DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORMDESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW• Issues and Events• Political Objectives • Military Objectives and Strategy• Military Technology and Technique• The Call-Up• Airpower Opens the War• The Last 100 Hours• Lessons Learned• The Future

• Issues and Events• Political Objectives • Military Objectives and Strategy• Military Technology and Technique• The Call-Up• Airpower Opens the War• The Last 100 Hours• Lessons Learned• The Future

ISSUES AND EVENTSISSUES AND EVENTS• Middle East

– Part of the Ottoman Empire– French build Suez canal, 1859– British gain financial control, 1875– Industrial revolution, 1900, OIL!– Occupied by Britain during WWI– League of Nations mandate

under UK administration, 1920– Independence as a kingdom, ’32

as a "republic“, ‘58– Actuality a series of military

strongmen

• Middle East– Part of the Ottoman Empire– French build Suez canal, 1859– British gain financial control, 1875– Industrial revolution, 1900, OIL!– Occupied by Britain during WWI– League of Nations mandate

under UK administration, 1920– Independence as a kingdom, ’32

as a "republic“, ‘58– Actuality a series of military

strongmen

ISSUES AND EVENTSISSUES AND EVENTS• Saddam Hussein

– Born 1937, near Takrit– Tyrannical stepfather, moved to Baghdad to live with

Uncle, political activist, ‘47– Political ruffian, thug, joins Baath party ~20, willing

gunman on “hit” squads– Baath party; ’63-’64, ’68; Chief of Security

(assassinations)– Military college honorary degree, ’70– Saladin, drove Crusaders from Jerusalem, 1187

(Kurd)– Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, conquered

Jerusalem, 507B.C.– Purges party and government, ’79– Army important, but political loyalty more important

than military competence– Not religious unless to his advantage

• Saddam Hussein– Born 1937, near Takrit– Tyrannical stepfather, moved to Baghdad to live with

Uncle, political activist, ‘47– Political ruffian, thug, joins Baath party ~20, willing

gunman on “hit” squads– Baath party; ’63-’64, ’68; Chief of Security

(assassinations)– Military college honorary degree, ’70– Saladin, drove Crusaders from Jerusalem, 1187

(Kurd)– Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, conquered

Jerusalem, 507B.C.– Purges party and government, ’79– Army important, but political loyalty more important

than military competence– Not religious unless to his advantage

ISSUES AND EVENTSISSUES AND EVENTS

• Iran 89% Shiite, Iraq 65% Shiite, Saddam Hussein Sunni• Worldwide: 15% Shiites; 85% Sunnis• Shiites feel persecuted, their history of defeat and frequent subjugation

has also led to a cult of death and martyrdom • However, Sunnis can be very conservative; Saudi Arabia, Al Qaeda, etc.

• Iran 89% Shiite, Iraq 65% Shiite, Saddam Hussein Sunni• Worldwide: 15% Shiites; 85% Sunnis• Shiites feel persecuted, their history of defeat and frequent subjugation

has also led to a cult of death and martyrdom • However, Sunnis can be very conservative; Saudi Arabia, Al Qaeda, etc.

Iran-Iraq War

• The Iran-Iraq War– Iraq buys USSR weapons, 70s and 80s– French fighters– Invades Iran 1980, 8-year war of attrition, hundreds of thousands of

casualties– U.S. actually sees Iraq more favorable than Iran– Both sides target cities with Scud missiles (terror)– Uses poison gas at least twice– Disastrous defeat, ’86, but Iran too exhausted to take advantage– Fortunate to exit this stage as well as they did

• Never demonstrated strategy• Failed to concentrate or coordinate use of forces• Amateurishly unrealistic in expectations

– Rebuilds army, attacks in ’88 push Iran back to ~original borders, truce

ISSUES AND EVENTSISSUES AND EVENTS• The Iran-Iraq War

– Fighting lasts 5 months, Iraq wins every battle, restores border– Renewed confidence– World’s 4th largest army; 6th largest air force, ’90– Military budget $721 per Iraqi per year; average income, $1950– Stockpiled poison gas and delivery systems– Technology to build nuclear weapons– 1,200 Scud missiles– Believes he can unite Arabs by conquering some Arab states then

