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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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Douglas XA-2 | Douglas Aircraft Company | ![]() | Converted from a Douglas O-2 in 1926. | N/A | 1 | ||
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 | |||
Curtiss A-18 Shrike | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company | ![]() | Developed from the Curtiss XA-14. | 1935 | N/A | 13 | |
Douglas A-20 Havoc |
| Douglas Aircraft Company | ![]() | 1938 | 1941 | 7,478 | |
Stearman XA-21 | Stearman Aircraft | ![]() | 1938 | N/A | 1 | ||
North American NA-40 | Attack bomber | ![]() | Developed from the North American XB-21 and into the North American B-25 Mitchell. | 1939 | N/A | 1 | |
Douglas SBD Dauntless / A-24 Banshee | Dive bomber | Douglas Aircraft | ![]() | Unknown | Unknown | ~953 | |
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver / A-25 Shrike | Dive bomber | Curtiss-Wright | ![]() | 1940 | 1942 | 7,140 | |
Martin A-30 Baltimore | Light bomber /reconnaissance | Glenn L. Martin Company | ![]() | 1941 | 1941 | 1,575 | |
Douglas A-33 | ![]() | Developed from the Northrop A-17 | Unknown | 1941 | 36 | ||
Vultee A-31 / A-35 Vengeance | Dive bomber | Vultee Aircraft | ![]() | 1941 | Unknown | 1,931 | |
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] |
Brewster XA-32 | Brewster Aeronautical Corporation | ![]() | 1943 | N/A | 2 | ||
Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly | Beechcraft | ![]() | 1944 [5] | N/A | 2 [5] | ||
Vultee XA-41 | Ground attack | Vultee Aircraft | ![]() | 1944 | N/A | 1 | |
Curtiss XBTC / A-40 | Torpedo/dive bomber | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company | ![]() | 1945 | N/A | 2 | |
Convair XA-44 / XB-53 | Convair | ![]() | Project cancelled before two prototypes were built | N/A | N/A | 0 | |
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. [6] [7] | 1945 [6] [7] | 1946 [7] | 3,180 [6] [7] | |
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 | ![]() | Largest aircraft regularly operated from aircraft carriers. | 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 [8] | 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. [9] First deployed over Vietnam in 1964. [10] | 1964 [11] | 1965 | 53 |
Bell AH-1 Cobra | Attack helicopter [12] | Bell Helicopter | ![]() | Developed from the UH-1 Iroquois/ "Huey." World's first dedicated armed attack helicopter. [13] | 1965 [14] | 1967 [15] | 1,116 [15] |
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 | |
Fairchild AC-119 | Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship | Fairchild Aircraft | ![]() | Replaced the Douglas AC-47 Spooky. | Unknown | 1968 | 52 |
Lockheed AC-130 | Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship for SOF teams | Lockheed Martin/Boeing | ![]() | Modified C-130 Hercules. | 1967 (AC-130A) [16] [17] | 1968 (AC-130A) [17] | ??? |
Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne | Attack compound helicopter | Lockheed Corporation | ![]() | Cancelled due to the winding down of the Vietnam War. | 1967 | N/A | 10 |
McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk | Fleet air defense / light attack | McDonnell Douglas | ![]() | Export version of the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. | Unknown | 1967 | 20 |
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) [18] | N/A | 2 [18] | |
Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker | Armed gunship, counter-insurgency, utility transport | Fairchild Aircraft | ![]() | Used in the Vietnam War by the USAF and RVNAF. [19] | 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. [20] | 1972 [20] | N/A | 2 |
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II | Close air support attack aircraft | Fairchild Republic | ![]() | Known for its 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger. [21] [22] First production version was delivered in October 1975. [21] | 1972 [22] | October 1977 [22] | 716 [23] |
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. [24] | Never | N/A | 0 |
Bell YAH-63 | Attack helicopter | Bell Helicopter | ![]() | Competed in and lost the Advanced Attack Helicopter to the AH-64 Apache. | 1975 | N/A | 3 |
Boeing AH-64 Apache | Attack helicopter |
| ![]() | Winner of the Advanced Attack Helicopter program. | 1975 | 1986 | 2,700+ |
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 and U.S. Marine Corps. | 1978 | 1983 | 1,480 |
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk | Stealth attack aircraft | Lockheed Corporation | ![]() | 1981 | 1983 | 64 | |
Vought YA-7F | Prototype transonic attack aircraft | Ling-Temco-Vought/Vought | ![]() | 1989 | N/A | 0 | |
LTV A-7P Corsair II | Ling-Temco-Vought | ![]() | Export LTV A-7 Corsair II for the Portuguese Air Force | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
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–Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche | Reconnaissance and attack helicopter | Boeing Helicopters/Sikorsky Aircraft | ![]() | Stealth helicopter as part of the cancelled Light Helicopter Experimental | 1996 | N/A | 2 |
Bell AH-1Z Viper | Attack helicopter | Bell Helicopter | ![]() | 2000 | 2011 (IOC) [25] | 195 [25] | |
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. [26] | 1997 | 2005 [26] | |
F/A-XX | Program/project | None | Proposed for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. | N/A | N/A | N/A |