air cover

American  

noun

1. the use of aircraft to protect ground or naval military operations.

2. the protection given by such aircraft.

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air cover British  

noun

1. Also called: air support. 

   1. the use of aircraft to provide aerial protection for ground forces against enemy air attack

   2. the aircraft used in this

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Example Sentences

Kharg Island, just 16 miles from the mainland, would require robust air defenses, likely including interceptor-equipped destroyers or sustained air cover.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Smaller vessels such as destroyers and frigates would be best suited for the mission, which could also involve air cover from helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, or both.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

“It feels like what they are saying may simply be air cover as they are trying to get this deal through regulation,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 7, 2026

And 12,000 aircraft were ready to pound the Nazi defenses and provide air cover for the landings.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 5, 2024

The revised plan called for a quieter landing, at night without air cover, at a rural spot on the southern coast called Bahía de Cochinos.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin