Air interdiction

Air interdiction is the use of aircraft to attack tactical ground targets that are not in close proximity to friendly ground forces. It differs from close air support because it does not directly support ground operations and is not closely coordinated with ground units. Unlike strategic bombing, air interdiction is not meant as an independent air campaign; its ultimate purpose is still to allow ground operations rather than to defeat an enemy by air power alone.

Examples of air interdiction campaigns

WWII

• Operation Stranglehold - Used P47 Thunderbolt attacks to disrupt Axis rail supply lines in Italy.

Vietnam

• Attacks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail continued through the war.

See Also

tactical bombing

External links

• Air Interdiction, by Clifford Krieger. Aerospace Power Journal, Spring 1989.
• DOD dictionary definition of air interdiction.