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This is a list of United States-used attack aircraft, which typically perform tactical bombing and close air support against ground targets.
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This is a list of United States-used attack aircraft, which typically perform tactical bombing and close air support against ground targets.
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| Name | Role | Manufacturer | Image | Notes | Year of first flight | Introduction | Number built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtiss Falcon | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company |   | Family of observation and attack aircraft; composes of the A-3, the main attack version, XA-4, and A-5 and A-6 with more powerful engines. | ||||
| Fokker XA-7 | Fokker-America |  | 1931 | 1 | |||
| Curtiss A-8 | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company |  | 1931 | 1932 | 13 | ||
| Lockheed Y1A-9 | Detroit Lockheed |  | A version of the Lockheed YP-24 that specialized in ground attack. | 1931 | 1 | ||
| Curtiss YA-10 Shrike | Curtiss/Curtiss-Wright |  | 1932 | 1933 | 2 | ||
| Consolidated A-11 | Consolidated Aircraft |  | Production attack version of the Consolidated P-30 fighters. | ||||
| Curtiss A-12 Shrike | Curtiss |  | 1933 | 46 | |||
| Northrop YA-13/XA-16 | Northrop |  | Attack version of the Northrop Gamma. A single example was built as a prototype. It was also known as XA-16 after an engine refit. | Never | N/A | 1 | |
| Curtiss XA-14 | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company |  | 1935 | 1 | |||
| Martin A-15 | Glenn L. Martin Company | Proposed attack variant of the Martin B-10; contract fell to the Curtiss XA-14. | Never | N/A | 0 | ||
| Northrop A-17 / Nomad | Northrop |  | 1935 | 411 | |||
| North American A-36 | Ground attack/dive bomber | North American Aviation |  | Developed from the North American P-51 Mustang. | 1942 | 1942 | 500 |
| Douglas A-26 Invader | Ground attack | Douglas Aircraft Company |  | Originally designed A-26, then designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965 after the Martin B-26 Marauder was retired, then redesignated to A-26. | 1942 [1] [2] [3] | 1944 [1] [2] [3] | 2,503 [2] [3] [4] |
| Vultee XA-41 | Ground attack | Vultee Aircraft |  | 1944 | N/A | 1 | |
| Douglas A-1 (AD) Skyraider | Douglas Aircraft Company |  | Formerly designated AD before the 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations; served during the Korean War and Vietnam War; had an unusually long career. [5] [6] | 1945 [5] [6] | 1946 [6] | 3,180 [5] [6] | |
| North American A-2 (AJ) Savage | Medium bomber | North American Aviation |  | Formerly designated AJ prior to the 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations. | 1948 | 1950 | 143 |
| Vought F7U Cutlass | Naval multirole fighter | Chance Vought |  | 1948 | 1951 | 320 | |
| Douglas A2D Skyshark | Prototype carrier-based attack aircraft | Douglas Aircraft Company |  | 1950 | N/A | 12 | |
| Douglas A-3 (A3D) Skywarrior | Carrier-based strategic bomber | Douglas Aircraft Company |  | 1952 | 1956 | 282 | |
| Douglas A-4 (A4D) Skyhawk | Attack aircraft, fighter, aggressor aircraft | Douglas Aircraft Company / McDonnell Douglas |  | 1954 | 1956 | 2,960 | |
| North American A-5 (A3J) Vigilante | Carrier-based nuclear bomber /reconnaissance aircraft [7] | North American Aviation |  | 1958 | 1961 | 167 | |
| Grumman A-6 Intruder | Attack aircraft | Grumman |  | 1960 | 1963 | 693 |
| Name | Role | Manufacturer | Image | Notes | Year of first flight | Introduction | Number built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas AC-47 Spooky | Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship | Douglas Aircraft Company |  | Developed from the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, it itself developed from the acclaimed Douglas DC-3. Succeeded by the Fairchild AC-119 & the Lockheed AC-130. [8] First deployed over Vietnam in 1964. [9] | 1964 [10] | 1965 | 53 |
| Bell AH-1 Cobra | Attack helicopter [11] | Bell Helicopter |  | Developed from the UH-1 Iroquois/ "Huey." World's first dedicated armed attack helicopter. [12] | 1965 [13] | 1967 [14] | 1,116 [14] |
| LTV A-7 Corsair II | Ling-Temco-Vought |  | Replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was derived from the Vought F-8 Crusader. | 1965 | 1967 | 1,545 | |
| Lockheed AC-130 | Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship for SOF teams |  | Modified C-130 Hercules. | 1967 (AC-130A) [15] [16] | 1968 (AC-130A) [16] | ??? | |
| Bell AH-1 SeaCobra / SuperCobra | Attack helicopter | Bell Helicopter |  | 1969 | 1971 | 1,271+ | |
| Bell 309 KingCobra | Attack helicopter prototype | Bell Helicopter |  | 1971 (twin-engined)/1972 (single-engined) [17] | N/A | 2 [17] | |
| Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker | Armed gunship, counter-insurgency, utility transport | Fairchild Aircraft |  | Used in the Vietnam War by the USAF and RVNAF. [18] | 1971 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Northrop YA-9 | Attack aircraft | Northrop Corporation |  | Developed for the United States Air Force A-X program. However, the YA-9 was dropped in favor of the A-10. [19] | 1972 [19] | N/A | 2 |
| Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II | Close air support attack aircraft | Fairchild Republic |  | Known for its 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger. [20] [21] First production version was delivered in October 1975. [20] | 1972 [21] | October 1977 [21] | 716 [22] |
| McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II | All-weather naval stealth bomber/attack aircraft | McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics (planned) |  | Planned attack aircraft for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps; only entered mock-up stage; originally planned to replace the A-6 Intruder. [23] | Never | N/A | 0 |
| Vought YA-7F | Prototype transonic attack aircraft | Ling-Temco-Vought/Vought |  | 1989 | N/A | 0 | |
| Bell AH-1Z Viper | Attack helicopter | Bell Helicopter |  | 2000 | 2011 (IOC) [24] | 195 [24] | |
| McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet | Multirole fighter | McDonnell Douglas (1974–1997) Northrop (1974–1994) Boeing (1997–2000) |  | Used extensively by the U.S. Navy | 1978 | 1983 | 1,480 |
| Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | Carrier-based multirole fighter | McDonnell Douglas(1995–1997) Boeing Defense, Space & Security(1997–present) |  | Upgraded version of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. Replaced its predecessor and the Grumman A-6 Intruder. | 1995 | 1999 2001 (IOC) | ≥632 as of April 2020 |
| Boeing EA-18G Growler | Electronic warfare aircraft | Boeing |  | Developed from the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. | 2006 | 2009 | 172 as of October 2021 |
