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64-608: Since the 2004 retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix AAM, the USN has not fielded a dedicated long-range air-to-air missile. The AIM-174's existence had been speculated about since at least 2021, with photos of SM-6s carried by Super Hornets making their way online. The publication Naval News reports that they were following developments of an "air-launched SM-6" since 2015, while The Aviationist reports that photos of Super Hornets carrying "an SM-6 variant" appeared in 2018. Little

128-454: A C-601 . This includes two occasions where one AIM-54 was responsible for the downing of two Iraqi aircraft, as well as an incident on January 7, 1981, where a Phoenix fired at a four-ship of MiG-23s downed three and damaged the fourth. The US refused to supply spare parts and maintenance after the 1979 Revolution, except for a brief period during the Iran–Contra affair . According to Cooper,

192-507: A USN Super Hornet of the VX-9 'Vampires' carrying four AIM-174Bs, three AIM-120 AMRAAMs, two AIM-9Xs , and an ATFLIR targeting pod simultaneously. While details regarding the AIM-174's range are unconfirmed, certain surface-launched SM-6 variants are capable of 250 nmi (290 mi; 460 km) launches; with the benefit of being launched already at-speed and at-altitude (where the air

256-592: A larger and more streamlined form of airship designed by German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin , were outfitted to carry bombs to attack targets at long range. These were the first long range, strategic bombers. Although the German air arm was strong, with a total of 123 airships by the end of the war, they were vulnerable to attack and engine failure, as well as navigational issues. German airships inflicted little damage on all 51 raids, with 557 Britons killed and 1,358 injured. The German Navy lost 53 of its 73 airships, and

320-483: A major limitation, combined with the desire for accuracy and other operational factors, bomber designs tended to be tailored to specific roles. By the start of the war this included: Bombers of this era were not intended to attack other aircraft although most were fitted with defensive weapons. World War II saw the beginning of the widespread use of high speed bombers which began to minimize defensive weaponry in order to attain higher speed. Some smaller designs were used as

384-538: A means of evading detection and attack. Designs such as the English Electric Canberra could fly faster or higher than contemporary fighters. When surface-to-air missiles became capable of hitting high-flying bombers, bombers were flown at low altitudes to evade radar detection and interception. Once "stand off" nuclear weapon designs were developed, bombers did not need to pass over the target to make an attack; they could fire and turn away to escape

448-421: A re-programmable memory capability to keep pace with emerging ECM. The AIM-54/AWG-9 combination had multiple track (up to 24 targets) and multiple launch (up to six Phoenixes can be launched nearly simultaneously) capability, regardless of weather conditions or heavy enemy electronic warfare , known as jamming. The large 1,000 lb (500 kg) missile is equipped with a conventional warhead . The AIM-54

512-516: A roughly 50% increase over the 87 nmi (100 mi; 161 km) of the in-service AIM-120D AMRAAM. Very long-range AAMs such as the extant R-37M and the nascent PL-21 are typically utilized to attack large airborne targets; their current efficacy in attacking smaller targets (such as air superiority fighters or drones ) is unknown. The AIM-174 will likely be subject to similar operational and practical limitations, and will likely be reserved for use against high-value airborne assets . As such, it

576-409: A surface-launched SM-6 and the possibility of lofted-launch profiles, the AIM-174's range may extend to hundreds of nautical miles . The USN also routinely understates the publicly-available ranges and capabilities of weapon systems for strategic security purposes. At minimum, the AIM-174 represents a roughly 30% increase in range over the 99 nmi (114 mi; 184 km) of the retired AIM-54C and

640-546: A technique whereby the launched missile immediately ascends upwards to gain additional altitude, leveling-out generally between 80,000 ft (24,000 m) to 100,000 ft (30,000 m). The AIM-174's predecessor, the AIM-54 Phoenix BVRAAM was capable of employing this launch profile (along with certain AIM-7 Sparrow variants and all AIM-120 AMRAAM variants). Between the AIM-174's advantages over

704-497: Is designed for ejection launch, where a pyrotechnic charge forcefully jettisons it from either a LAU-93 or a LAU-132 launcher before its solid propellant rocket motor ignites. On the F-14, four missiles can be carried under the fuselage tunnel attached to special aerodynamic pallets, plus two under glove stations. A full load of six Phoenix missiles and the unique launch rails weighs in at over 8,000 lb (3,600 kg), about twice

