Gunship

This article is about a kind of military aircraft. For small armed watercraft, see gunboat.

An AC-130H gunship from the 16th Special Operations Squadron

A gunship (not to be confused with a gunboat) is a military aircraft armed with heavy aircraft guns, primarily intended for attacking ground targets either as airstrike or as close air support.

In modern usage the term "gunship" refers to fixed-wing aircraft having laterally-mounted heavy armaments (i.e. firing to the side) to attack ground or sea targets. The term "gunship" originated in the mid-19th century as a synonym for gunboat and also referred to the heavily armed ironclad steamships used during the American Civil War.

The term helicopter gunship is commonly used to describe armed helicopters.

World War II aviation

The B-25 bomber was heavily armed with 75mm and .50 caliber machine guns.

Attack aircraft

During World War II, the urgent need for hard-hitting attack aircraft led to the development of the heavily armed gunship versions of the North American B-25 Mitchell.

The B-25 bomber was heavily armed with 75mm and .50 caliber machine guns.

Post–World War II aviation

Fixed-wing aircraft

The AC-47 provided CAS with three port side mounted 7.62 mm miniguns.

In the more modern, post-World War II fixed-wing aircraft category, a gunship is an aircraft having laterally-mounted heavy armaments (i.e. firing to the side) to attack ground or sea targets.

The Douglas AC-47 Spooky was the first notable modern gunship.

Helicopter gunships

The Mil Mi-24 was one of the first dedicated gunship helicopters.