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104-582: The General Dynamics/McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II was a proposed American attack aircraft from General Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas . It was to be an all-weather, carrier-based stealth bomber replacement for the Grumman A-6 Intruder in the United States Navy and Marine Corps . Its Avenger II name was taken from the Grumman TBF Avenger of World War II. The development of

208-548: A "hardship" deferment available to men with dependents. In January 1967, Cheney turned 26 and was no longer eligible for the draft. In 1966 Cheney dropped out of the doctoral program at the University of Wisconsin to work as staff aide for Governor Warren Knowles . In 1968 Cheney was awarded an American Political Science Association congressional fellowship and moved to Washington. Cheney's political career began in 1969, as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger during

312-597: A 102mm anti-ship cannon, The BK 7,5 was unsurpassed as an aircraft-fitted gun until 1971, when the four-engine Lockheed AC-130 E Spectre; equipped with a 105 mm M102 howitzer , entered service with the US Air Force.) In the immediate post war era the piston-engined ground-attack aircraft remained useful since all of the early jets lacked endurance due to the fuel consumption rates of the jet engines. The higher powered piston engine types that had been too late for World War II were still capable of holding their own against

416-594: A U.S. serviceman, the United States invasion of Panama began under Cheney's direction. The stated reason for the invasion was to seize Noriega to face drug charges in the United States, protect U.S. lives and property, and restore Panamanian civil liberties . Although the mission was controversial, U.S. forces achieved control of Panama and Endara assumed the presidency; Noriega was convicted and imprisoned on racketeering and drug trafficking charges in April 1992. In 1991,

520-450: A battlefield, their slower speeds made them extremely vulnerable to ground fire, as did the lighter construction of fighters. The survivability of attack aircraft was guaranteed by their speed/power, protection (i.e. armor panels) and strength of construction; Germany was the first country to produce dedicated ground-attack aircraft (designated CL-class and J-class ). They were put into use in autumn 1917, during World War I. Most notable

624-456: A bill to impose economic sanctions on South Africa for its policy of apartheid , Cheney was one of 83 Representatives to vote against overriding Reagan's veto. In later years, he articulated his opposition to unilateral sanctions against many different countries, stating "they almost never work" and that in that case they might have ended up hurting the people instead. In 1986, Cheney, along with 145 Republicans and 31 Democrats, voted against

728-585: A class of Schlacht ("battle") aircraft, such as the Henschel Hs 123 . Moreover, the experiences of German Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War , against an enemy with few fighter aircraft, changed ideas about ground attack. Though equipped with generally unsuitable designs such as the Henschel Hs 123 and cannon -armed versions of the Heinkel He 112 , their armament and pilots proved that aircraft were

832-563: A college career that lasted six years rather than four, owing to sub-par academic performance and the need to work to pay for his education. Upon graduation, Cheney was eligible for the draft, but at the time, the Selective Service System was not inducting married men. On October 26, 1965, the draft was expanded to include married men without children; Cheney's first daughter, Elizabeth , was born 9 months and two days later. Cheney's fifth and final deferment granted him "3-A" status,

936-516: A few months ago turned out to be invalid and inaccurate." Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney , 1991. The government felt the contractors could not complete the program and instructed them to repay most of the $ 2 billion that had been spent on A-12 development. McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics disputed this in Federal Claims court . The reasons and causes for the cancellation have been debated and have been an issue of controversy. After

1040-588: A figure between the Administration's request and the House Armed Services Committee 's recommendation. In subsequent years under Cheney, the proposed and adopted budgets followed patterns similar to that of 1990. Early in 1991, he unveiled a plan to reduce military strength by the mid-1990s to 1.6 million, compared with 2.2 million when he entered office. Cheney's 1993 defense budget was reduced from 1992, omitting programs that Congress had directed

1144-589: A high altitude bomber escort, but gradually found that role filled by the North American P-51 Mustang (because of its much longer range and greater maneuverability). The P-47 was also heavier and more robust than the P-51 and regarded therefore, as an " energy fighter ": ideal for high-speed dive-and-climb tactics, including strafing attacks. Its armament of eight 0.50 caliber machine guns was effective against Axis infantry and light vehicles in both Europe and

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1248-404: A lack of Air Force enthusiasm for the ground-attack role, developed the dedicated attack helicopter . On 17 January 1991, Task Force Normandy began its attack on two Iraqi anti-aircraft missile sites. TF Normandy, under the command of LTC Richard A. "Dick" Cody , consisted of nine AH-64 Apaches , one UH-60 Black Hawk and four Air Force MH-53J Pave Low helicopters. The purpose of this mission

1352-657: A light aircraft mixing all the roles that required extensive communication with land forces: reconnaissance, liaison, artillery spotting , aerial supply, and, last but not least, occasional strikes on the battlefield. The concept was similar to front-line aircraft used in the World War I, which was called the CL class in the German Empire. Eventually the RAF's experience showed types such as Westland Lysander to be unacceptably vulnerable and it

