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U.S. Air Force joint terminal attack controllers watching an A-10 Thunderbolt II provide close air support during a live fire exercise
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of all forces involved. CAS may be conducted using aerial bombs, glide bombs, missiles, rockets, autocannons, machine guns, and even directed-energy weapons such as lasers.[1]
The requirement for detailed integration because of proximity, fires or movement is the determining factor. CAS may need to be conducted during shaping operations with special forces if the mission requires detailed integration with the fire and movement of those forces. A closely related subset of air interdiction, battlefield air interdiction, denotes interdiction against units with near-term effects on friendly units, but which does not require integration with friendly troop movements. CAS requires excellent coordination with ground forces, typically handled by specialists such as artillery observers, joint terminal attack controllers, and forward air controllers.
World War I was the first conflict to make extensive use of CAS, albeit using relatively primitive methods in contrast to later warfare, though it was made evident that proper coordination between aerial and ground forces via radio made attacks more effective. Several conflicts during the interwar period—including the Polish–Soviet War, the Spanish Civil War, the Iraqi Revolt, and the Chaco War—made notable use of CAS. World War II marked the universal acceptance of the integration of air power into combined arms warfare, with all of the war's major combatants having developed effective air-ground coordination techniques by the conflict's end. New techniques, such as the use of forward air control to guide CAS aircraft and identifying invasion stripes, also emerged at this time, being heavily shaped by the Italian Campaign and the invasion of Normandy. CAS continued to advance during the conflicts of the Cold War, especially the Korean War and the Vietnam War; major milestones included the introduction of attack helicopters, gunships, and dedicated CAS attack jets.
^Close Air Support. United States Department of Defense, 2014.
In military tactics, closeairsupport (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military...
Persistent CloseAirSupport (PCAS) is a DARPA program that seeks to demonstrate dramatic improvements in closeairsupport (CAS) capabilities by developing...
Forward air control is the provision of guidance to closeairsupport (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and...
terminal attack guidance of U.S. and coalition fixed- and rotary-wing closeairsupport aircraft, artillery, and naval gunfire; establish and maintain command...
who directs the action of military aircraft engaged in closeairsupport and other offensive air operations from a forward position. The term that is used...
density is positive Closeairsupport Combat service support Combat support Fire support Moral support Peer support Social supportSupport group Sympathy Catalyst...
Operations). CloseAirSupport is defined as "air action by fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to friendly...
The term deep airsupport relates to closeairsupport and denotes the difference between their respective objectives. Closeairsupport, as the name suggests...
primary mission of the Myanmar Air Force (MAF) since its inception has been to provide transport, logistical, and closeairsupport to the Myanmar Army in counter-insurgency...
aircraft battling for control of airspace; attack aircraft engaging in closeairsupport against ground targets; naval aviation flying against sea and nearby...
when providing closeairsupport. Australian TACPs are provided by the RAAF and are responsible for the coordination of air assets in support of deployed...
artillery, and missiles; naval gunfire support from naval artillery; airstrikes, strafes, and closeairsupport from military aircraft; and drone strikes...
during natural calamities and internal disturbances. The IAF provides closeairsupport to the Indian Army troops in the battlefield and also provides strategic...
of aerial reconnaissance and closeairsupport. The term air force may also refer to a tactical air force or numbered air force, which is an operational...
strong low-level air defenses while pressing the attack. This class of aircraft is designed mostly for closeairsupport and naval air-to-surface missions...
Although ANGLICO Marines are best known for their ability to control CloseAirSupport (CAS), they are equally well trained to employ ground and sea-based...
missiles, and even directed-energy weapons such as laser weapons. In closeairsupport, air strikes are usually controlled by trained observers on the ground...
destruction of enemy air defences. Forced to operate under the missile and anti-aircraft artillery threats, the closeairsupport it provided allowed Israeli...
aerial operations throughout the Philippines, such as closeairsupport operations, combat air patrols, aerial reconnaissance missions, airlift operations...
roughly 75 crewed, fixed-wing aircraft to perform closeairsupport, precision strike, and ISR missions. The Air Tractor-L3Harris AT-802U Sky Warden system was...
Czech Republic's airspace through the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NIADS), closeairsupport to the Land Forces and for transportation tasks including...
in amphibious and maritime littoral operations in support of the Navy. The Air Force conducts air operations, and the Space Force conducts space operations...
incendiary attacks on Japanese cities in 1945. It was used also for closeairsupport roles in the First Indochina War, the Algerian War, the Korean War...
Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and closeairsupport exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in "Military Operations Area...
allowing them to perform surface attack and closeairsupport missions. In addition to their counter air duties they are tasked to perform escort mission...
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