Editing Attack aircraft

{{See also|Strike fighter|Fighter bomber }}
{{short description|Tactical military aircraft that have a primary role of attacking targets on land or at sea}}
{{Refimprove|date=May 2021}}
[[File:Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II - 32156159151.jpg|thumb|300px|A [[United States Air Force|USAF]] [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10 Thunderbolt II]] attack aircraft in flight]]

An '''attack aircraft''', '''strike aircraft''', or '''attack bomber''' is a tactical [[military aircraft]] that has a primary role of carrying out [[airstrikes]] with greater precision than [[bomber]]s, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level [[air defense]]s while pressing the attack.<ref name=pjo>Mortensen 1987, pp. 24–25.</ref> This class of aircraft is designed mostly for [[close air support]] and naval air-to-surface missions, overlapping the [[Tactical bombing|tactical bomber]] mission. Designs dedicated to non-naval roles are often known as '''ground-attack aircraft'''.<ref name=g73>Gunston 2009, p. 73.</ref>

[[Fighter aircraft]] often carry out the attack role, although they would not be considered attack aircraft ''per se''; [[fighter-bomber]] conversions of those same aircraft would be considered part of the class. [[Strike fighter]]s, which have effectively replaced the fighter-bomber and [[light bomber]] concepts, also differ little from the broad concept of an attack aircraft.

The dedicated attack aircraft as a separate class existed primarily during and after [[World War II]]. The precise implementation varied from country to country, and was handled by a wide variety of designs. In the [[Contiguous United States|United States]] and [[Great Britain|Britain]], attack aircraft were generally light bombers or [[medium bomber]]s, sometimes carrying heavier forward-firing weapons like the [[North American B-25 Mitchell#Use as a gunship|North American B-25G Mitchell]] and [[de Havilland Mosquito|de Havilland Mosquito Tsetse]]. In [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] and the [[Soviet Union|USSR]], where they were known as ''Schlachtflugzeug'' ("battle aircraft") or ''sturmovik'' ("storm trooper") respectively, this role was carried out by purpose-designed and heavily armored aircraft such as the [[Henschel Hs 129]] and [[Ilyushin Il-2]]. The Germans and Soviets also used light bombers in this role: cannon-armed versions of the [[Junkers Ju 87]] Stuka greatly outnumbered the Hs 129, while the [[Petlyakov Pe-2]] was used for this role in spite of not being specifically designed for it.

In the latter part of World War II, the [[fighter-bomber]] began to take over many attack roles, a transition that continued in the post-war era. [[Jet engine|Jet]]-powered examples were relatively rare but not unknown, such as the [[Blackburn Buccaneer]]. The [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] continued to introduce new aircraft in their [[List of military aircraft of the United States#Unified System, 1962–present|A]]-[[1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system|series]], but these were mostly similar to [[Light bomber|light]] and [[medium bomber]]s. The need for a separate attack aircraft category was greatly diminished by the introduction of [[precision-guided munition]]s which allowed almost any aircraft to carry out this role while remaining safe at high altitude. [[Attack helicopter]]s also have overtaken many remaining roles that could only be carried out at lower altitudes.

Since the 1960s, only two dedicated attack aircraft designs have been widely introduced, the American [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II]] and the Soviet/Russian [[Sukhoi Su-25]] Frogfoot.

A variety of '''light attack aircraft''' has also been introduced in the post-World War II era, usually based on adapted [[Trainer (aircraft)|trainers]] or other light [[Fixed-wing aircraft|fixed-wing]] aircraft. These have been used in [[counter-insurgency]] operations.

== Definition and designations ==

=== United States definition and designations ===

[[File:Douglas A-1 Skyraider (AD-4NA, 126965) (7911148090).jpg|thumb|left|An [[A-1 Skyraider]] of the [[United States Air Force|USAF]]]]

