Use of aircraft by armed forces in combat or other military capacity
Military aviation
comprises
military aircraft
and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling
aerial warfare
, including national
airlift
(
air cargo
) capacity to provide
logistical supply
to forces stationed in a
war theater
or along a
front
.
Airpower
includes the national means of conducting such warfare, including the intersection of transport and warcraft. Military aircraft include
bombers
,
fighters
,
transports
,
trainer aircraft
, and
reconnaissance aircraft
.
History
[
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]
The first military uses of aviation involved
lighter-than-air
balloons. During the
Battle of Fleurus
in 1794, the French observation balloon
l'Entreprenant
was used to monitor Austrian troop movements.
[1]
The use of lighter-than-air aircraft in warfare became prevalent in the 19th century, including regular use in the
American Civil War
. Lighter-than-air military aviation persisted until shortly after
World War II
, gradually being withdrawn from various roles as
heavier-than-air aircraft
improved.
Heavier-than-air aircraft were recognized as having military applications early on, despite resistance from traditionalists and the severe limitations of early aircraft. The
U.S. Army Signal Corps
purchased a
Wright Model A
on 2 August 1909 which became the first military aircraft in history.
[2]
In 1911, the Italians used a variety of aircraft types in reconnaissance, photo-reconnaissance, and bombing roles during the
Italo-Turkish War
.
[3]
On October 23, 1911, an Italian pilot, Captain Carlo Piazza, flew over Turkish lines on the world's first aerial
reconnaissance
mission,
[4]
and on November 1, the first ever
aerial bomb
was dropped by
Sottotenente
Giulio Gavotti
, on Turkish troops in
Libya
, from an early model of
Etrich Taube
aircraft.
[5]
The
Turks
, lacking
anti-aircraft
weapons, were the first to shoot down an
airplane
by
rifle
fire.
[6]
The earliest military role filled by aircraft was
reconnaissance
, however, by the end of
World War I
, military aviation had rapidly embraced many specialized roles, such as artillery spotting, air superiority, bombing, ground attack, and anti-submarine patrols. Technological improvements were made at a frenzied pace, and the first
all-metal cantilevered airplanes
were going into service as the war ended.
Between the major
world wars
incremental improvements made in many areas, especially powerplants, aerodynamics, structures, and weapons, led to an even more rapid advance in aircraft technology during World War II, with large performance increases and the introduction of aircraft into new roles, including
Airborne Early Warning
,
electronic warfare
,
weather reconnaissance
, and flying lifeboats. Great Britain used aircraft to suppress revolts throughout the Empire during the
interwar period
and introduced the first
military transports
, which revolutionized
logistics
, allowing troops and supplies to be quickly delivered over vastly greater distances.
While they first appeared during World War I, ground attack aircraft didn't provide a decisive contribution until the Germans introduced
Blitzkrieg
during the
Invasion of Poland
and
Battle of France
, where aircraft functioned as mobile flying artillery to quickly disrupt defensive formations. The Allies would later use rocket-equipped fighters in the same role, immobilizing German armored divisions during the
Battle of Normandy
and afterwards.
World War I also saw the creation of the first strategic bomber units, however, they wouldn't be tested until the
Spanish Civil War
where the perceived effects of mass bombardment would encourage their widespread use during World War II.
Carrier aviation
also first appeared during World War I, and likewise came to play a major role during World War II, with most major navies recognizing the aircraft carrier's advantages over the
battleship
and devoting massive resources to the building of new carriers.
During World War II,
U-boats
threatened the ability of the
Allies
to transport troops and war materiel to Europe, spurring the development of very long range
Maritime patrol
aircraft, whose capability of independently detecting and destroying submerged submarines was greatly increased with new detection systems, including
sonobuoys
,
Leigh Lights
, and
radar
, along with better weapons including
homing torpedoes
and improved
depth charges
. This played a major role in winning the
Battle of the Atlantic
. Aircraft also played a much expanded role, with many notable engagements being decided solely through the use of military aircraft, such as the
Battle of Britain
or the
attack on Pearl Harbor
, and the conclusion of the
Pacific War
against Japan was marked by two lone aircraft dropping the
atomic bombs
,
devastating
the cities of
Hiroshima
and
Nagasaki
. The introduction of the
jet engine
,
radar
, early
missiles
,
helicopters
, and
computers
are World War II advancements which are felt to the present day.
