8/7/2019 Aeroplanes in Combat

1/2

AEROPLANES IN COMBAT

Since both world wars had been fought after the invention of flying, there was indiscriminate use of air

force in combat.

AEROPLANES IN FIRST WORLD WAR

Biplanes armed with machine guns are used for warfare in mid-air for destroying carrier

planes and fighter planes. Zeppelin and such larger types of planes are used for bombing raids.

(Zeppelins went out of use after the Hindenburg disaster).

AEROPLANES IN SECOND WORLD WAR

During the second world war the sky of Europe is overcrowded with airplanes. The red army

force had nearly 14000 aircraft in 1939. But most of them are of obsolete type. So, most of the aircrafts

were destroyed by the end of 1941. Germany had nearly 3600 fighter aircraft. But the allied powers

soon overtook it with advanced technology. Britain and France had nearly 1900 and 1700 planes

respectively. Italian aircraft industry produced over 7000 new planes during the war time. Japan hadnearly 3000 fighter planes by the start of the war. United states of America had nearly 62000 aircraft of

all types. In the due time, on 1943 the USAAF had nearly 146000 airplanes and there was no surprise

that it dominated the war. Japanese used the kamikaze technique due to the inefficiency of their pilots.

i.e to ram the warships with explosive laden planes. Airplanes were also widely used for the transport

of infantry. FW 190, Zero, MiG, spitfire, Me-109, P-51, P-47 are the important aeroplanes used in the

second world war. These aeroplanes had a speed of more than 350 mph.

AEROPLANES IN MODERN COMBAT

The cold war between USA and USSR improved the military aviation technology.Developed, smaller and faster aircrafts were in use in these modern times. Supersonic planes were

used now in military aviation. The indiscriminate use of aeroplanes in warfare had caused the mass

destruction of people and property. In this modern age, air power has continued to be used in strategic

bombing of an enemy's home territory (as in the Vietnam War, 196574), destroying enemy air forces

(as in the Arab-Israeli wars), attacking and defending carrier-based naval fleets (as in the Falkland

Islands War, 1982), and supporting ground forces (as in the Persian Gulf War, 199091). During the

gulf war, Iraqs airplanes bombed the rich oil fields of Kuwait, thereby leading to heavy economic

losses. Sukhoy, F-86, F-16, F-15 are the most popular military aircrafts of these modern times. These

aeroplanes had a speed of more than 700mph.

AEROPLANES IN COUNTER INSURGENCY OPERATIONS

Aeroplanes had been indiscriminately used in most of the counter insurgency operations.

During the Afghan war, USA indiscriminately used bomber planes leading to the mass destruction of

people and property. In the Iraqi war also USA followed the same sort. In India, Supreme court had

advocated against the use of aircrafts in counter-insurgency operations in Naxal infested areas and

North Eastern states. The court had rightly commented that, it will end in massacring our own people.

8/7/2019 Aeroplanes in Combat

2/2

The most recent example for effective use of aircraft in counter-insurgency operation is Sri Lanka. The

air-force of Sri Lanka alone had outmaneuvered the insurgents. Kfir jet, an Israeli product is used

indiscriminately to bomb the areas under insurgents control. The insurgents had tried a sort of

kamikaze operation to destroy the countrys air force and they had failed to carry on that operation

successfully. Finally, the SLA had emerged victoriously.