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((Short description|1991 bombardment of Iraqi troops occupying Kuwait))
((Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Gulf War air campaign
| partof            = the [[Gulf War]]
| image             = USAF F-16A F-15C F-15E Desert Storm edit2.jpg
| image_size        = 300px
| caption           = USAF F-16A, F-15C & F-15E aircraft fly over burning oil fields in Kuwait
| date              = 17 January 1991&nbsp;– 23 February 1991
| place             = [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]] and [[Kuwait]]
| result            = Coalition victory
* Coalition gain air superiority within one week
* Launch of the ground offensive
| combatant1        = ((flag|United States))<br />((flag|United Kingdom))<br />((flag|Saudi Arabia))<br />((flag|Canada))<br />((flag|France|1974))<br />((flag|Italy))
| combatant2        = ((Flagcountry|Ba'athist Iraq))
| commander1        = ((flagdeco|US)) [[Chuck Horner]]<br />((flagdeco|US)) [[Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr|Norman Schwarzkopf]]<br />((flagdeco|US)) [[Colin Powell]]<br />((flagdeco|United Kingdom)) [[Andrew Wilson (RAF officer)|Andrew Wilson]]<br />((flagdeco|United Kingdom)) [[Bill Wratten]]<br />((flagdeco|Saudi Arabia)) [[Khalid bin Sultan]]<br />((flagdeco|Saudi Arabia)) [[Saleh Al-Muhaya]]
| commander2        = ((flagdeco|Iraq|1991)) [[Saddam Hussein]]<br />((flagdeco|Iraq|1991)) [[Ali Hassan al-Majid]]
| strength1         = Over 2,780 fixed-wing aircraft<ref name="CPGWIVIIIpg221"/>
| strength2         = 1,114 fixed-wing aircraft (550 combat aircraft), numerous air defence systems
| casualties1       = 46 killed or missing<br />8 captured<br />75 aircraft ‒ 52 fixed-wing aircraft and 23 helicopters
| casualties2       = 10,000–12,000 killed<ref>Keany, Thomas; Eliot A. Cohen (1993). ''Gulf War Air Power Survey''. United States Dept. of the Air Force</ref><br />254 aircraft lost on the ground<ref name="afhra.af.mil">https://www.afhra.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Airmen-at-War/Haulman-WhatHappenedIraqiAF.pdf?ver=2016-08-22-131410-023#:~:text=During%20Operation%20DESERT%20STORM%2C%20the,open%2C%20and%20141%20in%20shelters. ((Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022))</ref><br />36 aircraft shot down in air-air combat<br />several air defense systems
| casualties3       = 2,000–3,000 Iraqi civilians killed
| campaignbox       = ((Campaignbox Gulf War))
))

The [[Gulf War]] of 1990–1991 included an air campaign, as the air forces of the [[Coalition of the Gulf War|coalition]] carried out an extensive [[Aerial bombing of cities|aerial bombing]] campaign from 17 January 1991 to 23 February 1991 against [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]]. Spearheaded by the [[United States]], the coalition flew over 100,000 [[sortie]]s, dropping 88,500 tons of bombs,<ref>((Citation | last1 = Allen | last2 = Thomas | first2 = Berry F | last3 = Polmar | first3 = Norman | year = 1991 | title = War in the Gulf | publisher = Turner | page = 147)).</ref> widely destroying military and civilian infrastructure.<ref>((Citation | url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/desert_storm.htm | title = Operation Desert Storm | publisher = Global security)).</ref> The air campaign was commanded by [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] [[Chuck Horner]], who briefly served as Commander-in-Chief—Forward of [[U.S. Central Command]] while general [[Norman Schwarzkopf]] was still in the [[United States]]. The British air commanders were Air Vice-Marshal [[Andrew Wilson (RAF officer)|Andrew Wilson]] (to 17 November 1990) and Air Vice-Marshal [[Bill Wratten]] (from 17 November).<ref>((London Gazette | issue = 52589 |date=28 June 1991 |page=46 |supp=y ))</ref> The air campaign had largely finished by 23 February 1991 when the [[Liberation of Kuwait campaign|coalition invasion of Kuwait]] took place.

The initial strikes were carried out by [[Tomahawk (missile)|Tomahawk]] cruise missiles<ref name = "boyne 359">Boyne (2003), pp. 359, 360</ref> launched from [[U.S. Navy]] warships situated in the [[Persian Gulf]], by [[F-117A Nighthawk]] stealth bombers<ref name = "boyne 359"/> with an armament of laser-guided [[smart bomb]]s,<ref name="boyne 359" /> and by [[F-4 Phantom II|F-4G Wild Weasel]] aircraft as well as [[F/A-18 Hornet]] aircraft armed with [[AGM-88 HARM|HARM]] anti-radar missiles.<ref name="gross 226" /> These first attacks allowed [[F-14 Tomcat]], [[F-15 Eagle]], [[F-16 Fighting Falcon]], and F/A-18 Hornet combat aircraft to gain [[air superiority]] over Iraq and then continue to drop [[Television guidance|television-guided]] and [[laser-guided bomb]]s.