U.S. attack aircraft are currently identified by the prefix '''A-''', as in "[[A-6 Intruder]]" and "[[A-10 Thunderbolt II]]". However, until the end of [[World War II]] the ''A-'' designation was shared between attack planes and [[light bomber]]s<ref name=Johnson>Johnson [https://books.google.com/books?id=GmFhOCYckfQC&pg=PA413 2008, p. 413.]</ref><ref name="Merriman">Merriman [https://books.google.com/books?id=R7GjzzNMpu4C&pg=PA3 2000, p. 3.]</ref> for [[USAAF]] aircraft (as opposed to ''B-'' prefix for medium or heavy bombers). The US Navy used a [[1922 United States Navy aircraft designation system|separate designation system]] and at the time preferred to call similar aircraft scout bombers (SB) or torpedo bombers (TB or BT). For example, [[Douglas SBD Dauntless]] scout bomber was designated A-24 when used by the USAAF. It was not until 1946, when the US Navy and [[United States Marine Corps|US Marine Corps]] started using the "attack" (A) designation, when it renamed [[BT2D Skyraider]] and [[BTM Mauler]] to, respectively, AD Skyraider and AM Mauler.<ref>[http://www.driko.org/usdes.html "1911–2004 'A'.""] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927024336/http://www.driko.org/usdes.html |date=2011-09-27 }} ''U.S. Military Aircraft Designations''. Retrieved: 28 November 2015.</ref>

As with many aircraft classifications, the definition of ''attack aircraft'' is somewhat vague and has tended to change over time. Current U.S. [[military doctrine]] defines it as an aircraft which most likely performs an ''attack mission'', more than any other kind of mission. ''Attack mission'' means, in turn, specifically tactical air-to-ground action—in other words, neither air-to-air action nor [[strategic bombing]] is considered an ''attack mission''.<ref name=Pierrot>Pierrot and Vines [https://books.google.com/books?id=mOAKC6jQdy0C&pg=PA3 1997, pp. 2–4.]</ref> In [[United States Navy]] vocabulary, the alternative designation for the same activity is a ''strike mission''.<ref name=Pierrot /> Attack missions are principally divided into two categories: [[air interdiction]] and [[close air support]].<ref name=Pierrot /> In the last several decades, the rise of the ubiquitous [[multi-role fighter]] has created some confusion about the difference between attack and fighter aircraft. According to the current U.S. designation system, an attack aircraft (''A'') is designed primarily for air-to-surface (Attack: Aircraft designed to find, attack, and destroy land or sea targets)<ref name=16-401-I>[http://www.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI16-401%28I%29.pdf ''Designating and Naming Defense Military Aerospace Vehicles 2005.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302220513/http://www.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI16-401%28I%29.pdf |date=March 2, 2012 }}</ref> missions (also known as "attack missions"), while a fighter category ''F'' incorporates not only aircraft designed primarily for [[Air combat manoeuvring|air-to-air combat]], but additionally multipurpose aircraft designed also for ground-attack missions.[[File:RAF Harrier GR9.JPG|thumb|[[RAF]] [[Harrier GR9]] in flight, 2008]] "F" - Fighter Aircraft were designed to intercept and destroy other aircraft or missiles. This includes multipurpose aircraft also designed for ground support missions such as interdiction and close air support.<ref>''16-401(I)'', p. 17.</ref> Just to mention one example amongst many, the [[General Dynamics F-111|F-111 "Aardvark"]] was designated ''F'' despite having only minimal air-to-air capabilities. Only a single aircraft in the USAF's current inventory bears a simple, unmixed "A" designation: the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

=== Other designations ===

[[British military aircraft designation systems|British designations]] have included FB for fighter-bomber and more recently "G" for "Ground-attack" as in [[Hawker Siddeley Harrier|Harrier]] GR1 (meaning "Ground-attack/Reconnaissance, Mark 1").

[[Japanese military aircraft designation systems#Short system|Imperial Japanese Navy designation]] use "B" to designate carrier attack bomber such as the [[B5N|Nakajima B5N Type-97 bomber]] although these aircraft are mostly used for torpedo attack and level bombing. They also use "D" to specifically designate carrier dive bomber like the [[Yokosuka D4Y Suisei|Yokosuka D4Y ''Suisei'']]''.''<ref name="Beechy">{{cite web |last1=Beechy |first1=Robert |title=Japanese Military Aircraft Designations |url=http://hud607.fire.prohosting.com/uncommon/reference/japan/ijn_ww2.html |access-date=20 March 2018 |website=hud607.fire.prohosting.com}}</ref><ref name="Francillon p50-1">Francillon 1970, pp.50–51.</ref> However by the end of the World War II, the IJN introduced the [[B7A Ryusei|Aichi B7A ''Ryusei'']] which could performed both torpedo bombing and dive bombing rendering the "D" designation redundant.

