Mission-oriented aircraft orders don't really work for me as well as flight-profile ones.

NOE flight is for landing/retrieving troops in an air cavalry role. It's hard to stop with interceptors, but ground-based fire is effective. AA is mixed - the limited opportunity to gain a lock-on makes it less effective.

CAS takes place at a moderate altitude and fairly low speeds - allowing maximum loiter and effective targeting of ground units, but leaving the mission vulnerable to AA fire and interceptors (although being in the right place at the right time is difficult for interceptors). Ground fire other than dedicated AA is not effective.

Area bombing and air superiority missions take place at high altitudes and fairly high speeds, so aircraft are only vulnerable to other aircraft. This is where interceptors come into their own. Ground AA is minimally effective if at all.

I see interception taking place before fire missions, so CAS and bombers need to pass the gauntlet. But air superiority is before that, so escort fighters are a thing.

AIR COMBAT PHASE

Aircraft on Air Superiority Orders enter combat. They must attack enemy Air Superiority units within weapon range before other units.

Surviving units on Bombing orders attack.

AA Fire and surviving interceptors not yet activated may attack enemy units on CAS or Air Cav orders. Attacks on Air Cav targets have -1 DM.

CAS units resolve attacks.

Ground Fire against Air Cav is resolved.

Air Cav missions completed.