High level bombing

Prior to the modern age of precision-guided munitions (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.

From the 1940s onward, radar in particular became a powerful new defensive early warning tool, and a serious threat to attacking aircraft when they flew at higher altitudes towards their target.

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.

After initial operations by day suffered heavy losses, the British switched to night-time sorties where the darkness gave some protection against German fighters.

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,[4] both for carpet bombing and for precision attacks on British radar stations as part of Operation Eagle.

USAF high level bombing through clouds over North Vietnam , 14 June 1966. An EB-66 tactical jamming aircraft leads four F-105 fighter-bombers 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 guns . 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. [ 1 ]
The B-17 Flying Fortress , a famous World War II heavy bomber and high level bomber
The Tu-95 Bear , a Soviet Cold War-era strategic bomber and high level bomber