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.


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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...

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[SAMWolf]

Minnisota = Minnesota

Darn keyboard!!

[Aeronaut]

Where in Minnesota can you possibly be?

Metro area (St. Paul)

[SAMWolf]

We're over-regulated here too. there is such an alphabet soup of government agencies I'm surprised we can get anything done sometimes.

[SZonian]

Ship one aka Scorpion 1. Beautiful shot!

[Soaring Feather]

Hi Sam.

Oh, is it cold here. -7 and it is not gonna change today.

[SAMWolf]

We had a fog this morning but now it's sunny and warm. :-)

[Colonel_Flagg]

Figures. You southerners get all the breaks :)

[Aeronaut]

Figures. You southerners get all the breaks :)

So, are you a ranger?

[Professional Engineer]

I was glued to the TV when not on duty during this period. My kid sister was already over there with the Pukin Chickens, and I was on mobility status.

VERY COOL watching the whole thing play out in or near realtime.

[Professional Engineer]

Hi miss Feather

[SAMWolf]

I was fascinated by the reporting of the of the inbeds during operation Iraqi Freedom. Stayed up all kind of wierd hours.

[Professional Engineer]

Hiya Sam.

[Professional Engineer]

Stayed up all kind of wierd hours.

I didn't sleep much the first two days. Too much cool stuff on TV.

[Diver Dave]

Great presentation today.
Remember, like others, watching CNN hours on end listening to those guests of Saddam (or sad-am like Bush Sr called him) describing the bombings.
I remember Peter Ahrnet (sp?) stating to a collegue that he was the senior man on sight and he was reminding John Holland how important he (Peter) was. Holland died a few years later in a traffic accident I believe.
Nonetheless, Holland was a class act and Ahrnet is still a dirtbag.

[SAMWolf]

The images of the Triple A going off over Baghdad is one thing that really sticks in my mind.

[Grzegorz 246]

[snippy_about_it]

I thought we might hear from you today. :-)

Thanks for serving and sharing with us. Sounds like you did an outstanding job!

[snippy_about_it]

Good to hear from you Johnny. Sorry to hear no job or house sale yet. :-(

The business is going slow but we are confident it will pick up soon. You know we jumped in because of some of the same problems you are having and we just decided to do something about it ourselves. You should still think about it. Working somehow for yourself, it's long hours but their all yours!

[SAMWolf]

Col. Al Whitley and the 37th TFW Nighthawks executing the first strike on Baghdad in the early morning of January 16th, 1991 during operation Desert Storm