X-Nico

unusual facts about Close Air Support



706th Fighter Squadron

In 1978 the squadron transitioned to the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly and was redesignated the 706th Tactical Fighter Squadron concentrating on close air support.

Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara

In early 1944, after the Battle of Tarawa where many felt that close air support left much to be desired, General Holland Smith recommended that Marine aviators be trained to operate from aircraft carriers.

No. 5 Squadron SLAF

Six Mikoyan MiG-27s and one Mikoyan MiG-23UB trainer were introduced to provide close air support, these were later formed their own squadron; the No. 12 Squadron.

Scaled Composites ARES

In 1981, the U.S. Army Aviators Jim Kreutz and Milo Burroughs requested that a study be undertaken for a Low Cost Battlefield Attack Aircraft (LCBAA), as there was a lack of adequate number of Close Air Support aircraft to support the U.S. Army operations.

Soko J-20 Kraguj

The J-20 Kraguj (Sparrowhawk) is light military, single-engine, low-wing single-seat aircraft with a metal airframe, capable of performing close air support, counter insurgency (COIN), and reconnaissance missions, that was designed by VTI and manufactured by SOKO of Yugoslavia, first flown in 1962.

VMFA-251

From January to April 1994, the Thunderbolts flew close air support missions while deployed to Aviano, Italy supporting Operation Deny Flight in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Wilburt S. Brown

During this period, four Army infantry and two Marine divisions were trained in amphibious warfare at the base and Brown became one of the pioneers in the coordination of naval gunfire, artillery, and air support.


see also

35th Fighter Wing

The RAAF No. 2 Squadron provided day and night bombing, photo strike assessment, and close air support primarily for 1st Australian Task Force in Phuoc Tuy Province.

Antonio Bautista

As commander of the 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 5th Fighter Wing, he had already flown over 200 successful combat missions for the Air Force when his squadron was ordered to provide close air support to government ground forces engaged in anti-insurgent operations in Jolo.

Coalition combat operations in Afghanistan in 2007

Six French Mirage 2000D close air support aircraft and two C-135F refuelling aircraft were based at Dushanbe airport, Tajikistan but relocated to Kandahar on 26 September 2007; from there they conduct operations in support of all coalition forces.

Strike Fighter Weapons School Atlantic

Both schools are also responsible for training of Forward Air Controllers (Airborne), after completion of the Tactical Air Control Party course, F/A-18F aircrew’s receive 17 lectures and nine flights provided by the FAC(A) instructors at the weapons school, after completion of the training, the FAC(A)s are able to coordinate weapons employment in support of close-air-support missions with friendly troops.