Title: aircraft design - Why do some fighter jets have two pilots while others have only one? - Aviation Stack Exchange
Headings: 
Why do some fighter jets have two pilots while others have only one?
9 Answers
9
Your Answer
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged aircraft-design fighter cockpit jet or ask your own question.

Content: aircraft design - Why do some fighter jets have two pilots while others have only one? - Aviation Stack Exchange
Why do some fighter jets have two pilots while others have only one? Ask Question
Asked 5 years, 11 months ago
Active 2 years, 6 months ago
Viewed 106k times
27
Why do some fighter jets have two pilots, while some have only one? For example the newer fighter jets such as Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter typhoon etc. are mostly with single-seat, but two-seat models of these jets are also available. aircraft-design fighter cockpit jet
Share
Improve this question
edited Apr 22 '18 at 18:43
fooot ♦
68.6k 20
20 gold badges
220
220 silver badges
395
395 bronze badges
asked Jun 1 '15 at 9:16
anshabhi
anshabhi
11.2k 13
13 gold badges
68
68 silver badges
135
135 bronze badges
3
Add a comment
|
9 Answers
9
Active Oldest Votes
21
Speaking of fighters in their basic role, there are 2. Interception and escort. A single seat fighter would be superior in both scenarios because the space occupied by the second seater, plus the life support systems double the weight which can be put to fuel, countermeasures or weapons, and the extra weight and space will affect handling in air to air combat. When the role is ground attack, 2 seat versions can be an advantage, such as SAM suppression mission, bombing and other types of strikes. All of the above applies to modern aircraft.