

The role of specifically attacking strategic ground targets and enemy infantry became prominent as well. The roles of defending the skies from both attacking strategic bombers and bomber escorts yielded numerous epic air-to-air confrontations. Improved aerodynamics, the monoplane design, engine performance, weapons accuracy and destructive force, and survivability became design factors that worked in tandem to determine an aircraft's effectiveness.Īs WWII progressed, the fighter aircraft's role varied. Integrated systems instead of disparate technologies cobbled together became the norm. It wasn't until WWII that the fighter aircraft began reaching a level of refinement recognized in today's fighter and attack aircraft - indeed beneficiaries of these developments. The fighter aircraft emerged in 1914 as a countermeasure to aerial reconaissance, and evolved quickly as new technologies were developed to complement the fighter aircraft's mission. In the early 1900s, as the airplane emerged as a vital reconaissance tool during WWI, the need to protect the skies over the battlefield was realized.
