This is a list of United States-used attack aircraft.
United States military aircraft |
---|
|
Name | Role | Manufacturer | Notes | Year of
first flight |
Introduction | Number built |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Curtiss Falcon | ||||||
Fokker XA-7 | ||||||
Curtiss A-8 | ||||||
Y1A-9 | Detroit Lockheed | A version of the Lockheed YP-24 that specialized in ground attack. | ||||
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] |
Douglas A-1 (AD) Skyraider | Attack aircraft | 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] |
Name | Role | Manufacturer | 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, and that was developed from the acclaimed Douglas DC-3. Succeeded by the Fairchild AC-119 & the Lockheed AC-130.[7] First deployed over Vietnam in 1964.[8][9] | 1964[9] | 1965 | 53 |
Bell AH-1 Cobra | Attack helicopter[10] | Bell Helicopter | Developed from the UH-1 Iroquois/ "Huey". World's first dedicated armed attack helicopter.[10] | 1965[10] | 1967[10] | 1,116[10] |
Lockheed AC-130 | Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship for SOF teams | Modified C-130 Hercules. | 1967 (AC-130A)[11][12] | 1968 (AC-130A)[12] | ??? | |
Bell AH-1 SeaCobra / SuperCobra | Attack helicopter | Bell Helicopter | 1969 | 1971 | 1,271+ | |
Bell 309 KingCobra | Attack helicopter prototype | Bell Helicopter | 1971[13]/1972[14] | Never | 2[14] | |
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.[15] | 1972[15] | Never | 2 |
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II | Close air support attack aircraft | Fairchild Republic | Known for its 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger.[16][17] First production version was delivered in October 1975.[16] | 1972[17] | October 1977[17] | 716[18] |
Bell AH-1Z Viper | Attack helicopter | Bell Helicopter | 2000 | 2011 (IOC)[19] | 195[19] | |
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. | 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 |
F/A-XX | Program/project | None | Built for as part of Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program | Not yet | Not yet | Not yet |