Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did helicopters take on some close-air-support missions from fixed-wing attack aircraft?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

military aircraft Tupolev Tu-22M, a Russian variable-wing supersonic jet bomber first flown in 1969. It was designed for potential use in war against the NATO countries, where it was known by the designation “Backfire.”

Helicopters began assuming close-air-support roles during the Vietnam War as military forces sought more versatile ways to support ground troops in combat.1

Initially, this transition began with the modification of transport helicopters, such as the Bell UH-1 Iroquois ("Huey"). By 1962, army aviators began equipping these aircraft with turret-mounted grenade launchers, rocket pods, and machine guns to provide direct fire support for assault operations. The success of these experiments led to the development of the AH-1G HueyCobra, the first purpose-built helicopter gunship, which featured a specialized tandem cockpit configuration for a pilot and gunner.2

These gunships were integrated into air cavalry formations, where they worked alongside scout helicopters to locate enemy positions and provide immediate fire support for infantry units. Following the Vietnam War, the role of the attack helicopter expanded further with the Mil Mi-24 Hind and the AH-64 Apache, which incorporated advanced fire-control systems and guided antitank missiles to engage armored targets directly on the battlefield.12