What Is the Purpose of Guns and Cannons on Modern Fighter Jets?

What is the point of equipping modern fighter aircraft with century-old gun technology when cutting-edge missile systems are available? Why do fighter jets still have guns today? The short answer: Guns and cannons fill the gap of what a missile can't do.
Even modern aircraft missiles have minimum ranges. The target must be at a minimum distance before the missile can track and follow properly. For example, an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile has a minimum range of 2.5 km. If the target is closer, the pilot can't use it.
#usmilitary #aircraft #military

[@ghostmost2614]

To make things personal

[@GrOuNdZeRo7777]

Also strafing that ground target of opportunity like a juicy SSM like a Scud or Iskander.

[@herptek]

The only advantage in not having a gun onboard is to save space or weight, in what would be a rash compromise.

[@garycombs5721]

Because most fights jets carry relatively few missiles

[@skynotaname2229]

dude the guns can only shoot for 5 sec

[@duyphan4617]

as much as i know (after doing some searching), mostly as last solution (if the pilot launched all of the missiles).
I heard this was for dogfight.

[@a_stone]

Wrong. The latest sidewinders do not have a minimum range of 2.5kms. There is no minimum range for IR missiles, only a safe range for firing one.
Jets still have guns because you can't flare/chaff a cannon.

[@aperson336]

That sounds like a challenge

[@rapidrrobert4333]

I think the plane could fly right into its own bullets.

[@duyphan4617]

it actually happened in real life. just search "f11 tiger accidentally shot itself"