Combining many of the developments originally designed for fifth generation fighters with the technology on already-proven fourth generation fighters, 4.5 gen fighters arent distinct enough to be their own separate generation but are unique enough to not fit into the classification of either fourth or fifth generation fighters. More . A European consortium GTDAR is developing an AESA Euroradar CAPTOR radar for future use on the Typhoon. Parallel advances in materials, engine technology and electronics made such a machine possible. In the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force had shot down between six and 10 enemy fighters for every one of its aircraft lost in air-to-air combat. In the quest for increasing speed, aircraft and engine manufacturers soon discovered the limitations of piston engine technology; after all, a propeller can only spin so fast before it becomes ineffective. A few even have varying degrees of AI installed to assist the pilot during flight, especially in a dogfight! Unlike the terms fighter plane and fighter aircraft which are incredibly broad terms used to describe any fixed-wing aircraft designed for air-to-air combat missions, a generation fighter can only be used to refer to a jet-powered fighter (fighter jet). Perhaps the most famous 4.5 generation fighters include the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, MiG-35, F/A-18 Hornet and Saab Gripen. Navy pilots went on to score a superior kill ratio over Vietnam of 40 victories for seven planes lost in air-to-air combat. However, the F-4s problems began to recede. The North Vietnamese MiGs, equipped with both cannons and missiles (on the MiG-21), would outmaneuver the heavier F-4, which for all its speed, was not especially agile. SAMs accounted for most of the 36 Israeli Phantoms lost in action. The F-15 is also deliberately unlike the F-4. ", "Air-Attack.com Su-30MK AL-31FP engines two-dimensional thrust vectoring", "Eurofighter capability, p. 53. The next generation of fighters were designed from the start to be multi-role. Eventually, the Air Force upgraded all of its F-4Es with wing-slats that significantly improved maneuverability at a slight cost in speed. To increase situational awareness and coordination, most fifth gen fighters have networked data fusion, allowing fifth gen fighters to talk to other allied fifth gen fighters nearby. ", "Did China downgrade its J-20 stealth fighter from 5th generation to 4th? The North Vietnamese MiGs, equipped with both cannons and missiles (on the MiG-21), would outmaneuver the heavier F-4, which for all its speed, was not especially agile. The Air Forces Phantoms claimed 107 air-to-air kills for 33 lost to MiGs, and the Marine Corps claimed three. These aging aircraft will be replaced by low-houred F-5N/F acquired from the Swiss Air Force surplus by United States Navy (USN). The Anglo-American Harrier II and Russian Sukhoi Su-27 highlighted extreme manoeuvrability with, respectively, strengthened exhaust nozzles for viffing (vectoring in forward flight) and manoeuvring control at high angles of attack as in Pugachev's Cobra. Beginning in the mid-1960s, third gen fighters were installed with externally mounted targeting pods for precision-guided munitions (PGMs) further increasing their effectiveness as fighter-bombers particularly. This page was last edited on 8 January 2021, at 15:03 (UTC). A number of new 4.5 generation types are being developed in the 2020s, post the emergence of the true 5th generation and contemporaneous with 6th generation aircraft development, these include the HAL Tejas MK 1A, CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder Block 3, and KAI KF-21 Boramae.[23][13][9]. Fifth-generation abilities for battlefield survivability, air superiority and ground support are being enhanced and adapted to the future threat environment. They may be integrated with sixth-generation fighter avionics, either as satellite aircraft under a sixth-generation command fighter or even replacing the pilot in an autonomous or semi-autonomous command aircraft. The edge aside from having a more reliable powerplant first generation fighters had over their piston counterparts was their speed. A fifth-generation fighter is a jet fighter aircraft classification which includes major technologies developed during the first part of the 21st century. The weapons officer in the rear-seat could operate the planes advanced radar, communication and weapons systems while the pilot focused on flying. First shown in 1960, the J-8 appeared in various forms over two decades, with the J-8B taking to the . China's last J-7 fighter jets may leave active service this year, according to Chinese state media. Although the term and corresponding classifications were born out of necessity from within the industry itself, it should be noted that not everyone shares the same classifications. [12][clarification needed] Some accounts have subdivided the 4th generation into 4 and 4.5, or 4+ and 4++. When the F-15 and the lighter F-16 saw their first major air action over Lebanon in 1982, they shot down more than 80 Syrian third-generation MiGs at no loss. Drones and other remote unmanned technologies are being increasingly deployed on the battlefields of the new millennium. Many types were soon compromised by adaptations for battlefield support roles, and some of these would persist in new variants for multiple generations.