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768-433: Is done by heavy bombers primarily designed for long-range bombing missions against strategic targets to diminish the enemy's ability to wage war by limiting access to resources through crippling infrastructure, reducing industrial output, or inflicting massive civilian casualties to an extent deemed to force surrender. Tactical bombing is aimed at countering enemy military activity and in supporting offensive operations, and

832-737: Is evidence that Iran continues to procure parts clandestinely. Both the F-14 Tomcat and the AIM-54 Phoenix missile continue in the service of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. Iran claimed to be working on building an equivalent missile and in 2013 unveiled the Fakour-90 , an upgraded and reverse-engineered version of the Phoenix. There were also test, evaluation, ground training, and captive air training versions of

896-704: Is known about the missile as it is speculated that it was developed as a special access program , similar to the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (of which little is officially known). As the AIM-260 is similarly a very long-range air-to-air missile, it is unclear what the relationship between the AIM-174B and AIM-260 will be, as the USN has co-operated with the United States Air Force (USAF) in developing

960-497: Is speculated that the AIM-174 could be used offensively to strike at tankers or airborne early warning aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft far behind the ‘frontlines’ or defensively to strike large bombers — such as China's Xian H-6 — threatening USN fleets. As the RIM-174/SM-6 is capable of anti-ship and anti-ground strikes, the possibility exists for the AIM-174 to be utilized in such capacities. Derived from

1024-628: Is thinner and thus easier to fly through), the AIM-174's range may extend to several hundred miles, though the USN has only confirmed a range of 130 nmi (150 mi; 240 km). While the AIM-174 lacks the SM-6's MK72 rocket booster, in the thinner air of higher-altitudes (relative to a surface launch) and retaining the speed of the launching aircraft (several hundred miles per hour, at minimum), an air-launched AIM-174 may be capable of extreme ranges (300–400+ kilometres), relative to other air-launched missiles. The AIM-174 may also be capable of ‘lofting,’

1088-492: Is typically assigned to smaller aircraft operating at shorter ranges, typically near the troops on the ground or against enemy shipping. During WWII with engine power as a major limitation, combined with the desire for accuracy and other operational factors, bomber designs tended to be tailored to specific roles. Early in the Cold War however, bombers were the only means of carrying nuclear weapons to enemy targets, and held

1152-488: Is typically assigned to smaller aircraft operating at shorter ranges, typically near the troops on the ground or against enemy shipping. This role is filled by tactical bomber class, which crosses and blurs with various other aircraft categories: light bombers , medium bombers , dive bombers , interdictors , fighter-bombers , attack aircraft , multirole combat aircraft , and others. The first use of an air-dropped bomb (actually four hand grenades specially manufactured by

1216-799: The Bristol Aeroplane Company . They were fitted with a prismatic Bombsight in the front cockpit and a cylindrical bomb carrier in the lower forward fuselage capable of carrying twelve 10 lb (4.5 kg) bombs, which could be dropped singly or as a salvo as required. The aircraft was purchased for use both by the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and three T.B.8s, that were being displayed in Paris during December 1913 fitted with bombing equipment, were sent to France following

1280-608: The E-2C Hawkeye AEW aircraft. During Desert Shield in 1990, the Link 4A was introduced; this allowed the Tomcats to have a fighter-to-fighter datalink capability, further enhancing overall situational awareness. The F-14D entered service with JTIDS that brought the even better Link 16 datalink "picture" to the cockpit. The Phoenix has several guidance modes and achieves its longest range by using mid-course updates from

1344-726: The F-14 Tomcat . The AIM-54 Phoenix was also considered by the Royal Air Force to be used on Avro Vulcan bomber planes as part of an air defence aircraft. This missileer conversion would have used 12 missiles onboard and an extensive modification to the Vulcan's radar. In 1977, development of a significantly improved Phoenix version, the AIM-54C, was developed to better counter projected threats from tactical anti-naval aircraft and cruise missiles, and its final upgrade included

