Death From Above (BattleTech)

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In the BattleTech universe, Death From Above is a combat maneuver - usually last-ditch - wherein a BattleMech pilot engages his war machine's jump jets, thrusts the craft to a position above an enemy armoured or mechanised unit, and cuts off the jump jets, thereby visiting from twenty to one hundred tons of metal and fusion reactor on the target. The resulting collision is almost guaranteed to destroy the enemy, especially since the opposing mech's cockpit is usually on top and is likely to be crushed, but the impact also destroys or at least disables the attacking Battlemech. Thus it is generally only used when the attacking pilots Battlemech has had all it's weapons destroyed or is significantly out-gunned.

[edit] General use in war

"Death from above" is also a phrase loosely associated with air support; more specifically the United States Air Force AC-47 Spooky minigun carrier - as well as its successors, the AC-119 Shadow and Stinger minigun/minigun-and-Gatling gun carriers; and the AC-130 Spectre and Spooky chain gun and howitzer/chain gun, autocannon and howitzer carrier.