The Persian Gulf War

1
The Persian Gulf War
Operation Desert Storm
2
Overview

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

3
Background
4
US 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

5
Operation Desert Shield

• CENTCOM CINC - Army Gen H. Norman Schwarzkopf
• CENTAF 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

6
Iraqi Threat

• - 4th largest armed force in WORLD
• - Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
• - Scud Missiles

7
Air Defense Threat

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

8
The Plan of Attack
9
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

10
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 US and Coalition strengths against Iraqi
• weaknesses

11
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

12
The Five Strategic Rings

• Fielded Military Forces
• National Population
• National Infrastructure
• Key Production/Organic Essentials
• National Leadership

13
Target Systems
14
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

15
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 to need edge!
• The Persian Gulf War officially ended on 11 Apr
  91

16
Beyond the Wild BlueVideo
17
Summary

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