Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report. ARC LIGHT June 1967 - December 1968
Abstract
From 1965 through 1968, diversity best characterized the role of B-52 aircraft They had been used as tactical aircraft; in close support of ground troops, as interdiction weapons, a substitute for combat divisions, and as the "means for meeting the enemy immediately upon discovery." These expanded roles of the B-52 occurred concurrently with an increase in the sortie rate to 1,800 per month, and the introduction of the control system called BUGLE NOTE during the KHE SANH operation in 1968 Increased sortie rate and utilization are two of the major themes of this report. Interwoven with these two themes is the never-ending question of effectiveness. This report includes a brief discussion of the attempts to determine effectiveness. Operational security (the lack-of which reduces effectiveness), MSQ (the system used to direct bombing strikes), the M-129E1 ARC LIGHT psychological operations (Psyops) bomb (a means of exploiting ARC LIGHT strikes), and Special ARC LIGHT operating areas (SALOAs) are also discussed. Operations discussed either illustrate varied uses of the B-52, or indicate major changes in ARC LIGHT operations. Examples of the latter are KHE SAHN, which introduced BUGLE NOTE and "Close In" bombing, as well as TURNPIKE, which led to the development of Special ARC LIGHT Operating Areas. In the case of Ban Laboy, B-52s were first used in SEA for massive "pinpoint" bombing, as opposed to traditional area bombing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 15, 1969
- Accession Number
- ADA486971
Entities
People
- James B. Pralle
Organizations
- Pacific Air Forces