Engineering:List of attack aircraft
The ground attack aircraft listed here are military aircraft used to attack targets on the ground with greater speed and a smaller radar cross section than strategic bombers.[1] Historically, attack aircraft were used for their higher precision compared to strategic bombers when delivering unguided munitions. Modern attack aircraft may be expected to function in high threat environments where enemy air defences preclude the use of strategic bombers. There are bound to be some overlap in the role and design between categories and some multirole combat aircraft appear in more than one list. Fighters, fighter-bombers, and even trainers have also often been used in the role of attack aircraft. Trainer aircraft have particularly been re-perpoused as attack aircraft when they were obsolete in their original role, or as a cheaper alternative where air defences are minimal.[2]
The use of the term attack aircraft is primarily an American term, as other countries have described identical aircraft variously as light bombers, fighter-bomber, army cooperation aircraft and close support aircraft. In the US Air Force the naming convention for ground attack aircraft is a prefix "A-", followed by a number, e.g. A-10, bomber aircraft are prefixed with “B-”, e.g. B-52, and fighter aircraft with “F-”, e.g. F-35.[3]
This list is limited to fixed-wing aircraft that have been built, and does not include abandoned concepts or fictional aircraft. Dates after each entry are of first flight.
| Type | Country | Class | Date | Status | No. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEG DJ.I | German Empire | 1918 | Prototype | 1+ | ||
| AEG J.I | German Empire | 1917 | Retired | 609 | ||
| Aermacchi MB-326 | Italy | 1957 | Operational | 650 | ||
| Aermacchi MB-339 | Italy | 1976 | Operational | 213+ | ||
| Aermacchi M-345 | Italy | 2016 | Operational | 4 | ||
| Aermacchi SF.260 | Italy | 1964 | Operational | 860+ | ||
| Aero A.100 | Czechoslovakia | 1933 | Retired | 44 | ||
| Aero A.101 | Czechoslovakia | 1934 | Retired | 50+ | ||
| Aero L-29 Delfín | Czechoslovakia | 1959 | Operational | 3,500 | ||
| Aero L-39 Albatros | Czechoslovakia | 1968 | Operational | 592 | ||
| Aero L-59 Super Albatros | Czechoslovakia | 1986 | Operational | 71 | ||
| Aero L-159 Alca | Czech Republic | 1997 | Operational | 72 | ||
| Aero L-39CW | Czech Republic | 2015 | Prototype | 1 | ||
| Aero L-39 Skyfox | Czech Republic | 2018 | Operational | 10 | ||
| Aichi D1A | Empire of Japan | 1934 | Retired | 590 | ||
| Aichi D3A | Empire of Japan | 1938 | Retired | 1,486 | ||
| AIDC AT-3 | Taiwan | 1980 | Operational | 63 | ||
| Albatros J.I | German Empire | 1917 | 240 | |||
| Albatros J.II | German Empire | 1918? | 4 | |||
| AMX International AMX | Italy & Brazil | 1984 | 230 | |||
| Arado Ar 66 | Germany | 1932 | 1,456 | |||
| Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 | UK | 1916 | 1,650 | |||
| BAE Harrier II | UK | 1985 | 143 | |||
| BAE Hawk 200 | UK | 1986 | 62 | |||
| BAE Systems Hawk | UK | 1974 | 1,000 | |||
| Bell P-39 Airacobra | US | 1938 | 9,584 | |||
| Blackburn Buccaneer | UK | 1958 | 211[4] | |||
| Blackburn Firebrand | UK | 1942 | 223[5] | |||
| Blackburn Firecrest | UK | 1947 | 3[6] | |||
| Blackburn Ripon | UK | 1926 | 121[7] | |||
| Blackburn Shark | UK | 1933 | 269 | |||
| Blackburn Skua | UK | 1937 | 192 | |||
| Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | US | 1995 | 500 | |||
| Boeing GA-1 | US | 1920 | 10 | |||
| Breda Ba.64 | Kingdom of Italy | 1934 | 42 | |||
| Breda Ba.65 | Kingdom of Italy | 1935 | 218 | |||
