Post-Cold War USAF Operations

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

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 Iraq’s Kurdish refugees  C-130s began airdropping supplies on 7 Apr 91  Lasted approximately eight years and was then replaced by Operation Northern Watch

The Crisis in Iraq Lessons Learned - ONW  The need to avoid “Fratricide”  The limitations of airdrops  Host-country tensions  The need for alternate bases  Lack of an “exit strategy”

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

“What we’ve effectively done since 1992 is conduct an air occupation of a country…” - Gen Fogleman, Jul 1995

The Crisis in Iraq Lessons 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

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

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

The Crisis in Somalia Lessons 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

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.

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

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.

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.

The Crisis in Bosnia Lessons Learned  Lack of doctrine  Tactical aerospace power problems  Bases weren’t large enough to accept the contingency surges  Coalition/Joint problems  Technological problems

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

Don’t repeat the past! AIRPOWER!!!!!