strafing run
Low aerial assault
A strafing run is a low-altitude attack in which an aircraft flies over a target while firing weapons—typically machine guns or cannons—along a line rather than dropping bombs.
The term comes from military aviation but appears in video games and figurative use: The fighter made a strafing run over enemy positions.
Metaphorically, any rapid pass that inflicts damage: She made a strafing run through the department, firing three managers.
- diveHeadfirst water entry
- nose diveSharp downward drop
- gun runIllegal weapons delivery
- ground attackAssault on land targets
- gunfireDischarge of weapons
aircraft · attack · bullets · tracers · tracer fire · machine gun · cockpit · dogfight · pilot · swooping · target · kill zone · enemy · warplane · salvo · incoming · evasion · evasive maneuvers
- Air Combatair strike, airstrikes, fighter pilot, bombing run, combat aircraft
- airstrikesairstrike, air strike, air raid, bombing run, bombing raid
- attacksattack, assault, raid, strike, offensive
- flight maneuversturn, dive, climb, roll, glide
- helicoptershelicopters, helicopter ride, chopper, rotorcraft, copter
strafing runbombing run
Combat aircraft attack mission
carpet bombing · missile strike · strategic bombing · precision bombing · precision strike
strafing runceasefire
Agreed halt to fighting
retreat · withdrawal · standing down · disengagement · stand down
strafing runrescue mission
Operation to save someone
medevac · evacuation flight · close air support · supply drop · escort mission