| Breda Ba.88 | Kingdom of Italy | 1936 | 149 | |||
| Breguet 19 | France | 1922 | 2,700 c. | |||
| Breguet 693 | France | 1938 | 230 c. | |||
| Breguet Vultur | France | 1951 | 2 | |||
| Bristol Beaufighter | UK | 1939 | 5,928 | |||
| Bristol Beaufort | UK | 1938 | 2,129 | |||
| Bristol Blenheim | UK | 1935 | 4,422 | |||
| Bristol F.2 Fighter | UK | 1916 | 5,329 | |||
| CAC Wirraway | Australia | 1937 | 755 | |||
| CAC Woomera | Australia | 1941 | 2 | |||
| CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder | China/Pakistan | 2003 | Operational | 100+ | ||
| Canadair CL-41G Tebuan | Canada | 1966 | 20 | |||
| Caproni A.P.1 | Kingdom of Italy | 1934 | 57 | |||
| Casa C-101 | Spain | 1977 | 166 | |||
| Cessna A-37 Dragonfly | US | 1963 | 577 | |||
| Chengdu J-10 | China | 1998 | Operational | 270 | ||
| Chengdu J-20 | China | 2011 | Operational | 28 | ||
| Curtiss A-12 Shrike | US | 1933 | 46 | |||
| Curtiss A-18 Shrike | US | 1937 | 13 | |||
| Curtiss A-8 | US | 1931 | 13 | |||
| Curtiss Falcon | US | 1924 | 488 | |||
| Curtiss SBC Helldiver | US | 1935 | 257 | |||
| Curtiss XA-14 | US | 1935 | 1 | |||
| Curtiss SB2C Helldiver | US | 1942 | 7,140 | |||
| DAR 10 | Bulgaria | 1941 | 2 | |||
| Dassault Étendard IV | France | 1958 | 90 | |||
| Dassault Mirage 2000 | France | 1978 | 601 | |||
| Dassault Mirage F1 | France | 1966 | 720+ | |||
| Dassault Mystère IV | France | 1952 | 411 | |||
| Dassault Ouragan | France | 1949 | 362 | |||
| Dassault Rafale | France | 1986 | 141 | |||
| Dassault Super Mystère | France | 1955 | 180 | |||
| Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard | France | 1974 | 85 | |||
| Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet | France & Germany | 1973 | 480 | |||
| de Havilland Mosquito | UK | 1940 | 7,781 | |||
| de Havilland Venom | UK | 1949 | 1,431 | |||
| Douglas A-1 Skyraider | US | 1945 | 3,180 | |||
| Douglas A-20 Havoc | US | 1939 | 7,478 | |||
| Douglas A-26 Invader | US | 1942 | 2,452 | |||
| Douglas A-3 Skywarrior | US | 1952 | 282 | |||
| Douglas A-4 Skyhawk | US | 1954 | 2,960 | |||
| Douglas AC-47 Spooky | US | 1965 | 53 | |||
| Douglas SBD Dauntless | US | 1940 | 5,936 | |||
| Douglas XA-2 | US | 1926 | 1 | |||
| EKW C-36 | Switzerland | 1939 | 175 | |||
| Embraer EMB 312 Tucano | Brazil | 1980 | 664 | |||
| Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano | Brazil | 1999 | Operational | 200+ | ||
| English Electric Canberra | UK | 1949 | 949 | |||
| Eurofighter Typhoon | UK, Germany, Italy & Spain | 1994 | Operational | 589[8] | ||
| Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II | US | 1972 | Operational | 716 | ||
| Fairchild AC-119 | US | 1968 | 52 | |||
| Fairey Albacore | UK | 1938 | 800 | |||
| Fairey Battle | UK | 1936 | 2,185 | |||
| Fairey Fawn | UK | 1923 | 75 | |||
| Fairey Gordon | UK | 1931 | 186 | |||
| Fairey Swordfish | UK | 1934 | 2,391 | |||
| Fiat G.91 | Italy | 1956 | 770 | |||
| Fieseler Fi 167 | Nazi Germany | 1938 | 14 | |||
| FMA IA 58 Pucará | Argentina | 1969 | 150–160 | |||
| FMA IA 63 Pampa | Argentina | 1984 | 27 | |||
| Fokker C.V | Netherlands | 1924 | 955 | |||
| Fokker C.X | Netherlands | 1934 | 71 | |||
| Fokker XA-7 | US | 1931 | 1 | |||
| General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark | US | 1964 | 563 | |||
| General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon | US | 1974 | Operational | 4,540+ | ||
| Great Lakes BG | US | 1933 | 61 | |||
| Grumman A-6 Intruder | US | 1960 | 693 | |||
| Grumman F7F Tigercat | US | 1943 | 364 | |||
| Grumman F9F Panther | US | 1947 | 1,382 | |||
| Grumman OV-1 Mohawk | US | 1959 | 380 | |||
