A multirole combat aircraft is an aircraft designed to perform different roles in combat. The air-to-air combat role has been normally performed by fighter aircraft. So a multirole combat aircraft with air combat role and other secondary role such as air-to-surface attack is as often called a multirole fighter.

The first use of the term Multi-Role Combat Aircraft was the multinational European project formed in 1968 to produce an aircraft capable of tactical strike, reconnaissance, air defence, and maritime roles. As such the one design would be able to replace several different aircraft in the cooperating nations. The project produced the Panavia Tornado, which used the same basic design to undertake a variety of roles, the Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike) variant and later the Panavia Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant) variant.

The term has been reserved for aircraft designed with the aim of using a common airframe for multiple tasks where the same basic airframe is adapted to a number of differing roles. Originally the term was used for a common airframe built in a number of different variants for different roles. Multirole has also been applied to one aircraft with both major roles, for example:

A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:

Combat aircraft (warplanes) divide broadly into fighters and bombers. There are several variations between the fighters and the bombers, including fighter-bombers, such as the MiG-23, ground-attack aircraft, such as the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik. Also included among combat aircraft are long-range maritime patrol aircraft, such as the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod and the S-3 Viking that are often equipped to attack with anti-ship missiles and anti-submarine weapons.

The main role of fighters is destroying enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat, offensive or defensive. Many are fast and highly maneuverable. Escorting bombers or other aircraft is also a common task. They are capable of carrying a variety of weapons, including machine guns, cannons, rockets and guided missiles. Many modern fighters can attack enemy fighters from a great distance, before the enemy even sees them. Examples of air superiority fighters include the F-22 Raptor and the MiG-29. WWII fighters include the Spitfire, the P-51 Mustang and Bf 109. An example of an interceptor (a fighter designed to take-off and quickly intercept and shoot down enemy planes) would be the MiG-25. An example of a heavy fighter is the Messerschmitt Bf 110. The term "fighter" is also sometimes applied to aircraft that have virtually no air-air capability – for example the A-10 ground-attack aircraft is operated by USAF "Fighter" squadrons.