[17]. The U.S. explored fitting the technology to the F-16 and the F-15, but did not introduce it until the fifth generation arrived. The requirements for such a fighter remain under debate. Iran received 225 F-4s from the United States prior to the Iranian Revolution. In some cases, such as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-35 developed from the MiG-29 with fifth-generation avionics, the upgrade has been classed as fully fifth generation. These partial upgrades to 5th generation capability have led some commentators to identify intermediate generations as 4.5 or 4+ and 4++. The F-4 saw extensive use in Israeli service, scoring 116 air-to-air kills against the Egyptian and Syrian air forces, starting in 1969 during the War of Attrition. The second generation jet fighters existed between the mid-1950s to the early 1960s. Other famous third generation fighters include the Dassault Mirage F1, Hawker Siddeley Harrier, and MiG-23 . (Recommended: How to Win a War with China). Whilst many air forces maintain fourth generation fighters in their arsenal, most are beginning to move away from them as they are increasingly becoming obsolete in modern military aviation. Also From TNI: Donald Trump: Best President Ever? 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 Force Looks at the Benefits of Using CPCs on F-16 Black Boxes. 9/10 Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (Mach 2) While exceptionally fast in a straight line, many third-generation fighters severely lacked in manoeuvrability, as doctrine held that traditional dogfighting would be impossible at supersonic speeds. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a legendary aircraft an icon of the Vietnam War and the archetype of the third-generation jet fighter designs that entered service in the 1960s. Enhancements to improve the aerodynamic performance of third-generation fighters included flight control surfaces such as canards, powered slats, and blown flaps. Theyve bombed Kurdish PKK fighters in Turkey and Iraq in 2015 and 2016. The F-5 was developed by Northrop Grumman for export through the Military Assistance Program (MAP) in February 1965. Studies showed that 45 percent of Vietnam-era AIM-7s and 37 percent of AIM-9s failed to either launch or lock on, and after evasive maneuvers, the probability of achieving a kill fell to eight percent and 15 percent for the two types, respectively. In practice, air-to-air missiles of the time, despite being responsible for the vast majority of air-to-air victories, were relatively unreliable, and combat would quickly become subsonic and close-range. The development of second-generation fighters were shaped by technological breakthroughs, lessons learned from the aerial battles of the Korean War, and a focus on conducting operations in a nuclear warfare environment. This produces a corkscrew effect, further enhancing the turning capability of the aircraft. The United States defines 4.5-generation fighter aircraft as fourth-generation jet fighters that have been upgraded with AESA radar, high-capacity data-link, enhanced avionics, and "the ability to deploy current and reasonably foreseeable advanced armaments". The term generation first appeared in the 1990s, according to the Royal Australian Air Force's Air Power Development Centre Bulletin: "to make sense of the leap-frogging improvements in performance to jet fighter aircraft brought about through major advances in aircraft design, avionics, and weapon systems", and proposes that a . Salomon has been interested in aviation ever since his parents took him on a Boeing 720 to see his relatives. The supremacy of the fourth-generation was confirmed again in the Gulf War, in which Iraqi fighters shot down only one fourth-generation fighter (an F/A-18 Hornet) for the loss of 33 of their third-generation aircraft. carbon-fiber composite in manufacturing. