(DoD) An aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, the force protected, the critical area of a combat zone, or in an air defense area, for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile aircraft before they reach their targets. Also called CAP. See also airborne alert; barrier combat air patrol; patrol; rescue combat air patrol.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). combat air patrol. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/combat_air_patrol/definitions/1960841 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "combat air patrol" http://smartdefine.org/combat_air_patrol/definitions/1960841 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, combat air patrol, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/combat_air_patrol/definitions/1960841>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "combat air patrol" 4 April 2011. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/combat_air_patrol/definitions/1960841> |