[2022] Are ground battles really ground battles?

Doubt.

War Thunder is game, where on battlefield there are mix of vehicle types. If you want to limit battlefield to one type of vehicle, you will need to find few other players like you and create a custom battle on your own rules.

No one force you to fly. Every nation got Anti Aircraft vehicles. You can use them to shot down enemy CAS.

And for future, as Catweazle said, please use already create thread to discuss CAS in WT.