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. For the next-generation F-22 and F-35, the U.S. will use low probability of intercept capacity. Depending on who you talk to, you may find that they class different aircraft in different generations (especially if those aircraft were produced near the end or start of a generation and theres some overlap) or that there are only four generations rather than five (mainly by the Chinese). The Air Force didnt realize those early missiles were terrible. From the start of the new millennium, advanced systems concepts such as smart helmets, sensor/data fusion and subsidiary attack drones were becoming realities. 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. You May Also Like: 5 Best Submarines of All Time, 5 Best Aircraft Carriers of All Time, 5 Best Battleships of All Time and Worst Submarine of All Time. They were also the first cadre of multi-role fighters such as the MiG-23, F-4, and Mirage III. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fourth-generation_fighter&oldid=1139513570, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The early Phantoms could carry 18,000 pounds of munitionsthree times what the huge B-17 bombers of World War II typically carried. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. As advances in stealthy materials and design methods enabled smoother airframes, such technologies began to be retrospectively applied to existing fighter aircraft. Jet fighter generations classify the major technology leaps in the historical development of the jet fighter. Other famous third generation fighters include the Dassault Mirage F1, Hawker Siddeley Harrier, and MiG-23. Federal Aviation Administration (DOT/FAA/CT-82/130-I), September 1983. pp. Thrust vectoring was originally introduced in the Hawker Siddeley Harrier for vertical takeoff and landing, and pilots soon developed the technique of "viffing", or vectoring in forward flight, to enhance manoeuverability. As combat aircraft are essentially weapons platforms, these capabilities mean that the F-4s can handle most of the same offensive tasks a fourth-generation F-15 or Su-27 fighter can do. Its a heavy, twin-engine, two-seat fighterand an agile dogfighter. The only other frontline fighter to serve in all three services before or since is the F-35. As much a computer as they are an aircraft, it is expected that fifth gen fighters will adapt to future changes in aerial combat, not through new variants, but through software updates, thus saving air forces around the world millions of dollars in the long run. The idea of using aviation for warfare predates even the Wright Brothers first flight. Iran received 225 F-4s from the United States prior to the Iranian Revolution. With the end of war in 1918 saw the end of this progress. [1], In 1990, air historian Richard P. Hallion proposed a classification of jet fighters into six generations up to that time. From the quiz author. To do this, brand new turbofan engines were installed on third gen fighters, which were more fuel efficient than the turbojets used up until then, thus extending range. The huge advance of digital computation and mobile networking, which began in the 1990s, led to a new model of sophisticated forward C3 (command, control and communications) presence above the battlefield. The RBE2-AESA can also be retrofitted on the Mirage 2000. The third-generation jet fighter was the class of fighters developed between the early 1960s to the 1970s. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Phantom still sees service. Germany flew upgraded F-4Fs until 2013, and maintains them in stock in case of future need. Third-generation aircraft arrived in the early 1960s. These are the manly maturation of 2nd generation and addition of innovation. The F-16 is a highly successful, single-seat fighter jet recognized for its versatility & effectiveness. Aircraft like the F-4 Phantom could carry a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including the first laser-guided smart-bombs. Analog avionics began to be introduced, replacing older "steam-gauge" cockpit instrumentation. [2] Other schemes comprising five generations up to around the same period have since been described, although the demarcation lines between generations differ. Plaintiffs claim the earplugs were defective, causing them hearing loss and tinnitus. Aside from being powered by a jet powerplant, rather than a piston one, these first generation fighters were little different to their contemporaries, featuring minor sweep or unswept wings, manually controlled guns and little in the way of modern avionics. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. Replacement of analog avionics, required to enable FBW operations, became a fundamental requirement as legacy analog computer systems began to be replaced by digital flight-control systems in the latter half of the 1980s. Shenyang J-8B Finback (Mach 1.8) China's first home-produced supersonic fighter? The next generation of fighters were designed from the start to be multi-role. [1][13], The rest of this article broadly follows the analysis of Baker.