| Grumman TBF Avenger | US | 1941 | 9,839 | |||
| Grumman Future Air Attack Vehicle | US | 1993 | 0 | |||
| HAL HF-24 Marut | India | 1961 | 147 | |||
| HAL Tejas | India | 2001 | Operational | 32 | ||
| Halberstadt CL.II | German Empire | 1917 | 900 | |||
| Halberstadt CL.IV | German Empire | 1918? | 900 | |||
| Hannover CL.III | German Empire | 1917 | 617 | |||
| Hawker Audax | UK | 1931 | 700+ | |||
| Hawker Hardy | UK | 1934 | 48 | |||
| Hawker Hart | UK | 1928 | 1,004 | |||
| Hawker Hector | UK | 1936 | 179[9] | |||
| Hawker Hunter | UK | 1951 | 1,972 | |||
| Hawker Hurricane | UK | 1935 | 14,583 | |||
| Hawker Siddeley HS 138 | UK | 1967 | Prototype | 0 | ||
| Hawker Siddeley Harrier | UK | 1969 | 278 | |||
| Hawker Typhoon | UK | 1940 | 3,317 | |||
| Heinkel He 45 | Germany | 1931 | 512 | |||
| Heinkel He 46 | Germany | 1931 | 500 c. | |||
| Heinkel He 50 | Germany | 1931 | 78 | |||
| Heinkel 51C | Nazi Germany | 1933 | 100 | |||
| Helio Stallion | US | 1964 | 20 | |||
| Henschel Hs 123 | Nazi Germany | 1935 | 250 c. | |||
| Henschel Hs 129 | Nazi Germany | 1939 | 865 | |||
| HESA Azarakhsh | Iran | 1997 | Operational | 6-9 | ||
| Hongdu JL-8 | China | 1990 | 500 | |||
| IAR 37, 38 and 39 | Romania | 1937 | 380 | |||
| IAR 80 & 81 | Romania | 1939 | 346 | |||
| IAR-93 Vultur | Romania | 1974 | 88 | |||
| IAR-99 Soim | Romania | 1985 | 20 | |||
| Ilyushin Il-10 & Avia B-33 | USSR | 1944 | 6,166 | |||
| Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik | USSR | 1939 | 36,183 | |||
| IMAM Ro.57bis | Kingdom of Italy | 1942 | 50-75 | |||
| IML Addax | New Zealand | 1982 | 0 | |||
| Junkers CL.I | German Empire | 1917 | 51 | |||
| Junkers Ju 87 | Nazi Germany | 1935 | 6,500 c. | |||
| KAI TA-50 Golden Eagle | South Korea | 2002 | Operational | 200[10] | ||
| Kawasaki Army Type 88 Reconnaissance Aircraft | Empire of Japan | 1927 | 1,117 | |||
| Kawasaki Ki-102 | Empire of Japan | 1944 | 238 | |||
| Kawasaki Ki-3 | Empire of Japan | 1933 | 243 | |||
| Kawasaki Ki-32 | Empire of Japan | 1937 | 854 | |||
| Latécoère 298 | France | 1936 | 121 | |||
| Letov Š-328 | Czechoslovakia | 1933 | 412 | |||
| LIPNUR Sikumbang | Indonesia | 1954 | Retired | 2 | ||
| Lockheed AC-130 | US | 1966 | 47 | |||
| Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk | US | 1981 | 64 | |||
| Lockheed Hudson | US | 1938 | 2,941 | |||
| Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II | US | 2006 | Operational | 960+[11] | ||
| Lockheed P-38 Lightning | US | 1939 | 10,037 | |||
| Loire-Nieuport LN.401 | France | 1938 | 68 | |||
| Martin 167 Maryland | US | 1939 | 450 | |||
| Martin AM Mauler | US | 1944 | 151 | |||
| Martin B-26 Marauder | US | 1940 | 5,288 | |||
| Martin B-57 Canberra | US | 1953 | 403 | |||
| Martin Baltimore | US | 1941 | 1,575 | |||
| Martin BM | US | 1929 | 35 | |||
| McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle | US | 1986 | 420 | |||
| McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet | US | 1978 | 1,480 | |||
| Messerschmitt Bf 110 | Nazi Germany | 1936 | 6,170 | |||
| Mikoyan MiG-AT | USSR | 1996 | Prototype | 2 | ||
| Mikoyan MiG-29K | USSR | 1998 | Operational | 45 | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 | USSR | 1967 | 5,047 | |||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 | USSR | 1970 | 1,075 | |||
| Mitsubishi B2M | Empire of Japan | 1929 | 206 | |||
| Mitsubishi B5M | Empire of Japan | 1937 | 125 | |||
| Mitsubishi F-1 | Japan | 1975 | 77 | |||
| Mitsubishi F-2 | Japan | 1995 | 94[12] | |||
| Mitsubishi Ki-30 | Empire of Japan | 1937 | 704 | |||