The [[NATO reporting name]]s for Soviet/Russian ground-attack aircraft at first started with "B" categorizing them as bombers, as in case of [[Ilyushin Il-10|Il-10]] 'Beast'. But later they were usually classified as fighters ("F")—possibly because (since [[Sukhoi Su-7]]) they were similar in size and visual appearance to Soviet fighters, or were simply derivatives of such.

In the [[PLAAF]], ground-attack aircraft are given the designation "Q". So far this has only been given to the [[Nanchang Q-5]].

== History ==
{{anchor|World War II}}

=== World War I ===

The attack aircraft as a role was defined by its use during [[World War I]], in support of ground forces on battlefields. Battlefield support is generally divided into [[close air support]] and battlefield air interdiction, the first requiring strict and the latter only general cooperation with friendly surface forces.<ref name=sfts>Hallion [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAdtAIMTReEC&pg=PA5 2010, pp. 3–6.]</ref> Such aircraft also attacked targets in rear areas. Such missions required flying where light anti-aircraft fire<!-- Is it the frequency of AA fire light, or is the AA caliber light? --> was expected and operating at low altitudes to precisely identify targets. Other roles, including those of [[light bomber]]s, [[medium bomber]]s, [[dive bomber]]s, [[Aerial reconnaissance|reconnaissance]], [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]]s, [[fighter-bomber]]s, could and did perform air strikes on battlefields.<ref name=cs>Cooling [https://books.google.com/books?id=_mIq1PP0nCEC&pg=PA123 1990, pp. 101, 123.]</ref> All these types could significantly damage ground targets from a low level flight, either by bombing, machine guns, or both.

Attack aircraft came to diverge from bombers and fighters. While bombers could be used on a battlefield, their slower speeds made them extremely vulnerable to ground fire, as did the lighter construction of fighters. The survivability of attack aircraft was improved by their speed/power, protection (i.e. armor panels) and strength of construction;<ref name=cs/>

Germany was the first country to produce dedicated ground-attack aircraft (designated [[Idflieg aircraft designation system|CL-class]] and [[Idflieg aircraft designation system|J-class]]). They were put into use in autumn 1917,<ref>Thetford 1954, p. 56.</ref> during World War I. Most notable was the [[Junkers J.I]], which pioneered the idea of an armored "bathtub", that was both fuselage structure and protection for engine and crew. The British experimented with the [[Sopwith Salamander|Sopwith TF series]] (termed "trench fighters"), although these did not see combat.

The last battles of 1918 on the Western Front demonstrated that ground-attacking aircraft were a valuable component of [[Combined arms|all-arms]] tactics. [[Close air support|Close support]] ground [[strafing]] ([[Machine gun|machine-gunning]]) and tactical bombing of [[infantry]] (especially when moving between trenches and along roads), [[machine gun]] [[Pillbox (military)|post]]s, [[artillery]], and supply formations was a part of the Allied armies' strength in holding German attacks and supporting Allied counter-attacks and offensives. Admittedly, the cost to the Allies was high, with the [[Royal Flying Corps]] sustaining a loss rate approaching 30% among ground-attack aircraft.

=== 1919&ndash;1939 ===
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2021}}

[[File:Boeing GA-1 on ground.jpg|thumb|left|Boeing GA-1, ~1920]]

After World War I, it was widely believed that using aircraft against tactical targets was of little use other than in harassing and undermining enemy morale; attacking combatants was generally much more dangerous to aircrews than their targets, a problem that was continually becoming more acute with the ongoing refinement of [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft weapon]]s. Within the range of types serving attack roles, [[dive bomber]]s were increasingly being seen{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} as more effective than aircraft designed for [[strafing]] with [[machine gun]]s or [[Autocannon|cannon]]s.

Nevertheless, during the 1920s, the US military, in particular, procured specialized "Attack" aircraft and formed dedicated units, that were trained primarily for that role. The US Army [[Engineering Division]] became involved in designing ground attack aircraft. The 1920 [[Boeing GA-1]] was an armored twin-engine [[triplane]] for ground strafing with eight [[Lewis gun|machine guns]] and about a ton of armor plate, and the 1922 [[Aeromarine PG-1]] was a combined pursuit (fighter) and ground attack design with a 37mm gun. The [[United States Marine Corps Aviation]] applied [[close air support]] tactics in the [[Banana Wars]]. While they did not pioneer dive bombing tactics, Marine aviators were the first to include it in their doctrine during the [[United States occupation of Haiti]] and [[United States occupation of Nicaragua|Nicaragua]].<ref>Corum and Johnson 2003, pp. 23–40.</ref> The [[United States Army Air Corps]] was notable for its creation of a separate "A-" designation for attack types, distinct from and alongside "B-" for bomber types and "P-" for pursuit (later replaced by "F-" for fighter) aircraft. The first designated attack type to be operational with the USAAC was the [[Curtiss Falcon|Curtiss A-2 Falcon]]. Nevertheless, such aircraft, including the A-2's replacement, the [[Curtiss A-12 Shrike]], were unarmored and highly vulnerable to AA fire.

