Interdictor
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Aninterdictoris a type ofattack aircraftortactical bomberthat operates far behind enemy lines, with the express intent ofair interdictionof the enemy's military targets, most notably those involved inlogistics.[1]
Interdiction
[edit]Interdiction prevents or delays enemy forces and supplies from reaching the battlefront; the term has generally fallen from use.[citation needed]Thestrike fighteris a closely related concept,[citation needed]but puts more emphasis onair-to-air combatcapabilities as amultirole combat aircraft.Larger versions of the interdictor concept are generally referred to as"penetrators".[citation needed]
Operation
[edit]In the post-war era, theRAFintroduced interdictor variants of theirEnglish Electric Canberrajet bomber, as aircraft were released from thestrategic bombingrole as they were replaced by the newV bombers.Desiring a more modern aircraft for this role, development of theBAC TSR-2(from "Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance, Mach 2" ) began, but this program was later cancelled. The US began development of a similar aircraft around the same time, which emerged as theGeneral Dynamics F-111.The failure of the TSR-2 and a desire by other European nations for a similar design led to the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program, although operating over shorter ranges in the European theatre which was realised as thePanavia TornadoInterdictor/Strike (IDS). The SovietSukhoi Su-24emerged in the early 1970s.
In order to safely traverse a heavily defended front line, they flew at very low altitudes (in some cases having to pull up to clear power lines) to use terrain masking to protect them from enemy radar-guided weapons. Flying at low altitude also demands much greater fuel use, and thus interdictor aircraft were generally fairly large.[citation needed]
List of interdictor aircraft
[edit]- North American A-5 Vigilante– (United States)
- Republic F-105 Thunderchief– (United States)
- General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark– (United States)
- BAC TSR-2– (United Kingdom)- did not enter service
- Panavia Tornado– (United Kingdom, West Germany, Italy)
- Sukhoi Su-24– (Soviet Union, Russia)
- English Electric Canberra– (United Kingdom)
- Xi'an JH-7– (China)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Newdick, Thomas (2016-12-15).The World's Most Powerful Military Aircraft.Rosen Publishing.p. 220.ISBN978-1-4994-6591-4.
Further reading
[edit]- Davies, Peter (2013).General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark.Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd.ISBN978-1-78096-611-3.
- Davies, Peter E.; Thornborough, Anthony M. (1997).F-111 Aardvark.Ramsbury, Marlborough Wiltshire. UK: The Crowood Press Ltd.ISBN1-86126-079-2.
- Gunston, Bill (1978).F-111.New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.ISBN0-684-15753-5.
- Gunston, Bill.F-111,(Modern Fighting Aircraft, Vol. 3). New York: Salamander Books, 1983.ISBN0-668-05904-4.
- Thornborough, Anthony M; Davies, Peter E. (1989).F-111 Success in Action.London: Arms & Armour Press Ltd.ISBN0-85368-988-1.
- Thornborough, Tony (1993).F-111 Aardvark: USAF's Ultimate Strike Aircraft.Osprey Military Aircraft. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing.ISBN1-85532-259-5.