Eli5 why do military planes fly in a formation

Question

Does it have specific tactical advantages or is it just cool?

Edit to add: what about specific types of formations, like a Flying V vs a Diamond vs whatever else they can do?

In: 797

Answer 1

It has several purposes: it keeps planes in a known location relative to others, it enhances pilot skill, it allows wingmen to cover their follows and see damage and it helps confuse enemy radar by potentially appearing as a single target. It also facilitates hand signals for communication.