Interdictor


An interdictor is a type of attack aircraft that operates far behind enemy lines, with the express intent of interdicting the enemy's military targets, most notably those involved in logistics. The interdiction prevents or delays enemy forces and supplies from reaching the battlefront; the term has generally fallen from use. The strike fighter is a closely related concept, but puts more emphasis on air-to-air combat capabilities as a multirole combat aircraft. Larger versions of the interdictor concept are generally referred to as penetrators.
In the post-war era, the RAF introduced interdictor variants of their English Electric Canberra jet bomber, as aircraft were released from the strategic bombing role as they were replaced by the new V bombers. An early dedicated interdictor was the F-111, an aircraft able to operate at long distances from its base. The Panavia Tornado was built for a similar purpose, although operating over shorter ranges in the European theatre. The Soviet Sukhoi Su-24/Sukhoi Su-34, Chinese Xian JH-7 and the aborted British BAC TSR-2 are similar interdictor designs.

Interdictors