“persuading” the others to join a Pan-Arab union, with him as leader– U.S. and others, including Arab neighbors, concerned

• The Iran-Iraq War– Fighting lasts 5 months, Iraq wins every battle, restores border– Renewed confidence– World’s 4th largest army; 6th largest air force, ’90– Military budget $721 per Iraqi per year; average income, $1950– Stockpiled poison gas and delivery systems– Technology to build nuclear weapons– 1,200 Scud missiles– Believes he can unite Arabs by conquering some Arab states then

“persuading” the others to join a Pan-Arab union, with him as leader– U.S. and others, including Arab neighbors, concerned

ISSUES AND EVENTSISSUES AND EVENTS• Warnings Ignored

– Most significant defense issue in U.S. was reduction of armed forces and allocate the “peace dividend”

– Israel attacks Iraqi nuclear development site, ’81– U.S. declares region vital to national interests, but didn’t maintain large

military presence in area– Central Command established 1983

• $1B fuel, ammunition, and equipment in Oman, prepositioned ships• Dozens of airfields/installations, Saudi Arabia

– Iraq positions forces for attack on Kuwait– U.S. couldn’t move forces into region, diplomatic– Saudi Arabia, real worry, no match for military either– Iraq + Kuwait + Saudi Arabia = > ½ world’s oil– Rapid deployment of U.S. airpower to Saudi Arabia– Kuwait would give Iraq seaports– Needed Kuwait wealth for payment on $40M debt

• Warnings Ignored– Most significant defense issue in U.S. was reduction of armed forces and

allocate the “peace dividend”– Israel attacks Iraqi nuclear development site, ’81– U.S. declares region vital to national interests, but didn’t maintain large

military presence in area– Central Command established 1983

• $1B fuel, ammunition, and equipment in Oman, prepositioned ships• Dozens of airfields/installations, Saudi Arabia

– Iraq positions forces for attack on Kuwait– U.S. couldn’t move forces into region, diplomatic– Saudi Arabia, real worry, no match for military either– Iraq + Kuwait + Saudi Arabia = > ½ world’s oil– Rapid deployment of U.S. airpower to Saudi Arabia– Kuwait would give Iraq seaports– Needed Kuwait wealth for payment on $40M debt

ISSUES AND EVENTSISSUES AND EVENTS• The “Internal Look” Rehearsal, 17 July ‘90

– Computer based command post exercise– CIA reports 10,000 troops, 300 tanks on Kuwait border– Iraq assures Saudi Arabia and Egypt that they will not attack Kuwait

• Iraq Invades Kuwait, 2 Aug ’90– Kuwait army overwhelmed– Royal family barely escapes– Iraq redeploys army against Saudi Arabia– Saudi ground forces <70,000– U.N. passes resolution condemning attack– U.S. and USSR jointly call for withdrawal from Kuwait– Carriers move toward Middle East– Could not send Air Force without invite from King

• The “Internal Look” Rehearsal, 17 July ‘90– Computer based command post exercise– CIA reports 10,000 troops, 300 tanks on Kuwait border– Iraq assures Saudi Arabia and Egypt that they will not attack Kuwait

• Iraq Invades Kuwait, 2 Aug ’90– Kuwait army overwhelmed– Royal family barely escapes– Iraq redeploys army against Saudi Arabia– Saudi ground forces <70,000– U.N. passes resolution condemning attack– U.S. and USSR jointly call for withdrawal from Kuwait– Carriers move toward Middle East– Could not send Air Force without invite from King

ISSUES AND EVENTSISSUES AND EVENTS• Iraq Invades Kuwait, 3 Aug ’90

– CENTCOM finishes air campaign plan to stop Iraq andeventually drive them from Kuwait

– Operation Desert Shield proposed to Saudi Arabia• 250,000 troops• 500 aircraft• Carriers and support ships• Largest deployment since

