Thunder and Lightning: Desert Storm and the Airpower Debates, Volume 2
Abstract
At 0200 local time on the morning of 17 January 1991, airmen from all military services and 10 nations became the "thunder and lightning" of Operation Desert Storm, the multinational military offensive sanctioned by the United Nations to liberate Kuwait from the domination of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. What occurred over the next several hours, days, and weeks is a classic in the decisive application of aerospace power. Literally in minutes, the coalition delivered a knockout blow to Iraqi air defenses and paved the way for thousands of air sorties to pummel Iraqi leadership, their command and control capabilities, essential services, infrastructure, and military forces. After only 28 days, the Iraqi army in Kuwait and eastern Iraq was so demoralized, disorganized, and degraded that coalition surface operations envisioned to require weeks took only days. Yet, while the people of Iraq suffered seriously from degraded services and infrastructure, they remained nearly exempt from direct physical attack. Precise applications of force almost eliminated collateral damage. Such dramatic performance demands much attention. Desert Storm has spawned and will continue to spawn numerous histories, anthologies, and analyses. Few, however, will be as focused and useful to airmen as "Thunder and Lightning: Desert Storm and the Airpower Debates." A small team of military analysts, working at Air University's College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research, and Education (CADRE), under the initial oversight of Lt. General Chuck Boyd and later Lt. General Jay Kelley, spent over three years piecing together the conceptual development of the Desert Storm air campaign. Their interest was not specifically historical; rather, their motivation stemmed from the inherent curiosity of airmen who aspire to understand their profession. (3 figures, 18 photographs)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA421939
Entities
People
- Edward C. Mann Iii
Organizations
- Air University Press