1456-959: A light attack aircraft. The Soviets' similar Sukhoi Su-25 ( Frogfoot ) found success in the "flying artillery" role with many air forces. The UK has completely retired the BAE Harrier II in 2011, and the Panavia Tornado dedicated attack-reconnaissance aircraft in 2019. It obtained the F-35 in 2018 and it retains its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighters. [REDACTED] Media related to Attack aircraft at Wikimedia Commons Dick Cheney Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other Richard Bruce Cheney ( / ˈ tʃ eɪ n i / CHAY -nee ; born January 30, 1941)

1560-679: A memo to Rumsfeld, including use of the US Justice Department , that the Ford administration could use to limit damage from an article, published by The New York Times , in which investigative reporter Seymour Hersh reported that Navy submarines had tapped into Soviet undersea communications as part of a highly classified program, Operation Ivy Bells . Cheney was Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Chief of Staff under Gerald Ford from December 1974 to November 1975. When Rumsfeld

1664-620: A non-binding Congressional resolution calling on the South African government to release Nelson Mandela from prison, after the Democrats defeated proposed amendments that would have required Mandela to renounce violence sponsored by the African National Congress (ANC) and requiring it to oust the communist faction from its leadership; the resolution was defeated. Appearing on CNN , Cheney addressed criticism for this, saying he opposed

1768-410: A separate attack aircraft category was greatly diminished by the introduction of precision-guided munitions which allowed almost any aircraft to carry out this role while remaining safe at high altitude. Attack helicopters also have overtaken many remaining roles that could only be carried out at lower altitudes. Since the 1960s, only two dedicated attack aircraft designs have been widely introduced,

1872-617: A task of converted trainers, like the BAE Systems Hawk or Aero L-39 Albatros , and many trainers are built with this task in mind, like the CASA C-101 or the Aermacchi MB-339 . Such counter-insurgency aircraft are popular with air forces which cannot afford to purchase more expensive multirole aircraft, or do not wish to risk the few such aircraft they have on light ground attack missions. A proliferation of low intensity conflicts in

1976-478: A very effective weapon, even without bombs. This led to some support within the Luftwaffe for the creation of an aircraft dedicated to this role, resulting in tenders for a new "attack aircraft". This led to the introduction (in 1942) of a unique single-seat, twin-engine attack aircraft, the slow-moving but heavily armored and formidably armed Henschel Hs 129 Panzerknacker ("Safecracker" /"Tank Cracker"). In Japan,

2080-474: Is a former American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush . He has been called the most powerful vice president in American history. Cheney previously served as White House Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford , the U.S. representative for Wyoming's at-large congressional district from 1979 to 1989, and as

2184-426: Is considered an attack mission . In United States Navy vocabulary, the alternative designation for the same activity is a strike mission . Attack missions are principally divided into two categories: air interdiction and close air support . In the last several decades, the rise of the ubiquitous multi-role fighter has created some confusion about the difference between attack and fighter aircraft. According to

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2288-650: The B-2 stealth bomber, the V-22 Osprey tilt-wing helicopter , the Aegis destroyer and the MX missile , totaling approximately $ 4.5 billion in light of changed world politics. Cheney opposed the V-22 program, which Congress had already appropriated funds for, and initially refused to issue contracts for it before relenting. When the 1990 Budget came before Congress in the summer of 1989, it settled on

2392-520: The Bosnian and Somali issues. On August 1, 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sent the invading Iraqi forces into neighboring Kuwait , a small petroleum-rich state long claimed by Iraq as part of its territory. This invasion sparked the initiation of the Persian Gulf War and it brought worldwide condemnation. An estimated 140,000 Iraqi troops quickly took control of Kuwait City and moved on to

2496-687: The F-111 "Aardvark" was designated F despite having only minimal air-to-air capabilities. Only a single aircraft in the USAF's current inventory bears a simple, unmixed "A" designation: the A-10 Thunderbolt II. British designations have included FB for fighter-bomber and more recently "G" for "Ground-attack" as in Harrier GR1 (meaning "Ground-attack/Reconnaissance, Mark 1"). Imperial Japanese Navy designation use "B" to designate carrier attack bomber such as

2600-442: The Henschel Hs 123 ). Although not a synonymous class with ground-attack aircraft, fighter-bombers were usually used for the role, and proved to excel at it, even when they were only lightly armored. The Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces relegated obsolescent fighters to this role, while cutting-edge fighters would serve as interceptors and establish air superiority . The United States Navy , in distinction to

2704-791: The Imperial Japanese Navy had developed the Aichi D3A dive bomber (based on the Heinkel He 70 ) and the Mitsubishi B5M light attack bomber. Both, like their US counterparts, were lightly armored types, and were critically reliant on surprise attacks and the absence of significant fighter or AA opposition. During the Winter War , the Soviet Air Forces used the Polikarpov R-5 SSS, and Polikarpov R-Z Sh, as attack aircraft. Perhaps