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1408-642: The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet . Despite the much-vaunted capabilities, the Phoenix was rarely used in combat, with only two confirmed launches and no confirmed targets destroyed in US Navy service. The USAF F-15 Eagle had responsibility for overland combat air patrol duties in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, primarily because of the onboard F-15 IFF capabilities. The Tomcat did not have the requisite IFF capability mandated by

1472-551: The Handley Page Type O ; the majority of bombing was done by single-engined biplanes with one or two crew members flying short distances to attack enemy lines and immediate hinterland. As the effectiveness of a bomber was dependent on the weight and accuracy of its bomb load, ever larger bombers were developed starting in World War I, while considerable money was spent developing suitable bombsights. With engine power as

1536-649: The Italo-Turkish War , with the first major deployments coming in the First World War and Second World War by all major airforces, damaging cities, towns, and rural areas. The first bomber planes in history were the Italian Caproni Ca 30 and British Bristol T.B.8 , both of 1913. Some bombers were decorated with nose art or victory markings . There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strategic bombing

1600-642: The Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) to satisfy the rules of engagement to utilize the Phoenix capability at beyond visual range . The AIM-54 was not adopted by any foreign nation besides Iran , or any other US armed service, and was not used on any aircraft other than the F-14. On January 7, 1974, as part of Project Persian King , the Imperial Iranian Air Force placed an order for 424 AIM-54As, later increasing it by 290 missiles that June. Of

1664-641: The Turkish railway station of Karağaç (near the besieged Edirne ) from an Albatros F.2 aircraft piloted by Radul Milkov , during the First Balkan War . This is deemed to be the first use of an aircraft as a bomber. The first heavier-than-air aircraft purposely designed for bombing were the Italian Caproni Ca 30 and British Bristol T.B.8 , both of 1913. The Bristol T.B.8 was an early British single engined biplane built by

1728-891: The V bomber force was phased out; the last of which left service in 1983. The French Mirage IV bomber version was retired in 1996, although the Mirage 2000N and the Rafale have taken on this role. The only other nation that fields strategic bombing forces is China , which has a number of Xian H-6s . Currently, only the United States Air Force , the Russian Aerospace Forces ' Long-Range Aviation command, and China's People's Liberation Army Air Force operate strategic heavy bombers. Other air forces have transitioned away from dedicated bombers in favor of multirole combat aircraft . At present, these air forces are each developing stealth replacements for their legacy bomber fleets,

1792-509: The 1950s-designed B-52s are projected to remain in use until the 2040s. Similarly, the Soviet Union used the intermediate-range Tu-22M 'Backfire' in the 1970s, but their Mach 3 bomber project stalled. The Mach 2 Tu-160 'Blackjack' was built only in tiny numbers, leaving the 1950s Tupolev Tu-16 and Tu-95 'Bear' heavy bombers to continue being used into the 21st century. The British strategic bombing force largely came to an end when

1856-503: The AIM-174's range may extend to several hundred miles, though the USN has confirmed a range of 130 nmi (150 mi; 240 km), about a 30% increase in range over the AIM-54C. The AIM-54 has been used in 62 air-to-air strikes, all by Iran during the eight-year Iran–Iraq War . Following the retirement of the F-14 by the USN, the weapon's only current operator is the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force . Since 1951,

1920-575: The AIM-174B weighs around 1,900 lb (861 kg), about five times the weight of the AIM-120 AMRAAM . These photos also show that the AIM-174 is externally virtually identical to the RIM-174, apart from the marked lack of the MK72 solid-fuel rocket booster on the AIM-174. The missile will likely utilize a solid-fuel rocket engine, as carried by the RIM-174. In September 2024, photos emerged of

1984-674: The AIM-47. One characteristic of the Missileer ancestry was that the radar sent it mid-course corrections , which allowed the fire control system to "loft" the missile up over the target into thinner air where it had better range. The F-111B was canceled in 1968. Its weapons system, the AIM-54 working with the AWG-9 radar , migrated to the new U.S. Navy fighter project, the VFX, which would later become

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2048-653: The AIM-54 Phoenix in 2004 and the F-14 in 2006. They were replaced by the shorter-range AIM-120 AMRAAM , employed on the F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet ; in its AIM-120D version , the latest version of the AMRAAM just matches the Phoenix's maximum range. In July 2024, the USN announced the operational fielding of the AIM-174 , the "Air-Launched Configuration" of the RIM-174 Standard ERAM ,

