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.
100 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-64D Apache Longbow
Boeing
AH-64E Apache Guardian
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
Bell
AH-1W Super Cobra
Boeing
AH-6 Little Bird
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
Turkish Aerospace Industries
ANKA-S
Baykar
Bayraktar Akinci
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-9A Reaper
Panavia Aircraft GmbH
Tornado GR4
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
Hongdu Aviation Industry Group
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
Hongdu Aviation Industry Group
L-15
Dassault Aviation
Mirage 2000D
Sukhoi
Su-75 Checkmate
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
Bell
UH-1Y Venom
Lockheed Martin
AC-130J Ghostrider
Dassault Aviation
Alpha Jet
Baykar
Bayraktar Kizilelma
Baykar
Bayraktar TB2S
Israel Aerospace Industries
Heron TP
Turkish Aerospace Industries
Hürjet
Dassault Aviation
Mirage F1
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation
WJ-700 (Falcon)
Raytheon (RTX)
AGM-65 Maverick
Calidus LLC
B-250
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
CH-6 (Caihong-6)
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)
KT-1 Woongbi
Milkor (Pty) Ltd
Milkor 380
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
EDGE Group
Al Tariq LR
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
SPICE 2000
Skyfall
Vampire
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.