2808-766: The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka greatly outnumbered the Hs 129, while the Petlyakov Pe-2 was used for this role in spite of not being specifically designed for it. In the latter part of World War II, the fighter-bomber began to take over many attack roles, a transition that continued in the post-war era. Jet -powered examples were relatively rare but not unknown, such as the Blackburn Buccaneer . The U.S. Navy continued to introduce new aircraft in their A - series , but these were mostly similar to light and medium bombers . The need for

2912-988: The Nakajima B5N Type-97 bomber although these aircraft are mostly used for torpedo attack and level bombing. They also use "D" to specifically designate carrier dive bomber like the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei . However by the end of the world war II, the IJN introduced the Aichi B7A Ryusei which could performed both torpedo bombing and dive bombing rendering the "D" designation redundant. The NATO reporting names for Soviet/Russian ground-attack aircraft at first started with "B" categorizing them as bombers, as in case of Il-10 'Beast'. But later they were usually classified as fighters ("F")—possibly because (since Sukhoi Su-7 ) they were similar in size and visual appearance to Soviet fighters, or were simply derivatives of such. In

3016-588: The North American B-25G Mitchell and de Havilland Mosquito Tsetse . In Germany and the USSR , where they were known as Schlachtflugzeug ("battle aircraft") or sturmovik ("storm trooper") respectively, this role was carried out by purpose-designed and heavily armored aircraft such as the Henschel Hs 129 and Ilyushin Il-2 . The Germans and Soviets also used light bombers in this role: cannon-armed versions of

3120-657: The PLAAF , ground-attack aircraft are given the designation "Q". So far this has only been given to the Nanchang Q-5 . The attack aircraft as a role was defined by its use during World War I , in support of ground forces on battlefields. Battlefield support is generally divided into close air support and battlefield air interdiction, the first requiring strict and the latter only general cooperation with friendly surface forces. Such aircraft also attacked targets in rear areas. Such missions required flying where light anti-aircraft fire

3224-710: The Pacific . While machine guns and cannon were initially sufficient, the evolution of well-armored tanks required heavier weapons. To augment bombs, high explosive rockets were introduced, although these unguided projectiles were still "barely adequate" because of their inaccuracy. For the British RP3 , one hit per sortie was considered acceptable. However, even a near miss with rockets could cause damage or injuries to "soft targets," and patrols by Allied rocket-armed aircraft over Normandy disrupted or even completely paralyzed German road traffic. They also affected morale, because even

McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II - Misplaced Pages Continue

3328-602: The Richard Nixon Administration. He then joined the staff of Donald Rumsfeld , who was then Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity from 1969 to 1970. He held several positions in the years that followed: White House Staff Assistant in 1971, Assistant Director of the Cost of Living Council from 1971 to 1973, and Deputy Assistant to the president from 1974 to 1975. As deputy assistant, Cheney suggested several options in

3432-565: The Saddam Hussein regime possessed weapons of mass destruction program and had an operational relationship with Al-Qaeda ; however, neither allegation was ever substantiated. He also pressured the intelligence community to provide intelligence consistent with the administration's rationales for invading Iraq. Cheney was often criticized for the Bush administration's policies regarding the campaign against terrorism, for his support of wiretapping by

3536-508: The Saudi Arabia /Kuwait border. The United States had already begun to develop contingency plans for the defense of Saudi Arabia by the U.S. Central Command , headed by General Norman Schwarzkopf , because of its important petroleum reserves. Cheney and Schwarzkopf oversaw planning for what would become a full-scale U.S. military operation. According to General Colin Powell , Cheney "had become

3640-583: The Somali Civil War drew the world's attention. In August 1992, the United States began to provide humanitarian assistance , primarily food, through a military airlift. At President Bush's direction, Cheney dispatched the first of 26,000 U.S. troops to Somalia as part of the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), designed to provide security and food relief. Cheney's successors as Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin and William J. Perry , had to contend with both

3744-788: The United States invasion of Panama and Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East. In 1991, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Bush. Later that year, he received the U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards . Cheney has said his time at the Pentagon was the most rewarding period of his public service career, calling it "the one that stands out." In 2014, Cheney recounted that when he met with President George H. W. Bush to accept

3848-531: The United States occupation of Haiti and Nicaragua . The United States Army Air Corps was notable for its creation of a separate "A-" designation for attack types, distinct from and alongside "B-" for bomber types and "P-" for pursuit (later replaced by "F-" for fighter) aircraft. The first designated attack type to be operational with the USAAC was the Curtiss A-2 Falcon . Nevertheless, such aircraft, including

3952-681: The Warsaw Pact obliged the first Bush Administration to reevaluate the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) purpose and makeup. Cheney believed that NATO should remain the foundation of European security relationships and that it would remain important to the United States in the long term; he urged the alliance to lend more assistance to the new democracies in Eastern Europe. Cheney's views on NATO reflected his skepticism about prospects for peaceful social development in