The British [[Royal Air Force]] focused primarily on strategic bombing, rather than ground attack. However, like most air arms of the period it did operate attack aircraft, named Army Cooperation in RAF parlance, which included the [[Hawker Hector]], [[Westland Lysander]] and others.

[[File:Aspecto do avanço da infantaria paulista no setor sul na Revolução de 1932.jpg|thumb|Rebel infantry advancing under air attack by a [[Waco CSO]] (or [[Potez 25]]) airplane of the Brazilian government during the [[Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932]]]]
Aviation played a role in the Brazilian [[Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932]], although both sides had few aircraft. The federal government had approximately 58 aircraft divided between the [[Brazilian Navy|Navy]] and the [[Brazilian Army|Army]], as the [[Brazilian Air Force|Air Force]] at this time did not constitute an independent branch. In contrast, the rebels had only two [[Potez 25]] planes and two [[Waco CSO]], plus a small number of private aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cambeses Júnior  |first= Manuel  |url=https://www2.fab.mil.br/incaer/images/eventgallery/instituto/Opusculos/Textos/opusculo_rev32.pdf |title=
O Emprego do Avião na Revolução Constitucionalista de 1932|website=www2.fab.mil.br|date=November 30, 2022 |access-date=December 13, 2022}}</ref>

During the 1930s, [[Nazi Germany]] had begun to field a class of ''Schlacht'' ("battle") aircraft, such as the [[Henschel Hs 123]]. Moreover, the experiences of German [[Condor Legion]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]], against an enemy with few fighter aircraft, changed ideas about ground attack. Though equipped with generally unsuitable designs such as the [[Henschel Hs 123]] and [[Autocannon|cannon]]-armed versions of the [[Heinkel He 112]], their armament and pilots proved that aircraft were a very effective weapon, even without bombs. This led to some support within the [[Luftwaffe]] for the creation of an aircraft dedicated to this role, resulting in tenders for a new "attack aircraft". This led to the introduction (in 1942) of a unique single-seat, twin-engine attack aircraft, the slow-moving but heavily armored and formidably armed [[Henschel Hs 129]] ''Panzerknacker'' ("Safecracker" /"Tank Cracker").

In Japan, the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] had developed the [[Aichi D3A]] dive bomber (based on the [[Heinkel He 70]]) and the [[Mitsubishi B5M]] light attack bomber. Both, like their US counterparts, were lightly armored types, and were critically reliant on surprise attacks and the absence of significant fighter or AA opposition.

During the [[Winter War]], the [[Soviet Air Forces]] used the [[Polikarpov R-5]]SSS, and [[Polikarpov R-Z]]Sh, as attack aircraft.

[[File:IL-2VVSWWII.jpg|thumb|right|An [[Ilyushin Il-2]] ''Sturmovik'' formation over Berlin, May 1945.]]

Perhaps the most notable attack type to emerge during the late 1930s was the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Ilyushin Il-2]] ''Sturmovik'', which became the most-produced military aircraft type in history.

As [[World War II]] approached, the concept of an attack aircraft was not well defined, and various air services used many different names for widely differing types, all performing similar roles (sometimes in tandem with non-attack roles of bombers, fighters, reconnaissance and other roles.

; Army co-operation

{{main|Army co-operation}}

The British concept of a light aircraft mixing all the roles that required extensive communication with land forces: reconnaissance, liaison, [[artillery spotting]], aerial supply, and, last but not least, occasional strikes on the battlefield.<ref>Cooling 1990, pp. 1, 158, 244, 263.</ref><ref>Hallion 2010, p. 152.</ref><ref>Gunston 2009, p. 61.</ref> The concept was similar to front-line aircraft used in the World War I, which was called the [[Idflieg aircraft designation system|CL]] class in the German Empire.<ref name=h16>Hallion 2010, pp. 16-22, 77.</ref> Eventually the RAF's experience showed types such as [[Westland Lysander]] to be unacceptably vulnerable and it was replaced by faster fighter types for photo-reconnaissance, and light aircraft for artillery spotting.

