Kampfflugzeug
In short
A military aircraft designed specifically for combat and air-to-air or air-to-ground missions. Recent reports include a Mirage 2000D crash in France and a Russian Su-30 crash in Kaliningrad.
In plain words
These are fast, heavily armed planes used by air forces for war. They are built to fight other planes or attack targets on the ground.
A simple example
A Luftwaffe jet performing mid-air refuelling at 6,000 metres to extend its flight range.
Why it matters
They are essential for national defence and projecting military power. However, they are high-risk machines, as seen in recent fatal training accidents.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse them with transport aircraft, which carry troops or cargo rather than weapons.