4056-513: The White House during the Nixon and Ford administrations. He served as White House chief of staff from 1975 to 1977. In 1978, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives , and represented Wyoming's at-large congressional district from 1979 to 1989, briefly serving as House minority whip in 1989. He was appointed Secretary of Defense during the presidency of George H. W. Bush , and held

4160-493: The carrier-based nuclear strike Douglas A-3 Skywarrior and North American A-5 Vigilante , while the Grumman A-6 Intruder , F-105 Thunderchief , F-111 , F-117 Nighthawk , LTV A-7 Corsair II , Sukhoi Su-25 , A-10 Thunderbolt II , Panavia Tornado , AMX , Dassault Étendard , Super Étendard and others were designed specifically for ground-attack, strike , close support and anti-armor work, with little or no air-to-air capability. Ground attack has increasingly become

4264-468: The draft , during the Vietnam War , he applied for and received five draft deferments. In 1989, The Washington Post writer George C. Wilson interviewed Cheney as the next secretary of defense ; when asked about his deferments, Cheney reportedly said, "I had other priorities in the '60s than military service." Cheney testified during his confirmation hearings in 1989 that he received deferments to finish

McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II - Misplaced Pages Continue

4368-545: The interdiction and tactical bombing roles. Today it remains the only dedicated fixed-wing ground-attack aircraft in any U.S. military service. Overall U.S. experience in the Gulf War , Kosovo War , Afghanistan War , and Iraq War has resulted in renewed interest in such aircraft. The U.S. Air Force is currently researching a replacement for the A-10 and started the OA-X program to procure

4472-474: The " Night Witches " utilised an obsolescent, wooden light trainer biplane type, the Polikarpov Po-2 and small anti-personnel bombs in "harassment bombing" attacks that proved difficult to counter. Wartime experience showed that poorly armored and/or lightly built, pre-war types were unacceptably vulnerable, especially to fighters. Nevertheless, skilled crews could be highly successful in those types, such as

4576-570: The 1,420 maritime strike variants of the North American B-25 Mitchell G/H, which mounted either a M4 cannon , or light-weight T13E1 or M5 versions of the same gun. These weapons, however, were hand-loaded, had shorter barrels and/or a lower muzzle velocity than the BK 7,5 and, therefore, poorer armor penetration, accuracy and rate of fire. (Except for versions of the Piaggio P.108 armed with

4680-681: The 17th United States secretary of defense in the administration of President George H. W. Bush . He is the oldest living former U.S. vice president, following the death of Walter Mondale in 2021. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska , Cheney grew up there and in Casper, Wyoming . He attended Yale University before earning a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in political science from the University of Wyoming . He began his political career as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger , eventually working his way into

4784-682: The A-12 is seen as one of the major losses in the 1990s that weakened McDonnell Douglas and led to its merger with rival Boeing in 1997. After years of being in storage at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (formerly General Dynamics) facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the mockup was transported to Veterans Memorial Air Park adjacent to Meacham Airport in north Fort Worth in June 2013. (The park was later renamed Fort Worth Aviation Museum .) The manner in which

4888-427: The A-12 was to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons held in its internal weapons bay as well. The A-12 was to have a weapons load of 5,160 pounds (2,300 kg). Beginning in early 1990 General Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas revealed delays and projected cost increases. Due to late requirement changes to the aircraft impacting the composite design, aircraft weight had increased to 30% over design specification. This

4992-410: The A-12 was troubled by cost overruns and several delays, causing questions of the program's ability to deliver upon its objectives; these doubts led to the development program's cancellation in 1991. The manner of its cancellation was contested through litigation until a settlement was reached in January 2014. The United States Navy began the Advanced Tactical Aircraft (ATA) program in 1983. The program

5096-407: The A-2's replacement, the Curtiss A-12 Shrike , were unarmored and highly vulnerable to AA fire. The British Royal Air Force focused primarily on strategic bombing, rather than ground attack. However, like most air arms of the period it did operate attack aircraft, named Army Cooperation in RAF parlance, which included the Hawker Hector , Westland Lysander and others. Aviation played a role in

5200-440: The Air Force briefly considered ordering some 400 of an A-12 derivative. The A-12 was promoted as a possible replacement for the Air Force's General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark , and for the United Kingdom's Panavia Tornado fighter-bombers. The craft was a flying wing design in the shape of an isosceles triangle , with the cockpit situated near the apex of the triangle. The A-12 gained the nickname "Flying Dorito ". The aircraft

5304-461: The American Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and the Soviet/Russian Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot. A variety of light attack aircraft has also been introduced in the post-World War II era, usually based on adapted trainers or other light fixed-wing aircraft. These have been used in counter-insurgency operations. U.S. attack aircraft are currently identified by the prefix A- , as in " A-6 Intruder " and " A-10 Thunderbolt II ". However, until

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5408-432: The Brazilian Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 , although both sides had few aircraft. The federal government had approximately 58 aircraft divided between the Navy and the Army , as the Air Force at this time did not constitute an independent branch. In contrast, the rebels had only two Potez 25 planes and two Waco CSO , plus a small number of private aircraft. During the 1930s, Nazi Germany had begun to field

