Gulf War air campaign

Gulf War air campaign
US Air Force · Public domain · source
Name	Gulf War air campaign
Partof	Gulf War
Date	17 January 1991 – 23 February 1991
Place	Iraq, Kuwait, Persian Gulf
Result	Coalition air supremacy; degradation of Iraqi Armed Forces infrastructure and command-and-control
Combatant1	United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, French Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Force, Italian Air Force, Royal Netherlands Air Force, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps
Combatant2	Iraqi Air Force
Commander1	H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Charles A. Horner, John P. Jumper
Commander2	Saddam Hussein, Noor al-Din Mahmud

Gulf War air campaign

The Gulf War air campaign was the initial and principal aerial offensive conducted by a multinational coalition against Iraq following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Over a six-week period beginning 17 January 1991, coalition air forces sought to establish air superiority, destroy Iraqi integrated air defenses, and interdict command, control, and logistical networks to compel Iraqi withdrawal. The campaign combined strategic bombing, tactical interdiction, suppression of enemy air defenses, and airborne reconnaissance using a diverse mix of aircraft and precision-guided munitions.

Background

In the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent international response embodied in United Nations Security Council Resolution 660 and United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, the coalition prepared a large-scale air campaign to precede any potential ground offensive. Political and military planning involved leaders such as George H. W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, François Mitterrand, and King Fahd aligning with commanders including H. Norman Schwarzkopf and Charles A. Horner. Intelligence collection used assets from National Reconnaissance Office, Defense Intelligence Agency, and national intelligence services to map Iraqi military dispositions, while logistics planning coordinated bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus.

Planning and objectives

Coalition planners formulated objectives to achieve air superiority, incapacitate Iraqi Armed Forces air defenses, and degrade strategic infrastructure supporting Republican Guard formations. Operational aims included the destruction of Iraqi Command and Control, oil export facilities used to finance operations, and Scud missile launchers that threatened coalition partners such as Israel and Saudi Arabia. The campaign architecture drew on doctrines from AirLand Battle, lessons from Vietnam War, and recent advances exemplified by concepts from John Warden (U.S. Air Force officer) and the Air Force Doctrine Document. Rules of engagement incorporated guidance from political leaders and legal frameworks including United Nations Charter mandates.

Phases of the air campaign

The campaign unfolded in distinct phases: an initial air superiority and SEAD (suppression of enemy air defenses) phase; a strategic interdiction phase targeting infrastructure; a deep strike phase against rear-area logistics and leadership nodes; and close air support and battlefield interdiction in support of the eventual ground offensive, Operation Desert Storm. Early sorties focused on destroying Iraqi Integrated Air Defense System nodes, SA-2, SA-3, and SA-6 surface-to-air missile batteries, while later missions targeted oil refineries, electrical grids, communication nodes, and armored concentrations associated with the Iraqi Republican Guard. Electronic warfare and psychological operations complemented kinetic bombing in each phase.

Aircraft and weaponry used

Coalition air forces deployed an array of fixed-wing and rotary assets: F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-117 Nighthawk, A-10 Thunderbolt II, F/A-18 Hornet, Tornado IDS, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, EF-111 Raven, E-3 Sentry, KC-135 Stratotanker, B-52 Stratofortress, E-8 Joint STARS, and AH-64 Apache helicopters. Munitions ranged from unguided bombs and cluster munitions to precision-guided munitions such as the GBU-10 Paveway II, AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM, and the radar-evading employment of F-117 Nighthawk stealth technology. Sensors included targeting pods, synthetic aperture radars, and satellite-guided navigation like Global Positioning System, while electronic attack platforms like EA-6B Prowler degraded Iraqi radar and communications.

Key operations and battles

Notable operations included the opening raids on command-and-control complexes in Baghdad and the assault on integrated air defense networks surrounding Baghdad. Targets included Amiriyah shelter sites and military airbases such as Al Kharj and Ali Al Salem Air Base. Coalition efforts to interdict Scud missile launchers and the campaign to prevent Iraqi use of chemical agents led to strikes against suspected chemical weapons facilities near Fallujah and Samarra. The intensive air interdiction preceding Operation Desert Sabre and the interdiction of rear-area supply lines were decisive in blunting Republican Guard counterattacks during battles across southern Iraq and Kuwait.

Effectiveness and impact

The air campaign demonstrated rapid achievement of coalition air superiority and severely degraded Iraqi operational capability, isolating units and disrupting logistics that supported armored formations. Use of precision-guided munitions and stealth platforms highlighted a revolution in airpower effectiveness, shaping later doctrines and influencing procurement in air forces including the United States Air Force and Royal Air Force. The extensive destruction of infrastructure accelerated the collapse of Iraqi front-line coherence, facilitating the swift success of Operation Desert Sabre. The campaign also influenced international debates on humanitarian law and the strategic value of air interdiction in post-Cold War conflicts.

Casualties, damage, and controversies

Coalition losses included aircraft and aircrew from United States Navy, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and other partner nations, while Iraqi military casualties and civilian deaths from bombing and secondary effects were significant and contested. Damage to Kuwaiti and Iraqi infrastructure, including oil facilities in the Rumaila oil field and urban utilities in Basra and Baghdad, had long-term economic and environmental consequences. Controversies involved the accuracy of bombing assessments, treatment of civilian shelters such as the Amiriyah shelter, allegations regarding targeting of non-military sites, and postwar disputes over unexploded ordnance and reconstruction responsibilities involving entities such as UNESCO and United Nations humanitarian agencies.

Category:Air campaigns Category:1991 in Iraq