What types of planes are there? Russian military aviation Aircraft names in alphabetical order

Aviation as a mode of transport appeared relatively recently, its history goes back only a hundred years. Airplanes have firmly entered the everyday life of mankind, and now it is impossible to imagine traveling to another continent without using the services of one or another airline.

Initially, airplanes were shaky structures made of flammable materials, and movement in them was associated with a certain risk to life. But over time, they evolved into a convenient and safe form of transport. More than 100 design companies produce passenger airliners for the needs of civil aviation. This industry is one of the most profitable in mechanical engineering. So what types of aircraft are there, which are considered the best, and how many of them are produced per year?

Types of aircraft are divided into several classifications:

by purpose,
speed,
quantity,
type of engines,
size of wings and body,
management.

This article will look at what passenger aircraft are made in different countries of the world (including Russia): both new and older generation models.

Boeing Company

It is one of the leading manufacturers in the aviation industry, specializing in the production of passenger and cargo airliners for commercial aviation, as well as military and space equipment. The best US civil aircraft are produced by Boeing, due to which the company's products occupy a leading position in the country's exports.

Since its founding in 1916, the corporation confidently declared itself and until the end of the Second World War it produced mainly fighters and bombers. With the onset of peacetime, it quickly retrained for passenger aircraft and by the end of the 20th century became the progenitor of the most numerous model used by airlines - the Boeing 737. Now the aviation giant produces up to 500 aircraft per year and is constantly working on the development of the latest aviation and space technology.

The long-lived model has been produced since the mid-1960s of the last century and is one of the most frequently used by various air carriers. More than 6,000 aircraft have been produced since the successful launch of the initial modification. Initially, aircraft of this series were intended for short- and medium-range domestic flight routes, but with the installation of innovative engines on the 737 family aircraft, starting in 1984, the Boeing 737 “Classic” model with a significantly increased capability for long-distance flights began to be produced.

Since the late 1990s, a modified Boeing 737 “Next Generation” model has appeared with more advanced energy-hungry engines, larger wings and a new passenger cabin with up to 210 seats. This model is currently being produced.

The airline giant is working on developing a new series designed to replace previous models. The first deliveries of the Boeing 737 Max are scheduled for the second half of 2017.

The first 747 aircraft was tested in 1968 and was designed to meet the demand for intercontinental transport, which was gaining popularity at an incredible rate at that time. The two-deck model remained the largest passenger aircraft on the planet for more than 30 years.

The aircraft is currently being produced; to date, more than 1.5 thousand models have been produced. In the late 1970s, powerful engines began to be installed on these airliners, and the weight of the hull was increased, increasing the possible flight distance.

The modern modification of the model compares favorably with its predecessors and surpasses them in reducing noise during flight, resource saving, overall efficiency and safety. Passenger capacity is up to 581 people.

Developed during the global fuel crisis of the second half of the 20th century, the aircraft consumes many times less resources, while maintaining all the standards for safe and successful flight.

Due to breakthroughs in aerodynamics, innovative aircraft design, the use of the latest materials and only two engines, the aircraft is an alternative to more resource-consuming models.

However, the reduction in the number of engines entailed a reduction in the range of non-stop flights, the upper limit of which is 7000 kilometers. The aircraft's cabin layout has also undergone changes compared to previous Boeing models, with only two aisles and between 200 and 295 seats in early versions.

Currently, production of the model has been discontinued due to a decrease in orders for it. As of 2004, more than 1,000 aircraft were produced, and most leading airlines continue to operate them.

The aircraft was developed in parallel with the Boeing 757, it was intended to replace much more energy-intensive models, consuming 32% less fuel.

Due to the reduced passenger capacity, the model initially did not cause much excitement among airlines, but after a series of modifications and an increase in the cabin, its market competitiveness was proven and it was especially often used for air crossings of the Atlantic Ocean. Initially, the passenger cabin of the airliner consisted of 181 seats, but then the number was increased to 224.