; Light bomber

{{main|Light bomber}}

During the inter-war period, the British flew the [[Fairey Battle]], a light bomber which originated in a 1932 specification. Designs in 1938 for a replacement were adapted as a target tug. The last [[List of Air Ministry specifications|British specification]] issued for a light bomber was B.20/40 described as a "Close Army Support Bomber" capable of dive bombing and photo-reconnaissance. However, the specification was dropped before an aircraft went into production.<ref>Buttler p. 67.</ref>

<!-- ; Heavy fighter

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; Dive bomber

{{main|Dive bomber}}

In some air services, dive bombers did not equip ground-attack units, but were treated as a separate class. In Nazi Germany, the Luftwaffe distinguished between the ''Stuka'' (''Sturzkampf-'', "dive bombing") units, equipped with [[Junkers Ju 87]] from ''Schlacht'' ("battle") units, using strafing/low-level bombing types such as the [[Henschel Hs 123]]).

; Fighter-bomber

{{main|fighter-bomber}}

Although not a synonymous class with ground-attack aircraft, fighter-bombers were usually used for the role, and proved to excel at it, even when they were only lightly armored. The Royal Air Force{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} and [[United States Army Air Forces]] relegated obsolescent fighters to this role, while cutting-edge fighters would serve as [[interceptor aircraft|interceptors]] and establish [[air superiority]].

The [[United States Navy]], in distinction to the USAAF, preferred the older term "Scout-Bomber", under a "SB-" designation, such as the [[Curtiss SB2C Helldiver]].

=== World War II ===
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2021}}
[[File:Junkers Ju 87B dropping bombs.jpg|thumb|right|[[Junkers Ju 87B|Junkers Ju 87B ''Stuka'']] dropping bombs]]

The [[Junkers Ju 87]]s of the German Luftwaffe became virtually synonymous with close air support during the early months of World War II. The British Commonwealth's [[Desert Air Force]], led by Arthur Tedder, became the first Allied tactical formation to emphasize the attack role,{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} usually in the form of single-engine [[Hawker Hurricane]] and [[Curtiss P-40]] fighter-bombers or specialized "tank-busters", such as the Hurricane Mk IID, armed with two 40&nbsp;mm [[Vickers S gun]]s (notably [[No. 6 Squadron RAF]]).
At around the same time, a massive invasion by Axis forces had forced the Soviet air forces to quickly expand their army support capacity, such as the [[Ilyushin Il-2]] Sturmovik. The women pilots known as the "[[Night Witches]]" utilised an obsolescent, wooden light trainer biplane type, the [[Polikarpov Po-2]] and small anti-personnel bombs in "harassment bombing" attacks that proved difficult to counter.

Wartime experience showed that poorly armored and/or lightly built, pre-war types were unacceptably vulnerable, especially to fighters. Nevertheless, skilled crews could be highly successful in those types, such as the leading ''Stuka'' ace, [[Hans-Ulrich Rudel]], who claimed 500 tanks,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Germany at war : 400 years of military history|others=Zabecki, David T.,, Showalter, Dennis E.|isbn=978-1-59884-981-3|location=Santa Barbara, California|oclc=896872865|date = 2014-10-28}}</ref> a battleship, a cruiser, and two destroyers in 2,300 combat missions.

The [[Bristol Beaufighter]], based on an obsolescent RAF bomber, became a versatile twin-engine attack aircraft and served in almost every [[Theater (warfare)|theatre]] of the war, in the maritime strike and ground attack roles as well as that of night fighter.

Conversely, some mid-war attack types emerged as adaptations of fighters, including several versions of the German [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]], the British [[Hawker Typhoon]] and the US [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt]]. The Typhoon, which was disappointing as a fighter, due to poor high altitude performance, was very fast at low altitudes and thus became the RAF's premier ground attack fighter. It was armed with four [[Hispano-Suiza HS.404|20mm cannon]], augmented first with bombs, then rockets. Likewise the P-47 was designed and intended for use as a high altitude bomber escort, but gradually found that role filled by the [[North American P-51 Mustang]] (because of its much longer range and greater maneuverability). The P-47 was also heavier and more robust than the P-51 and regarded therefore, as an "[[Basic fighter maneuvers#Specific energy|energy fighter]]": ideal for high-speed dive-and-climb tactics, including strafing attacks. Its armament of eight [[M2 Browning|0.50 caliber machine guns]] was effective against Axis infantry and light vehicles in both [[European theatre of World War II|Europe]] and the [[Pacific War|Pacific]].

