List of United States attack aircraft

This is a list of United States-used attack aircraft, which typically perform tactical bombing and close air support against ground targets.

1919 - 1924

1924-1962 NameRoleManufacturerImageNotesYear of first flightIntroductionNumber builtDouglas XA-2Douglas Aircraft CompanyConverted from a Douglas O-2 in 1926. N/A1Curtiss FalconCurtiss Aeroplane and Motor CompanyFamily of observation and attack aircraft; composes of the A-3, the main attack version, XA-4, and A-5 and A-6 with more powerful engines.Fokker XA-7Fokker-America19311Curtiss A-8Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company1931193213Lockheed Y1A-9Detroit LockheedA version of the Lockheed YP-24 that specialized in ground attack.19311Curtiss YA-10 ShrikeCurtiss/Curtiss-Wright193219332Consolidated A-11Consolidated AircraftProduction attack version of the Consolidated P-30 fighters.Curtiss A-12 ShrikeCurtiss193346Northrop YA-13/XA-16NorthropAttack version of the Northrop Gamma. A single example was built as a prototype. It was also known as XA-16 after an engine refit.NeverN/A1Curtiss XA-14Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company19351Martin A-15Glenn L. Martin CompanyProposed attack variant of the Martin B-10; contract fell to the Curtiss XA-14.NeverN/A0Northrop A-17 / NomadNorthrop1935411Curtiss A-18 ShrikeCurtiss Aeroplane and Motor CompanyDeveloped from the Curtiss XA-14.1935N/A13Douglas A-20 Havoc Medium bomber Attack aircraft Night fighterDouglas Aircraft Company193819417,478Stearman XA-21Stearman Aircraft1938N/A1North American NA-40Attack bomberDeveloped from the North American XB-21 and into the North American B-25 Mitchell.1939N/A1Douglas SBD Dauntless / A-24 BansheeDive bomberDouglas AircraftUnknownUnknown~953Curtiss SB2C Helldiver / A-25 ShrikeDive bomberCurtiss-Wright194019427,140Martin A-30 BaltimoreLight bomber /reconnaissanceGlenn L. Martin Company194119411,575Douglas A-33Developed from the Northrop A-17Unknown194136Vultee A-31 / A-35 VengeanceDive bomberVultee Aircraft1941Unknown1,931North American A-36Ground attack/dive bomberNorth American AviationDeveloped from the North American P-51 Mustang.19421942500Douglas A-26 InvaderGround attack Light bomberDouglas Aircraft CompanyOriginally designed A-26, then designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965 after the Martin B-26 Marauder was retired, then redesignated to A-26.194219442,503Brewster XA-32Brewster Aeronautical Corporation1943N/A2Beechcraft XA-38 GrizzlyBeechcraft1944N/A2Vultee XA-41Ground attackVultee Aircraft1944N/A1Curtiss XBTC / A-40Torpedo/dive bomberCurtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company1945N/A2Convair XA-44 / XB-53ConvairProject cancelled before two prototypes were builtN/AN/A0Douglas A-1 (AD) SkyraiderDouglas Aircraft CompanyFormerly designated AD before the 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations; served during the Korean War and Vietnam War; had an unusually long career.194519463,180North American A-2 (AJ) SavageMedium bomberNorth American AviationFormerly designated AJ prior to the 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations.19481950143Vought F7U CutlassNaval multirole fighterChance Vought19481951320Douglas A2D SkysharkPrototype carrier-based attack aircraftDouglas Aircraft Company1950N/A12Douglas A-3 (A3D) SkywarriorCarrier-based strategic bomberDouglas Aircraft CompanyLargest aircraft regularly operated from aircraft carriers.19521956282Douglas A-4 (A4D) SkyhawkAttack aircraft, fighter, aggressor aircraftDouglas Aircraft Company / McDonnell Douglas195419562,960North American A-5 (A3J) VigilanteCarrier-based nuclear bomber /reconnaissance aircraftNorth American Aviation19581961167Grumman A-6 IntruderAttack aircraftGrumman19601963693

