The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first operational jetpowered bomber, built by the German Arado company in the closing stages of World War II. Produced in very limited numbers, it was used almost entirely in the reconnaissance role, but in its few uses as a bomber it proved to be nearly impossible to intercept. It was the last Luftwaffe aircraft to fly over England during the war, in April 1945.[1]

The Ar 234 was commonly known as Blitz ("lightning"), although this name refers only to the B2 bomber variant,[citation needed] and it is not clear whether it derived from the informal term BlitzBomber (roughly, "very fast bomber") or was ever formally applied.[citation needed] The alternate name Hecht ("pike") is derived from one of the units equipped with this aircraft, Sonderkommando Hecht.