Third-generation jet fighter

The third-generation jet fighter was the class of fighter aircraft developed between the early 1960s to the 1970s.

MiG-21: The most-produced third generation fighter

Development

The third generation witnessed continued maturation of second-generation innovations, but it is most marked by renewed emphases on manoeuvrability and traditional ground-attack capabilities. Over the course of the 1960s, increasing combat experience with guided missiles demonstrated that combat would devolve into close-in dogfights. Analog avionics began to be introduced, replacing older "steam-gauge" cockpit instrumentation. Enhancements to improve the aerodynamic performance of third-generation fighters included flight control surfaces such as canards, powered slats, and blown flaps. A number of technologies would be tried for Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing, but thrust vectoring would be successful on the Harrier jump jet.

Electronics

Growth in air combat capability focused on the introduction of improved air-to-air missiles, radar systems, and other avionics. While guns remained standard equipment (early models of F-4 being a notable exception), air-to-air missiles became the primary weapons for air superiority fighters. They employed more sophisticated radars and medium-range RF AAMs to achieve greater "stand-off" ranges, however, kill probabilities proved unexpectedly low for RF missiles due to poor reliability and improved electronic countermeasures (ECM) for spoofing radar seekers. Infrared-homing AAMs saw their fields of view expand to 45°, which strengthened their tactical usability. Nevertheless, the low dogfight loss-exchange ratios experienced by American fighters in the skies over Vietnam led the U.S. Navy to establish its famous "TOPGUN" fighter weapons school, which provided a graduate-level curriculum to train fleet fighter pilots in advanced Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) and Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) tactics and techniques.

Weapons

This era also saw an expansion in ground-attack capabilities, principally in guided missiles, and witnessed the introduction of the first truly effective avionics for enhanced ground attack, including terrain-avoidance systems. Air-to-surface missiles (ASM) equipped with electro-optical (E-O) contrast seekers – such as the initial model of the widely used AGM-65 Maverick – became standard weapons, and laser-guided bombs (LGBs) became widespread in effort to improve precision-attack capabilities. Guidance for such precision-guided munitions (PGM) was provided by externally mounted targeting pods, which were introduced in the mid-1960s.

It also led to the development of new automatic-fire weapons, primarily chain-guns that use an electric motor to drive the mechanism of a cannon; this allowed a single multi-barrel weapon (such as the 20 mm Vulcan) to be carried and provided greater rates of fire and accuracy. Powerplant reliability increased and jet engines became "smokeless" to make it harder to visually sight aircraft at long distances.

Saab 37 Viggen

Specialization

Dedicated ground-attack aircraft (like the Grumman A-6 Intruder, SEPECAT Jaguar and LTV A-7 Corsair II) offered longer range, more sophisticated night attack systems or lower cost than supersonic fighters. With variable-geometry wings, the supersonic F-111 introduced the Pratt & Whitney TF30, the first turbofan equipped with afterburner. The ambitious project sought to create a versatile common fighter for many roles and services. It would serve well as an all-weather bomber, but lacked the performance to defeat other fighters. The McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom was designed around radar and missiles as an all-weather interceptor, but emerged as a versatile strike bomber nimble enough to prevail in air combat, adopted by the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Despite numerous shortcomings that would not be fully addressed until newer fighters, the Phantom claimed 280 aerial kills, more than any other U.S. fighter over Vietnam.^[1] With range and payload capabilities that rivaled that of World War II bombers such as B-24 Liberator, the Phantom would become a highly successful multi-role aircraft.

Aircraft

Fighters/Interceptors

Aircraft	Primary builder	Number built	First flight	In service	Length m	Wingspan m	Wing area sq. m	Empty weight	Max takeoff weight	Max Speed km/h	Range km	Celling m	Engines × Thrust
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II	United States	5,195	1958	1960–Present	19.20	11.70	49.20	13,757 kg	28,030 kg	2,370	2,600	18,300	2 × 52.9 kN/79.4 kN
Aeritalia F-104S Starfighter	Italy	246	1966	1969-2004	16.7	6.68	18.2	6,760 kg	14,060 kg	2,330	2,920	17,680	1 x 52.8 kN/79.6 kN
Fiat G.91Y	Italy	67	1966	1966-1972	11.67	9.01	18.14	3,900 kg	8,700 kg	1,110	3,400	12,500	2 x 18.15 kN
Dassault Mirage F1	France	720	1966	1973–Present	15.30	8.40	25.00	7,400 kg	10,900 kg	2,338	3,300	20,000	1 × 49.03 kN/70.61 kN
IAI Kfir	Israel	220	1973	1976-1996	15.65	8.22	34.80	7,285 kg	16,200 kg	2,440	768	17,680	1 × 52.9 kN/79.62 kN
Saab 37 Viggen	Sweden	329	1967	1971-2005	16.40	10.60	46.00	9,500 kg	20,000 kg	2,231	2,000	18,000	1 × 72.1 kN/125.0 kN
Mitsubishi F-1	Japan	77	1975	1978-2006	17.86	7.88	21.20	6,358 kg	13,674 kg	1,700	2,870	15,240	2 × 22.8 kN/35.6 kN
Atlas Cheetah	South Africa	70	1983	1986–Present	15.55	8.22	35.00	6,600 kg	13,700 kg	2,350	1,300	17,000	1 × 71.0 kN
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 'Flogger'	Soviet Union	5,047	1967	1970–Present	16.70	13.97	37.35	9,595 kg	18,030 kg	2,445	2,820	18,500	1 × 83.6 kN/127 kN
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 'Foxbat'	Soviet Union	1,186	1964	1970–Present	19.75	14.01	61.40	20,000 kg	36,720 kg	3,470	1,730	20,700	2 × 73.5 kN/100.1 kN
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 27 'Flogger-D/J'	Soviet Union	1,075	1970	1975-Present	17.08	13.97	37.35	11,908 kg	20,670 kg	1,350	2,500	14,000	112.8 kN
Sukhoi Su-15 'Flagon'	Soviet Union	1,290	1962	1965-1996	19.56	9.34	36.60	10,874 kg	17,194 kg	2,230	1,380	18,100	2 × 40.21 kN/70.0 kN
Tupolev Tu-28 'Fiddler'	Soviet Union	198	1961	1964-1990	30.06	17.53	96.94	24,500 kg	43,700 kg	1,920	2,565	15,600	2 × 72.8 kN/99.1 kN
Shenyang J-8 'Finback'	People's Republic of China	390	1969	1980–Present	21.52	9.34	42.2	10,371 kg	18,879 kg	2,336	1,000	11,000	2 × 47.1 kN/68.7 kN
HAL Ajeet	India	89	1976	1977-1991	9.04	6.73	12.69	2,307 kg	4,173 kg	1,152	172	13,720	1 x 20.0 kN

Note: Thrust Dry/Afterburner (in some cases only data for one of the two might be available)

References