Vietnam

– King Fahd agrees• No war without King’s

permission• Withdrawal of all forces

when over

– Begins 5 month build-upof U.S. forces inSaudi Arabia

• Iraq Invades Kuwait, 3 Aug ’90– CENTCOM finishes air campaign plan to stop Iraq and

eventually drive them from Kuwait

– Operation Desert Shield proposed to Saudi Arabia• 250,000 troops• 500 aircraft• Carriers and support ships• Largest deployment since

Vietnam

– King Fahd agrees• No war without King’s

permission• Withdrawal of all forces

when over

– Begins 5 month build-upof U.S. forces inSaudi Arabia

POLITICAL OBJECTIVESPOLITICAL OBJECTIVES• The Commitment

– Secure the immediate, unconditional, and complete withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait

– Restoring the legitimate government of Kuwait– Assuring the security and stability of the region– Protecting American lives

– Military objectives and means were permitted to match the clarity of the political objectives, REMOVAL OF SADDAM NOT INCLUDED

• The Execution– Modern technology delivered to region

• Precision guided munitions• Intelligence collection• Communications• Space assets

– Complemented by almost unbroken string of incorrect decisions by Iraqis

• The Commitment– Secure the immediate, unconditional, and complete withdrawal of Iraqi

forces from Kuwait– Restoring the legitimate government of Kuwait– Assuring the security and stability of the region– Protecting American lives

– Military objectives and means were permitted to match the clarity of the political objectives, REMOVAL OF SADDAM NOT INCLUDED

• The Execution– Modern technology delivered to region

• Precision guided munitions• Intelligence collection• Communications• Space assets

– Complemented by almost unbroken string of incorrect decisions by Iraqis

MILITARY OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY

MILITARY OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY

• Objectives– Air campaign to paralyze the government/military– Strategic targets; military command and control, production/delivery

systems for WMD

• Technology– Stealth– Night-fighting capability– Missile defense– Satellites

• Imagery

• Missile warning

• Weather

• GPS

• Communications

• Objectives– Air campaign to paralyze the government/military– Strategic targets; military command and control, production/delivery

systems for WMD

• Technology– Stealth– Night-fighting capability– Missile defense– Satellites

• Imagery

• Missile warning

• Weather

• GPS

• Communications

THE CALL-UPTHE CALL-UP• Building Up

– F-15s, AWACS, 82nd Airborne Div elements; 8 Aug– 5 fighter squadrons in less than 1 week– 82nd and 24th Mechanized Infantry Div by fast sealift– Egyptian and Moroccan troops, 11 Aug– Etc., Etc., Etc.

• Interesting facts– 6,000 volunteers on active duty augmenting Military Airlift Command– 6% of forces were women

• Helicopter, reconnaissance and refueling pilots

• Truck drivers and mechanics

• Commanded units up to brigade/group

• 2 captured by Iraq

– Civil Reserve Air Fleet activated; 18 airliners; 20 cargo planes with crews, 24x7

• Building Up– F-15s, AWACS, 82nd Airborne Div elements; 8 Aug– 5 fighter squadrons in less than 1 week– 82nd and 24th Mechanized Infantry Div by fast sealift– Egyptian and Moroccan troops, 11 Aug– Etc., Etc., Etc.

• Interesting facts– 6,000 volunteers on active duty augmenting Military Airlift Command– 6% of forces were women

• Helicopter, reconnaissance and refueling pilots

• Truck drivers and mechanics

• Commanded units up to brigade/group

• 2 captured by Iraq

– Civil Reserve Air Fleet activated; 18 airliners; 20 cargo planes with crews, 24x7

THE CALL-UPTHE CALL-UP• Efforts Continue to Build a Coalition

– 38 nations; 8 Arab

• The Forces Square Off– Iraq has 160,000 troops and 1,000 tanks in Kuwait, 16 Aug– Iraq detains British and Americans in Iraq as human shields– Iraq increases forces in Kuwait to 430,000

