Transcript Advent of the Air Age: World War I

Airpower Through
The Post Cold War
(Part 1)
1
Overview
 Background to the Conflict
• Iraqi threats
 The Plan of Attack
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Concept of Operations
Five Strategic Rings
Targets
Campaign Overview
2
Gulf War Background
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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
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Immediate, complete, and
unconditional withdrawal of all Iraqi
forces from Kuwait
Restoration of Kuwait’s 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
5
DESERT STORM Begins
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15 Jan, an 11th hour appeal for Iraqi
withdrawal from Kuwait drew silence
16 Jan, Operation DESERT STORM began
as allied forces answered Iraq’s silence
Within 10 days air sorties reached the
10,000 mark
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Iraqi Threat
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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
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Iraq’s air defense system thought to
the best outside of the Soviet Union
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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
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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
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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 Vietnam’s
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
Leadership
Key Production Infrastructure
Population
Hussein Regime
Electricity
Railroads
Strat Psyops Destroy Strat
Oil
Bridges
Incapacitate Telecommunications
- Civil
- Military
- only internal
distrution and
storage not
production
export capability
Internal Control Nuclear
organ
Biological
- Hurt
Chemical
Research Facility
Fielded
Force
Air Defense
- Iraqis
- Foreign
workers
Destroy Strat
Offense
- Bombers
- Missiles
Tac Psyops
- Soldiers in
Kuwiat
Republican
Guard
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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
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Background to the Conflict
Iraqi threats
Air Defense Threat
The Plan of Attack
Concept of Operations
Five Strategic Rings
Targets
Campaign Overview
16
To Be Continued
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