1. Airpower in the Post Cold War

2. Overview I Gulf War Background The Enemy The Plan of Attack
Objectives
Concept of Operations
Five Strategic Rings
Targets
Phases of the Campaign
Operations PROVIDE COMFORT/NORTHERN WATCH
The Conflict and Lessons Learned

3. Overview II Operation SOUTHERN WATCH History of the Balkans
The Conflict and Lessons Learned
History of the Balkans
Background
Ethnic Groups
Operation DENY FLIGHT

4. Overview III Operation ALLIED FORCE Evolution of Airpower Background
NATO Actions
Operation ALLIED FORCE Begins
Lessons learned by US Military
Political Lessons Learned
Impact of Lessons Learned on Future DOD Budget
Evolution of Airpower

5. Gulf War Background Conflict began 2 August 1990
Iraq and Kuwait could not settle grievances over oil
Saddam Hussein sent armies to invade Kuwait

6. US Objectives
Immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of all Iraqi forces from Kuwait
Restoration of Kuwait’s legitimate government
Security and stability of Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf
Protection of American citizens abroad

7. Operation DESERT SHIELD
CENTCOM CINC—Army Gen H. Norman Schwarzkopf
CENTAF Lt Gen Charles A. Horner
Became JFACC during the war
In first 5 days:
Five fighter squadrons, contingent of AWACS, and part of 82d Airborne Division
Equaled Iraqi force in first 35 days
Air Reserves/Air National Guard called to active duty

8. DESERT STORM Begins
16 Jan—An 11th-hour appeal for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait drew silence
17 Jan—Operation DESERT STORM began as allied forces answered Iraq’s silence
Within 10 days, air sorties reached the 10,000 mark

9. Iraqi Threat 4th largest armed force in world
Well over 1 million troops
750 combat and 200 support aircraft
Nuclear, biological, and chemical capabilities
SCUD Missiles

10. Air Defense Threat
Iraq’s air defense system thought to be the best outside of the Soviet Union
United States was probably the only nation in the world with the airpower to “disintegrate” an integrated system of this type

11. Leadership Focus

12. Objectives Isolate and incapacitate Iraqi command structure
Win air superiority
Destroy nuclear, biological, and chemical capabilities
Eliminate Iraqi offensive military capability
Eject Iraqi Army from Kuwait

13. Concept Of Operations
Powerful and focused air attacks on strategic centers of gravity over a short period of time
Target Hussein Regime, not Iraqi people
Minimize civilian casualties and collateral damage
Minimize Coalition losses
Pit US and Coalition strengths against Iraqi weaknesses

14. Instant Thunder
Developed by Colonel John Warden and his Checkmate staff in Washington
Named in direct response to Vietnam’s unsuccessful Rolling Thunder campaign
Based on a unique five-ring model of the modern nation-state

15. The Five Strategic Rings

16. Target Systems Target Systems.
1. National Leadership--again, the most important strategic target.
a. This category targeted the civil/military command structure, internal control mechanisms, and communication systems.
b. We did not target specific individuals!
2. Key Production/Organic Essentials--major industries that support the command structure and military forces.
Electricity
Oil industry
Munitions/military production
And especially nuclear, biological, and chemical industries.
3. National Infrastructure--key interdiction targets that support transportation system--most lucrative transportation targets, generally railroad and highway bridges.
4. National Population--nontargeted; the purpose was to influence leadership, not destroy population.
a. Army psychological operations (psyops) units in the Kuwait Theater directed psyops against deployed Iraqi forces--leaflets encouraging surrender, etc.
b. No strategic psyops against the Iraqi population were attempted.
5. Fielded Military forces--major military forces that shield other four strategic rings.
Iraqi air defenses and air force.
SCUD missiles.
And ground forces (especially Republican Guard).
TRANSITION
We now understand what we were up against, and our strategy to defeat them now, let’s look at how we were going to fight the war.