Post World War II, the development of military aviation was spurred by the
Cold War
stand-off between the super-powers. The
helicopter
appeared late in World War II and matured into an indispensable part of military aviation, transporting troops and providing expanded anti-submarine capabilities to smaller warships, negating the need for large numbers of small carriers. The need to out-perform opponents pushed new technology and aircraft developments in the
U.S.S.R.
and the
United States
, among others, and the
Korean War
and the
Vietnam War
tested the resulting designs. Incredible advances in electronics were made, starting with the first electronic computers during World War II and steadily expanding from its original role of cryptography into communications, data processing, reconnaissance, remotely piloted aircraft, and many other roles until it has become an integral aspect of modern warfare.
In the early 1960s, missiles were expected to replace manned interceptors and the guns in other manned aircraft. They failed to live up to expectations as
surface-to-air missiles
lacked flexibility and were not as effective as manned interceptors, and fighters equipped only with
air-to-air missiles
had limited effectiveness against opposing aircraft which could avoid being hit. Missiles were also expensive, especially against low-value ground targets. The 1970s saw the return of the gun-armed fighter, and a greater emphasis on maneuverability. The 1980s through to the present day were characterized by
stealth technology
and other countermeasures.
Today, a country's military aviation forces are often the first line of defense against an attack, or the first forces to attack the enemy, and effective military aviation forces (or lack thereof) have proved decisive in several recent conflicts such as the
Gulf War
.
Categories
[
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]
Airborne Early Warning
provides advance warning of enemy activities to reduce the chance of being surprised. Many also have command functions that allow them to direct or vector friendly fighters onto incoming bogeys.
Bombers
are capable of carrying large payloads of bombs and may sacrifice speed or maneuverability to maximize payload.
Experimental aircraft
are designed to test advanced aerodynamic, structural, avionic, or propulsion concepts. These are usually well instrumented, with performance data telemetered on radio-frequency data links to ground stations located at the test ranges where they are flown.
Fighters
establish and maintain
air superiority
. Speed and maneuverability are usually requirements and they carry a variety of weapons, including machine guns and guided missiles, to do this.
Forward Air Control
directs close air support aircraft to ensure that the intended targets are nullified and friendly troops remain uninjured.
Ground-attack aircraft
support ground troops by weakening or nullifying enemy defenses.
Helicopter gunships
and specialized ground attack aircraft
attack enemy armor or troops
and provide
close air support
for ground troops.
Liaison aircraft
are usually small, unarmed aircraft used to deliver messages and key personnel.
Maritime Patrol Aircraft
are used to control sea-lanes, and are often equipped with special electronic gear for detecting and sinking submarines, such as sonar. They are also used for search and rescue missions and fisheries patrols.
Multirole combat aircraft
combine the capabilities of both a fighter or a bomber, depending on what the mission calls for.
Reconnaissance aircraft
and
scout helicopters
are primarily used to gather intelligence. They are equipped with photographic, infrared, radar, and television sensors. This role is increasingly being filled by
spy satellites
and
unmanned aerial vehicles
.
Refueling aircraft
are used to refuel fighters and reconnaissance aircraft, extending mission reach and flying range. These aircraft include but are not limited to the KC-135, KC-46, KC-767, A310 MRTT, and the KC-130J. These aircraft are a part of many countries' militant assets.
[7]
Training aircraft
are used to train recruits to fly aircraft and to provide additional training for specialized roles such as in air combat.
Transport aircraft
transport troops and supplies. Cargo can be on pallets for quick unloading. Cargo, and personnel may also be discharged from flying aircraft on
parachutes
. Also included in this category are aerial tankers, which can refuel other aircraft while
in flight
.
Helicopters
and
gliders
can transport troops and supplies to areas where other aircraft would be unable to land.
Air forces
[
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An air force is the
branch
of a nation's armed forces that is responsible for
aerial warfare
as distinct from the
army
,
navy
, or other branches. Most nations either maintain an air force or, in the case of smaller and less well-developed countries, an air wing (see
List of air forces
). Air forces are usually tasked with the air defense of a country, as well as strategic bombing, interdiction, close air support, intelligence gathering, battlespace management, transport functions, and providing services to civil government agencies. Air force operations may also include space-based operations such as reconnaissance or satellite operations.
Other branches
[
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]
Other branches of a nation's armed forces may use aviation (
naval aviation
and
army aviation
), in addition to or instead of, a dedicated air force. In some cases, this includes
coast guard
services that are also an armed service, as well as
gendarmeries
and equivalent forces.
See also
[
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]
References
[
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]
- Footnotes
- Citations
- Aviation History. New York: Primedia Special Interest Publications, 1996. 15 Feb. 2006
- Gross, Charles Joseph. American Military Aviation: The Indispensable Arm. College Station Texas A&M University Press, 2002. 13 Feb. 2006
- Rusnac, Mircea,
The Monument with a Propeller
[
dead link
]