Armed with a [[GAU-8]] rotary cannon and [[Thermographic camera|infrared-imaging]] or optically guided [[AGM-65 Maverick|Maverick]] missiles, USAF [[A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10 Thunderbolt II's]] bombed and destroyed Iraqi armored forces,<ref name="boyne 359" /> supporting the advance of U.S. ground troops. [[United States Marine Corps]] close air support [[AV-8B]] Harriers employed their 25mm rotary cannon, Mavericks, [[cluster munition]]s, and [[napalm]] against the Iraqi dug-in forces to pave the way forward for the U.S. Marines breaching Iraqi president [[Saddam Hussein]]'s defenses. The [[U.S. Army]] [[AH-64 Apache]] and [[AH-1 Cobra]] attack helicopters fired laser-guided [[AGM-114 Hellfire|Hellfire]] missiles and [[TOW missile]]s which were guided to tanks by ground observers or by scout helicopters, such as the [[Bell OH-58 Kiowa|OH-58D Kiowa]].<ref name= "gross 235">Gross (2002), p. 235.</ref> The Coalition air fleet also made use of the [[E-3 Sentry|E-3A Airborne Warning and Control Systems]] and of a fleet of [[B-52 Stratofortress]] bombers.<ref name = "boyne 359"/><ref name="gross 226">Gross (2002), pp.&nbsp;226–7</ref>

== Opposing Forces ==

=== Coalition Armed Forces ===
((See also|Organization of United States Air Force Units in the Gulf War|Organization of United States Naval Aviation Units in the Gulf War))

On the eve of Operation Desert Storm, the [[Coalition of the Gulf War]] numbered 2,430 fixed-wing aircraft in the [[Kuwait]]i [[Theater (warfare)#Theater of operations|Theater of Operations]] (KTO), almost three-fourths of which belonged to the [[United States Armed Forces]].  When the ground assault began on 24 February, that number had increased to over 2,780.  Representing a relatively high [[tooth-to-tail ratio]], approximately 60 percent of Coalition aircraft were "shooters" or [[combat aircraft]].<ref name="CPGWIVIIIpg141">''Conduct of the Persian Gulf War: Chapters I through VIII.'' (1992). United States: United States Department of Defense. pg. 141</ref>  The [[United States Air Force]] deployed over 1,300 aircraft during the course of the campaign, followed by the [[United States Navy]] with over 400 aircraft and the [[United States Marine Corps]] with approximately 240.  Collectively, the other Coalition partners accounted for over 600 aircraft.<ref name="CPGWIVIIIpg221">''Conduct of the Persian Gulf War: Chapters I through VIII.'' (1992). United States: United States Department of Defense. pg. 221-222</ref> [[Saudi Arabia]], Kuwait, [[Bahrain]], [[Qatar]], and the [[United Arab Emirates]] all contributed air forces to the campaign, as did the [[United Kingdom]] ([[Operation Granby]]), [[France]] ([[Opération Daguet]]), [[Canada]] ([[Operation Friction]]) and [[Italy]] ([[Operazione Locusta]]). [[South Korea]], [[Argentina]] and [[New Zealand]] provided a small number of transport aircraft, with South Korea, Kuwait, Italy and [[Japan]] also paying for the cost of 200 [[airlift]] flights into Saudi Arabia.  Additionally, [[Germany]], [[Belgium]] and Italy each sent a squadron of fighters as part of their [[NATO]] obligation to protect [[Turkey]], although these aircraft were strictly defensive and did not take part in the campaign against Iraq.<ref>Cohen, E. A., Keaney, T. A. (1993). ''Gulf War Air Power Survey: Summary Report''. United States: Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. pg. 181</ref><ref name=GWAPSv5p42>Cohen, E. A., Keaney, T. A. (1993). ''Gulf War Air Power Survey: A statistical compendium and chronology.'' United States: Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. pg. 42-45</ref>