While machine guns and cannon were initially sufficient, the evolution of well-armored tanks required heavier weapons. To augment bombs, [[Missile|high explosive rockets]] were introduced, although these unguided projectiles were still "barely adequate" because of their inaccuracy.<ref>Gooderson [https://books.google.com/books?id=rZmMDolRSrsC&pg=PA74 1998, p. 121.]</ref> For the British [[RP-3|RP3]], one hit per sortie<!-- w h a t --> was considered acceptable.<ref>Mason 1998,  p. 50.</ref> However, even a near miss with rockets could cause damage or injuries to "soft targets," and patrols by Allied rocket-armed aircraft over Normandy disrupted or even completely paralyzed German road traffic. They also affected morale, because even the prospect of a rocket attack was unnerving.<ref>Shores and Thomas 2005, pp. 245–250.</ref>

[[File:Republic P-47N Thunderbolt in flight (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[P-47 Thunderbolt|Republic P-47N]] Thunderbolt, flew combat missions during World War II]]

The ultimate development of the cannon-armed light attack aircraft was the small production run in 1944 of the [[Henschel Hs 129]]B-3, armed with a modified [[7.5 cm Pak 40|PAK 40 75 mm]] anti-tank gun. This weapon, the ''Bordkanone BK 7,5'', was the most powerful forward-firing weapon fitted to a production [[military aircraft]] during World War II. The only other aircraft to be factory-equipped with similar guns were the 1,420 maritime strike variants of the North American [[North American B-25 Mitchell#Variants|B-25 Mitchell]]G/H, which mounted either a [[75 mm Gun M2/M3/M6|M4 cannon]], or light-weight T13E1 or M5 versions of the same gun. These weapons, however, were hand-loaded, had shorter barrels and/or a lower [[muzzle velocity]] than the BK 7,5 and, therefore, poorer armor penetration, accuracy and rate of fire. (Except for versions of the [[Piaggio P.108]] armed with a 102mm anti-ship cannon, The BK 7,5 was unsurpassed as an aircraft-fitted gun until 1971, when the four-engine [[Lockheed AC-130]]E Spectre; equipped with a 105&nbsp;mm [[M102 howitzer]], entered service with the US Air Force.)

=== Post-World War II ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2021}}

In the immediate post war era the [[Piston-Engines|piston-engined]] ground-attack aircraft remained useful since all of the early jets lacked endurance due to the fuel consumption rates of the jet engines. The higher powered piston engine types that had been too late for World War II were still capable of holding their own against the jets as they were able to both out accelerate and out maneuver the jets. The [[Royal Navy]] [[Hawker Sea Fury]] fighters and the U.S. [[Vought F4U Corsair]] and [[Douglas A-1 Skyraider]] were operated during the [[Korean War]] while the latter continued to be used throughout the [[Vietnam War]].

[[File:OA-37B-1 (centered).jpg|thumb|left|[[Cessna A-37 Dragonfly|OA-37B Dragonfly]] of the [[169th Airlift Squadron]]]]

Many post-World War II era air forces have been reluctant to adopt fixed-wing jet aircraft developed specifically for ground attack. Although close air support and interdiction remain crucial to the modern battlefield, attack aircraft are less glamorous than fighters, while [[air force]] pilots and military planners have a certain well-cultivated contempt for "mud-movers". More practically, the cost of operating a specialized ground-attack aircraft is harder to justify when compared with [[multirole combat aircraft]]. [[Jet aircraft|Jet]] attack aircraft were designed and employed during the Cold War era, such as the [[Carrier-based aircraft|carrier-based]] nuclear strike [[Douglas A-3 Skywarrior]] and [[North American A-5 Vigilante]], while the [[Grumman A-6 Intruder]], [[Republic F-105 Thunderchief|F-105 Thunderchief]], [[General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark|F-111]], [[Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk|F-117 Nighthawk]], [[LTV A-7 Corsair II]], [[Sukhoi Su-25]], [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10 Thunderbolt II]], [[Panavia Tornado]], [[AMX International AMX|AMX]], [[Dassault Étendard IV|Dassault Étendard]], [[Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard|Super Étendard]] and others were designed specifically for ground-attack, [[Air interdiction|strike]], [[Close air support|close support]] and [[Anti-tank warfare|anti-armor]] work, with little or no [[Air combat manoeuvring|air-to-air]] capability.

