Photos of the Stearman X-100, which was designated XA-21 by the Army Air Corps, was a prototype twin-engined attack aircraft

Embraer has unveiled a new concept for its A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft, adapting the turboprop platform for counter-drone operations. The approach is intended to meet growing demand for effective, low-cost counter-UAS solutions. The Brazilian manufacturer states that the concept relies mainly on sensors and weapons already integrated into the aircraft, supplemented by updated tactics […] The post Embraer Adds Counter-Drone Platform to the A-29 Super Tucano appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

Photos of the North American Aviation A-27 an attack version of the T-6 Texan. Ordered by Thailand but impounded and used by the USAAC

In the first half of the 1930s, the U.S. aviation industry was introducing new civilian aircraft one after another. These models incorporated the most advanced solutions of the time in aerodynamics, aircraft construction, powerplants, and onboard systems. As a result, mail and passenger planes often outperformed military aircraft – not only bombers and reconnaissance planes but also […] The post American Attack Aircraft, Part 7: John Northrop’s “Gamma” appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

In the first half of the 1930s, the U.S. aviation industry was introducing new civilian aircraft one after another. These models incorporated the most advanced solutions of the time in aerodynamics, aircraft construction, powerplants, and onboard systems. As a result, mail and passenger planes often outperformed military aircraft – not only bombers and reconnaissance planes but also […] Post American Attack Aircraft, Part 7: John Northrop’s “Gamma” at Root-Nation.com.

Building on the A-17 platform, the aircraft developers sought to enter international markets. Adopting a flexible approach to customer requirements, they produced a series of variants tailored to specific operators. By that time, Northrop had been acquired by its parent company and became a subsidiary of Douglas in El Segundo. Consequently, export versions of the […] The post American Attack Aircraft, Part 10: Douglas Export Models appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

The Ogden Air Logistics Complex is preparing to perform the final maintenance on an A-10 Thunderbolt II before its departure from Hill Air Force Base at the end of February, marking the close of a long-standing era supporting one of the U.S. Air Force’s most recognizable aircraft. According to Kendall Johnson from the 75th Air […] The post A-10 Thunderbolt II Retires After 40 Years of Service appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

In 1932, aviation enthusiast Gerard Valtí secured financial backing from automotive magnate E. L. Cord and founded the Airplane Development Corporation. The company’s first product was the V-1, a high-speed passenger aircraft: a single-engine, six-seat, all-metal low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear. The aircraft made its maiden flight on February 19, 1933, and achieved modest […] The post American Attack Aircraft, Part 8: Contribution of Gerard Valtí appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

Although Curtiss won the 1931 competition for a new attack aircraft, its A-8 did not enter mass production. The main issue was its liquid-cooled engine, which proved vulnerable to enemy fire. Air-cooled engines offered much better survivability and were therefore chosen for the production attack aircraft. Read also: First American Attack Aircrafts: Development Path, Part […] The post First American Attack Aircraft, Part 5: Production A-12 “Shrike” appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

After the Second World War, the evolution of attack aviation in the U.S. Air Force was effectively interrupted, and attack aircraft as a distinct branch were formally eliminated. The close air support mission had already been largely assumed by fighter-bombers during World War II, and during the Korean War (1950–1953) this category transitioned from piston-engine […] Post American Attack Aircraft, Part 13: New Generation, the Precursors to the A-10A at Root-Nation.com.

In the early 1930s, the U.S. finally introduced its first production attack aircraft: the Curtiss A-3 biplane. The plane proved generally reliable, easy to fly, and straightforward to maintain. However, aviation technology was advancing rapidly. A generational shift was underway – replacing bulky biplanes with more streamlined monoplanes. At the same time, the aircraft engine industry was […] The post First American Attack Aircraft, Part 4: On the Eve of the 1930s appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

In parallel with the production and deployment of the A-12 attack aircraft, the U.S. Army Air Corps tested several other prototypes. These models never entered service, but they remain noteworthy. Read also: First American Attack Aircrafts: Development Path, Part 1 First American Attack Aircrafts, Part 2: Alternative Projects of the Early 1920s American Attack Aircraft, […] Post American Attack Aircraft, Part 6: Experiments of the 1930s at Root-Nation.com.

