Aircraft

**Aircraft** allow you to scout, attack and defend without putting any of your ships in danger.

As of game version 1.13 there are two types of aircraft: the turbojet LA-29 and the supersonic T-7. Aside from the differences in price, speed (which also affects their combat/WVR speed) and flight deck use, the heavier T-7 can also carry twice the ordnance of a LA-29 and use some weapons that the former cannot use at all.

Both aircraft can always be equipped with a GSh-37 autocannon with 1000 rounds of ammunition; all other armament needs to be purchased. Just like special ammunition for guns this ordnance is universal and all of your planes have access to it no matter where they are:

* K-13 AAM called "aircraft missile" on the Supplies screen (0/2 per plane)
* S-13 Rocket called "aircraft rocket 122mm" on the Supplies screen (6/12 per plane, the tooltip says 5/10, less than 12 are launched per strafing run)
* FAB-100 called "aircraft bomb 100kg" on the Supplies screen (2/4 per plane, only up to 3 are dropped per bombing run)
* FAB-250 called "aircraft bomb 250kg" on the Supplies screen (1/2 per plane)
* S-250 Rocket 266mm; called "aircraft rocket 340mm" on the Supplies screen (0/2 per plane)

The numbers in brackets indicate how many pieces of the armament are used when you send a single LA-29/T-7 plane on a mission with that armament. For example if you send one LA-29 with FAB-100 bombs it will take and drop two but if you send one T-7 it will take and drop four. Zero indicates that this type of plane cannot use this type of ordnance at all. The T-7 has problems with S-13 rockets and FAB-100 bombs as it carries so many of them that it needs to attack twice to use them all.

You can send as many planes in a single sortie as you have but they will only attack in formations up to 3; if you send more it will give the enemy more time to load their guns. The enemy will (try to) use AA defences against your planes, most notably the R-9 SPRINT if the ship(s) you're attacking come equipped with it. The SPRINT missiles explode in a cone of shrapnel and can potentially take out all three of your planes flying in a formation. Consider baiting out enemy SPRINTs using a cruise missile first or send a single bait plane ahead (if you time your retreat just right you can dodge the SPRINT(s))

Anti-Aircraft Missiles cannot be used against enemy ships, only against other aircraft and missiles. Targets on the ground (i.e. garrisons) and large targets that cannot dodge (i.e. cruisers in Strike Groups) are best dealt with using bombs. Corvettes/Frigates already in the air are best dealt with using rockets since they will almost always dodge the bombs. The T-9 is also much more effective against them because its speed gives them less time to react.

The planes will always prioritize ships carrying missiles first then they will simply attack the leftmost ship, but will ignore Prize Ships if possible. The plane can attack from either left or right side which is randomly decided every time it performs a strike; because of this, and because sometimes it's tactically advantageous to only attack from one side, if you don't like the current direction you can instantly order a retreat and then immediately order the plane to attack again until it uses the vector you want.

The aircraft can also be used defensively against enemy tactical/cruise/theatre missiles or other aircraft. Needless to say the Aircraft Missiles greatly increase your chance of success but you can also try it with the autocannon in a pinch - especially with the T-7 which can keep attacking the slower Kh-15 missiles and LA-29s over and over. You can also launch aircraft during regular/WVR combat (by pressing X) if your carrier is caught by enemy craft in which case they will fly around and try to strafe enemy ships with their GSh-37 to little effect. They may however draw enemy fire for long enough to allow the carrier to escape.

Finally the aircraft can be used simply for scouting as they're much faster and fuel efficient than ships and still have the same 100km base visual detection range. If you send the aircraft into the desert they will enter a holding pattern after arriving, circling around. Once planes come back from a mission they need to refuel which always takes 10 hours no matter the distance travelled. They cannot be used for anything during that time. If you abort a mission mid-flight you get the armaments back. Once planes reach bingo fuel +100km they'll automatically turn back and start returning to the carrier although you can manually override that order.

### Practical notes about aircraft loadouts

If you're attacking targets on the ground or slow targets like cruisers in the air use bombs as they offer the biggest bang for your buck. If you're using T-7s, give them 250kg bombs and send them in one by one - two 250kg bombs is plenty and this way you'll avoid overkills. If you're using LA-29s send them in pairs with 100kg bombs as they're too weak individually.

If you're attacking nimble airborne targets then your best bet is T-7s with 122mm rockets. Not only does the T-7 approach the target faster giving it less time to dodge, the inherent spread of rockets also works in your favour (more likely some of them hit) as does the fact that T-7 needs two approaches to fire all of its ordnance - after the first strafing run the AI ship will usually overheat its engines dodging and will be a sitting duck for the second one.

As of game version 1.16, enemy ships respond much faster to aircraft strikes and will open fire almost immediately. This has made it more dangerous to attack large strike groups with plenty of 2A37s or Vympels.

### Visual flow chart guide

A set of good practices when a plane is detected. Laid out as a flow chart.