Transcript The Maritime Strategy

Sea Power and Maritime Affairs
Lesson 21:The Navy and the Gulf War, 1990-1991
Learning Objectives

List possible causes of the invasion of Kuwait and the U.S.
reactions to it.

Know Iraqi military capabilities prior to the invasion.

Know the elements of the coalition force.

Comprehend the Navy and Marine Corps role in Desert
Shield and Desert Storm.

Comprehend the phases of Desert Storm and the associated
objectives.

Comprehend the contribution of the Navy and Marine
Corps in the air campaign, maritime campaign, and the
ground campaign.
Geography Refresher:
Some of the 2nd/ 6th / 5th Fleet Areas of Interest:
- North Atlantic
- Mediterranean
- Red Sea
- Horn of Africa
- Arabian Sea / Indian Ocean
- Arabian Gulf
LEFT: The Red Sea and
surrounding areas.
BELOW: The areas
surrounding Afghanistan
MAP OF THE ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST
Background
Possible causes of invasion
•
Kuwaiti Island dispute
•
Continued border
disputes
•
Ar-Rumaylah oil field
•
Large war debt from
Iran-Iraq War
Iraqi Military Capabilities: 1990:
Components
•
Republican Guard
•
Army
•
Navy
•
Air and Air Defense Forces (IADS)
•
Popular Army
•
Fourth largest army in the world; over one
million regular troops
Mechanized Pieces
•
5000 main battle tanks
•
5000 armored infantry vehicles
•
3000 artillery pieces > 100 mm
•
SCUD missiles (approximately 400); up to 750
km range. Could reach Israel, Turkey, Syria,
Saudi Arabia, Iran and Jordan.
•
Largest ground forces in the Persian Gulf at the
time of invasion
Saddam
Hussein
Iraqi President
Invasion of Kuwait

Troops massed at the Kuwait border in late July.

U.S. did not expect an invasion, U.S. ambassador received
a promise from Hussein of no attack
2 August 1990, 0100
- 3 Iraqi RGFC divisions
attack across frontier.
- Special Operations
force assaults Kuwait City.
- Amphibious assaults
against Emir’s palace and key
facilities. 1900: Kuwait City was secured by Iraqi troops.
Invasion, Continued…

3 August, Iraqi troops in position near KuwaitiSaudi border.

U.S. military reaction: 0200, 2 August 1990,
Carrier battle groups positioned to Persian Gulf
and Red Sea.

The SECDEF meetings with Saudi Arabia resulted
in an agreement that U.S. would provide forces to
defend Saudi Arabia and leave the Kingdom when
it was done.

Overall concern/fear: Iraq would continue
aggression and take over all of the Saudi
Peninsula; thereby, controlling forty percent of the
oil resources in the world.
Coalition

United Nations coalition forces:
– UN Resolutions passed requiring Iraqi withdrawal.

Unopposed by Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China.
– President George Bush builds coalition with diplomacy.

Clears war mandate through Congress
– Includes NATO and Arab allies as well as Syria
– August 6 Trade Embargos


Yemen and Sudan
Israel
Coalition Continued…

Nearly 50 countries
– 38 countries with land, sea, air forces





$54 billion/ $61 estimated
U.S., U.K., France, Canada sent Navy
Italy, Spain, Germany, Bahrain, Saudi, Turkey: provided bases
Gulf Co-op Council: Saudi, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman,
Kuwait provided access and logistics
Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria
committed noncombatant military units and humanitarian
assistance.
U.S. and Australian Forces work side by side
Coalition Continued…

Egypt- Despite its traditional Islamic,
political, and religious ties, regarded the
attack as a breach of faith and provided
troops.
 Jordan and Iran- Officially neutral, but did
not adhere to economic sanctions
 Israel- Maintained a low profile at the
U.S.’s request and intense political
negotiations.
Iraqi Occupation

Republican Guard units withdrawn to
border, replaced by popular and regular
 Atrocities
– Geneva Convention?