1962 - Present NameRoleManufacturerImageNotesYear of first flightIntroductionNumber builtDouglas AC-47 SpookyGround-attack aircraft and close air support gunshipDouglas Aircraft CompanyDeveloped from the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, it itself developed from the acclaimed Douglas DC-3. Succeeded by the Fairchild AC-119 & the Lockheed AC-130. First deployed over Vietnam in 1964.1964196553Bell AH-1 CobraAttack helicopterBell HelicopterDeveloped from the UH-1 Iroquois/ "Huey." World's first dedicated armed attack helicopter.196519671,116LTV A-7 Corsair IILing-Temco-VoughtReplacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was derived from the Vought F-8 Crusader.196519671,545Fairchild AC-119Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunshipFairchild AircraftReplaced the Douglas AC-47 Spooky.Unknown196852Lockheed AC-130Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship for SOF teamsLockheed Martin/BoeingModified C-130 Hercules.1967 (AC-130A)1968 (AC-130A)???Lockheed AH-56 CheyenneAttack compound helicopterLockheed CorporationCancelled due to the winding down of the Vietnam War.1967N/A10Grumman EA-6B ProwlerElectronic warfare/attack aircraftGrummanA converted electronic warfare version of the Grumman A-6 Intruder19681971170McDonnell Douglas A-4G SkyhawkFleet air defense / light attackMcDonnell DouglasExport version of the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk.Unknown196720Bell AH-1 SeaCobra / SuperCobraAttack helicopterBell Helicopter196919711,271+Bell 309 KingCobraAttack helicopter prototypeBell Helicopter1971 (twin-engined)/1972 (single-engined)N/A2Fairchild AU-23 PeacemakerArmed gunship, counter-insurgency, utility transportFairchild AircraftUsed in the Vietnam War by the USAF and RVNAF.1971UnknownUnknownNorthrop YA-9Attack aircraftNorthrop CorporationDeveloped for the United States Air Force A-X program. However, the YA-9 was dropped in favor of the A-10.1972N/A2Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIClose air support attack aircraftFairchild RepublicKnown for its 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger. First production version was delivered in October 1975.1972October 1977716McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger IIAll-weather naval stealth bomber/attack aircraftMcDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics (planned)Planned attack aircraft for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps; only entered mock-up stage; originally planned to replace the A-6 Intruder.NeverN/A0Bell YAH-63Attack helicopterBell HelicopterCompeted in and lost the Advanced Attack Helicopter to the AH-64 Apache.1975N/A3Boeing AH-64 ApacheAttack helicopter Hughes Helicopters (1975–1984) McDonnell Douglas (1984–1997) Boeing Defense, Space & Security (1997–present)Winner of the Advanced Attack Helicopter program.197519862,700+McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 HornetMultirole fighterMcDonnell Douglas (1974–1997) Northrop (1974–1994) Boeing (1997–2000)Used extensively by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.197819831,480Lockheed F-117 NighthawkStealth attack aircraftLockheed Corporation1981198364 (5 YF-117As, 59 F-117As)Vought YA-7FPrototype transonic attack aircraft Ling-Temco-Vought/Vought1989N/A0LTV A-7P Corsair IILing-Temco-VoughtExport LTV A-7 Corsair II for the Portuguese Air ForceUnknownUnknownUnknownBoeing F/A-18E/F Super HornetCarrier-based multirole fighterMcDonnell Douglas(1995–1997) Boeing Defense, Space & Security(1997–present)Upgraded version of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. Replaced its predecessor and the Grumman A-6 Intruder.19951999 2001 (IOC)≥632 as of April 2020Boeing–Sikorsky RAH-66 ComancheReconnaissance and attack helicopterBoeing Helicopters/Sikorsky AircraftStealth helicopter as part of the cancelled Light Helicopter Experimental1996N/A2Bell AH-1Z ViperAttack helicopterBell Helicopter20002011 (IOC)195Boeing EA-18G GrowlerElectronic warfare aircraftBoeingDeveloped from the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.20062009172 as of October 2021Lockheed Martin F/A-22 RaptorAir superiority fighterLockheed Martin Aeronautics / Boeing Integrated Defense SystemsRe-designated the F-22 when it entered service in December 2005.19972005F/A-XXProgram/projectNoneProposed for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.N/AN/AN/A

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