Ground attack has increasingly become a task of converted trainers, like the [[BAE Systems Hawk]] or [[Aero L-39 Albatros]], and many trainers are built with this task in mind, like the [[CASA C-101]] or the [[Aermacchi MB-339]]. Such [[counter-insurgency aircraft]] are popular with air forces which cannot afford to purchase more expensive multirole aircraft, or do not wish to risk the few such aircraft they have on light ground attack missions. A proliferation of [[low intensity conflict]]s in the post-World War II era has also expanded need for these types of aircraft to conduct [[counter-insurgency]] and light ground attack operations.

A primary distinction of post-World War II [[Military aviation|aviation]] between the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] and the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] was that latter had generally been allocated all [[fixed-wing aircraft]], while [[helicopter]]s were under control of the former; this was governed by the 1948 [[Key West Agreement]]. The Army, wishing to have its own resources to support its troops in combat and faced with a lack of Air Force enthusiasm for the ground-attack role, developed the dedicated [[attack helicopter]].

=== Recent history ===

On 17 January 1991, Task Force Normandy began its attack on two Iraqi anti-aircraft missile sites. TF Normandy, under the command of LTC [[Richard A. Cody|Richard A. "Dick" Cody]], consisted of nine [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|AH-64 Apache]]s, one [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60 Black Hawk]] and four Air Force [[MH-53J Pave Low]] helicopters. The purpose of this mission was to create a safe corridor through the Iraqi air defense system. The attack was a huge success and cleared the way for the beginning of the Allied bombing campaign of [[Gulf War|Operation Desert Storm]].<ref>Bradin 1994</ref>

[[File:RNLAF AH-64 Apache at the Oirschotse Heide Low Flying Area (36570605232).jpg|thumb|An [[AH-64D Apache]] of the [[Royal Netherlands Air Force]]]]

One concern involving the Apache arose when a unit of these helicopters was very slow to deploy during U.S. military involvement in Kosovo. According to the ''[[Army Times]]'',<ref>[http://www.murdoconline.net/archives/003682.html#more  "TRADOC cuts Apaches’ role in deep attack."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060505022108/http://www.murdoconline.net/archives/003682.html |date=2006-05-05 }} ''Murdoc Online'', 1 May 2006. Retrieved: 28 November 2015.</ref> the Army is shifting its doctrine to favor ground-attack aircraft over [[attack helicopter]]s for deep strike attack missions because ground-attack helicopters have proved to be highly vulnerable to small-arms fire; the U.S. Marine Corps has noted similar problems.<ref>{{cite web|last=Trimble|first= Stephen|url= http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_aerospacedaily_story.jsp?id=news/urb07303.xml |title=General: Deep-Strike, Urban Tactics For Attack Helicopters May Need Review|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20051110033556/http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_aerospacedaily_story.jsp?id=news%2Furb07303.xml |archive-date=2005-11-10 |work= Aviation Week|date= 30 July 2003|accessdate= 28 November 2015}}</ref>

