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32-443: Military aviation first began as either army or naval aviation units established as force multipliers to allow armies and navies to better do what they were already doing, this taking mostly the form of reconnaissance and artillery spotting , this led to the first fighter aircraft whose purpose was to shoot down enemy reconnaissance and artillery spotting aircraft, and to protect one's own aircraft from being shot down. At this point

64-538: 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 . The first military uses of aviation involved lighter-than-air balloons. During the Battle of Fleurus in 1794, the French observation balloon l'Entreprenant

96-477: A contract of $ 25,000 ($ 847,778 in 2022 dollars ) for an aircraft capable of flying at 40 miles per hour (64 km/h), with two people on board, and a distance of 125 miles (201 km). After rigorous trials the Signal Corps accepted the airplane as "Signal Corps (S.C.) No. 1", August 2, 1909, and paid the brothers $ 30,000 ($ 1,017,333 in 2022 US dollars ). The aircraft were not referred to as 'Model A' by

128-519: 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

160-556: 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

192-541: 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. Wright Model A The Wright Model A is an early aircraft produced by the Wright Brothers in the United States beginning in 1906. It

224-662: 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 of

256-667: The Gulf War . 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

288-609: The Royal Air Force and the newly established United States Air Force concentrated on building strategic bomber forces for attack and fighter forces to defend against enemy bombers. Air forces still incorporated a significant amount of tactical missions through air interdiction and close air support missions. In order to acquire a close air support capability armies sought to expand, establish or re-establish their own tactical aviation branches, which are usually composed of helicopters, rather than fixed-wing aircraft. With

320-589: 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

352-603: The 1905 airplane. The Model A was the first aircraft that they offered for sale, and the first aircraft design to enter serial production anywhere in the world. Apart from the seven machines the Wrights built themselves in 1906–1907, they sold licences for production in Europe with the largest number of Model A's actually being produced in Germany by Flugmaschine Wright GmbH , which built about 60 examples. The 1909 Military Flyer

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384-790: The KC-135, KC-46, KC-767, A310 MRTT, and the KC-130J. These aircraft are a part of many countries' militant assets. 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. An air force

416-670: The Wilbur Method, the roll and yaw controls were combined on the same lever at the pilot's right hand. A forward-backward movement controlled the rudder, while a sideways or left-and-right motion controlled wing-warping. In the Orville Method, moving the stick controlled wing-warping, while a knob atop the stick controlled the rudder. In both methods the left-hand lever operated the forward elevator to control pitch. Wilbur trained French and Italian pilots using his method, and Orville trained German pilots while in Germany in 1909 for

448-501: The Wrights, but the term was likely created by the U.S. Army after purchasing a Flyer of 1909 and purchasing later Model B's. At different times prior to 1909 the aircraft were called the following: 'Wilbur Wright machine', 'Wright 1905 Flyer', and by later surviving Wright pilots and personnel 'twin-propellered Wright with head' ('the head' referring to the front elevator). As more Wright models were built after 1910 their natural designations became B, C, D etc. to differentiate one model from

480-552: 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

512-525: 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

544-594: The development of unmanned aerial vehicles some armies have begun to use small battlefield UAVs , not attached to army aviation units, but rather directly attached to artillery battalions as spotters, and with the smallest and lightest drones being deployed by individual infantry platoons to provide real time local reconnaissance. The tasks of each army's aviation units are defined slightly different, depending on country. Some general characteristics include: In order to fulfill their manifold tasks, army aviation mostly uses helicopters. These helicopters can be classified into

576-470: 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

608-589: 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

640-513: 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

672-512: The following categories: In addition to helicopters, some armies also operate fixed-wing aircraft for transport, command and control and tactical reconnaissance. [REDACTED] Media related to Army aviation at Wikimedia Commons Military aviation 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

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704-555: 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

736-773: 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

768-594: The other. Later aviation historians and biographers continued with 'Model A' in providing a chronological timeline for each of the different model of Wright aircraft. Wilbur and Orville Wright devised slightly different flight controls in the Model A airplanes they flew separately in France and the United States for their 1908 and 1909 public demonstrations. The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum refers to "The Wilbur Method" and "The Orville Method". In

800-438: The purpose of aircraft was still to act as an adjunct to traditional armies and fleets operating in the traditional way. However, as aircraft became more technologically sophisticated military theorists of the interwar period began to think of airpower as a means in and of itself where the critical blow could be delivered by strategic bombing , and the experience of World War II confirmed this. Post World War II air forces such as

832-442: 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

864-590: 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. In 1911, the Italians used a variety of aircraft types in reconnaissance, photo-reconnaissance, and bombing roles during the Italo-Turkish War . On October 23, 1911, an Italian pilot, Captain Carlo Piazza, flew over Turkish lines on

896-1008: 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

928-468: The world's first aerial reconnaissance mission, 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. The Turks , lacking anti-aircraft weapons, were the first to shoot down an airplane by rifle fire. The earliest military role filled by aircraft was reconnaissance , however, by

960-400: Was a development of their Flyer III airplane of 1905. The Wrights built about seven Model A's in their bicycle shop during the period 1906–1907, in which they did no flying. One of these was shipped to Le Havre in 1907 in order to demonstrate it to the French. The Model A had a 35-horsepower (26 kW) engine and seating for two with a new control arrangement. Otherwise, it was identical to

992-508: Was a one-of-a-kind Model A built by the Wright Brothers . With wings shortened two feet, higher skid undercarriage and the same engine salvaged from the 1908 Wright Military Flyer wrecked at Fort Myer , it differed from the standard Wright A in size and had a faster speed. The aircraft was demonstrated at Fort Myer, Virginia , beginning June 28, 1909 for the Aeronautical Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps , which offered

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1024-548: Was used to monitor Austrian troop movements. 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

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