The model is very popular among American airlines operating on domestic flights, and is often used when flying from the east coast of the country to the west. The interest of airlines in the model allowed the Boeing Company to continue its production at the present time.

Boeing 777

The aircraft has two engines and is designed for long-distance intercontinental flights from 10 thousand to 21 thousand kilometers. A distinctive feature can be considered jet engines, whose diameter has no analogues in the world.

The model is equipped with the latest technology; its creation was carried out using computer technology. Today the aircraft is the most successful and best-selling aircraft for Boeing; its production has only been increasing in recent years.

The world's leading air carriers operate the model on their flights, carrying from 300 to 550 passengers per flight.

Airbus S.A.S

The largest manufacturer in Eurasia, producing various types of civil and cargo aircraft, created by the merger of several European aircraft concerns in the late 1960s. The company's main offices are located in France, Spain, Germany and the UK.

Airbus immediately focused on developing low-cost, lightweight, fuel-efficient models. This decision paid dividends. The company is now a direct competitor to Boeing, although in recent years it has been receiving more orders and producing more aircraft (up to 550 per year) than its American rivals. Modern models of this brand enjoy the constant trust of passengers and various air carriers.

Additional Information. The decision to unite European aircraft manufacturing companies has more than once been called a saving grace for the local aviation industry and the economy of the European Union.

The brainchild of the Airbus aviation concern first saw the light of day in the mid-1980s, and began flying in 1987. The design of this aircraft was carried out using the latest aircraft manufacturing technologies available at that time; for the first time, an electronic remote control system was built into it.

The model compares favorably with its direct competitors due to its more spacious cabin and luggage compartment dimensions, as well as the reduced cost of operation and preventative repairs, which has led to great demand for the airliner among low-cost airlines. It can travel non-stop over distances of up to 6.5 thousand kilometers and carry from 140 to 180 passengers.

Currently, the aircraft is in great demand and occupies a leading position in the ratings as the best-selling and most produced model in the world. Up to 40 airliners are built at Airbus factories per month.

The largest aircraft in the world in terms of size and number of passengers carried today appeared in the early 2000s through the efforts of the aircraft manufacturing corporation EADS, commissioned by Airbus, and its commercial operation began by 2007.

The model is designed for intercontinental communication (up to 15,000 kilometers) of the world's largest modern airports, but not every one of them is capable of hosting such a huge airliner with four engines, capable of carrying up to 1,000 passengers at a time.

Due to its size, the aircraft consumes quite a lot of fuel, so the designers had to cover the fuselage of the aircraft with the lightest but most durable materials in order to lighten its weight as much as possible.

Production of the model continues to this day, and its popularity remains unchanged among the world's leading airlines.

Airbus A319

The characteristics of this model are very similar to the A320, but with a smaller body, passenger capacity and fuel consumption. The aircraft itself is designed for short and medium-range flights and is not capable of covering more than 6.5 thousand kilometers without refueling, but in its segment this is more than a decent indicator.

Despite some limitations, the aircraft has found its niche in the industry and is used for flights between European countries and is actively used by economy class airlines to transport passengers on less popular routes (from 125 to 156 people).

The aircraft with a wide fuselage is designed for long-distance intercontinental flights and is capable of covering up to 13.5 thousand kilometers. The model was created to compete with the Boeing Company and their 767 modification aircraft.

Since the early 1990s, more than a thousand airliners have been produced, and their production continues to this day. The aircraft is capable of carrying between 240 and 440 passengers and is the largest twin-engine model produced by Airbus.

The airline is currently planning to release a new generation model that will reduce the fuel consumption of the A330 by 15% and significantly reduce the cost of operating aircraft for airlines.

One of the most popular models in the past, now discontinued. The aircraft, with a shorter fuselage than other models of the concern at that time, was put into operation starting in 1983, its flight range was 5.5 thousand kilometers.