5512-550: The Department of Defense to buy weapons that it did not want, and omitting unrequested reserve forces. Over his four years as Secretary of Defense, Cheney downsized the military and his budgets showed negative real growth, despite pressures to acquire weapon systems advocated by Congress. The Department of Defense's total obligational authority in current dollars declined from $ 291 billion to $ 270 billion. Total military personnel strength decreased by 19 percent, from about 2.2 million in 1989 to about 1.8 million in 1993. Notwithstanding

5616-413: The German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 , the British Hawker Typhoon and the US Republic P-47 Thunderbolt . The Typhoon, which was disappointing as a fighter, due to poor high altitude performance, was very fast at low altitudes and thus became the RAF's premier ground attack fighter. It was armed with four 20mm cannon , augmented first with bombs, then rockets. Likewise the P-47 was designed and intended for use as

5720-448: The National Security Agency (NSA) and for his endorsement of the U.S.'s " enhanced interrogation " torture program. He publicly disagreed with President Bush's position against same-sex marriage in 2004, but also said it is "appropriately a matter for the states to decide". Cheney ended his vice presidential tenure as a deeply unpopular figure in American politics with an approval rating of 13 percent. His peak approval rating in

5824-494: The Navy and the contractors failed to persuade the Secretary of Defense, as he canceled the program in the following month, on 7 January 1991, for breach of contract. "The A-12 I did terminate. It was not an easy decision to make because it's an important requirement that we're trying to fulfill. But no one could tell me how much the program was going to cost, even just through the full scale development phase, or when it would be available. And data that had been presented at one point

5928-454: The U.S. Marine Corps has noted similar problems. In the late 1960s the United States Air Force requested a dedicated close air support (CAS) plane that became the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II . The A-10 was originally conceived as an anti-armor weapon (the A-X program requirements specifically called for an aircraft mounting a large rotary cannon to destroy massed Warsaw Pact armored forces) with limited secondary capability in

6032-409: The USAAF, preferred the older term "Scout-Bomber", under a "SB-" designation, such as the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver . The Junkers Ju 87s of the German Luftwaffe became virtually synonymous with close air support during the early months of World War II. The British Commonwealth's Desert Air Force , led by Arthur Tedder, became the first Allied tactical formation to emphasize the attack role, usually in

6136-630: The USAAF. It was not until 1946, when the US Navy and US Marine Corps started using the "attack" (A) designation, when it renamed BT2D Skyraider and BTM Mauler to, respectively, AD Skyraider and AM Mauler. As with many aircraft classifications, the definition of attack aircraft is somewhat vague and has tended to change over time. Current U.S. military doctrine defines it as an aircraft which most likely performs an attack mission , more than any other kind of mission. Attack mission means, in turn, specifically tactical air-to-ground action—in other words, neither air-to-air action nor strategic bombing

6240-409: The United States and its European allies. Cheney persuaded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to allow bases for U.S. ground troops and war planes in the nation. This was an important element of the success of the Gulf War , as well as a lightning-rod for Islamists , such as Osama bin Laden , who opposed having non-Muslim armies near their holy sites. Using economic sanctions and political pressure,

6344-400: The United States mounted a campaign to drive Panamanian ruler General Manuel Antonio Noriega from power after he fell from favor. In May 1989, after Guillermo Endara had been duly elected President of Panama , Noriega nullified the election outcome, drawing intensified pressure. In October, Noriega suppressed a military coup , but in December, after soldiers of the Panamanian army killed

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6448-484: The White House with the President talking about taking over the reins of the U.S. military." Cheney worked closely with Pete Williams , Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs , and Paul Wolfowitz , Under Secretary of Defense for Policy , from the beginning of his tenure. He focused primarily on external matters, and left most of the internal DoD management to Deputy Secretary of Defense Donald Atwood . Cheney's most immediate issue as Secretary of Defense

6552-401: The age of 21, Cheney was convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI). He was arrested for DWI again the following year. Cheney said that the arrests made him "think about where I was and where I was headed. I was headed down a bad road if I continued on that course." In 1964, he married Lynne Vincent , his high school sweetheart, whom he had met at age 14. When Cheney became eligible for

6656-449: The cancellation of the A-12, the Navy elected to purchase the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet , which went on to replace the A-6 Intruder and the F-14 Tomcat . The Super Hornet uses the General Electric F414 turbofan engine, which is a modified variant of the upgraded F404 version developed for the A-12. The full-size A-12 mockup was revealed to the public at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in June 1996. The cancellation of

6760-507: The case was settled with Boeing and General Dynamics agreeing to pay $ 200 million each to the U.S. Navy. Data from Stealth Warplanes General characteristics Performance Armament Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Attack aircraft Fighter aircraft often carry out the attack role, although they would not be considered attack aircraft per se ; fighter-bomber conversions of those same aircraft would be considered part of

