#combat-aircraft

#combat-aircraft

To identify the oldest and newest combat aircraft in the United States military, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these aircraft according to when they entered service with data from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft. We also included supplemental data on how many of these aircraft are in active service or on order, the type of aircraft, and what military branches they serve in.

In close air support, speed and precision matter, but trust matters more. Aircraft earn that trust by showing up under fire, surviving hostile environments, and delivering reliable support when ground forces need it most. Across generations of warfare, certain aircraft proved so effective that they reshaped how CAS missions were planned and executed. Close air support plays an important role in military operations because it delivers precise, immediate firepower to protect ground forces,