Since then, the model has been improved several times: the modification of the wings has changed, the braking ability of the chassis has been improved, and a vertical tail made of carbon fiber has been added. A lot of attention was also paid to the interior design of the cabin - the distance between the seats, the depth of the shelves, and the general availability of individual means in case of an emergency were at the highest level and met all standards accepted at that time. Currently, major airlines no longer use this model, but mid-segment and low-cost carriers still actively use it.

Domestic aircraft manufacturing

Models of passenger aircraft in the history of Russian and Soviet aviation are numerous and varied. The design of the first domestic aircraft began under Emperor Nicholas II; quite successful aircraft “Russian Knight” and “Ilya Muromets” were created, which proved to be excellent bombers on the fronts of the First World War. Epic heroes were specially chosen to name Russian aircraft in order to maintain morale in regular army units.

After the October Revolution, many private commercial companies producing aircraft were abolished, and in their place, state-controlled design bureaus appeared with a clearly defined plan: to work only for the military-industrial complex.

With the advent of peacetime, types of passenger aircraft began to be developed with particular diligence, and air travel became increasingly popular. Now the Russian aviation industry largely depends on Western partners, but it also has its own developments, and the number of models produced per year is gradually growing.

Additional Information. At the dawn of the Soviet aviation industry, a curious tradition was born: any aircraft model is called by the name of the design bureau that created it.

An-24

The aircraft was developed by the Antonov Design Bureau; over 17 years of production, approximately 1,200 models were produced. During the Soviet period, the airliner was used on domestic flights and coped well with various weather conditions. Some air carriers in the Russian Federation still operate this model, capable of carrying up to 52 passengers at a time. The aircraft has two turboprop engines and is capable of non-stop flight of up to 2 thousand kilometers.

Tu-134

It was created as a safer, faster and less noisy version of the An-24 at the Tupolev Design Bureau. First released in the mid-1960s, about 900 vehicles were put into operation over 18 years. The aircraft cabin can accommodate up to 75 passengers, and the non-stop flight distance is 2 thousand kilometers.

To understand how popular this model was at one time, it is enough to open any book where Russian aviation is considered in a historical context. Suffice it to recall that the aircraft was produced until 2013 and for a long time invariably occupied first place in the list of the safest airliners in the world.

Since 1968, just under a thousand medium-haul airliners have been produced, capable of flying almost 4 thousand kilometers without refueling. A significant number are still in service and form a significant part of the Russian air carrier fleet.

IL-62

By the mid-1950s, civil aviation of the USSR did not have a single design bureau making aircraft capable of flying between continents. The Ilyushin Design Bureau developed the Il-64, in the first assemblies capable of carrying 164 passengers (later the number increased to 186) over a distance of more than 11 thousand kilometers.

IL-96

Wide-body aircraft in Russia have been produced since the late 80s. It is this model that currently transports the President of the Russian Federation. It is capable of carrying up to 300 passengers over a distance of up to 9 thousand kilometers. Since the spring of 2014, the airliner has been completely taken out of service and is currently used only by the national carrier of Cuba.

Currently, Russia can boast of the products of the Sukhoi company, which produces medium-haul airliners capable of non-stop flight over a distance of 4.5 thousand kilometers and transportation of almost 100 kilometers. Since 2008, 89 aircraft have been produced and are operated by such air carriers as Aeroflot, Utair and Interjet.

MS-21

The brainchild of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant in the form of a mid-body civil aircraft capable of flying at a distance of up to 6.4 thousand kilometers was released in June 2016, and the first test flight took place at the end of May 2017. The airliner can carry up to 180 people and is designed primarily for domestic flights.

Video

Thanks to the enormous competition among the largest airline companies, passengers and air carriers are in a winning situation. Every year, passenger aircraft become more technologically advanced, comfortable and safe for people who choose this type of transport for travel.