2112-629: The Allied Armies." When the war started, bombing was very crude (hand-held bombs were thrown over the side) yet by the end of the war long-range bombers equipped with complex mechanical bombing computers were being built, designed to carry large loads to destroy enemy industrial targets. The most important bombers used in World War I were the French Breguet 14 , British de Havilland DH-4 , German Albatros C.III and Russian Sikorsky Ilya Muromets . The Russian Sikorsky Ilya Muromets ,

2176-649: The Bendix AAM-N-10 Eagle , was to be an air-to-air missile of unprecedented range when compared to contemporary AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. It would work together with Westinghouse AN/APQ-81 radar. The Missileer project was cancelled in December 1960. In the early 1960s, the U.S. Navy made the next interceptor attempt with the F-111B , and they needed a new missile design. At the same time, the USAF canceled

2240-517: The F-14A/B AWG-9 radar (APG-71 radar in the F-14D) as it climbs to cruise between 80,000 ft (24,000 m) and 100,000 ft (30,000 m) at close to Mach 5. The Phoenix uses this high altitude to maximize its range by reducing atmospheric drag. At around 11 miles (18 km) from the target, the missile activates its own radar to provide terminal guidance. Minimum engagement range for

2304-604: The German Army lost 26 of its 50 ships. The Caproni Ca 30 was built by Gianni Caproni in Italy . It was a twin-boom biplane with three 67 kW (80 hp) Gnome rotary engines and first flew in October 1914 . Test flights revealed power to be insufficient and the engine layout unworkable, and Caproni soon adopted a more conventional approach installing three 81 kW (110 hp) Fiat A.10s . The improved design

2368-401: The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force kept its F-14 fighters and AIM-54 missiles in regular use during the entire Iran–Iraq War, though periodic lack of spares grounded large parts of the fleet at times. During late 1987, the stock of AIM-54 missiles was at its lowest, with fewer than 50 operational missiles available. The missiles needed fresh thermal batteries that could only be purchased from

2432-653: The Italian naval arsenal) was carried out by Italian Second Lieutenant Giulio Gavotti on 1 November 1911 during the Italo-Turkish war in Libya – although his plane was not designed for the task of bombing, and his improvised attacks on Ottoman positions had little impact. These picric acid -filled steel spheres were nicknamed "ballerinas" from the fluttering fabric ribbons attached. On 16 October 1912, Bulgarian observer Prodan Tarakchiev dropped two of those bombs on

2496-605: The Navy faced the initial threat from the Tupolev Tu-4K 'Bull' carrying anti-ship missiles or nuclear bombs. Eventually, during the height of the Cold War, the threat would have expanded into regimental-size raids of Tu-16 Badger and Tu-22M Backfire bombers equipped with low-flying, long-range, high-speed, nuclear-armed cruise missiles and considerable electronic countermeasures (ECM) of various types. This combination

2560-537: The Phoenix is around 2 nmi (3.7 km); at this range active homing would initiate upon launch. If the AWG-9 radar lost radar lock on a target before the missile had activated its own radar, the missile proceeded on a ballistic trajectory with no further guidance, known as 'going dumb'. The AIM-54 Phoenix was retired from USN service on September 30, 2004. F-14 Tomcats were retired on September 22, 2006. They were replaced by shorter-range AIM-120 AMRAAMs , employed on

2624-490: The Phoenix missiles once parameters were met. The large tactical information display (TID) in the RIO's cockpit gave information to the aircrew (the pilot had the ability to monitor the RIO's display) and the radar could continually search and track multiple targets after Phoenix missiles were launched, thereby maintaining situational awareness of the battlespace. The Link 4 datalink allowed US Navy Tomcats to share information with

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2688-511: The SM-6 family — whose variants are capable of anti-ship missile defense and anti-ballistic missile launches — the AIM-174 will likely retain such anti-missile capabilities. AIM-54 Phoenix The AIM-54 Phoenix is an American active radar-guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat , its only operational launch platform. The AIM-54 Phoenix

