Abstract: The air intake for air-breathing engines for supersonic flight velocities, especially ram jet engines and ram rocket engines of missiles, with an essentially rectangular intake contour, has a closing flap covering the said intake contour and an actuating mechanism. The closing flap has a one-piece design and is adapted to the intake contour such that it completely covers the air intake in its closed position, so that all peripheral scarved front edges are covered and thereby protected against erosion as well as against the penetration of foreign bodies.