The FReeper Foxhole Revisits Desert Storm - The Air War - Jan. 21st, 2005

http://www.indepthinfo.com/iraq/airwar.shtml ^ | W.J. Rayment

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

Our Mission:

The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

To read previous Foxhole threads or
to add the Foxhole to your sidebar,
click on the books below.

The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

Desert Storm - The Air War

As I report to you, air attacks are under way against military targets in Iraq...

As is usual in modern war, the first objective of the allied force in Saudi Arabia was to gain air superiority. Air superiority gives a military force the ability to indiscriminately attack enemy targets, disrupt enemy lines of supply, to conduct reconaisance, and, of course denies the enemy the ability to do all of these things himself.

The air campaign against Iraq was launched 16 January 1991, the day after the United Nations deadline for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait expired. Saddam was given every opportunity to conclude the stand off peacefully, but US/Iraqi talks in Geneva were inconclusive, at best.



The magnitude and the power of the air attack was a shock to all concerned. The initial attack swept away much of Iraq's ability to defend against further air assaults. Radar installations were attacked by helicopters, F-117's were sent to the Iraqi capital of Baghdad to destroy command and control centers, air bases and hangars were bombed. U.S. Navy bombers and Tomahawk missiles wreaked havoc on all aspects of Iraqi air defense. The air campaign was conducted not just by the United States, but the Saudi, British, French, Italian, as well as various Arab Air Forces.

The Allied air campaign was thorough and devastating. Realizing that traditional anti-air defense was futile the Iraqis took to psychological methods that included using human hostages as shields for prime targets. They placed their aircraft near ancient historic sites and holy places, knowing the allies would be reticent to attack where there might be significant "collateral damage".

In an effort to demonstrate their own air offensive capability, on 24 January the Iraqis attempted to mount a strike against the major Saudi oil refinery in Abqaiq. Two Mirage F-1 fighters laden with incendiary bombs and two MiG-23's (along as fighter cover) took off from bases in Iraq. They were spotted by US AWACs, and two Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s were sent to intercept. When the Saudis appeared the Iraqi MiGs turned tail, but the Mirages pressed on. Captain Iyad Al-Shamrani, one of the Saudi pilots maneuvered his jet behind the Mirages and shot down both aircraft. After this episode, the Iraqis made no more air efforts of their own, only sending most of their jets to Iran in hopes that they might someday get their air force back. (Iran never returned the jets.)



With Iraqi air defense effectively neutralized, the Allied Air Forces proceeded to pound the Iraqi divisions arrayed in Kuwait and Southern Iraq. Utilizing fuel bombs, cluster bombs, armor piercing guided bombs, missiles and various other ordinance, Allied forces degraded Iraqi ability to fight on the ground. Attacks by B-52 bombers were noted to be especially terrible; entire regiments, brigades and divisions were effectively crushed in a few minute air raid by these powerful though dated bombers.

By late February the Coalition forces were ready to kick off the ground campaign...

---

---

FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[SAMWolf]

Morning Radu.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Aeronaut.

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C.

The temps have been great here, lower 60's upper 50's. Rain came back yesterday afternoon though.

[SAMWolf]

Morning GailA

[SAMWolf]

Morning Mayor.

Sometimes it's the seemlingly insignificant things that can turn a life around.

[Aeronaut]

Hi Sam. Hey, I'm in Minnesota -- today we are scheduled to get our first snowfall of the season that will exceed 1". I'm liking that global warming...

[SAMWolf]

Hey Johnny!

I remember the start too. CNN was the only news available to listen to at that time for us.

I'll keep you in my prayers.

We're starting out slow. Planning our Grand Opening

[SAMWolf]

Morning PE.

Friday already? Where'd the week go?

[Professional Engineer]

Time flies when you're having fun, right?

BTW, when is your Grand Opening?

[SAMWolf]

Hi Feather!

[SAMWolf]

1824 Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson Lieutenant-General 2nd Corps (ANV, Confederacy)

[SAMWolf]

Morning SZonian.

Thanks for your service and for sharing your experience with us.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Matt.

The EU just hates us because they know we're Number 1 and they're a bumch of has beens.

[SAMWolf]

[Colonel_Flagg]

Good morning, Foxhole! Falling in for my Friday required reading. :)

Snowy and cold here today, as usual. 6-10 inches of (more) snow expected. Spring can come any time!

[SAMWolf]

You haven't had a snowfall over an inch yet?!?!?!

We're doomed!! Global warming!

[Colonel_Flagg]

Where in Minnesota can you possibly be? My part will have had about two feet in the last ten days after today.

[SAMWolf]

Either the end of Feb or the beginning of March. Heven't got it quite nailed down yet.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Colonel. Send some of that snow to Minnisota. They're short this year. ;-)