The military-industrial complex of Russia is one of the most modern in the world, therefore Russian military aviation is also one of the most modern on the planet.

The Russian military-industrial complex is capable of producing almost any type of modern military aircraft, including fifth-generation fighters.

Russian military aviation consists of:

Russian bombers
Russian fighters
Russian attack aircraft
Russian AWACS aircraft
Flying tankers (refuelers) of Russia
Russian military transport aircraft
Russian military transport helicopters
Russian attack helicopters

The main manufacturers of military aircraft in Russia are PJSC Sukhoi Company, JSC RSK MiG, Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M.L. Mil, JSC Kamov and others.

You can see photos and descriptions of some companies' products using the links:

Let's look at each class of military aircraft with descriptions and photographs.

Russian bombers

Wikipedia will very accurately explain to us what a bomber is: A bomber is a military aircraft designed to destroy ground, underground, surface, and underwater targets using bombs and/or missiles. .

Long-range bombers of Russia

Long-range bombers in Russia are developed and produced by the Tupolev Design Bureau.

Long-range bomber Tu-160

The Tu-160, which received the unofficial name “White Swan”, is the fastest and heaviest long-range bomber in the world. The Tu-160 “White Swan” is capable of reaching supersonic speed, and not every fighter is able to keep up with it.

Long-range bomber Tu-95

Tu-95 is a veteran of Russian long-range aviation. Developed back in 1955 and having undergone many upgrades, the Tu-95 is still Russia's main long-range bomber.

Long-range bomber Tu-22M

Tu-22M is another long-range bomber of the Russian Aerospace Forces. It has variable sweep wings, like the Tu-160, but its dimensions are smaller.

Frontline bombers of Russia

Frontline bombers in Russia are developed and produced by PJSC Sukhoi Company.

Su-34 front-line bomber

The Su-34 is a 4++ generation combat aircraft, a fighter-bomber, although it would be more accurate to call it a front-line bomber.

Su-24 front-line bomber

Su-24 is a front-line bomber, the development of which began in the USSR in the early 60s of the last century. Currently, it is being replaced by the Su-34.

Russian fighters

Fighter aircraft in Russia are developed and produced by two companies: PJSC Sukhoi Company and JSC RSK MiG.

Su fighters

PJSC Sukhoi Company supplies the troops with such modern combat vehicles as the fifth generation fighter Su-50 (PAK FA), Su-35, front-line bomber Su-34, carrier-based fighter Su-33, Su-30, heavy fighter Su-34 27, Su-25 attack aircraft, Su-24M3 front-line bomber.

Fifth generation fighter PAK FA (T-50)

PAK FA (T-50 or Su-50) is a fifth-generation fighter developed by PJSC Sukhoi Company for the Russian Aerospace Forces since 2002. As of the end of 2016, tests are being completed and the aircraft is being prepared for transfer to regular units.

Photo PAK FA (T-50).

Su-35 is a 4++ generation fighter aircraft.

Photo of Su-35.

Carrier-based fighter Su-33

Su-33 is a 4++ generation carrier-based fighter. Several such aircraft are in service with the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

Su-27 fighter

The Su-27 is the main combat fighter of the Russian Aerospace Forces. On its basis, the Su-34, Su-35, Su-33 and several other fighters were developed.

Su-27 in flight

MiG fighters

JSC RSK MiG currently supplies the troops with the MiG-31 interceptor fighter and the MiG-29 fighter.

MiG-31 interceptor fighter

The MiG-31 is an interceptor fighter designed to perform missions at any time of the day and in any weather. The MiG-31 is a very fast aircraft.

MiG-29 fighter

The MiG-29 is one of the main combat fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces. There is a deck version - MiG-29K.

Stormtroopers

The only attack aircraft in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces is the Su-25 attack aircraft.

Su-25 attack aircraft

Su-25 is an armored subsonic attack aircraft. The aircraft made its first flight in 1975. Since then, having undergone many upgrades, it has reliably performed its tasks.