17. Leadership Focus

18. 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

19. And in the end…
On 27 Feb 1991, the Iraqi military was scattered and defeated
Iraq lost 90 aircraft to coalition forces
122 Iraqi aircraft fled to Iran
Stealth provided the needed edge
The Persian Gulf War officially ended on 11 Apr 1991

20. Leadership Focus

21. Post-Desert Storm Video

22. The Crisis in Iraq—ONW
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 1991 as a humanitarian relief effort to deliver food, clothing, and supplies to Iraq’s Kurdish refugees
C-130s began airdropping supplies on 7 Apr 1991
Lasted approximately 8 years and was then replaced by Operation NORTHERN WATCH

23. 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

24. The Crisis in Iraq—OSW
OSW was a Combined Task Force enforcing the “no-fly zone” below the 32nd parallel (extended to 33rd in 1996) in southern Iraq
Not an aggression against Iraq—executed as a self-defense measure
Coalition partners included the US, UK, France, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait
Fire from more than 850 Iraqi SAMs and AAAs directed at coalition aircraft
Iraq violated the no-fly zone more than times
More than 150,000 USAF sorties by 1998

25. “What we’ve effectively done since 1992 is conduct an air occupation of a country…”
General Ronald R. Fogleman Jul 1995

26. 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

27. Leadership Focus

28. The Balkans: A Brief History
After World War II, monarchy abolished; Communist Party leader Tito proclaimed the country the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, with himself as prime Minister
Eliminating opposition, the Tito gov’t executed Mihajlovic in 1946 Tito died in 1980, and the fragility of the federation he ruled quickly became apparent

29. Three Ethnic Groups In Conflict
Serbs—Dominant in Yugoslavia's politics and army, orthodox Christianity makes them natural allies of Russia
Croats—Roman Catholics, closer to the West than Serbs and exposed to Western Influences
Muslims—Living mainly in ethnically mixed towns and cities in Bosnia-Herzegovina

31. Operation DENY FLIGHT
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 1994, 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

32. Operation DENY FLIGHT 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 UN Forces and personnel, and nongovernment officials
Unrestricted use of Sarajevo airport

33. Operation DENY FLIGHT NATO missions of Operation DENY FLIGHT
To conduct aerial monitoring and enforce compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 816
To provide close air support for 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

34. Operation DENY FLIGHT
Operation DENY FLIGHT lasted from 12 Apr 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.

35. The Crisis in Bosnia: Lessons Learned
Lack of doctrine
Tactical air and space power problems
Bases weren’t large enough to accept the contingency surges
Coalition/Joint problems
Technological problems

36. KOSOVO

37. Kosovo Crisis
Kosovo lies in southern Serbia and has a mixed population, the majority of which are ethnic Albanians (Muslims)
Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic altered the status of the region, removing its autonomy and bringing it under the direct control of Belgrade, the Serbian capital
The Kosovar Albanians strenuously opposed the move

38. United States & NATO Interests at Stake
Serb aggression threatened peace throughout the Balkans and the stability of NATO’s SE region
Belgrade’s repression in Kosovo created a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions
President Milosevic’s conduct directly challenged the credibility of NATO

39. NATO Action
After the failure of repeated international diplomatic efforts since the spring of 1998 to peacefully resolve the conflict in Kosovo
North Atlantic Council decided on 23 March 1999 to authorize NATO air strikes
Aimed at strategic targets in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to end the repression of Kosovar Albanians by the Yugoslav government

40. NATO’s Objectives
A stop to all military action and the immediate ending of violence and repression
The withdrawal from Kosovo of the military, police, and paramilitary forces
The stationing in Kosovo of an international military presence

41. NATO’s Objectives (cont’d)
The unconditional and safe return of all refugees and displaced persons
Establish political framework agreement for Kosovo in conformity with international law

42. Significance of Air Power in Allied Force
B-2s make combat debut
30 hour flight
JDAM technology enables all weather bombing
F-117s used in majority of strike packages
Lost F-117 and recovered pilot

43. Significance of Air Power in Allied Force
UAVs:
Provided target information
Conducted battle damage assessment
Monitored refugees
ISR synchronized combat operations

44. NATO’s Strategic Objectives
Demonstrate the seriousness of their opposition to Belgrade’s aggression in the Balkans
Deter Milosevic’s attacks on helpless civilians, and reverse ethnic cleansing
Damage Serbia’s capacity to wage war against Kosovo