2752-609: The US. Iran found a clandestine buyer that supplied it with batteries, which cost up to US$ 10,000 each. Iran received spares and parts for both the F-14s and AIM-54s from various sources during the Iran–Iraq War, and has received more spares after the conflict. Iran started a program to build spares for the planes and missiles, and although there are claims that it no longer relies on outside sources to keep its F-14s and AIM-54s operational, there

2816-828: The USAF with the Northrop Grumman B-21 , the Russian Aerospace Forces with the PAK DA , and the PLAAF with the Xian H-20 . As of 2021 , the B-21 is expected to enter service by 2026–2027. The B-21 would be capable of loitering near target areas for extended periods of time. Occasionally, military aircraft have been used to bomb ice jams with limited success as part of an effort to clear them. In 2018,

2880-613: The War as the German air arm was forced to concentrate its resources on a defensive strategy. Notably, bombing campaigns formed a part of the British offensive at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in 1915, with Royal Flying Corps squadrons attacking German railway stations in an attempt to hinder the logistical supply of the German army . The early, improvised attempts at bombing that characterized

2944-577: The basis for night fighters . A number of fighters, such as the Hawker Hurricane were used as ground attack aircraft, replacing earlier conventional light bombers that proved unable to defend themselves while carrying a useful bomb load. At the start of the Cold War, bombers were the only means of carrying nuclear weapons to enemy targets, and had the role of deterrence . With the advent of guided air-to-air missiles, bombers needed to avoid interception. High-speed and high-altitude flying became

3008-495: The blast. Nuclear strike aircraft were generally finished in bare metal or anti-flash white to minimize absorption of thermal radiation from the flash of a nuclear explosion . The need to drop conventional bombs remained in conflicts with non-nuclear powers, such as the Vietnam War or Malayan Emergency . The development of large strategic bombers stagnated in the later part of the Cold War because of spiraling costs and

3072-588: The development of the Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) – which was felt to have similar deterrent value while being impossible to intercept. Because of this, the United States Air Force XB-70 Valkyrie program was cancelled in the early 1960s; the later B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit aircraft entered service only after protracted political and development problems. Their high cost meant that few were built and

3136-420: The early part of the war slowly gave way to a more organized and systematic approach to strategic and tactical bombing, pioneered by various air power strategists of the Entente , especially Major Hugh Trenchard ; he was the first to advocate that there should be "... sustained [strategic bombing] attacks with a view to interrupting the enemy's railway communications ... in conjunction with the main operations of

3200-647: The enemy's ability to wage war by limiting access to resources through crippling infrastructure or reducing industrial output. Current examples include the strategic nuclear-armed bombers: B-2 Spirit , B-52 Stratofortress , Tupolev Tu-95 'Bear' , Tupolev Tu-22M 'Backfire' and Tupolev Tu-160 "Blackjack" ; historically notable examples are the: Gotha G.IV , Avro Lancaster , Heinkel He 111 , Junkers Ju 88 , Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress , Consolidated B-24 Liberator , Boeing B-29 Superfortress , and Tupolev Tu-16 'Badger'. Tactical bombing , aimed at countering enemy military activity and in supporting offensive operations,

3264-430: The first dedicated long-range AAM to be fielded by the U.S. military since the AIM-54's retirement. While details regarding the AIM-174's range are unconfirmed, certain surface-launched RIM-174 variants are capable of 250 nmi (290 mi; 460 km) launches. With the benefit of being launched already at-speed and at-altitude (where the air is thinner and thus easier to fly through), combined with additional lofting,

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3328-488: The initial order, 274 missiles and 10 training rounds were delivered for US$ 150 million, until the 1979 Revolution ended deliveries and left the remaining 150 missiles embargoed and the additional order of 290 cancelled. According to Tom Cooper and Farzad Bishop, during the Iran–Iraq War AIM-54s fired by IRIAF Tomcats achieved 78 victories against Iraqi MiG-21s , MiG-23s , MiG-25s , Tu-22s , Su-20/22s , Mirage F 1s , Super Étendards , and even two AM-39 Exocets and

