Definition

Noun: - Firing at enemy aircraft: The act or instance of firing weapons, typically from the ground or from ships, specifically intended to engage, damage, or destroy hostile aircraft.

Usage

This term is a military term used to describe defensive artillery fire directed against attacking aircraft. It is typically used in historical, military, or news contexts.

Examples

• The city's defenses responded with intense antiaircraft fire against the incoming bombers.
• During the battle, the ship's antiaircraft fire successfully drove off the enemy fighters.
• The pilot navigated through a barrage of antiaircraft fire to complete the mission.

Advanced Usage

• "to draw antiaircraft fire": To intentionally attract or provoke defensive fire from enemy ground forces.
  • The reconnaissance plane flew low to draw antiaircraft fire and reveal the enemy's positions.
• "heavy/light antiaircraft fire": Descriptors indicating the intensity or volume of the defensive fire.
  • The squadron encountered only light antiaircraft fire over the target.

Variants and Related Words

• Antiaircraft (Adjective): Used to describe weapons or systems designed for defense against aircraft.
  • The battalion moved the antiaircraft guns to a new position.
• Flak (Noun): Informal synonym for antiaircraft fire, or the bursting shells from such fire.
  • The plane took some flak over the target zone.
• AA fire (Noun): A common abbreviation for "antiaircraft fire."
  • Reports indicated heavy AA fire from the coastal batteries.

Synonyms

• Antiaircraft artillery fire: A more formal, specific term.
• Flak: As noted above, a common informal synonym.
• Ack-ack: An older, informal term originating from World War I and II signal terminology.

Related Phrases

• "under antiaircraft fire": The state of being targeted by such defensive weapons.
  • The transport planes came under antiaircraft fire as they approached the drop zone.
• "to suppress antiaircraft fire": To use counter-fire or tactics to neutralize enemy air defenses.
  • The first wave of fighters was tasked with suppressing the enemy's antiaircraft fire.

Noun

1. firing at enemy aircraft