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The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops. The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Ghosts The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Vanguard The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Mobile
For another Killstreak, see Airstrike.

The Strafe Run is an Assault Strike Chain featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, a support in one mission in Call of Duty: Black Ops, a Scorestreak in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Mobile, and a Killstreak in Call of Duty: Vanguard. It was cut from Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Call of Duty: Black Ops[]

The Strafe Run is used in the form of a UH-1 "Huey", in the 6th campaign level of Black Ops, "The Defector". It is used to support the SOG in the streets, taking down the opposing NVA. Unlike Modern Warfare 3, it is only used in one mission in the entire game, but it can be used countless times during a certain part of the level.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3[]

The Strafe Run is a nine pointstreak in the Assault Strike Chain. Once obtained, this reward allows the player to call in five AH-64 Apaches on a designated area of the map. The helicopters will sweep over that area of the map twice over a period of 60 seconds from opposite sides before exiting.

Advantages[]

The Strafe Run can be used to devastate enemy forces during objective games and on maps that lack cover. The combined firepower of five helicopters means that few opponents will withstand such aerial hellfire; and the choppers cover the map two times, from opposite sides, thus enemies lacking Blind Eye will be affected. Players with said perk will get killed as well if they cluster together to teammates without it.

Limitations[]

The Strafe Run can be targeted easily by SAM Turrets; they do not possess any flares, and players can destroy each helicopter with a single rocket from a launcher. The Javelin and Stinger can even take multiple helicopters down at once. Each helicopter destroyed adds a point towards a Strike Chain, therefore up to five points can be earned. As a tip, use the Stinger on one of the two helicopters next to the middle one to take out three at once on on side, then use the other missile to finish the last two together.

Furthermore, the Strafe Run will only target enemies in front of it; if line of sight is blocked by an obstacle, they will pass over without firing upon the player.

The best way to take out a Strafe Run is by detonating an EMP.

Gallery[]

Call of Duty: Ghosts[]

Throwing Knife menu icon MW3
The subject matter of this article was cut from the final version of a Call of Duty game. Since some information can lack context, the content on this page may not be accurate and is subject to change.
"Strafe Run available."
— Cut audio files.

The Strafe Run was cut from Call of Duty: Ghosts. Audio files can be found in the game for it and other streaks.[1]

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War[]

"Twin strafing planes attack with heavy machine gun fire and air-to-air rockets."
— In-game description

The Strafe Run returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War as a Scorestreak. It was added as part of the Season Three update.

Acting in a similar fashion to the Warthog and Thresher from Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 respectively. The Strafe Run first requires players to set a location and trajectory for the planes to attack before TAACOM sends in a flight of two Su-25 that will strafe across the trajectory indicated to them with their automatic cannons while firing air-to-air missiles at any airborne Scorestreaks. The planes then take four seconds to turn before they can preform another strafe. This is repeated until the 4th run, where they fly off after. Players who call the streak should be cautious when venturing outside of buildings when it's active since they can be killed by it.

The aircraft cannot be shot down with launchers, they can be locked on but player-launched missiles are not fast enough to hit them. The Air Patrol can shoot both Frogfoots.

Gallery[]

Call of Duty: Vanguard[]

"Calls in air support to strafe across a marked target area."
— In-game description

Strafe Run returns in Call of Duty: Vanguard as a Killstreak under the name Strafing Run.

It functions similarly to the Precision Airstrike from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare; the player is equipped with a pair of binoculars which are used to mark a target. After a few seconds, an aircraft will quickly strafe that target's location.

Call of Duty: Mobile[]

"Calls in aerial support to strafe across a marked area with air-to-air firepower."
— In-game description

The Strafe Run returns in Call of Duty: Mobile as a Scorestreak. It was added in August 2024 as part of the Season 7: Eternal Ghost update.

Trivia[]

  • Shooting one helicopter will usually result in the helicopters adjacent to them being destroyed as well, allowing one to get multiple pointstreaks at once.
  • All teams use the AH-64 Apache for the Strafe Run.
  • The strafe run initially featured three helicopters but this was increased to five during development as three was found to be underpowered. The icon still displays three helicopters.
  • When a Strafe Run helicopter is destroyed, it will have the parts of the MH-6 Little Bird's wreckage despite it being a different helicopter model.
  • The Strafe Run Apaches use the cut model from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (evident by lack of shark teeth and lessened texture quality), instead of the Apache model used in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

References[]

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