night fighter

Northrop P-61U.S. Army Air Forces Northrop P-61 Black Widow night fighter, c. 1944. The Black Widow, one of the first airplanes to be built with radar, saw action in both the European and Pacific theatres during World War II.

night fighter, in military aviation, a fighter aircraft with special sighting, sensing, and navigating equipment enabling it to function at night. Since the 1970s, most frontline fighters have had at least basic night-fighting capabilities and have been known as all-weather fighters.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title: night fighter
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 06 September 2019
Access Date: March 14, 2025