Systems for close air support
Close air support puts firepower on targets near friendly troops in contact, so the specs that matter are loiter time (endurance), low-speed weapons accuracy, and survivability against ground fire, not top speed. An aircraft that can stay overhead for hours and take small-arms hits is more valuable here than one built purely for speed.
91 matching systems in our database.
What matters for close air support
- ●Endurance: time on station directly above troops in contact, which is often more valuable than raw speed.
- ●Main armament and weapons payload: mixed gun, rocket and precision-guided munition loadouts for close-range engagement.
- ●Armor and countermeasures: survivability against small arms and man-portable air defense at low altitude.
- ●Sensor suite: EO/IR turrets and laser designators for positive target identification near friendly forces.
Close Air Support systems in our database
Dassault Aviation
Rafale F4
Lockheed Martin
F-35B Lightning II
Dassault Aviation
Rafale C
Eurofighter GmbH
Eurofighter Typhoon
Lockheed Martin
F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon
Boeing
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)
KF-21 Boramae
Sukhoi
Su-34
Boeing
F-15E Strike Eagle
Lockheed Martin
F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon
Boeing
F/A-18C Hornet
Saab AB
JAS 39E Gripen
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)
FA-50 Golden Eagle
Saab AB
JAS 39C Gripen
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)
JF-17 Thunder
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi F-2
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Tejas Mk1A
Boeing
AH-64E Apache Guardian
Boeing
AH-64D Apache Longbow
Boeing
F-4E Phantom II
Bell
AH-1Z Viper
Russian Helicopters
Ka-52 Alligator
Russian Helicopters
Mi-28NM
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Tejas Mk2
Airbus Helicopters
Tiger HAD
Russian Helicopters
Ka-29
Boeing
A-10 Thunderbolt II
Leonardo
A129 Mangusta
Boeing
AH-6 Little Bird
Bell
AH-1W Super Cobra
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
HAL Rudra
Russian Helicopters
Ka-50 Black Shark
Russian Helicopters
Mi-24 Hind
Russian Helicopters
Mi-35M
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
HAL Prachand (LCH)
Denel Aviation
Denel AH-2 Rooivalk
Turkish Aerospace Industries
T129 ATAK
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Z-10
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Harbin Z-19
BAE Systems
Harrier GR9
Russian Helicopters
Mi-24P
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)
T-50 Golden Eagle
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-9A Reaper
Eurofighter GmbH
Tornado GR4
Turkish Aerospace Industries
ANKA-S
Baykar
Bayraktar Akinci
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Wing Loong II
Leonardo
AMX Ghibli
Baykar
Bayraktar TB2
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-1 Predator
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-1C Gray Eagle
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-9B SkyGuardian
Yakovlev
Yak-130
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
CH-4 (Caihong-4)
Embraer Defense & Security
A-29 Super Tucano
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
JL-8
Israel Aerospace Industries
Kfir
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki OH-1 Ninja
Sukhoi
Su-24M
Sukhoi
Su-25SM3
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Wing Loong I
Leonardo
MB-339
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
L-15
Dassault Aviation
Mirage 2000D
Turkish Aerospace Industries
Aksungur
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
Avenger (Predator C)
Leonardo
AW249 Fenice
Baykar
Bayraktar TB3
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
CH-5 (Caihong-5)
HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company)
Mohajer-6
Kronshtadt Group
Orion (Inokhodets)
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Z-9
Saab AB
Saab 105
Turkish Aerospace Industries
Hürkuş
Dassault Aviation
Super Etendard
Turkish Aerospace Industries
T929 ATAK-2
Dassault Aviation
Alpha Jet
Baykar
Bayraktar Kizilelma
Baykar
Bayraktar TB2S
Lockheed Martin
AC-130J Ghostrider
Israel Aerospace Industries
Heron TP
Turkish Aerospace Industries
Hürjet
Dassault Aviation
Mirage F1
Raytheon (RTX)
AGM-65 Maverick
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
Spike ER
Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV)
Kh-29
Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV)
Kh-38
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Wing Loong 10
Airbus Helicopters
H160M Guepard
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
SPICE 2000
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
Ice Breaker
Frequently asked questions
- Why does endurance matter more than speed for close air support?
- Ground troops in contact need an aircraft on station, ready to engage on short notice, for as long as the engagement lasts. Hours of loiter time nearby is a better predictor of usefulness than how fast the platform can fly in.
- What protection features matter for CAS platforms?
- Armor against small-arms fire plus countermeasures against man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), since CAS aircraft operate at low altitude directly over contested ground.