[1]. Experience the power of a third-generation, semi-American aircraft. Interceptor types emerging after the war used after-burning engines to give Mach 2 performance, while radar and infrared homing missiles greatly improved their accuracy and firepower. The Navy, in contrast, perceived the problem as being a lack of Air Combat Maneuvering training, and instituted the Top Gun training program in 1968. By mid-WWII, both Allied and Axis engineers had built working jet engines and the aircraft theyd power. Modern F-4s can also fire the full range of modern ordnance such as the advanced AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missile with a range of 65 miles, precision-guided munitions such as the AGM-65 Maverick, and late model Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles. 11ff. Many of these fighters incorporate elements of stealth technology and modern avionics, albeit not to the extent of fifth generation fighters. Fourth generation fighters were also the first aircraft to be consciously designed with stealth (albeit rather limited) capabilities and experimented with new aerodynamic features like canards on a mass scale. Maintaining supersonic speed without afterburner use saves large quantities of fuel, greatly increasing range and endurance, but the engine power available is limited and drag rises sharply in the transonic region, so drag-creating equipment such as external stores and their attachment points must be minimised, preferably with the use of internal storage. For instance, modernized F-4s have improved Heads Up Displays (HUDs) so that pilots dont have to look down from the canopy to check on their instruments. [25], With the fifth generation slowly coming into service, attention turned to a replacement sixth generation. Five generations are now widely recognised, with the development of a sixth under way. The F-4s primary problem was that it had no built-in cannon. RELATED: The F-104 Starfighter: The Missile With A Man In It. Full-span leading-edge flaps work in conjunction with trailing-edge flaps and are operated by a control on the pilot's throttle quadrant. The 1930s were much different due to the looming threat of war, which convinced aircraft manufacturers across the world to ramp up research into fighter aircraft technology once more. [5][6] This effectively condensed the previous classifications to three generations. Among the most famous fourth gen fighters are the Saab Viggen, F-16, Panavia Tornado, Su-27 and Harrier II. Weighing in at 30,000 pounds unloaded, its enormous J79 twin engines gave (and still gives) the aircraft excellent thrust, propelling the heavy airframe over twice the speed of sound at a maximum speed of 1,473 miles per hour. Generation 1: Jet propulsion Generation 2: Swept wings; range-only radar; infrared missiles Generation 3: Supersonic speed; pulse radar; able to shoot at targets beyond visual range.. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. The Korean War was the first conflict where jets were used on a mass scale by both sides, with first generation fighters now being a symbol of the conflict. Instead, it relied entirely on newly-introduced air-to-air missilesthe radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow, the heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinder and the older AIM-4 Falcon. Germany flew upgraded F-4Fs until 2013, and maintains them in stock in case of future need. With the exception of the F-14D (officially retired as of September 2006), no 4th-generation Western fighters carry built-in IRST sensors for air-to-air detection, though the similar FLIR is often used to acquire ground targets. *Third-Generation: Supersonic flight, pulse radar, and missiles that can engage opponents from beyond visual range *Fourth-Generation: High levels of agility, some degree of sensor fusion, pulse-doppler radar, reduced radar signature, fly-by-wire, look down/shoot down missiles, and more. Development of jet-powered fighters continued following the wars end, leading to new aircraft like the Lockheed P-80, MiG-15 and F-86 Sabre. Worse, American pilots werent trained for close range dogfights, as the Air Force assumed air-to-air engagements would occur at long range with missiles. When the F-15 and the lighter F-16 saw their first major air action over Lebanon in 1982, they shot down more than 80 Syrian third-generation MiGs at no loss. Fourth Generation - 1970 to 1990 Editorial Team F 16 Fighting Falcon Ground fire shot down 474 Phantoms in all services, as the heavy-lifting Phantom fighters did double duty as