45. Military Objective
“Degrade and damage the military and security structure President Milosevic has used to depopulate and destroy the Albanian majority in Kosovo.” William Cohen, SECDEF 15 April 1999

46. Lessons Learned on Kosovo War Objectives
US Grand Strategy
Maintain a peaceful, prosperous US-led Europe
Convince NATO to transition from old Cold War common defense against external threats to new Continental security coalition
Persuade NATO to acquire means and will to conduct out of area military ops
European Strategy
Maintain a peaceful, prosperous, and independent Europe
Prevent spillover into Albania and Macedonia, then to Greece and Turkey
Maintain NATO relationship with Russia and give it a role in helping end the crisis
Demonstrate European unity
Kosovo War Aims
Stop the Serbian slaughter and expulsion of ethnic Albanians
Remove Milosevic from power
Accomplish the above with minimal collateral damage and NATO casualties
Common Effort Concealed Widely Differing Objectives

47. Lessons Learned by US Military
United States air refuelers were stretched thin during operation
Force structure numbers and resources were inadequate for current level of commitments (all services); support and training as important to victory as strike
Older platforms with smart weapons may be seen as good enough; smart weapons may be better than smart platforms
Need the right force structure for the future
C4ISR is currently the weakest link in joint and coalition ops
On the brink of another “hollow force”

48. Political Lessons Learned by Europeans
Militarily, Europe remains dependent on Americans
Best technology, weapons, and platforms “Made in USA.”
Politicians unwilling to pay the cost of matching unique US capabilities
United States cannot always be counted on to serve the Alliance’s interests
US focus shifted with opinion polls
Fear US commitment could falter if US forces take heavy casualties

49. More Political Lessons Learned by Europeans
European Union can provide diplomatic muscle (Martti Ahtisaari saves the day); many foreign policy interests are similar among EU Nations
Threat of rising Islamic fundamentalism
Humanitarian (ethnic cleansing)
Need to build external identity
Europe can overcome internal diversity to maintain cohesion
German Luftwaffe conducted first combat missions since 1945
Greece provided logistical support despite popular opposition
Italy and France (which have Communist ministers) offered air bases

50. Impact of Kosovo Lessons Learned on Future DOD Budget Trends
No DOD/Allied spending surge like post-Desert Storm
International defense market continues to shrink
Readiness and retention will increasingly consume $$$$ for modernization
Inevitable tax cut legislation will further erode DOD budgets
Services must eventually deal with the bow wave
Old platforms with smart weapons were good enough
Congress may balk at big bills for new platforms (JSF, F-22, CVX, DD-21)
Support forces will need big $$$$ too
“We have to make a trade between smart weapons and platforms...We need to encourage the services to concentrate more on smart weapons.”
Jacques Gansler
Former Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition,
Technology, and Logistics

51. Evolution of Airpower
What were significant airpower achievements and changes during this period?
Who were some of the key leaders?
What doctrinal changes occurred during this period?

52. Air Power during the 1990s Key People Gen McPeak Lt. Gen Horner
Col Warden
Key Weapons
Precision Guided Munitions
Stealth Technology
UAVs and Space Technology
Key Doctrinal Focus
Precision Engagement
Air Superiority
Building Partnerships

53. Summary I Gulf War Background The Enemy The Plan of Attack
Objectives
Concept of Operations
Five Strategic Rings
Targets
Phases of the Campaign
Operations PROVIDE COMFORT/NORTHERN WATCH
The Conflict and Lessons Learned

54. Summary II Operation SOUTHERN WATCH History of the Balkans
The Conflict and Lessons Learned
History of the Balkans
Background
Ethnic Groups

55. Summary III Operation DENY FLIGHT Operation ALLIED FORCE
The Conflict and Lessons Learned
Operation ALLIED FORCE
Background
NATO Actions
Operation ALLIED FORCE Begins
Lessons learned by US Military
Political Lessons Learned
Impact of Lessons Learned on Future DOD Budget
Evolution of Airpower