6864-541: The class. Strike fighters , which have effectively replaced the fighter-bomber and light bomber concepts, also differ little from the broad concept of an attack aircraft. The dedicated attack aircraft as a separate class existed primarily during and after World War II . The precise implementation varied from country to country, and was handled by a wide variety of designs. In the United States and Britain , attack aircraft were generally light bombers or medium bombers , sometimes carrying heavier forward-firing weapons like

6968-666: The current U.S. designation system, an attack aircraft ( A ) is designed primarily for air-to-surface (Attack: Aircraft designed to find, attack, and destroy land or sea targets) missions (also known as "attack missions"), while a fighter category F incorporates not only aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat , but additionally multipurpose aircraft designed also for ground-attack missions. "F" - Fighter Aircraft were designed to intercept and destroy other aircraft or missiles. This includes multipurpose aircraft also designed for ground support missions such as interdiction and close air support. Just to mention one example amongst many,

7072-412: The end of World War II the A- designation was shared between attack planes and light bombers for USAAF aircraft (as opposed to B- prefix for medium or heavy bombers). The US Navy used a separate designation system and at the time preferred to call similar aircraft scout bombers (SB) or torpedo bombers (TB or BT). For example, Douglas SBD Dauntless scout bomber was designated A-24 when used by

7176-619: The federal government, and claiming that the department was an encroachment on states' rights . He voted against funding Head Start , but reversed his position in 2000. Cheney initially voted in 1978 against establishing a national holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. , but supported creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day five years later, in 1983. Cheney supported Bob Michel 's (R-IL) bid to become Republican Minority Leader. In April 1980, Cheney endorsed Governor Ronald Reagan for president, becoming one of Reagan's earliest supporters. In 1986, after President Ronald Reagan vetoed

7280-419: The form of single-engine Hawker Hurricane and Curtiss P-40 fighter-bombers or specialized "tank-busters", such as the Hurricane Mk IID, armed with two 40 mm Vickers S guns (notably No. 6 Squadron RAF ). At around the same time, a massive invasion by Axis forces had forced the Soviet air forces to quickly expand their army support capacity, such as the Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik. The women pilots known as

7384-408: The former Eastern Bloc countries, where he saw a high potential for political uncertainty and instability. He felt that the Bush Administration was too optimistic in supporting General Secretary of the CPSU Mikhail Gorbachev and his successor, Russian President Boris Yeltsin . Cheney not only wanted the break-up of the USSR but also of Russia itself. Cheney worked to maintain strong ties between

7488-491: The influential teachers from his days in New Haven was H. Bradford Westerfield , whom Cheney repeatedly credited with having helped to shape his approach to foreign policy . He later attended the University of Wyoming , where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in political science . He subsequently started, but did not finish, doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison . In November 1962, at

7592-537: The jets as they were able to both out accelerate and out maneuver the jets. The Royal Navy Hawker Sea Fury fighters and the U.S. Vought F4U Corsair and Douglas A-1 Skyraider were operated during the Korean War while the latter continued to be used throughout the Vietnam War . Many post-World War II era air forces have been reluctant to adopt fixed-wing jet aircraft developed specifically for ground attack. Although close air support and interdiction remain crucial to

7696-487: The leading Stuka ace, Hans-Ulrich Rudel , who claimed 500 tanks, a battleship, a cruiser, and two destroyers in 2,300 combat missions. The Bristol Beaufighter , based on an obsolescent RAF bomber, became a versatile twin-engine attack aircraft and served in almost every theatre of the war, in the maritime strike and ground attack roles as well as that of night fighter. Conversely, some mid-war attack types emerged as adaptations of fighters, including several versions of

7800-457: The modern battlefield, attack aircraft are less glamorous than fighters, while air force pilots and military planners have a certain well-cultivated contempt for "mud-movers". More practically, the cost of operating a specialized ground-attack aircraft is harder to justify when compared with multirole combat aircraft . Jet attack aircraft were designed and employed during the Cold War era, such as

7904-562: The most notable attack type to emerge during the late 1930s was the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik , which became the most-produced military aircraft type in history. As World War II approached, the concept of an attack aircraft was not well defined, and various air services used many different names for widely differing types, all performing similar roles (sometimes in tandem with non-attack roles of bombers, fighters, reconnaissance and other roles. The British concept of

8008-466: The offer, he passed a painting in the private residence entitled The Peacemakers, which depicted President Lincoln, General Grant, and William Tecumseh Sherman . "My great-grandfather had served under William Tecumseh Sherman throughout the war," Cheney said, "and it occurred to me as I was in the room as I walked in to talk to the President about becoming Secretary of Defense, I wondered what he would have thought that his great-grandson would someday be in

8112-466: The overall reduction in military spending, Cheney directed the development of a Pentagon plan to ensure U.S. military dominance in the post-Cold War era. Cheney publicly expressed concern that nations such as Iraq , Iran , and North Korea , could acquire nuclear components after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The end of the Cold War, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the disintegration of