In the late 1960s the [[United States Air Force]] requested a dedicated [[close air support]] (CAS) plane that became the [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II]]. The A-10 was originally conceived as an [[Anti-tank warfare|anti-armor]] weapon (the [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II#A-X program|A-X program]] requirements specifically called for an aircraft mounting a large rotary cannon to destroy massed Warsaw Pact armored forces) with limited secondary capability in the [[Air interdiction|interdiction]] and [[tactical bombing]] roles. Today it remains the only dedicated fixed-wing ground-attack aircraft in any U.S. military service. Overall U.S. experience in the [[Gulf War]], [[Kosovo War]], [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan War]], and [[Iraq War]] has resulted in renewed interest in such aircraft. The U.S. Air Force is currently researching a replacement for the A-10 and started the [[Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance|OA-X]] program to procure a light attack aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/20/who-will-replace-the-a-10-warthog-textron-has-a-2.aspx|title=Who Will Replace the A-10 Warthog? Textron Has a 2-in-3 Chance|first=Rich|last=Smith|website=fool.com|date=20 May 2017 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912055403/https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/20/who-will-replace-the-a-10-warthog-textron-has-a-2.aspx|archive-date=2017-09-12}}</ref>
The Soviets' similar [[Sukhoi Su-25]] (''Frogfoot'') found success in the "flying artillery" role with many air forces.
The UK has completely retired the [[British Aerospace Harrier II|BAE Harrier II]] in 2011,<ref>Perry, Dominic. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-harrier-fleet-sold-as-115-million-worth-of-spare-parts-365277/ "UK Harrier fleet sold as £115 million worth of spare parts."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306155452/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-harrier-fleet-sold-as-115-million-worth-of-spare-parts-365277/ |date=2016-03-06 }} ''Flight International'', 24 November 2011. Retrieved: 7 December 2011.</ref> and the [[Panavia Tornado]] dedicated attack-reconnaissance aircraft in 2019. It obtained the [[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II|F-35]] in 2018 and it retains its fleet of [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] multirole fighters.

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== See also ==
* [[Air-to-ground weaponry]]
* [[Gunship]]
* [[Interdictor]]
* [[List of attack aircraft]]
* [[Pace-Finletter MOU 1952]]

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}

* Bradin, James W.''From Hot Air to Hellfire: The History of Army Attack Aviation''. New York: Presidio Press, 1994. {{ISBN|978-0-8914-1511-4}}.
* Cooling, Franklin, B. ''Case Studies in the Development of Close Air Support''. Washington, D.C.: Office Of Air Force History, United States. Air Force, 1990. {{ISBN|978-0-912799-64-3}}.
* Corum, James S. and Wray R. Johnson. ''Airpower in Small Wars: Fighting Insurgents and Terrorists''. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 2003. {{ISBN|0-7006-1240-8}}.
* ''Designating and Naming Defense Military Aerospace Vehicles''. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Air Force, 2005. {{ISBN|1-5-1480-090-X}}.
* Francillon, R.J. ''Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War''. London:Putnam, 1970. {{ISBN|0-370-00033-1}}.
* Gooderson, Ian. ''Air power at the Battlefront: Allied Close Air Support in Europe, 1943-45''. London, England: Routledge, 1998. {{ISBN|978-0-7146-4680-0}}.
* Gunston, Bill. ''The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary''. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2009. {{ISBN|978-0-521-19165-4}}.
* Hallion, Richard. ''Strike from the Sky: The History of Battlefield Air Attack, 1910–1945''. Tuscaloosa, Alabama:  Alabama Press, 2010. {{ISBN|978-0-8173-5657-6}}.
* Johnson, E. R. ''American Attack Aircraft Since 1926''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2008. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-3464-0}}.
* Mason, Tim. ''The Secret Years: Flight Testing at Boscombe Down, 1939–1945''. Manchester, England: Hikoki Publications, 1998. {{ISBN|0-9519899-9-5}}.
* Merriman, Ray. "A: Light Bombing [...] B: Medium and Heavy Bombing." ''U.S. wWarplanes of World War II, Volume 1''. Bennington, Virginia: Merriam Press, 2000. {{ISBN|978-1-57638-167-0}}.
* Mortensen, Daniel R. ''A Pattern for Joint Operations: World War II Close Air Support, North Africa''. Washington, D.C.: Office Of Air Force History, 1987. {{ISBN|978-1-4289-1564-0}}.
* Pierrot, Lane and Jo Ann Vines. ''A Look at Tomorrow's Tactical Air Forces''. Collingdale, Pennsylvania: DIANE Publishing, 1997. {{ISBN|0-7881-4298-4}}.
* Shores, Christopher and Chris Thomas. ''Second Tactical Air Force, Volume Two: Breakout to Bodenplatte July 1944 to January 1945''. Hersham, Surrey, England: Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, 2005. {{ISBN|1-903223-41-5}}.
* Thetford, Owen Gordon. "[[Halberstadt CL.II]] appearance at the Western Front." ''Aircraft of the 1914–1918 War''. Harleyford, Hertfordshire, England: Harleyford Publications, 1954.

{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Attack aircraft}}

{{Military aircraft types (roles)}}

{{US attack aircraft}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Attack aircraft| ]]
[[Category:Fighter aircraft]]