Although Curtiss won the 1931 competition for a new attack aircraft, its A-8 did not enter mass production. The main issue was its liquid-cooled engine, which proved vulnerable to enemy fire. Air-cooled engines offered much better survivability and were therefore chosen for the production attack aircraft. Read also: First American Attack Aircrafts: Development Path, Part […] Post First American Attack Aircraft, Part 5: Production A-12 “Shrike” at Root-Nation.com.

I’m willing to bet that many of my readers are fans of one of the iconic American combat aircraft – the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jet. However, the emergence of this Cold War symbol was preceded by a long history of technical and tactical development. It’s worth noting that U.S. attack aviation recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. […] Post The First American Attack Aircrafts: Development Path, Part 1 at Root-Nation.com.

On June 3, 2026, a notable event took place at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, as the United States Marine Corps officially retired its last AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft from active service. This provides an opportunity to revisit the history of the AV-8B Harrier II program. A British-American Project In 1972, the American […] The post End of an Era: The Retirement of the American AV-8B Harrier II appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

On May 14, 2026, the Argentine Air Force retired its last A-4AR attack aircraft from operational service. This marked the end of the Skyhawk’s combat career in one of the two remaining countries that still operated the type in their military aviation inventory. This development provides an opportunity to take a closer look at the history […] The post Last of Mohicans: A-4 Skyhawk Attack Aircraft in Argentina and Brazil appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

The Hürjet prototype trainer aircraft has recently been spotted in flight equipped with underwing hardpoints for external weapons carriage. This observation may indicate that Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is seriously pursuing the development of a combat-capable variant aimed at the competitive international light attack aircraft market. The image of the aircraft in this configuration appeared publicly […] The post Turkish breakthrough: Hürjet spotted carrying weaponry that could shift the balance of power appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

Recently published imagery confirms that the A-10C attack aircraft is now conducting missions in the Middle East equipped with a new refueling boom adapter. This capability appears to have been implemented in a notably short timeframe. As previously reported, the ability of the “Warthog” (A-10) to refuel via a boom-based system was first demonstrated in early […] The post New life for a legend: US Warthogs receive a unique refueling system appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

The A-10A Thunderbolt II entered serial production in 1975, and on September 30 of the following year, the first aircraft were officially accepted into service by the United States Air Force Tactical Command. Production rates were relatively high, peaking at 13 aircraft per month. By 1984, a total of 715 units had been built, including […] The post American Attack Aircraft, Part 14: Career of Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

After the Second World War, the evolution of attack aviation in the U.S. Air Force was effectively interrupted, and attack aircraft as a distinct branch were formally eliminated. The close air support mission had already been largely assumed by fighter-bombers during World War II, and during the Korean War (1950–1953) this category transitioned from piston-engine […] The post American Attack Aircraft, Part 13: New Generation, the Precursors to the A-10A appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

The highly effective use of German dive bombers during the Polish campaign and the Western Blitzkrieg naturally drew the interest of the U.S. Army in this type of aircraft. There was no need to start from scratch, as the U.S. Navy had already been operating dive bombers successfully for about a decade; these aircraft were […] The post American Attack Aircraft, Part 12: Lessons from the Luftwaffe appeared first on AERONAUT.media.

Readers may recall that in the tenth article of this series on U.S. attack aircraft of the interwar period, we noted the gradual evolution of this class toward light bombers. Gun armament, which American specialists in the 1920s and early 1930s had considered the primary weapon of attack aviation, receded into a secondary role. Bombs […] The post American Attack Aircraft, Part 11: Near-Bomber Designs of the Second World War appeared first on AERONAUT.media.