| Mitsubishi Ki-51 | Empire of Japan | 1939 | 2,385 | |||
| Nakajima B5N | Empire of Japan | 1937 | 1,150 c. | |||
| Nakajima B6N | Empire of Japan | 1941 | 1,268 | |||
| Nakajima Ki-4 | Empire of Japan | 1933 | 516 | |||
| Nanchang Q-5 | China | 1965 | 1,300 c. | |||
| Brewster SBA/Naval Aircraft Factory SBN | US | 1936 | 31 | |||
| Neman R-10 | USSR | 1936 | 500+ | |||
| North American A-2 Savage | US | 1948 | Retired | 143 | ||
| North American A-27 | US | 1940 | Retired | 10 | ||
| North American A-36 Apache | US | 1942 | Retired | 500 | ||
| North American A-5 Vigilante | US | 1958 | Retired | 156 | ||
| North American B-25 Mitchell | US | 1940 | Retired | 9,984 | ||
| North American NA-44 | US | 1938 | Prototype | 1 | ||
| North American NA-72 | US | 1940 | Retired | 30 | ||
| North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco | US | 1965 | Operational | 360 | ||
| North American T-28 Trojan | US | 1949 | Retired | 1,948 | ||
| North American T-6 Texan | US | 1940 | Retired | 15,495 | ||
| Northrop A-17 | US | 1935 | Retired | 411 | ||
| Northrop BT | US | 1935 | Retired | 55 | ||
| Northrop Gamma 2C & 2E | US | 1933 | Retired | 52 c. | ||
| Panavia Tornado | UK, Germany & Italy | 1974 | Operational | 796[13] | ||
| Petlyakov Pe-2 | USSR | 1939 | Retired | 11,427 | ||
| Polikarpov R-5 | USSR | 1928 | Retired | 7,000 c. | ||
| Polikarpov R-Z | USSR | 1935 | Retired | 1,031 | ||
| Potez 15 | France | 1921 | Retired | 687 | ||
| Potez 25 | France | 1924 | Retired | 4,000 c. | ||
| PWS-1 | Poland | 1927 | Prototype | 1 | ||
| PWS-19 | Poland | 1931 | Prototype | 1 | ||
| PZL.23 Karaś | Poland | 1932 | Retired | 253 | ||
| PZL.38 Wilk | Poland | 1936 | Prototype | 2 | ||
| PZL-42 | Poland | 1936 | Prototype | 2 | ||
| PZL.43 | Poland | 1936 | Retired | 53 | ||
| PZL.46 Sum | Poland | 1938 | Prototype | 2 | ||
| PZL TS-11 Iskra | Poland | 1960 | Retired | 500 | ||
| PZL I-22 Iryda | Poland | 1985 | Retired | 16 | ||
| Republic AP-100 | US | 1957 | Cancelled | 0 | ||
| Republic F-105 Thunderchief | US | 1955 | Retired | 833 | ||
| Republic F-84 Thunderjet | US | 1946 | Retired | 7,524 | ||
| Republic P-47 Thunderbolt | US | 1941 | Retired | 15,660 | ||
| Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 | UK | 1916 | Retired | 4,077 | ||
| Saab 17 | Sweden | 1940 | Retired | 323 | ||
| Saab 105 | Sweden | 1963 | Retired | 192 | ||
| Saab 32 Lansen | Sweden | 1952 | Retired | 450 | ||
| Saab 37 Viggen | Sweden | 1967 | Retired | 329 | ||
| Saab JAS 39 Gripen | Sweden | 1988 | Operational | 247 c. | ||
| Saab Supporter | Sweden | 1971 | Operational | 462 | ||
| Salmson 4 AB.2 | France | 1918 | Retired | 12 | ||
| Savoia-Marchetti SM.85 | Kingdom of Italy | 1936 | Retired | 34 | ||
| SEPECAT Jaguar | UK & France | 1968 | Operational | 573[14] | ||
| SET 7 | Romania | 1931 | Retired | 123 | ||
| SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019 | Italy | 1969 | Retired | 86 | ||
| Soko 522 | Yugoslavia | 1955 | Retired | 110 c. | ||
| Soko G-2 Galeb | Yugoslavia | 1961 | Operational | 248 | ||
| Soko G-4 Super Galeb | Yugoslavia | 1978 | Operational | 85 | ||
| Soko J-20 Kraguj | Yugoslavia | 1962 | Retired | 85 | ||
| Soko J-21 Jastreb | Yugoslavia | 1965 | Retired | 121 | ||
| Soko J-22 Orao | Yugoslavia | 1974 | Operational | 250-300 | ||
| Sopwith Salamander | UK | 1918 | Retired | 497 | ||
