U.S. Declares Air Supremacy Over Iraq

AP ^ | 4/08/03 | ROBERT BURNS

[Pro-Bush]

"Coalition air forces have established air supremacy over the entire country, which means the enemy is incapable of effective interference with coalition air operations," Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, vice director of the Pentagon's Joint Staff, told a news conference.

He did not mention that an Air Force A-10 warplane was shot down near Baghdad on Tuesday. It is believed to be the first allied aircraft other than a helicopter to be downed by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile since the war began March 20. U.S. Central Command officials said the pilot ejected safely, was recovered by allied ground forces and was in good condition.

[Constitution Day]

ALL YOUR SKY ARE BELONG TO US.

[ladtx]

Think we've had air-supremacy since day one.

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[demlosers]

No, its really "Air Dominance."

[Steve_Seattle]

I don't want to sound negative, but another thread says the Iraqi's shot down three Warthogs today, so I think we aren't quite in TOTAL command of the air.

[Cagey]

For great Justice

[denydenydeny]

That's not correct. Two of the A-10s landed at airfields controlled by us. That's not being "shot down."

[Redleg Duke]

Oh, don't go blowing poor ol' Steve's world!

[Steve_Seattle]

"That's not being shot down."

I was expecting that clarification, so maybe I should have said "forced down" or some such thing. But the point is they were shot, so it's incorrect to say that we can operate without interference.

[konaice]

They hit three, shot down one.
The other two returned to base.
-------
Of course they dont mention the F18 that came down, but I think they are now attributing that kill to another patriot
missil accident.

Sources are claiming that the two Patriot shoot downs of planes are because of pilot error, not having their IFF turned on or set correctly. The british tornado was quiered three times before the patriot fired.

[Howlin]

Has even ONE of Saddam's mighty Air Force taken to the skies?

[annyokie]

[Pro-Bush]

Great slide show..Thanks for sharing!

[Pro-Bush]

That is why I posted this story..It is a little oxy-moronish that this article gets released by the AP, the very same day an A-10 get dropped from the sky.

[Steve_Seattle]

I guess it gets down to the general's definition of air superiority as meaning the enemy cannot mount "effective interference" with our operations. "Effective interference" is not the same as "no interference."

[Skooz]

LOL!! Excellent! Thanks for the link.

[Skooz]

"Air Superiority" and "Air Supremacy" are two very different things.

[Steve_Seattle]

I meant "supremacy"; it was a typo.

[exit82]

We should be checking this with Bagdad Bob first, before claiming air supremacy.