3392-411: The latter for use by both services. Both missiles are designed to counter the extreme-range air-to-air missiles being fielded or under-development by the United States' peer and near-peer potential adversaries, such as the Russian Vympel R-37M or the Chinese PL-21 . Both the AIM-174 and -260 are separate from the currently under-development Long-Range Engagement Weapon of the USAF. Photos reveal that

3456-516: The missile; designated ATM-54, AEM-54, DATM-54A, and CATM-54. The flight versions had A and C versions. The DATM-54 was not made in a C version as there was no change in the ground handling characteristics. The following is a list of AIM-54 Phoenix specifications: Related lists Bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs , launch torpedoes , or deploy air-launched cruise missiles . Bombs were first dropped from an aircraft during

3520-421: The outbreak of war. Under the command of Charles Rumney Samson , a bombing attack on German gun batteries at Middelkerke , Belgium was executed on 25 November 1914. The dirigible, or airship, was developed in the early 20th century. Early airships were prone to disaster, but slowly the airship became more dependable, with a more rigid structure and stronger skin. Prior to the outbreak of war, Zeppelins ,

3584-400: The projects for their land-based high-speed interceptor aircraft, the North American XF-108 Rapier and the Lockheed YF-12 , and left the capable AIM-47 Falcon missile at a quite advanced stage of development, but with no effective launch platform. The AIM-54 Phoenix, developed for the F-111B fleet air defense fighter, had an airframe with four cruciform fins that was a scaled-up version of

3648-585: The role of deterrence . With the advent of guided air-to-air missiles, bombers needed to avoid interception. High-speed and high-altitude flying became a means of evading detection and attack. With the advent of ICBMs the role of the bomber was brought to a more tactical focus in close air support roles, and a focus on stealth technology for strategic bombers. Strategic bombing is done by heavy bombers primarily designed for long-range bombing missions against strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, and cities themselves, to diminish

3712-415: The smaller, semi-active medium-range AIM-7 Sparrow . Semi-active guidance meant the aircraft no longer had a search capability while supporting the launched Sparrow, reducing situational awareness . The Tomcat's radar could track up to 24 targets in track-while-scan mode, with the AWG-9 selecting up to six potential targets for the missiles. The pilot or radar intercept officer (RIO) could then launch

3776-420: The weight of Sparrows, putting it above the allowable bringback load (which also would include enough fuel for go-around attempts). As such, carrying six Phoenix missiles would necessitate the jettison of at least some of the Phoenix missiles if they were not used. The most common air superiority payload was a mix of two Phoenix, three Sparrow , and two Sidewinder missiles. Most other US aircraft relied on

3840-407: Was bought by the Italian Army and it was delivered in quantity from August 1915 . While mainly used as a trainer , Avro 504s were also briefly used as bombers at the start of the First World War by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) when they were used for raids on the German airship sheds. Bombing raids and interdiction operations were mainly carried out by French and British forces during

3904-407: Was considered capable of saturating fleet defenses and threatening carrier groups. The Navy would require a long-range, long-endurance interceptor aircraft to defend carrier battle groups against this threat. The proposed Douglas F6D Missileer was intended to fulfill this mission and oppose the attack as far as possible from the fleet it was defending. The weapon needed for interceptor aircraft,

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3968-403: Was the United States' only operational long-range AAM during its service life; its operational capabilities were supplemented by the AIM-7 Sparrow (and later, the AIM-120 AMRAAM ), which served as the primary medium-range AAM and the AIM-9 Sidewinder , serving as the primary short-range or "dogfight" AAM. The combination of Phoenix missile and the Tomcat's AN/AWG-9 guidance radar meant that it

4032-418: Was the first aerial weapons system that could simultaneously engage multiple targets. Due to its active radar tracking, the brevity code " Fox Three " was used when firing the AIM-54. The act of the missile achieving a radar lock with its own radar is known under brevity as "Going Pitbull". Both the missile and the aircraft were used by Iran and the United States Navy (USN). In US service both are now retired,

4096-410: Was the first four-engine bomber to equip a dedicated strategic bombing unit during World War I . This heavy bomber was unrivaled in the early stages of the war, as the Central Powers had no comparable aircraft until much later. Long range bombing raids were carried out at night by multi-engine biplanes such as the Gotha G.IV (whose name was synonymous with all multi-engine German bombers) and later

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