Does FlightGear support combat and military aircraft?

Yes. FlightGear supports military aircraft, including fighters, bombers, transports and helicopters, but it is not a full combat simulator. Combat features are aircraft- and scenario-dependent: some models include working radar, guns, missiles or bombs, while others reproduce only the cockpit, flight model and military procedures.

What combat features does FlightGear include?

FlightGear can provide weapons, sensors and mission scenarios, but these are not part of one standardised combat system.

• Functional weapons: selected aircraft implement guns, missiles, rockets or bombs. Their controls and behaviour are defined by that particular aircraft package.
• Radar and targeting: some advanced models simulate radar displays, target selection, gunsights or head-up display symbology.
• Combat scenarios: limited bombing, interception and dogfighting scenarios are available, as covered in our assessment of FlightGear's military flying and combat features.
• Military operations: depending on the aircraft and scenario, FlightGear can support carrier launches and landings, formation flying and aerial refuelling.
• Multiplayer: pilots can fly military aircraft together, but weapon effects and damage are not guaranteed to synchronise between different add-ons or configurations.

The key limitation is consistency. FlightGear does not impose one universal weapons, ballistics or damage model on every aircraft. A missile may track and produce a visual effect in one model, while another fighter may have switches and weapon pylons but no functional armament.

Which military aircraft are available in FlightGear?

FlightGear's community aircraft catalogue spans modern jets, Cold War fighters, historic warbirds, bombers, military transports, tankers and helicopters.

The selection changes as packages are maintained or replaced, and quality varies sharply. Our overview of FlightGear's aircraft catalogue and expansion options explains where additional models fit into the simulator.

Do not choose a model solely from its exterior screenshots. Check its documentation for these points:

• the quality of its flight dynamics and cockpit;
• whether radar and weapons are genuinely functional;
• whether it supports carrier operations or aerial refuelling;
• which FlightGear releases it is compatible with;
• whether extra scenarios, targets or dependencies are required.

A package described as a fighter may be intended only for flying and systems practice. Visible missiles under the wings do not prove that they can be selected, launched or used against targets.

How do I use weapons on a FlightGear aircraft?

There is no universal FlightGear fire command that works with every military aircraft, so the model's own instructions take priority.

1. Confirm that the weapons work. Read the package documentation or in-simulator aircraft help. Look for explicit references to armament controls, targeting or supported combat scenarios.
2. Install the correct aircraft version. Use the launcher catalogue where available or the package's supported installation method. Our aircraft add-on installation instructions cover search paths, package folders and the usual loading problems.
3. Prepare the aircraft systems. A detailed model may require electrical power, a master-arm control, the correct weapon station and a disabled safety before the trigger responds.
4. Check the control assignment. The normal joystick trigger may not be bound to the command expected by that aircraft. Use its control listing rather than copying bindings from another model.
5. Load the required scenario. Some weapons need compatible AI targets or a particular mission. Firing over an ordinary airport may produce an animation without any target interaction.

Why do the guns, bombs or missiles not work?

A weapon that does nothing is often a limitation of the aircraft package rather than a fault in FlightGear itself.

• Visual-only armament: the stores are part of the 3D model but have no weapon logic. There is no control-setting fix for this.
• Incorrect switch state: verify master arm, safety, station selection and any radar or targeting requirements.
• Wrong trigger binding: inspect the aircraft's documented keyboard or joystick command.
• Missing scenario: load the targets or mission supplied for that aircraft, if one is required.
• Package incompatibility: remove duplicate copies and confirm that the model supports the installed FlightGear release.
• No shared damage system: a projectile or explosion can appear without inflicting standardised damage, particularly in multiplayer.

Is FlightGear a good combat flight simulator?

FlightGear is a good free military-flight sandbox, but it is a poor substitute for a dedicated combat simulator when campaigns, tactical AI and consistent weapon effects are the priority.

Choose FlightGear for free-form military aviation, systems experimentation and specialised community aircraft. Choose a dedicated combat simulator when reliable air-to-air or air-to-ground combat is the main requirement. That distinction reflects FlightGear's broader focus as a free general-purpose flight simulator, rather than a combat game.