View source for High level bombing

{{short description|Tactic of dropping bombs from a high altitude}}
[[File:Bombing in Vietnam.jpg|thumb|upright|[[United States Air Force|USAF]] high level bombing through clouds over [[North Vietnam]], 14 June 1966. An [[Douglas B-66 Destroyer|EB-66]] [[Electronic countermeasure|tactical jamming]] aircraft leads four [[Republic F-105 Thunderchief|F-105]] [[fighter-bomber]]s as a Pathfinder. Also called synchronous radar bombing or buddy bombing, this method required the EB-66 navigator to use his K-5 radar bombing navigation system to detect the target and send a signal tone to the F-105s to drop their bombs. Throughout the bombing run, the Pathfinder employed its S-band jammers to suppress radar-controlled [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft gun]]s. Radar film coverage from Pathfinder missions was accumulated by the USAF for more sophisticated and refined targeting, bomb damage assessment and photographic reconnaissance of North Vietnam.<ref>Jacob Van Staaveren, "Gradual Failure: The Air War over North Vietnam: 1965–1966" (Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program, 2002), p 226–227.</ref>]]
'''High level bombing''' (also called '''high-altitude bombing''') is a tactic of dropping [[Aerial bomb|bomb]]s from [[bomber]] [[Fixed-wing aircraft|aircraft]] in [[Aircraft flight mechanics#Straight and level flight of aircraft|level flight]] at high altitude. The term is used in contrast to both [[World War II]]-era [[Dive bomber|dive bombing]]<ref>"The Bomber War" by Robin Neillands, {{ISBN|0-7195-5637-6}}, p.35</ref> and medium or low level bombing.
Prior to the modern age of [[precision-guided munition]]s (PGMs), high level bombing was primarily used for [[strategic bombing]]—inflicting mass damage on the [[enemy]]'s economy and population—not for attacks on specific military targets. High level bombing missions have been flown by many different types of aircraft, including [[medium bomber]]s, [[heavy bomber]]s, [[strategic bomber]]s and [[fighter-bomber]]s.
The choice to use high level bombing as an offensive tactic of [[aerial warfare]] is dependent not only upon the inherent accuracy and effectiveness of the bombing aircraft and their delivered [[Aircraft ordnance|ordnance]] on the target, but also upon a target's [[Anti-aircraft warfare|air defense]] capabilities. From the 1940s onward, [[radar]] in particular became a powerful new defensive [[Chain Home|early warning]] tool, and a serious threat to attacking aircraft when they flew at higher altitudes towards their target.
Bombing from medium to high altitudes, especially in the post-World War II era with sophisticated [[surface-to-air missile]]s, [[interceptor aircraft]] and [[radar]]s exposes attacking bomber aircraft to greater risks of detection, interception and destruction. During [[World War II]], various methods were employed to protect high level bombers from [[Anti-aircraft warfare#Second World War|flak]], [[fighter aircraft]] and radar detection, including defensive [[gun turret#Aircraft|armament]], [[escort fighter]]s, [[chaff (countermeasure)|chaff]] and [[Radar jamming and deception|electronic jamming]]. Modern [[stealth aircraft]] technologies, for example, can alleviate some risks inherent to high level bombing missions, but are not a guarantee of success or permanent solution for the attackers.
== World War II ==
[[File:B-17 on bomb run.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress|B-17 Flying Fortress]], a famous [[World War II]] [[heavy bomber]] and high level bomber]]
{{further information|Strategic bombing during World War II|Air warfare of World War II}}
High level bombers were primarily used by the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] for [[carpet bombing]] (particularly later in the war), such as the [[Bombing of Dresden in World War II|bombing of Dresden]] or [[Bombing of Tokyo|Tokyo]]. They were also deployed in other kinds of missions such as [[Operation Tidal Wave]], [[Operation Crossbow]], and the [[Operation Catechism|sinking of the Tirpitz]].
After initial operations by day suffered heavy losses, the British switched to night-time [[sortie]]s where the darkness gave some protection against German fighters. [[Arthur Harris|Arthur "Bomber" Harris]]'s strategy for the [[RAF Bomber Command]] was to attack area targets that the bombers could be more certain of hitting at night, while the [[United States|U.S.]] preferred daylight, [[precision bombing]] techniques.<ref name="TheBomber">"The Bomber War" by Robin Neillands, {{ISBN|0-7195-5637-6}}, p.23</ref>  The development since the 1930s of [[gyroscope]]-stabilised optical [[bombsight]]s, such as the [[Norden bombsight]], also helped the Allied air forces' ability to accurately strike their targets with medium- to high-altitude level bombing attacks.
[[Nazi Germany]] used high level bombers such as the [[Heinkel He 111]], the [[Dornier Do 17]] and multi-role aircraft such as the [[Junkers Ju 88]] against the Allies in the [[Battle of Britain]],<ref>"The Bomber War" by Robin Neillands, {{ISBN|0-7195-5637-6}}, Chapter 2</ref> both for carpet bombing and for precision attacks on British [[radar]] stations as part of [[Operation Sea Lion#Operation Eagle|Operation Eagle]].<ref>"History of the Second World War, ed. Sir Basil Liddell Hart, {{ISBN|0-907305-36-9}}, p.74</ref>
== Cold War ==
[[File:Tupolev Tu-95 Marina.jpg|thumb|The [[Tupolev Tu-95|Tu-95 Bear]], a [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] Cold War-era [[strategic bomber]] and high level bomber]]
{{further information|Strategic bomber#The Cold War and its aftermath|Nuclear triad}}
During the [[Cold War]], the [[United States]] and [[Soviet Union]] used several bomber designs,<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Report on the Russians|author=White, W.L.|date=2007|publisher=Read Books|isbn=9781406749304|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xNf0FIxInJgC|page=39|accessdate=2015-03-02}}</ref> but the bulk of their offensive forces were in the form of, respectively, the [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52 Stratofortress]] and [[Tupolev Tu-95|Tu-95 Bear]]. The [[France|French]] equivalent was the [[Dassault Mirage IV|Mirage IV]], and the [[United Kingdom|UK]] had its [[V bomber]]s.
The U.S. [[Strategic Air Command]] (SAC) ordered massive high level bombing in [[Operation Rolling Thunder]] and [[Operation Menu]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2006.10-history-bombing-cambodia/ |title=The Walrus » Bombing Cambodia » Bombs over Cambodia » History |accessdate=2010-05-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114175715/http://walrusmagazine.com/articles/2006.10-history-bombing-cambodia/ |archivedate=2010-01-14 }}</ref> during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Bombing_of_Cambodia?rec=1611|title=Bombing of Cambodia - Ohio History Central|website=ohiohistorycentral.org}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Attack aircraft]]
* [[Fighter-bomber]]
* [[Heavy bomber]]
* [[Light bomber]]
* [[Medium bomber]]
* [[Schnellbomber]]
* [[Strategic bombing]]
== References ==
{{reflist|20em}}
[[Category:Aerial bombing]]