| Sud Aviation Vautour | France | 1952 | Retired | 149 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-17/20/22 | USSR | 1966 | Operational | 2,867 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-2 | USSR | 1937 | Retired | 910 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-24 | USSR | 1967 | Operational | 1,400 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-25 | USSR | 1975 | Operational | 1,024 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-27 | USSR | 1977 | Operational | 809 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-30 | USSR | 1989 | Operational | 509+ | ||
| Sukhoi Su-34 | USSR | 1990 | Operational | 50 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-35 | Russia | 2008 | Operational | 48 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-6 | USSR | 1941 | Prototype | 3 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-7B | USSR | 1955 | Operational | 1,847 | ||
| Tachikawa Ki-36 | Empire of Japan | 1938 | Retired | 1,334 | ||
| Tupolev Tu-2 | USSR | 1941 | Retired | 2,257 | ||
| Vickers Vildebeest | UK | 1928 | Retired | 209 | ||
| Vickers Vincent | UK | 1932 | Retired | 197 | ||
| Vought A-7 Corsair II | US | 1965 | Retired | 1,569 | ||
| Vought F4U Corsair | US | 1940 | Retired | 12,571 | ||
| Vought SB2U Vindicator | US | 1936 | Retired | 260 | ||
| Vought SBU Corsair | US | 1933 | Retired | 125 | ||
| Vultee V-11, V-12 and A-19 | US | 1935 | Retired | 224 | ||
| Vultee Vengeance | US | 1941 | Retired | 1,931 | ||
| Westland Lysander | UK | 1936 | Retired | 1,786 | ||
| Westland Wallace | UK | 1931 | Retired | 172 | ||
| Westland Whirlwind | UK | 1938 | Retired | 116 | ||
| Westland Wyvern | UK | 1946 | Retired | 127 | ||
| Xian JH-7 | China | 1988 | Operational | 240 | ||
| Yokosuka B4Y | Empire of Japan | 1935 | Retired | 205 | ||
| Yokosuka D4Y | Empire of Japan | 1940 | Retired | 2,038 |
See also
References
- ↑ Mortensen, Daniel R. A Pattern for Joint Operations: World War II Close Air Support, pp. 24-25, North Africa. Washington, D.C.: Office Of Air Force History, 1987. ISBN 978-1-4289-1564-0.
- ↑ Gunston, Bill. The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary. p73, Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0-521-19165-4.
- ↑ https://www.northcentralwis.net/wimuzikman/airterms.html "Military Aircraft Terminology". www.northcentralwis.net. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ↑ "Blackburn Buccaneer". https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/heritage/blackburn-buccaneer.
- ↑ "Blackburn B37 Firebrand". https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/heritage/blackburn-b37-firebrand.
- ↑ "Blackburn B-48 Firecrest". https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/heritage/blackburn-b-48-firecrest.
- ↑ "Blackburn T5 Ripon". https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/heritage/blackburn-t5-ripon.
- ↑ "Orders, Deliveries, In Operation Military aircraft by Country - Worldwide". https://airbus.web.factory.eu.airbus.com/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/2023-06/2023-05_MRS_GEN_Ord-Deliv%20by%20country.pdf.
- ↑ "Hawker Hector". https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/heritage/hawker-hector.
- ↑ Franco, Samantha (3 May 2023). "KAI T-50 Golden Eagle: The Supersonic Trainer That Took Out Rebels In the Philippines". https://www.warhistoryonline.com/aircraft/kai-t-50-golden-eagle.html.
- ↑ "F-35 Fast Facts". https://www.f35.com/f35/about/fast-facts.html?linkId=100000211993320.
- ↑ Hehs, Eric (12 November 2015). "Japan’s F-2 Support Fighter". https://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=185.
- ↑ "Panavia Tornado Variants". https://www.panavia.de/aircraft/overview/variants.
- ↑ "Jaguar". https://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/passion/aircraft/military-dassault-aircraft/jaguar/.
