Air superiority fighter

An air superiority fighter is a fighter airplane, which is designed for close combat in the air against enemy fighters. This type of aircraft is very expensive and it is produced in smaller numbers than other types of fighters.

An F-14A Tomcat from the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during Operation Southern Watch in 1997.

During World War II and the Korean War, fighters were divided by their roles: heavy fighter, interceptor, escort fighter, night fighter, and so on. When guided missiles were invented in the 1950s, new fighters were designed and made in two different kinds:

• Aircraft designed for fighting beyond the visual range (BVR) of the pilot. This kind of fighter is called an interceptor. They aren't very common in modern militaries anymore because they were not the best designs available as technology progressed. They often had no gun and didn't have good maneuverability, because the weren't expected to get in a dogfight with the enemy fighters. This kind of fighter has long range air-to-air missiles and a very strong radar to find the enemy. An example of an interceptor is the F-4 Phantom
• Aircraft designed for fighting within visual range are dogfighters. This kind of fighter has weapons like guns and short range missiles for close combat. This kind of fighter has a very good maneuverability. These aircraft are also not very common anymore, as advancements in technology made long-range air-to-air missiles more reliable. An example of a dogfighter is the F-5 Tiger.
• Aircraft designed to fight in both beyond visual range and within visual range. These aircraft are the most common fighters today. They have both long and short range missiles, as well as a powerful cannon. They are often very maneuverable. An example of this type of fighter is the F-22 Raptor.