• Full mobilization = 1M men, 75% between 18 and 24

– U.S. forces increase to ~240,000 in Nov; 500,000 by Jan– Spring weather (rain), religious holidays in March = Jan start– Iraqi combat engineers lay minefields, mound berms, dig trenches and build

underground bunkers– Iraq has 150,000 troops in Kuwait, 900,000 overall

• 3,000 artillery, multiple rocket launchers• 750 fighter, bomber and armed trainer aircraft/200 support aircraft• 16,000 SAMs, 7,000 anti-aircraft guns, 1,200 scuds

– Iraq announces Kuwait as 19th province– Bush ultimatum for 15 Jan; 17 Jan attack begins

• Efforts Continue to Build a Coalition– 38 nations; 8 Arab

• The Forces Square Off– Iraq has 160,000 troops and 1,000 tanks in Kuwait, 16 Aug– Iraq detains British and Americans in Iraq as human shields– Iraq increases forces in Kuwait to 430,000

• Full mobilization = 1M men, 75% between 18 and 24

– U.S. forces increase to ~240,000 in Nov; 500,000 by Jan– Spring weather (rain), religious holidays in March = Jan start– Iraqi combat engineers lay minefields, mound berms, dig trenches and build

underground bunkers– Iraq has 150,000 troops in Kuwait, 900,000 overall

• 3,000 artillery, multiple rocket launchers• 750 fighter, bomber and armed trainer aircraft/200 support aircraft• 16,000 SAMs, 7,000 anti-aircraft guns, 1,200 scuds

– Iraq announces Kuwait as 19th province– Bush ultimatum for 15 Jan; 17 Jan attack begins

AIRPOWER OPENS THE WARAIRPOWER OPENS THE WAR• H-hour

– 3 AM in Baghdad• F-117s, B-52s(ALCMs), TLAMs

• AWACs, E-2Cs, RC-135s (electronic collections), drones, U-2s, TR-1s

– The Opening Attack • Western Iraqi air defenses (radar sites, control vans, scud sites, command

posts)

– The Main Attack• communications, electric production, airfields, naval facilities, coastal

defenses, military installations, troop concentrations, chemical/ biological/nuclear production and storage sites, SAMs, AAA

• 400 strike aircraft, 250 support aircraft, 116 cruise missiles

• H-hour– 3 AM in Baghdad

• F-117s, B-52s(ALCMs), TLAMs

• AWACs, E-2Cs, RC-135s (electronic collections), drones, U-2s, TR-1s

– The Opening Attack • Western Iraqi air defenses (radar sites, control vans, scud sites, command

posts)

– The Main Attack• communications, electric production, airfields, naval facilities, coastal

defenses, military installations, troop concentrations, chemical/ biological/nuclear production and storage sites, SAMs, AAA

• 400 strike aircraft, 250 support aircraft, 116 cruise missiles

THE LAST 100 HOURSTHE LAST 100 HOURS• Beginning of the End

– 6-week air offensive– Communications and supply lines cut– ½ of armor destroyed– ½ of troops along border killed– Minefields, barbed wire, trenches w/ oil eliminated– Poorest troops in front so Allies could expend momentum killing them

• Worked; but not as Iraq hoped; took troops, equipment and supplies to care for thousands of surrendering Iraqis

• Successful Deception– 6 divisions guarded Kuwait coast– 200,000 troops, 65,000 vehicles,

fuel, ammunition, spare parts, foodmoved west

• Beginning of the End– 6-week air offensive– Communications and supply lines cut– ½ of armor destroyed– ½ of troops along border killed– Minefields, barbed wire, trenches w/ oil eliminated– Poorest troops in front so Allies could expend momentum killing them

• Worked; but not as Iraq hoped; took troops, equipment and supplies to care for thousands of surrendering Iraqis