8216-605: The position for most of Bush's term from 1989 to 1993. As secretary, he oversaw Operation Just Cause in 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in 1991. While out of office during the Clinton administration , he was the chairman and CEO of Halliburton from 1995 to 2000. In July 2000 , Cheney was chosen by presumptive Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush as his running mate in the 2000 presidential election . They defeated their Democratic opponents, incumbent vice president Al Gore and senator Joe Lieberman . In 2004 , Cheney

8320-518: The post-World War II era has also expanded need for these types of aircraft to conduct counter-insurgency and light ground attack operations. A primary distinction of post-World War II aviation between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force was that latter had generally been allocated all fixed-wing aircraft , while helicopters were under control of the former; this was governed by the 1948 Key West Agreement . The Army, wishing to have its own resources to support its troops in combat and faced with

8424-641: The program was canceled led to years of litigation between the contractors and the Department of Defense over breach of contract ( General Dynamics Corp. v. United States ). On 1 June 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the U.S. Navy was justified in canceling the contract. The ruling also required the two contractors to repay the U.S. government US$ 1.35 billion, plus interest charges of US$ 1.45 billion. Boeing , which had merged with McDonnell Douglas, and General Dynamics vowed to appeal

8528-505: The prospect of a rocket attack was unnerving. The ultimate development of the cannon-armed light attack aircraft was the small production run in 1944 of the Henschel Hs 129 B-3, armed with a modified PAK 40 75 mm anti-tank gun. This weapon, the Bordkanone BK 7,5 , was the most powerful forward-firing weapon fitted to a production military aircraft during World War II. The only other aircraft to be factory-equipped with similar guns were

8632-537: The resolution because the ANC "at the time was viewed as a terrorist organization and had a number of interests that were fundamentally inimical to the United States." Originally declining, U.S. Congressman Barber Conable persuaded Cheney to join the moderate Republican Wednesday Group in order to move up the leadership ranks. He was elected Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 1981 to 1987. Cheney

8736-512: The ruling. In September 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would hear the two companies' arguments, that the government canceled the project improperly and that the use of the state secrets privilege by the U.S. prevented them from mounting an effective defense. In May 2011, the Supreme Court set aside the Appeals Court decision and returned the case to federal circuit court. In January 2014,

8840-500: The specification was dropped before an aircraft went into production. In some air services, dive bombers did not equip ground-attack units, but were treated as a separate class. In Nazi Germany, the Luftwaffe distinguished between the Stuka ( Sturzkampf- , "dive bombing") units, equipped with Junkers Ju 87 from Schlacht ("battle") units, using strafing/low-level bombing types such as

8944-570: The wake of the September 11 attacks was 68 percent. Since leaving the vice presidency, Cheney has been critical of modern Republican leadership, including Donald Trump , going as far as to endorse Trump's challenger in 2024 , Democrat Kamala Harris . Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the son of Marjorie Lorraine (née Dickey) and Richard Herbert Cheney. He is of predominantly English, as well as Welsh , Irish, and French Huguenot ancestry. His father

9048-605: Was a part of the Allied armies' strength in holding German attacks and supporting Allied counter-attacks and offensives. Admittedly, the cost to the Allies was high, with the Royal Flying Corps sustaining a loss rate approaching 30% among ground-attack aircraft. After World War I, it was widely believed that using aircraft against tactical targets was of little use other than in harassing and undermining enemy morale; attacking combatants

9152-411: Was a soil conservation agent for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and his mother was a softball star in the 1930s; Cheney was one of three children. He attended Calvert Elementary School before his family moved to Casper, Wyoming , where he attended Natrona County High School . He attended Yale University , but by his own account had problems adjusting to the college, and dropped out. Among

9256-493: Was an armored twin-engine triplane for ground strafing with eight machine guns and about a ton of armor plate, and the 1922 Aeromarine PG-1 was a combined pursuit (fighter) and ground attack design with a 37mm gun. The United States Marine Corps Aviation applied close air support tactics in the Banana Wars . While they did not pioneer dive bombing tactics, Marine aviators were the first to include it in their doctrine during

9360-561: Was elected Chairman of the House Republican Conference . The following year, he was elected House Minority Whip . He served for two and a half months before he was appointed Secretary of Defense instead of former U.S. Senator John G. Tower , whose nomination had been rejected by the U.S. Senate in March 1989. He voted against the creation of the U.S. Department of Education , citing his concern over budget deficits and expansion of

9464-475: Was expected and operating at low altitudes to precisely identify targets. Other roles, including those of light bombers , medium bombers , dive bombers , reconnaissance , fighters , fighter-bombers , could and did perform air strikes on battlefields. All these types could significantly damage ground targets from a low level flight, either by bombing, machine guns, or both. Attack aircraft came to diverge from bombers and fighters. While bombers could be used on