ground-attack aircraft. The Falcon missiles were even worse, and the Pentagon later withdrew them from service. Two sub-variants of the Phantom also distinguished themselvesthe RF-4 photo reconnaissance plane, optimized for speed, and the Wild Weasel, specialized in attacking enemy surface-to-air missiles defenses. [1][15][14], Future types at an early stage of development are expected to have even further enhanced capabilities and have become known as a sixth generation. The Turkish versions also feature a diverse array of modern sensors and electronics. Some late derivatives of the early types, such as the F-15SA Strike Eagle for Saudi Arabia, have included upgrading to FBW. Coupled with the introduction of more powerful engines and afterburners (on a mass scale), second gen fighters were able to fly supersonically during level flight instantly making them much more deadly in a dogfight. [28], John W.R. Taylor and John F. Guilmartin; ". Indeed, the notion of a generation fighter isnt even that old: it was coined in the 1990s and is generally associated with the US aviation industry by the international community as a whole. The supremacy of the fourth-generation was confirmed again in the Gulf War, in which Iraqi fighters shot down only one fourth-generation fighter (an F/A-18 Hornet) for the loss of 33 of their third-generation aircraft. The Phantom is approaching the capabilities of fourth-generation fighters. Although speeds had improved considerably, there was limited controllability in these jets. New J79 engines even dealt with the problem of the F-4s visible black smoke. Currently, the Swiss F-5N Replacement Program replaces the present high-time Navy F-5Es with low-time F-5Ns allowing the USN/USMC to operate the F-5N aircraft to Fiscal Year (FY) 2015. [4][5] Contemporary examples of 4.5-generation fighters are the Sukhoi Su-30SM/Su-34/Su-35,[6] the J-15B/J-16 claimed to have AESA,[7] the Chengdu J-10C, the Mikoyan MiG-35, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Dassault Rafale, the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Lockheed Martin F-16E/F/V Block 70/72, McDonnell Douglas F-15E/EX Strike Eagle/Eagle II, HAL Tejas MK1A,[8] JF-17 block III and the Mitsubishi F-2.[9]. With variable-geometry wings, the supersonic F-111 introduced the Pratt & Whitney TF30, the first turbofan equipped with afterburner. Guns proved unsuitable at such high speeds, while the need for multirole capability in battlefield support was rediscovered. The General Dynamics YF-16, eventually developed into the F-16 Fighting Falcon, was the world's first aircraft intentionally designed to be slightly aerodynamically unstable. Using this method, German MiG-29 using helmet-displayed IRST systems were able to acquire a missile lock with greater efficiency than USAF F-16 in wargame exercises. The Israelis pioneered the art of Phantom upgrades in the 1980s with the Phantom 2000 Kurnass, or Sledgehammer. Though retired from Israeli service in 2004, Israeli firms went on to upgrade Greeces 41 Peace Icarus Phantoms, equipping them with ANPG-65 pulse-Doppler radars and the ability to fire AMRAAM missiles. Coupled with inventions and advances in other technologies like fly-by-wire, composite materials and digital avionics, fourth generation fighters were designed to be fighters first and foremost but adaptable enough that air forces could use them in the same multirole capacities their third generation forebearers had. The aircraft serves in an aggressor-training role with simulation capability of current threat aircraft in fighter combat mode. While the basic principles of shaping aircraft to avoid radar detection were known since the 1960s, the advent of radar-absorbent materials allowed aircraft of drastically reduced radar cross-section to become practicable. The exact criteria for the various generation steps are not universally agreed on and are subject to some controversy. Air-to-air missile technology dramatically improved with later versions of the Sparrow and Sidewinder. The swan song of the Israeli Phantom force came during Israels 1982 intervention in the War in Lebanon, when Phantomsescorted by new F-15s and F-16swiped out all 30 of Syrias SAM batteries in the Bekaa Valley in one day without losing a single plane in Operation Mole Cricket 19. With no war to fight, few new fighters were put into production during the 1920s and manufacturers ceased research into developing new ones. It would serve well as an all-weather bomber, but lacked the performance to defeat other fighters. [+] China's new multi-role fighter jet J-10C began combat duty Monday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force announced. Guidance for such precision-guided munitions (PGM) was provided by externally