| Lockheed Martin F/A-22 Raptor | Air superiority fighter | Lockheed Martin Aeronautics / Boeing Integrated Defense Systems |  | Re-designated the F-22 when it entered service in December 2005. [25] | 1997 | 2005 [25] | |
| F/A-XX | Program/project | None | Built for as part of Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. | N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed, long-endurance, ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport, fixed-wing aircraft. It carries a wide array of ground-attack weapons that are integrated with sensors, navigation, and fire-control systems. Unlike other modern military fixed-wing aircraft, the AC-130 relies on visual targeting. Since its large profile and low operating altitudes around 7,000 feet make it an easy target, its close air support missions are usually flown at night.
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a single-engined attack helicopter developed and manufactured by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Bell Helicopter. A member of the prolific Huey family, the AH-1 is also referred to as the HueyCobra or Snake.
A gunship is a military aircraft armed with heavy aircraft guns, primarily intended for attacking ground targets either as airstrike or as close air support.
The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engined attack helicopter that was developed on behalf of, and primarily operated by, the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The twin Cobra family, itself part of the larger Huey family, includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra.
Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), the 1st Special Operations Wing (1 SOW), the USAF Special Operations School (USAFSOS) and the Air Combat Command's (ACC) 505th Command and Control Wing. It was named for First Lieutenant Donald Wilson Hurlburt, who died in a crash at Eglin. The installation is nearly 6,700 acres (27 km2) and employs nearly 8,000 military personnel.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. Originally commissioned during World War II, the squadron participated in combat operations on Peleliu and Okinawa. Reactivated during the Vietnam War, the squadron has served during numerous conflicts since. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167 (HMLA-167) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. Known as the "Warriors", they are based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 29 (MAG-29) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 (HMLA-267) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and Bell UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. Nicknamed the "Stingers", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in California, and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775 (HMLA-775) is a reserve United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and Bell UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The squadron was reactivated from cadre status on 1 Oct 2016 and is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 41 (MAG-41) and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 (HMLA-369) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The squadron, also known as the "Gunfighters", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 (HMLA-169) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 (HMLA-773) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and Bell UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The squadron is based at Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, NJ and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 49 (MAG-49) and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Aviation Training Support Group 42 (MATSG-42) is a United States Marine Corps Reserve aviation unit based at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The mission of MATSG-42 is to provide Marine Corps reserve component augmentation in direct support of active component Navy and Marine Corps aviation activities in order to sustain required levels of qualified Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers, Naval Aircrewmen, and enlisted Marine Aviation aircraft maintenance personnel.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303), is a United States Marine Corps helicopter training squadron stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California. Known as "Atlas", HMLAT-303 trains newly commissioned Naval Aviators, conversion pilots, and refresher pilots to fly the Bell UH-1Y Venom and Bell AH-1Z Viper. HMLAT-303 is also responsible for training Bell UH-1Y Venom crew chiefs. It is part of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
The Bell UH-1Y Venom is a twin-engine, 4-blade, medium-sized utility helicopter built by Bell Helicopter under the H-1 upgrade program of the United States Marine Corps. One of the latest members of the numerous Huey family, the UH-1Y is also called "Yankee" for the NATO phonetic alphabet pronunciation of its variant letter. Bell was originally to produce UH-1Ys by rebuilding UH-1Ns, but ultimately used new built airframes.
The Bell AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter, based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter. It is one of the latest members of the prolific Bell Huey family. It is often called "Zulu Cobra", based on the military phonetic alphabet pronunciation of its variant letter.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 467 (HMLA-467) was a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopters and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The squadron, nicknamed the "Sabers", was based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and was under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 29 (MAG-29) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron's aircraft markings are grey & white stripes on the aircraft tail to replicate the tail markings on a Diamondback Rattlesnake and the markings on the lighthouses in North Carolina.
The H-1 upgrade program is the United States Marine Corps's program to develop the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom military helicopters to replace its aging fleets of AH-1W SuperCobras and UH-1N Twin Hueys. The contract was awarded in 1996 to Bell Helicopter, the original manufacturer of both aircraft, to design the new airframes as modernized attack and utility helicopters with considerable design commonality, to reduce operating costs.
Glenn Michael Walters is a retired United States Marine Corps General, who served as the 34th Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2016 to 2018. He was appointed as the 20th President of his alma mater, The Citadel, on April 12, 2018.