air war
Conflict above ground
Air war is military conflict conducted primarily through aircraft and aerial weapons—bombing campaigns, dogfights, drone strikes.
The term often emphasizes combat from above rather than ground engagement: The coalition relied on air war to weaken defenses before the invasion.
It can also describe strategic campaigns targeting infrastructure or civilian morale.
One who engages in combat
- bomberExplosive-delivery aircraft or saboteur
- interceptorAircraft that intercepts threats
- reconnaissance planeAircraft for aerial surveillance
- tankerVessel for liquid bulk
gunship · stealth · drone · helicopter gunship · transport · B-52 · Lancaster · Spitfire
Close combat between aircraft
- sortieArmed raid outward
- airstrikeAircraft-delivered military attack
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- interceptionSeizing something in transit
strafing · bombing run · kill ratio · ace · shootdown · evasive maneuvers · pursuit · ambush
Weapons targeting airborne threats
- flakIntense hostile reaction
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- early warningAlert before event occurs
- bunkerReinforced subterranean stronghold
interception · chaff · flares · countermeasures · jamming · decoy · shelter · blackout
Airstrikes against enemy capacity
- carpet bombingWidespread aerial bombardment
- precision strikeTargeted military attack
- shock and aweSwift dominance through firepower
- blitzkriegFast, overwhelming military campaign
theater · campaign · offensive · logistics · reconnaissance · surveillance · intelligence · command
Airborne military combatant
- aircrewAircraft operating personnel
- bombardierPlane's payload releaser
- navigatorRoute-directing crew member
- tail gunnerCrew member defending bomber's aft
squadron leader · wingman · ground crew · controller · ace · commander · gunner · radio operator
fighter
One who engages in combat
- bomberExplosive-delivery aircraft or saboteur
- interceptorAircraft that intercepts threats
- reconnaissance planeAircraft for aerial surveillance
tanker · gunship · stealth · drone · helicopter gunship · transport · B-52 · Lancaster · Spitfire · Messerschmitt
dogfight
Close combat between aircraft
- sortieArmed raid outward
- airstrikeAircraft-delivered military attack
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
interception · strafing · bombing run · kill ratio · ace · shootdown · evasive maneuvers · pursuit · ambush · scramble
anti-aircraft
Weapons targeting airborne threats
- flakIntense hostile reaction
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- early warningAlert before event occurs
bunker · interception · chaff · flares · countermeasures · jamming · decoy · shelter · blackout · siren
strategic bombing
Airstrikes against enemy capacity
- carpet bombingWidespread aerial bombardment
- precision strikeTargeted military attack
- shock and aweSwift dominance through firepower
blitzkrieg · theater · campaign · offensive · logistics · reconnaissance · surveillance · intelligence · command · control
fighter pilot
Airborne military combatant
- aircrewAircraft operating personnel
- bombardierPlane's payload releaser
- navigatorRoute-directing crew member
tail gunner · squadron leader · wingman · ground crew · controller · ace · commander · gunner · radio operator · flight crew
- WarsWWI
- political tacticscampaigning, gerrymandering, filibuster, campaigns, voter suppression
- Laos historyFrench Indochina, independence movement, French colonialism, French rule, Geneva Accords
air warground war
Armed conflict on terrain
ground invasion · ground combat · trench warfare · land invasion · submarine warfare
air warhand-to-hand combat
Fighting without distance weapons
close combat · melee · bayonet charge · trench warfare · ground assault
air, war, airs, airy, airily, airiness, airing, aired, airless