Tactical bombing

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Tactical bombing uses aircraft to attack troops and military equipment in the battle zone. This is in contrast to strategic bombing, which attacks an enemy's cities and factories to debilitate the enemy's capacity to wage war as well as the civilian population's will to continue the war.^[1]

Tactical bombing began in World War I when pilots dropped small bombs over the side of their open cockpits onto enemy troops below. By World War II, a number of specialized aircraft were developed to fulfill the role, but often strike fighters and fighter-bombers were used. For instance, in the Korean War, tactical missions were carried out by WWII-era fighters such as the F4U Corsair. In Vietnam, tactical missions were often directed by forward air controllers (FACs) flying small propeller planes. The FAC would mark targets with smoke, often in coordination with infantry on the ground. The bombers orbiting overhead would then roll in to hit the target.

In the modern era, precision-guided munitions or "smart bombs" can be directed with extreme accuracy.

There are two basic roles for tactical bombing. Aircraft providing close air support attack targets in proximity to friendly ground forces, acting in direct support of the ground operations. Air interdiction attacks, by contrast, attack tactical targets that are not in contact with friendly units.