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Part 2 - Allied Invasion of Kuwait January 1991: The Air Raid
Two Iraqi tanks lie abandoned near Kuwait City on February 26, 1991
HMForces.co.uk
August 06, 2010
Iraq’s refusal to comply with the UN Security Council’s resolutions meant that the UN was obliged to use force when economic sanctions failed.
The United States-led coalition launched a massive military assault on Iraqi forces stationed in Kuwait 17th January 1991. This war was an early test for new PM John Major whom had taken over premiership from Margaret Thatcher the previous year.
The coalition assembled consisted of forces from 34 countries including Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. Naturally the U.S and U.K committed more resources than any other country and were the natural two main partners. The code name for coalition’s operations was ‘Operation Desert Storm’.
Military personnel examine tail section of scud missile shot down by Patriot Missile
The Gulf War began with an intense aerial bombing campaign. The coalition flew over 100,000 sorties, dropping more than 80,000 tons of bombs, destroying military and civilian infrastructure aiding the Iraqi military. These attacks were launched from Saudi Arabia and the Coalition aircraft carrier battle groups (CVBG) in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. The CVBG consisted of the U.S Navy, the Royal Navy, and French Navy.
Other coalition targets were command and communication facilities. The third phase of the air campaign targeted military compounds: Scud missile launchers, weapons research facilities, and naval forces. British special forces teams had been covertly inserted into western Iraq in the search and destruction of Scuds. One of which was the infamously compromised Bravo Two Zero section.
The captured RAF Pilot John Peters
Iraqi anti-aircraft defenses were unsurprisingly ineffective. It’s reported that the coalition suffered only 75 aircraft losses in a 100,000 sorties, 44 of which were the result of Iraqi action. One of the craft shot down was flown by the RAF Navigator John Nichol who is now a radio and television broadcaster. On his first ultra-low level daylight mission 17th January , his Panavia Tornado ZD791 was fatally hit by a SAM SA-14, and he and pilot John Peters were captured. Both were tortured in the Abu Ghraib prison and shown, bruised, on Iraqi television. They were eventually released.
It was during this period that Iraq launched Scud missile attacks against Israel in an attempt to draw it into the conflict. Iraq hoped that with Israel joining the coalition Arab states would leave it and join in a pan-arab coalition against ‘western agression’. Israel however was persuaded not to join in the conflict.
The Allied forces dominated the Air over Kuwait with their superior technology by 24th January.
The Gulf War – The Invasion of Kuwait 1990
Part 3 – Allied Invasion of Kuwait January 1991: The Ground Assault
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