Editing Military aircraft (section)

== History ==
===Lighter-than-air===
{{Main|Observation balloon|Airship}}
[[File:Luchtballon WO I - Observation balloon WW I (7081018985).jpg|thumb|Luchtballon WO I [[observation balloon]]]]

In 1783, when the first practical aircraft (hot-air and hydrogen balloons) were established, they were quickly adopted for military duties.<ref>Guilmartin, John F., Jr. "Military Aircraft." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, n.d. Web. 11 May 2015 (March 2015)</ref> The first military balloon unit was the [[French Aerostatic Corps]], who in 1794 flew an [[observation balloon]] during the [[Battle of Fleurus (1794)|Battle of Fleurus]], the first major battle to feature aerial observation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbrclub.org/History%20of%20Balloons%20in%20Warfare.htm|title=History of Balloons in Warfare|website=bbrclub|access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> Balloons continued to be used throughout the 19th century, including in the [[Napoleonic Wars]] and the [[Franco-Prussian War]], for observation and [[propaganda]] distribution.<ref name="bl.uk">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/aerial-warfare-during-world-war-one|title=Aerial warfare during World War One|website=The British Library|access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> During [[World War I]], German [[Zeppelin]] [[airships]] carried out multiple [[strategic bombing|air raids]] on British cities, as well as being used for observation.<ref name="bl.uk" /> In the 1920s, the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] acquired several [[blimp|non-rigid airships]], the first one to see service being the [[K-1 (airship)|K-1]] in 1931. Use by the U.S. as well as other countries continued into [[World War II]]. The U.S. Navy retired its last balloons in 1963.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.century-of-flight.net/new%20site/balloons/World%20War%20II.htm|title=balloons in World War 2|website=www.century-of-flight.net|access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> Only a handful of lighter-than-air military aircraft were used since, such as the [[American Blimp MZ-3]], used for [[research and development]] by the U.S. Navy from 2006 to 2017.

===Heavier-than-air===
[[File:Me 262 flight show at ILA 2006 (cropped).jpg|thumb|A replica of [[Messerschmitt Me 262]], one of the first [[turbojet]]-powered [[combat aircraft]]]]

Soon after the first flight of the [[Wright Flyer]], several militaries became interested in powered aircraft. In 1909 the [[United States Army]] purchased the [[Wright Model A|Wright Military Flyer]], a two-seat observation aircraft, for the [[Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps]]. It served until 1911, by which time powered aircraft had become an important feature in several armies around the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/world%E2%80%99s-first-military-airplane|title=The World's First Military Airplane|date=2009-07-23|website=National Air and Space Museum|language=en|access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> Airplanes performed [[aerial reconnaissance]] and [[tactical bombing]] missions in the [[Italo-Turkish war]], and the [[First Balkan War]] saw the first naval-air operations. Photoreconnaissance and [[propaganda]] leaflet drops followed in the [[Second Balkan War]].

Air combat was a notable component of World War I, as fighter aircraft were developed during the war, long-range strategic bombing became a possibility,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Munson |first=Kenneth |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56387422 |title=Bombers : patrol and reconnaissance aircraft 1914-1919 |date=2004 |publisher=Bounty Books |isbn=0-7537-0918-X |location=London |oclc=56387422}}</ref> and airplanes were deployed from [[aircraft carrier]]s. Airplanes also took on a greater variety of support roles, notably [[medical evacuation]], and deployed new weapons like [[air-to-air rocket]]s for use against reconnaissance balloons.<ref>{{cite web |title=A brief history of rocketry |url=http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/rocket-history.txt |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060805203537/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/rocket-history.txt |archivedate=5 August 2006 |accessdate=2006-08-19 |publisher=NASA Spacelink}}</ref> Aviation technology advanced rapidly in the interwar period, and military aircraft became increasingly capable. [[Autogyro]]s and [[helicopter]]s were also developed at this time.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} During World War II, military aviation reached new heights. Decisive air battles influenced the outcome of the war, early jet aircraft flew combat missions, [[cruise missiles]] and [[ballistic missiles]] were deployed for the first time, airborne troops and cargo parachuted into battle, and the [[nuclear weapon]]s that ended the war were delivered by air.

In the [[Cold War]] era, aviation technology continued to advance at an extremely rapid pace. Jet aircraft exceeded [[Supersonic speed|Mach 1]] and Mach 2, armament focus switched mainly to missiles, aircraft began carrying more sophisticated avionics, [[Aerial refueling|air-to-air refueling]] matured into practicality, and transport aircraft grew in size. [[Stealth aircraft]] entered development during the 1970s and saw combat in the 1980s.