Russian military helicopters

Helicopters for the army are produced by the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M.L. Mil and JSC Kamov.

Kamov helicopters

OJSC Kamov specializes in the production of coaxial helicopters.

Ka-52 helicopter

The Ka-52 Alligator is a two-seat helicopter capable of performing both attack and reconnaissance functions.

Deck helicopter Ka-31

The Ka-31 is a deck-based helicopter equipped with a long-range radio detection and guidance system and is in service with the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

Deck helicopter Ka-27

The Ka-27 is a multi-purpose carrier-based helicopter. The main modifications are anti-submarine and rescue.

Photo of Ka-27PL Russian Navy

Helicopters Mile

Mi helicopters are developed by the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M.L. Mil.

Mi-28 helicopter

The Mi-28 is a Soviet-designed attack helicopter used by the Russian Army.

Mi-24 helicopter

The Mi-24 is a world-famous attack helicopter created in the 1970s in the USSR.

Mi-26 helicopter

Mi-24 is a heavy transport helicopter, also developed during the Soviet era. Currently it is the largest helicopter in the world.

The Soviet passenger aviation industry was also represented at a decent level. Most of the models are Aeroflot aircraft. Names of the main brands: Tu, Il, An and Yak.

The first domestic jet airliner was the Tu-104, released in 1955. The Tu-154, which first took off in 1972, is considered the most popular Soviet passenger aircraft. The 1968 Tu-144 acquired legendary status as the world's first airliner that managed to break the sound barrier. It could reach speeds of up to 2.5 thousand km/h, and this record has not been broken to this day. At the moment, the last operating model of the airliner developed by the Tupolev design bureau is the Tu-204 aircraft produced in 1990, as well as its modification Tu-214.

Naturally, besides Tu, there are other Aeroflot aircraft. The names of the most popular: Il-18, Il-114, Il-103, An-24, An-28, Yak-40 and Yak-42.

Tu-154 Speed. Dimensions. Weight. Capacity. Fuel consumption. Story

Work on the new Tu-154 passenger aircraft began at the A.N. Tupolev in 1963. The first jet passenger aircraft of this design bureau were designed on the basis of combat aircraft: Tu-104 based on Tu-16, Tu-114 based on Tu-95. In contrast, the new third-generation aircraft became the first passenger aircraft for the OKB that did not have a military prototype. At that time, three types of passenger aircraft flew on Aeroflot's medium-haul lines: Tu-104, Il-18 and An-10. This led to difficulties in ensuring the normal process of technical operation of three structurally different machines.

Local passenger aircraft

Aircraft of this type have compact dimensions and a cabin with a maximum capacity of twenty people. The maximum distance that such aircraft can cover does not exceed 1000 kilometers. These aircraft are usually equipped with piston or turboprop engines, which can significantly reduce their operating costs.

What speed an aircraft has directly depends on its type, as well as on its design features. Aircraft that fly longer distances typically have higher speeds, allowing them to travel shorter times.

Other types of classification

Based on the number of engines, aircraft have a ranking from one to twelve engines.

Based on engine type, aircraft are divided into the following categories: electric, piston, turboprop, jet, rocket, and combined engine.

According to the type of chassis, the classification of aircraft is as follows: wheeled, ski-mounted, hovercraft, tracked, float-mounted, amphibious. Naturally, aircraft with wheeled landing gear are most common.

By weight, aircraft are divided into super-light, light, medium-weight, heavy and super-heavy aircraft.

According to the number of wings, in the direction of decreasing their number, aircraft are divided into polyplanes, triplanes, biplanes, sesquiplanes and monoplanes.

There is also a classification based on fuselage size: narrow-body and wide-body.

According to the classification of control type, aircraft are divided into manned and unmanned.

According to the take-off form, all aircraft can be divided into the following categories: vertical take-off, horizontal take-off and short take-off.

