Post-Cold War USAF Operations

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Post-Cold WarUSAF Operations
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Overview

• Background / Lessons Learned
• Operations Provide Comfort / Northern Watch
• Operation Southern Watch
• Operations Provide Relief / Restore Hope
• Operation Deny Flight

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The Crisis in Iraq

• UN Security Council established a no-fly zone
  over northern Iraq to protect the Kurdish people
  from attacks by Saddam Hussein
• Operation Provide Comfort began on 5 Apr 91 as a
  humanitarian relief effort to deliver food,
  clothing, and supplies to Iraqs Kurdish refugees
• C-130s began airdropping supplies on 7 Apr 91
• Lasted approximately eight years and was then
  replaced by Operation Northern Watch

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The Crisis in IraqLessons Learned - ONW

• The need to avoid Fratricide
• The limitations of airdrops
• Host-country tensions
• The need for alternate bases
• Lack of an exit strategy

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The Crisis in Iraq

• Operation Southern Watch (OSW) is a Combined Task
  Force enforcing the no-fly zone below the 33th
  parallel in southern Iraq
• Not an aggression against Iraq executed as a
  self-defense measure
• Coalition partners include the US, UK, France,
  Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait
• More than 850 Iraqi SAM and AAA fire directed at
  coalition aircraft
• Iraq has violated the no-fly zone more than 160
  times
• More than 150,000 USAF sorties by 1998

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What weve effectively done since 1992 is
conduct an air occupation of a country

• Gen Fogleman, Jul 1995

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The Crisis in IraqLessons Learned - OSW

• Became a test for USAF AEF concept in Oct 1995
• Quality of life changes needed due to high
  Ops-Tempo
• Reorganized Security Forces

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The Crisis in Somalia

• In-mid 1992, drought and civil war devastated
  Somalia
• Food supplies became a weapon of war
• Operation Provide Relief began on 22 Aug 1992 by
  the US to deliver food to Somali refugees
• Military and civilian aircraft used
• Over 2,000 sorties, carrying 48,162 metric tons
  of food

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The Crisis in Somalia

• Although a humanitarian effort
• 44 American soldiers lost their lives
• 175 were injured or wounded
• Danger of failure due to warlord interference
• Operation Restore Hope
• Coalition peacekeeping operation from 9 Dec 92
  4 May 93
• First test of Rapid Global Mobility from the
  CONUS
  
  

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The Crisis in SomaliaLessons Learned

• First large scale test of newly formed AMC and
  the Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC)
• Difficulties evolved in the planning,
  coordinating and managing of the operation
• Austere infrastructure of Somalia added to the
  lack of adequate bases for strategic airlift
  aircraft

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The Crisis in Bosnia

• Oct 1992, UN Security Council Resolution 781,
  established a no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
  
• Operation Deny Flight
• Enforced the no-fly zone
• Provided close air support to UN troops
• Conducted approved air strikes under a
  "dual-key" command arrangement with the UN
• 28 Feb 94, NATO aircraft shot down four warplanes
  violating the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina
• This was the first military engagement ever
  undertaken by the Alliance.

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The Crisis in Bosnia

• NATO objectives
• Bosnian Serb compliance to cease attacks on
  Sarajevo and other safe areas
• Withdrawal of Bosnian Serb heavy weapons from the
  total exclusion zone around Sarajevo
• Complete freedom of movement for U.N. Forces and
  personnel, and non-government officials
• Unrestricted use of Sarajevo airport

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The Crisis in Bosnia

• NATO missions of Operation Deny Flight
• To conduct aerial monitoring and enforce
  compliance with UN Security Council Resolution
  816
• To provide close air support to UN troops on the
  ground at the request of, and controlled by, UN
  forces.
• To conduct approved air strikes against
  designated targets threatening the security of
  the UN-declared safe areas.

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The Crisis in Bosnia

• Operation Deny Flight lasted from 12 Apr 1993 to
  20 Dec 1995
• Almost 100,000 sorties flown
• A formal closure ceremony was held in Vicenza,
  Italy on 21 Dec 1995
• Forces associated with Operation Deny Flight were
  then transferred to Operation Decisive Endeavor
  -- as part of the overall NATO operation Joint
  Endeavor.

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The Crisis in BosniaLessons Learned

• Lack of doctrine
• Tactical aerospace power problems
• Bases werent large enough to accept the
  contingency surges
• Coalition/Joint problems
• Technological problems

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Summary

• Iraq
• Operations Provide Comfort / Northern Watch
• Operation Southern Watch
• Somalia
• Operations Provide Relief / Restore Hope
• Bosnia
• Operation Deny Flight

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Dont repeat the past!AIRPOWER!!!!!