9568-686: Was generally much more dangerous to aircrews than their targets, a problem that was continually becoming more acute with the ongoing refinement of anti-aircraft weapons . Within the range of types serving attack roles, dive bombers were increasingly being seen as more effective than aircraft designed for strafing with machine guns or cannons . Nevertheless, during the 1920s, the US military, in particular, procured specialized "Attack" aircraft and formed dedicated units, that were trained primarily for that role. The US Army Engineering Division became involved in designing ground attack aircraft. The 1920 Boeing GA-1

9672-449: Was named Secretary of Defense , Cheney became White House Chief of Staff , succeeding Rumsfeld. He later was campaign manager for Ford's 1976 presidential campaign . In 1978, Cheney was elected to represent Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives and succeeded retiring Democratic Congressman Teno Roncalio , having defeated his Democratic opponent, Bill Bagley. Cheney was re-elected five times, serving until 1989. In 1987, he

9776-580: Was reelected to his second term as vice president with Bush as president, defeating their Democratic opponents Senators John Kerry and John Edwards . During Cheney's tenure as vice president, he played a leading behind-the-scenes role in the George W. Bush administration 's response to the September 11 attacks and coordination of the Global War on Terrorism . He was an early proponent of invading Iraq , alleging that

9880-573: Was replaced by faster fighter types for photo-reconnaissance, and light aircraft for artillery spotting. During the inter-war period, the British flew the Fairey Battle , a light bomber which originated in a 1932 specification. Designs in 1938 for a replacement were adapted as a target tug. The last British specification issued for a light bomber was B.20/40 described as a "Close Army Support Bomber" capable of dive bombing and photo-reconnaissance. However,

9984-511: Was rescheduled to early 1992. In December 1990 plans were made for 14 Navy aircraft carriers to be equipped with a wing of 20 A-12s each. A government report released in November 1990 documented serious problems with the A-12 development program. In December 1990 Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney told the Navy to justify the program and deliver reasons why it should not be canceled. The response given by

10088-595: Was selected as the winner on 13 January 1988; the rival team led by Grumman surprisingly failed to submit a final bid. The General Dynamics/McDonnell Douglas team was awarded a development contract and the ATA aircraft was designated A-12 . The first flight was initially planned for December 1990. The A-12 was named Avenger II in homage to the World War II -era Navy torpedo-bomber Grumman TBF Avenger . The Navy initially sought to buy 620 A-12s and Marines wanted 238. In addition,

10192-572: Was the Department of Defense budget. Cheney deemed it appropriate to cut the budget and downsize the military, following the Reagan Administration 's peacetime defense buildup at the height of the Cold War . As part of the fiscal year 1990 budget, Cheney assessed the requests from each of the branches of the armed services for such expensive programs as the Avenger II Naval attack aircraft,

10296-762: Was the Junkers J.I , which pioneered the idea of an armored "bathtub", that was both fuselage structure and protection for engine and crew. The British experimented with the Sopwith TF series (termed "trench fighters"), although these did not see combat. The last battles of 1918 on the Western Front demonstrated that ground-attacking aircraft were a valuable component of all-arms tactics. Close support ground strafing ( machine-gunning ) and tactical bombing of infantry (especially when moving between trenches and along roads), machine gun posts , artillery , and supply formations

10400-627: Was the Ranking Member of the Select Committee to investigate the Iran-Contra Affair . He promoted Wyoming's petroleum and coal businesses as well. President George H. W. Bush nominated Cheney for the office of Secretary of Defense immediately after the U.S. Senate failed to confirm John Tower for that position. The senate confirmed Cheney by a vote of 92 to 0 and he served in that office from March 1989 to January 1993. He directed

10504-455: Was to be powered by two General Electric F412-D5F2 turbofan engines, each producing about 13,000 pounds-force (58  kN ) of thrust. It was designed to carry precision guided weapons internally, up to two AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, two AGM-88 HARM air-to-ground missiles and a complement of air-to-ground ordnance, including unguided or precision-guided bombs, could be carried in an internal weapons bay. It has been claimed that

10608-830: Was to create a safe corridor through the Iraqi air defense system. The attack was a huge success and cleared the way for the beginning of the Allied bombing campaign of Operation Desert Storm . One concern involving the Apache arose when a unit of these helicopters was very slow to deploy during U.S. military involvement in Kosovo. According to the Army Times , the Army is shifting its doctrine to favor ground-attack aircraft over attack helicopters for deep strike attack missions because ground-attack helicopters have proved to be highly vulnerable to small-arms fire;

10712-563: Was to develop and field a replacement for the A-6 Intruder by 1994. Stealth technology developed for the United States Air Force would be used heavily in the program. Concept design contracts were awarded to the industry teams of McDonnell Douglas / General Dynamics , and Northrop / Grumman / Vought in November 1984. The teams were awarded contracts for further concept development in 1986. The General Dynamics/McDonnell Douglas team

10816-452: Was unwelcome for an airplane that needed to operate efficiently and effectively from an aircraft carrier. Technical difficulties with the complexity of the radar system to be used also caused costs to increase; by one estimate the A-12 was to consume up to 70% of the Navy's budget for aircraft. After delays, its critical design review was successfully completed in October 1990 and the maiden flight

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