Westerners
– Freed in December

Released millions of gallons of oil
– Set fire to Kuwait oil fields
George Bush
U.S. President
Gulf War
General Colin Powell
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General
Norman
Schwarzkopf
Commander in Chief
U.S. Central Command
Gulf War
Operation: Desert Shield
Operation Desert Shield
(Defense of Saudi Arabia)
U.S. National Policy Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Withdrawal from Kuwait
Restoration of Kuwait’s legitimate government
Security and stability of Saudi Arabia and the Persian
Gulf
Safety and protection of the lives of American
citizens abroad
Repayment of war reparations
Destruction of weapons
Naval Role in Desert Shield







Initial deterrent to invasion of Saudi Arabia.
Maritime Intercept Operations (MIO)
– United Nations-approved blockade of trade with Iraq.
Sealift - Maritime Pre-positioning Ships (MPS)
– 95% of all equipment moved into theater by the sea.
Air strikes against Iraqi forces achieved air supremacy.
Ready Reserve Fleet ships Six carrier battle groups
(CVBGs) and two battleship battle groups (BBBGs).
Marine forces
SEAL Teams
Operation DESERT STORM
“The Mother of all battles has begun.”Saddam Hussein

Four-phased campaign
– Phase 1- Strategic Air campaign
– Phase 2- Air supremacy in theater
– Phase 3-Battlefield Preparation
– Phase 4- Offensive ground campaign
Objectives of the Four Phases
Objectives
Phase I
Strategic
Air
Phase II
Air
Supremacy
Leadership
X
Air
Supremacy
Cut Supply
Lines
NBC
Capability
Destroy Rep.
Guards
Liberate
Kuwait City
X
X
X
X
Phase III
Battlefield
Prep
X
X
X
X
X
Phase IV
Ground
X
X
X
Air Campaign

Commenced 17 Jan 1991
– Naval
 Tomahawk (52)
 Three carriers
 Air superiority in the first hours of war
Maritime Campaign

Phase 1 and 2
– Participate in air and establish sea control

Phase 3
– Attack ground forces w/ Aircraft and naval
Gunfire

Phase 4
– All of the above and amphibious feints, demos,
prepare assaults
ASUW

143 Iraqi naval vessels destroyed/damaged
 All Iraqi ports/bases damaged
 All northern Persian Gulf oil platforms
secured
 No attacks by Iraqi surface on coalition
Countermine

U.S. assets include MCM-1, 2 MSO ships, 6
MH-53E

Two ships hit: U.S.S. Tripoli and U.S.S
Princeton
Naval Gunfire Support
NGFS

Battleships Wisconsin and Missouri
– 16-inch guns to support ground

UAV
– Real time battle assessment
Amphibious Warfare

ATF conducted 5 operations:
– Raided Umm Al- Maradim off Kuwait
– Against Faylaka Island
– Against Ash Shuaybah port Facility
– Against Bubiyan Island
– Landing of 5th MEB in Saudi Arabia

Resulted in Iraqi focus on their western flank.
Ground Campaign

24-28 Feb -- 100 hour campaign
 Marine Contribution:
– I MEF committed two Infantry divisions
– Naval Force amphibious assault on Kuwait
Coast
– I MEF took 8000 prisoners 20 miles into
Kuwait by the end of day 1.
– Kuwait airport by 27 Feb
“Highway of Death”
Conclusions

Estimated Iraqi losses
– 100,000 soldier dead, wounded and captured, 3847
tanks, 1450 armored personnel carriers, 2917 artillery
pieces and 32 aircraft
– 86,000 est. prisoners

U.S.
– 313 combatant and non combatant

Coalition
– First since WWII- fastest victory ever

Importance of power projection from the sea
A Cold War?

Gulf War fought with Cold War equipment
using Cold War tactics.

Air Attacks on pre-planned targets.

Targeting reminiscent of Cold War strategic
bombing plans.

Not Network-Centric
Toward Network-Centrism

National Sensor Exploitation

Development of FAC (A) Doctrine

Strategic Judgment: Air power was
effective, but not so effective that ground
forces could be neglected
Learning Objectives

List possible causes of the invasion of Kuwait and the U.S.
reactions to it.

Know Iraqi military capabilities prior to the invasion.

Know the elements of the coalition force.

Comprehend the Navy and Marine Corps role in Desert
Shield and Desert Storm.

Comprehend the phases of Desert Storm and the associated
objectives.

Comprehend the contribution of the Navy and Marine
Corps in the air campaign, maritime campaign, and the
ground campaign.
Discussion
Next time: Global Responsibilities after the Cold War,
1991-2001