• Successful Deception– 6 divisions guarded Kuwait coast– 200,000 troops, 65,000 vehicles,

fuel, ammunition, spare parts, foodmoved west

THE LAST 100 HOURSTHE LAST 100 HOURS• The Ground Battle begins

– Air/artillery/helicopter strikes– 1st Marines breach first 2 lines– JFC-E seizes initial objectives– Naval ships, USS Wisconsin– Weather, wind blows northwest

pushing smoke from oil fires– Densest minefields/obstacles– Iraqi artillery ineffective– U.S counterbattery fire highly

effective– JFC-N difficulty crossing barriers, especially fire trenches– 1st Cav feint into Kuwait, forcing 4 Iraqi divisions attention to South– 101st leapfrogs into Iraq, 80 miles, prep for Euphrates to cut off retreat– 24th Mech Inf Div drives for Hwy 8, then right towards Basrah– Etc., etc., etc.– Chemical attacks would have complicated attack…stockpiles of chemical

weapons were found, but not used– 8,000 prisoners

• The Ground Battle begins– Air/artillery/helicopter strikes– 1st Marines breach first 2 lines– JFC-E seizes initial objectives– Naval ships, USS Wisconsin– Weather, wind blows northwest

pushing smoke from oil fires– Densest minefields/obstacles– Iraqi artillery ineffective– U.S counterbattery fire highly

effective– JFC-N difficulty crossing barriers, especially fire trenches– 1st Cav feint into Kuwait, forcing 4 Iraqi divisions attention to South– 101st leapfrogs into Iraq, 80 miles, prep for Euphrates to cut off retreat– 24th Mech Inf Div drives for Hwy 8, then right towards Basrah– Etc., etc., etc.– Chemical attacks would have complicated attack…stockpiles of chemical

weapons were found, but not used– 8,000 prisoners

THE LAST 100 HOURSTHE LAST 100 HOURS• Day Two of the Ground Battle

– 101st Air Assault Div blocks Hwy 8– Marines push towards Kuwait City– Navy decoys along coast

• The Rout– Iraq falls back into Kuwait City– Commandeer any vehicle available

• Loaded with stolen goods• TVs, Refrigerators, Clothes, Jewelry• Each vehicle tracked on J-Stars radar• F-15Es with targeting pods stop convoy

– Target front and back of column

• U.S. Losses Coalition Losses– 148 battlefield deaths 99 battlefield deaths– 145 non-battlefield deaths– 467 wounded 434 wounded

• Day Two of the Ground Battle– 101st Air Assault Div blocks Hwy 8– Marines push towards Kuwait City– Navy decoys along coast

• The Rout– Iraq falls back into Kuwait City– Commandeer any vehicle available

• Loaded with stolen goods• TVs, Refrigerators, Clothes, Jewelry• Each vehicle tracked on J-Stars radar• F-15Es with targeting pods stop convoy

– Target front and back of column

• U.S. Losses Coalition Losses– 148 battlefield deaths 99 battlefield deaths– 145 non-battlefield deaths– 467 wounded 434 wounded

THE LAST 100 HOURSTHE LAST 100 HOURS• The End and the Aftermath

– 517 oil wellhead fires burning in Kuwait– Hussein wanted war of attrition, but got technology war– Largest tank battle since 1943 on 27 Feb– One of last Scud missiles fired hit billeting facility in Dhahran

• 28 dead, 100 wounded

• Lessons Learned– Iraq was ideal location for war

• Good weather, flat terrain, no jungle• Iraq had central source of supply with 1 railroad and only a few good roads• 5 months to build forces in area• Saudi Arabia supplied concrete, food, water, and transportation• It probably won’t be this perfect again any time soon

• The End and the Aftermath– 517 oil wellhead fires burning in Kuwait– Hussein wanted war of attrition, but got technology war– Largest tank battle since 1943 on 27 Feb– One of last Scud missiles fired hit billeting facility in Dhahran

• 28 dead, 100 wounded

• Lessons Learned– Iraq was ideal location for war

• Good weather, flat terrain, no jungle• Iraq had central source of supply with 1 railroad and only a few good roads• 5 months to build forces in area• Saudi Arabia supplied concrete, food, water, and transportation• It probably won’t be this perfect again any time soon

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

• Issues and Events• Political Objectives • Military Objectives and Strategy• Military Technology and Technique• The Call-Up• Airpower Opens the War• The Last 100 Hours

• Issues and Events• Political Objectives • Military Objectives and Strategy• Military Technology and Technique• The Call-Up• Airpower Opens the War• The Last 100 Hours