Fighters

The main task of these devices is to destroy aircraft and other objects that are in the air.

The names of fighter aircraft will also tell a lot to a military connoisseur. The most famous Soviet models of the Second World War period are LaGG-3, I-15 bis, MiG-3, I-16, I-153, Yak-1. In the same era, the German Bf.109, Bf.110 and Fw 190 aircraft, as well as the Me.262, Me.163 Komet and He 162 Volksjager jets, gained world fame.

Among Soviet fighters of a later era, the MiG-31, Su-27 and MiG-29 should be highlighted. Modern Russian aircraft are currently filling the skies. Their names are well known to aviation specialists. These are 4++ generation fighters Su-35 and Mig-35.

Modern American models include the world's first generation five fighter, the Boeing F-22, as well as the earlier F-4 and F-15 Eagle models.

Domestic aircraft manufacturing

Additional Information. At the dawn of the Soviet aviation industry, a curious tradition was born: any aircraft model is called by the name of the design bureau that created it.

An-24

On August 15, Russia celebrates Aircraft Manufacturer Day. The Russian aviation industry now includes about 250 enterprises. Russia is one of the largest manufacturers of aircraft and ranks third in the world in terms of production volume after the United States and the European Union.

Aircraft manufacturers in different countries today produce a wide range of aircraft - from ultra-light aircraft to heavy and super-heavy aircraft capable of carrying more than 500 passengers or 150-250 tons of cargo.

What an airplane consists of and what types of airplanes there are, see the AiF.ru infographic.

Design and types of aircraft. Infographics: AiF

How many planes are built in Russia?

This year, the Russian aircraft industry intends to build about 150 military and civil aircraft. Production of the SSJ-100 should increase from 24 to 40 aircraft. Four of these aircraft will be received by Aeroflot, which became the first carrier to begin commercial operation of the SSJ-100. Another 11 aircraft will be received by the Mexican company Interjet, which began flying this aircraft last year. It is expected that Gazprom Avia, which already has one SSJ-100 in its fleet, will receive six more aircraft, and UTair Airlines will receive the same number. The remaining SSJ-100 will be sent to government customers, in particular, one of them will be received by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In 2013, about 100 military aircraft and 32 civilian aircraft were built in Russia, of which 24 were Sukhoi Superjet.

For more information about which aircraft are produced in Russia,

On whether Russia can replace foreign aircraft with its own,

Project "Rysachok"

Starting next year, Russia plans to launch mass production of the new Russian regional aircraft “Rysachok”. This is a light twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed by the Scientific and Commercial Company Technoavia LLC. Produced at the Samara plant TsSKB-Progress.

“Rysachok” will be necessary for local airlines, which will use small aircraft capable of landing at poorly equipped airfields.

The aircraft is equipped with Czech Walter engines and American avionics. From 2016, production of domestic engines will be launched.

The aircraft is presented in two versions - for ten and sixteen passengers. Its flight range is 2000 km, cruising speed is 250-400 km/h.

Military aircraft are aircraft used for military front-line or combat sorties, designed for high power without taking into account efficiency, in contrast to civil aviation aircraft.

Military aircraft, first of all, are required to have a high rate of climb, as well as greater speed, altitude and flight range. For the operational conduct of air warfare, long-range bomber aircraft and missile carriers are used to destroy military targets. Refueling aircraft, which only have fuel on board, have the ability to refuel combat aircraft directly in flight. Military aircraft include long-range reconnaissance aircraft with long range, altitude and flight speed. Tactical military aircraft include fighter aircraft (or starfighters), fighter-bombers, light bombers, and tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Modern military aircraft are often designed as multi-role aircraft, i.e. they are intended for combat use as attack aircraft, interceptor fighters and reconnaissance aircraft.