mounted targeting pods, which were introduced in the mid-1960s. Low-observable radar technology emerged as an important development. These are the fastest third-generation jet fighters. Just compare it to F-15 Eagle. The Israeli Phantoms primary targetand most deadly foeduring these campaigns were Arab surface-to-air missile batteries. The changes in the fighter combat conception, new air-to-air guided missiles and the results . Military aviation is no different. But its somewhat of an anomaly. Before, some Phantom units made do with external gun pods that vibrated excessively. For the purposes of this article, we will be using the most widely used and accepted consensus regarding which aircraft are in which generation and the notion of five generations over four. Third gen fighters were also designed to host an equally wide range of weapons, from air-to-air missiles, to air-to-surface missiles and laser guided bombs (LGBs). It is China's third-generation supersonic fighter and made its debut . [1] With range and payload capabilities that rivalled that of World War II bombers such as B-24 Liberator, the Phantom would became a highly successful multi-role aircraft. The earliest jet fighters appeared during and after the last years of World War II. However, they can be separated into one of five different categories, known as generations based on their age, tactical configuration and the technology found onboard. However, the F-4s problems began to recede. Key point:The F-4 served for a long time and even now serve as target practice drones. Over the course of the 1960s, increasing combat experience with guided missiles demonstrated that combat would devolve into close-in dogfights. The primary sensor for all modern fighters is radar. However, the Phantoms proliferated around the world. Hoh, Roger H. and David G. Mitchell. 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In the past, high-flying radars had trouble detecting low-flying aircraft because the radar waves bouncing off the ground created a cluttering effect. In response to the increasing American emphasis on radar-evading stealth designs, Russia turned to alternate sensors, with emphasis on IRST sensors, first introduced on the American F-101 Voodoo and F-102 Delta Dagger fighters in the 1960s, for detection and tracking of airborne targets. Date Deployed: F-5N First flight: March 2003; F-5F First Flight: September 1974. However, positive static stability, the tendency to remain in its current attitude, opposes the pilot's efforts to maneuver. "Air Force Fighter Acquisition since 1945", "Five Generations of Jet Fighter Aircraft", "War heats up between Lockheed Martin and Boeing in bid to replace jets", "Is Saab's New Gripen The Future Of Fighters? Classification of fighter aircraft c.19702000. The F-15 is also deliberately unlike the F-4. The early Phantoms could carry 18,000 pounds of munitionsthree times what the huge B-17 bombers of World War II typically carried. [22] Many of these types remain in frontline service in 2022. Active Doppler radars cut through the ground clutter. So they began searching for another way to power their aircraft: jet propulsion. The Fourth Generation Fighter is the modern standard in combat warplanes. The Phantoms fundamental flaws were corrected by 1970while more recently, Phantoms have had their avionics and ordnance upgraded to modern standards. The third- generation jet fighter was the class of fighters developed between the early 1960s to the 1970s. An unstable aircraft can therefore be made more maneuverable. But when the F-4 confronted the lighter-weight MiG-17 and MiG-21 fighters of the North Vietnamese air force in 1965, the Phantom suffered. Due to their advanced age, first generation fighters have been retired for a considerable length of time, now finding themselves primarily as museum exhibits, whilst a few remain in airworthy condition as warbirds. This aircraft carries AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on wingtip launchers. The US-produced Century Series, Mirage III, English Electric Lightning and MiG-21 are all quintessential second generation fighters. In 2004, Aerospaceweb listed one such division into five generations. (Recommended: 5 Greatest Fighter Planes of All-Time). The first of these is generally acknowledged to be the Lockheed Martin F-22. ", "Characterization of Radar Cross Section of Carbon Fiber Composite Materials", "Lockheed-Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Analysis 2002. This arrived in the form of the American 'Century Series' fighters encompassing speed-minded developments such as the F-100 'Super Sabre', F-102 'Delta Dagger', and F-105 'Thunderchief' in the West and the MiG-19 'Farmer' and MiG-21 'Fishbed' in the East.