Airpower Through The Post Cold War (Part 1)

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Airpower Through The Post Cold War(Part 1)
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Overview

• Background to the Conflict
• Iraqi threats
• The Plan of Attack
• Concept of Operations
• Five Strategic Rings
• Targets
• Campaign Overview

3
Gulf War Background

• Conflict began 2 August 1990
• Iraq and Kuwait could not settle grievances over
  oil
• Saddam Hussein sent Armies to invade Kuwait

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U.S. Objectives

• Immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal
  of all Iraqi forces from Kuwait
• Restoration of Kuwaits legitimate government
• Security an stability of Saudi Arabia and the
  Persian Gulf
• Protection of American citizens abroad

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Operation Desert Shield

• CENTCOM CINC - Army Gen H. Norman Schwarzkopf
• CENTAF Lt Gen Charles A. Horner
• Became the JFACC during the war
• In first 5 days
• Five fighter squadrons, contingent of AWACS, and
  part of 82nd Airborne Division
• Equal Iraqi force by first 35 days
• Air Reserves/Air National Guard called to active
  duty

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DESERT STORM Begins

• 15 Jan, an 11th hour appeal for Iraqi withdrawal
  from Kuwait drew silence
• 16 Jan, Operation DESERT STORM began as allied
  forces answered Iraqs silence
• Within 10 days air sorties reached the 10,000 mark

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Iraqi Threat

• 4th largest armed force in WORLD
• Well over 1 million troops
• 750 combat and 200 support aircraft
• Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
• Scud Missiles

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Air Defense Threat

• Iraqs air defense system thought to the best
  outside of the Soviet Union
• U.S. was probably the only nation in the world
  with the airpower to disintegrate an integrated
  system of this type

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Objectives

• Isolate incapacitate Iraqi command
• structure
• Win Air Superiority
• Destroy Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical
• Capability
• Eliminate Iraqi Offensive Military Capability
• Eject Iraqi Army from Kuwait

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Concept Of Operations

• Powerful Focused air attacks on strategic
  centers of gravity over a short period of time
• -- Target Hussein Regime, not Iraqi people
• -- Minimize civilian casualties collateral
  damage --
  Minimize coalition losses
• -- Pit U.S. and Coalition strengths against
  Iraqi weaknesses

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Instant Thunder

• Developed by Colonel John Warden and his
  Checkmate staff in Washington
• Named in direct response to Vietnams
  unsuccessful Rolling Thunder campaign
• Based on a unique five-ring model of the modern
  nation state

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The Five Strategic Rings
Fielded Military Forces National
Population National Infrastructure Key
Production/Organic Essentials National Leadership
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Target Systems
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Campaign Overview

• Four Part Campaign
• Phase I -- Strategic Air Campaign
• Phase II -- Suppression of enemy
• Air Defenses over Kuwait vicinity
• Phase III -- Air Attacks on ground
• forces in Kuwait and vicinity
• Phase IV -- Ground Operations as
• Directed

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And in the End

• On 27 Feb 91, the Iraqi military was scattered
  and defeated
• Iraq lost 90 aircraft to coalition forces
• 122 Iraqi aircraft fled to Iran
• Stealth provided the needed edge!
• The Persian Gulf War officially ended on 11 Apr
  91

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Summary

• Background to the Conflict
• Iraqi threats
• Air Defense Threat
• The Plan of Attack
• Concept of Operations
• Five Strategic Rings
• Targets
• Campaign Overview

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• To Be Continued