1) Fighter aircraft (fighters)

A fighter aircraft is a very fast one- or two-seat combat aircraft for destroying (searching for) enemy combat aircraft, unmanned missiles, etc. All modern fighter aircraft are equipped with one or two air-breathing engines for propulsion. The speed exceeds sound and is currently about 3500 km/h, the rate of climb near the ground is over 200 m/s and the maximum operating altitude is up to 30,000 m. The armament consists of 2 to 5 fixed automatic guns (with a caliber of 2.0 to 3 .7 cm) and ballistic, radio-controlled or homing air-to-air missiles. In addition, for the most part, fighter aircraft have extensive electronic equipment such as radar, recognition device, etc.

Heavy fighter aircraft or fighter-bombers combine the flight power and flight qualities of fighters - high combat speed and rate of climb, high maximum flight altitude, good maneuverability - and the qualities of light and medium bombers - long flight range, good armament, high payload, extensive electronic and radar equipment. They are highly versatile in their combat capabilities. Their intended purposes include, among other things, actions to intercept and attack ground targets, search for submarines, support formations of ships and ground combat operations, and combat use as an escort fighter or reconnaissance aircraft. Armament and equipment accordingly meet the assigned tasks. Radar installations are standard; armament usually consists of large-caliber guns and missiles (air-to-air or air-to-ground), as well as bombs and torpedoes as bomber weapons. Since there is no free space in the fuselage of these military aircraft, bombs, missiles and additional fuel tanks are suspended under and at the ends of the wings. The speed performance of heavy bombers is between Mach number 0.2 and 2, the maximum flight altitude is from 15,000 to 20,000 m, and the flight range is from 1,500 to 4,500 km.

Previously, there were special night fighters that were used specifically for combat operations at night, as they were equipped with instruments for blind flight. Most modern fighter aircraft are all-weather, i.e. they can fly combat missions in bad weather conditions, as well as at night. Also, all-weather fighter aircraft are often called heavy fighters, since they are in most cases two-seat and equipped with two engines.

The essence of effective air defense is to “intercept” an incoming enemy and prevent him from completing his combat mission, and therefore destroy him. This requires fighter aircraft with good take-off power, high speeds, a high maximum flight altitude and good armament, namely fighter-interceptors. First of all, they are deployed close to the border of industrial centers and other protected sites.

The use of high-speed and high-flying combat aircraft (bombers) with a jet engine has significantly increased the requirements for the rate of climb, speed and maximum altitude of interceptor fighters. This leads to the following power characteristics: maximum speed from 2000 to 2500 km/h, flight range is 2000-3500 km. Such indicators require, with an average take-off weight of 7 to 12 tons, the use of engines with a thrust of 3000 to 5000 kgf, whose power can increase by another 50% due to additional fuel combustion. For short-term acceleration, especially when climbing, additional rocket propulsion systems can be used.

2) Bomber aircraft (bombers)

Fighter aircraft are primarily used to solve defensive missions, while for bombers offensive actions are put in the foreground. A bomber is a large, heavy military aircraft with multiple turbojet engines (jet turbines or turboprop engines). On short runways or when overloaded, bombers are often equipped with auxiliary launch rockets.

Bombers are tasked with attacking distant targets quickly and at high altitude with explosive charges in the form of bombs. Because of the great danger of approaching a target in a hostile area, more and more bombers are being upgraded to missile carriers, which launch missiles at a great distance from the target and are remotely controlled to hit it while the bomber itself is outside the area controlled by enemy forces. The take-off weight of modern bombers reaches 230 tons, and the total thrust is over 50,000 kgf or, accordingly, the total power is approximately 50,000 hp. Bomb load depends on tactical range; it reaches up to 16,000 km without refueling, and even more when refueling in the air. The flight altitude reaches 20,000 m, and the crew size can be 12 people. The speed of modern bombers exceeds 2000 km/h; At the moment, bombers are being designed that will have even greater speed. Defensive weapons consist of rockets, machine guns and automatic cannons.

