
F-14 Tomcat
|
United States
|
712
|
1970
|
1974–9/2006
|
F-15 Eagle
|
United States
|
1,198
|
1972
|
1976–Present
|
F-16 Fighting Falcon
|
United States
|
4,500
|
1974
|
1978–Present
|
F/A-18 Hornet
|
United States
|
1,480
|
1974
|
1983–Present
|
MiG-31
|
Soviet Union
|
500
|
1975
|
1981–Present
|
MiG-29/35
|
Soviet Union
|
1,600
|
1977
|
1983–Present
|
Su-27/30/33/35
|
Soviet Union
|
1,391
|
1977
|
1985–Present
|
Mirage 2000
|
France
|
601
|
1978
|
1982–Present
|
Tornado ADV
|
Panavia Aircraft GmbH
|
218
|
1979
|
1985–2011
|
Rafale
|
France
|
157
|
1986
|
2001–Present
|
Hawk 200
|
United Kingdom
|
62
|
1986
|
1993–Present
|
JH-7
|
People's Republic of China
|
240
|
1988
|
1992–Present
|
JAS 39 Gripen
|
Sweden
|
247
|
1988
|
1997–Present
|
F-CK-1 Ching-kuo
|
Republic of China
|
130
|
1989
|
1994–Present
|
Sea Harrier FA.2
|
United Kingdom
|
29
|
1993
|
1993–2006
|
Typhoon
|
Eurofighter GmbH
|
571
|
1994
|
2003–Present
|
F-2
|
Japan
|
98
|
1995
|
2000–Present
|
F/A-18 Super Hornet
|
United States
|
589
|
1995
|
1999–Present
|
J-11/J-15/J-16
|
People's Republic of China
|
253+
|
1998
|
1998–Present
|
J-10
|
People's Republic of China
|
400+
|
1998
|
2005–Present
|
Tejas
|
India
|
6
|
2001
|
2015-present
|
JF-17
|
People's Republic of China
Pakistan |
86
|
2003
|
2007–Present
|
GUARDIAN ANGEL FOR THE B17 BOMBERS The P51 Mustang was one of the most effective planes of World War Two. The P51 Mustang gave the bombers of US 8th Air Force the fighter cover it so desperately needed over occupied Europe and, therefore, greatly assisted the bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in World War Two. In May 1944, the P51-D was introduced. This plane was fitted with fuel drop tanks that gave it far greater mileage in the air. When these tanks were empty, they could be dropped so that the plane had the full use of its aerodynamics. This extra fuel gave the Mustang an ability to escort the US 8th Air Force bomber formations to just about any target in Western Europe. Such cover was vital to the Americans as they were participating in daylight raids primarily over Germany and were thus exposed to attacks by the Luftwaffe. Before the Mustang, American bombers flew in a box formation and relied on the fire power of the many guns car...
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