Ukrainian troops have dramatically downed a Russian fighter jet over eastern Ukraine as an oil depot was set ablaze by a drone strike more than 100 miles away in Russia.
The Soviet-designed Su-25, nicknamed “Frogfoot” by Nato, was downed over Kramatorsk, Donetsk, as it fired on Ukrainian troops.
What would be your preferred terminology?
“Close air support aircraft” is a bit awkward.
Jet warplane is correct and broad enough to be accurate. Light bomber is still closer if they want to be specific.
Calling it a fighter is what made the Russian lies about the airliner they shot down sound plausible.
For players of strategy games, CAS suffices. No idea if militaries do it differently. Saying you’re going to an automatic teller machine would be awkward to say as well.
Journalism is only rarely directed at strategy game players though. CAS is not a common abbreviation for the public like ATM is.
“Attacker” is also used commonly for CAS aircraft and is very brief. Fighter, attacker, bomber.
In supreme commander it’s Air Superiority Fighter, ASF. Acronyms are a plague if you intend any non specialist to understand anything though.