Like all types of aircraft, bombers can also be classified according to different aspects, such as bomb load and thus take-off weight (light, medium and heavy bombers) or depending on their combat purpose (tactical and strategic bombers).

Tactical bombers are aircraft that are designed to solve certain specific tasks of operational warfare, namely, tactical missions. This means actions that change the situation on a certain section of the front and subjugate the entire target, and therefore the destruction in a certain area of concentration of enemy troops, assembly areas, firing positions, airfields, supply routes, etc.

Based on this formulation of the problem, we can formulate the basic requirements for tactical bombers: high combat speed, bomb load up to 10 tons, maximum flight range up to 6000 km. As a result of these requirements, design features are defined that can be summarized as follows: an aircraft with one, two, three or four jet engines with a take-off weight of 20 to 50 tons, with remotely controlled defensive weapons or air-to-air missiles, electronic and radar equipment, with a durable body capable of withstanding heavy loads when flying at low altitudes. From all this, it can be argued that tactical bombers have a certain similarity with heavy fighters, both in their tasks and in their parameters.

Strategic bombers. Strategy is the science of waging war on a large scale. The word strategic means large-scale military operations. This also explains the combat purpose of strategic bombers. These military aircraft are designed to perform combat missions deep behind enemy lines.

All bombers are equipped with radar equipment to search for targets and locate attacking fighter aircraft. Combat sorties are carried out in small groups or alone. Since modern bombers have almost the same speed as fighters, the same flight range, as well as significant defensive capability thanks to air-to-air missiles, today they often refuse fighter cover.

Bombers were first used during the First World War, alone or in small groups. In the Second World War, “massive” combat missions took place as part of large groups that numbered several hundred bombers and flew under the cover of fighter aircraft. Bombers of that time had several engines, were relatively slow, designed for a maximum bomb load and a large number of defensive weapons. Modern ones, on the contrary, are designed for long range, altitude, and flight speed. In most cases, reconnaissance planes flew ahead and were intended to find the target. Unlike the bombers of that time, they were equipped with radar devices. Thanks to luminous aerial bombs dropped by parachute, the target was identified. A special type was considered a dive bomber, which approached the target from a great height, then rammed it in a fast dive flight, and dropped one or more bombs from a short distance. After this, the bomber again leveled its position in flight. After the design of intercontinental missiles, there was an opinion that strategic bombers were obsolete. But thanks to their development into missile carriers and into flying launchers, they have recently regained their importance.

3) Reconnaissance aircraft (reconnaissance aircraft)

These are multi-seat, lightly armed fighters or bombers (without a bomb load), which are equipped with aerial cameras, radar instruments, often devices for transmitting television signals, or also ship-borne aircraft for aerial reconnaissance, i.e. for reconnaissance of positions, objects, etc. of the enemy, territory and weather conditions in the interests of all parts of their own armed forces. Previously, depending on the maximum flight range and field of application, short-range and long-range reconnaissance aircraft were distinguished. Today, depending on the combat purpose, they talk about tactical and strategic reconnaissance officers. There are special reconnaissance aircraft for conducting artillery fire from the air, for reconnaissance of the area in the firing zone of one's own artillery thanks to visual reconnaissance or aerial photographs, as well as for monitoring the camouflage of one's own artillery. Such aircraft are called artillery aircraft. They belong to short-range reconnaissance or tactical reconnaissance.

4) Military transport aircraft

These are large aircraft that have from 2 to 8 engines and a flight range of 3000 km or more. They are lightly armed or not armed at all and are designed to transport supplies for troops (food, fuel, ammunition, weapons, also guns, tanks, vehicles, etc.). Military transport aircraft are used for landing (landing) airborne troops, as well as transporting troops during regroupings. The fleet of military transport aviation vehicles consists of transport aircraft, cargo gliders and helicopters, which are equipped accordingly.

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