In terms of quantity and quality, Coalition airpower was superior to its Iraqi counterpart.  This was particularly the case in special capabilities which the Iraqis simply lacked, including [[aerial refueling]], airborne [[command and control]], [[electronic warfare]], [[precision munition]]s and [[stealth aircraft]].  Such capabilities were primarily (if not exclusively) provided for by the United States.<ref>''Gulf War Air Power Survey: Summary Report''. pg. 204</ref>  In space, sixteen [[military communications satellite]]s (fourteen of which belonged to the United States) were supplemented with five commercial satellites to provide the vast majority of communication within the theater of operations.  Combined they had a total transmission rate of 200 million [[bit]]s per second, or equivalent to 39,000 simultaneous telephone calls.<ref name=GWAPSSR193>''Gulf War Air Power Survey: Summary Report''. pg. 193</ref>  A range of other satellites provided additional intelligence-gathering services, including the [[Defense Support Program]], [[Landsat program]], [[SPOT (satellite)|SPOT]], and six [[meteorological satellite]]s.<ref name=GWAPSSR194>''Gulf War Air Power Survey: Summary Report''. pg. 194</ref>

One area where the Coalition was deficient was in [[tactical reconnaissance]].  Aircraft specializing in reconnaissance were reportedly given low priority due to lack of space and the belief that strategic platforms could take over their role, a belief which would prove misplaced.  Efforts to compensate for this deficiency included using regular fighter aircraft in the reconnaissance role and [[RQ-2 Pioneer]] [[unmanned aerial vehicle]]s.  Deployed mainly by the US Marines, the RQ-2 was sufficient for certain missions but lacking in many respects compared to dedicated aircraft.<ref name=GWAPSSR194/><ref name=GWAPSSR195>''Gulf War Air Power Survey: Summary Report''. p. 195</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;" |Aircraft
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;" |Type
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;" |Deployed<br />1-Jan-91
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;" |Deployed<br />1-Feb-91
|-
|+Operation Desert Storm Aircraft - United States<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg27-28">Cohen, E. A, Keaney, T. A. (1993). ''Gulf War Air Power Survey: A statistical compendium and chronology.'' United States: Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. Pg. 27-28</ref>((efn|This list does not include aircraft operating as part of [[7440th Composite Wing|JTF Proven Force]]))
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[United States Air Force]]
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: light blue;" |[[Military aircraft#Combat aircraft|Combat Aircraft]]
|-
|[[F-15C Eagle]]
|[[Fighter aircraft]]
|96
|96
|-
|[[F-16 Fighting Falcon]]
|[[Multirole fighter]]
|168
|212
|-
|[[F-4G Phantom II]]
|[[Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses|SEAD]]
|48
|49
|-
|[[F-15E Strike Eagle]]
|[[Strike fighter]]
|46
|48
|-
|[[A-10 Thunderbolt II]]
|[[Attack aircraft]]
|120
|144
|-
|[[F-111F Aardvark]]
|Attack/[[Interdictor]]
|64
|64
|-
|[[F-117A Nighthawk]]
|[[Stealth aircraft|Stealth]] [[Attack aircraft|Attack]]
|36
|42
|-
|[[B-52 Stratofortress]]
|[[Bomber]]
|20
|36
|-
|[[AC-130 Gunship]]
|[[Gunship]]
|4
|2
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |[[Reconnaissance|Recon]]/[[Surveillance]]/[[Electronic-warfare aircraft]]
|-
|[[U-2 Dragon Lady]]
|[[Reconnaissance aircraft|Recon aircraft]]
|3
|5
|-
|[[TR-1 Dragon Lady|TR-1A Dragon Lady]]
|Tactical Recon
|2
|4
|-
|[[RF-4C Phantom II]]
|Tactical Recon
|6
|18
|-
|[[RC-135V/W Rivet Joint]]
|[[SIGINT]]
|4
|7
|-
|[[E-8 Joint STARS|E-8A Joint STARS]]
|[[Airborne ground surveillance|ABS]]/[[Battle Management|BM]]/[[Command and control|C&C]]
|2
|2
|-
|[[E-3A Sentry]]
|[[Airborne early warning and control|AEW&C]]
|7
|11
|-
|[[EF-111A Raven]]
|[[Electronic warfare aircraft|Electronic warfare]]
|18
|18
|-
|[[Boeing EC-135]]
|Electronic warfare
|0
|2
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |[[Military transport aircraft|Transport]]/[[Aerial Refueling]] Aircraft
|-
|[[KC-10 Extender]]
|[[Tanker aircraft]]
|6
|30
|-
|[[KC-135 Stratotanker]]
|Tanker aircraft
|164
|194
|-
|[[C-20 Gulfstream]]
|VIP transport
|1
|1
|-
|[[Learjet C-21A]]
|VIP transport
|8
|8
|-
|[[C-130 Hercules]]
|[[Tactical airlift]]
|96
|149
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[United States Navy]]
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Combat Aircraft
|-
|[[F-14 Tomcat|F-14A/A+ Tomcat]]
|Fighter/[[Interceptor aircraft|Interceptor]]
|76
|109
|-
|[[F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18A/C Hornet]]
|Multirole fighter
|88
|89
|-
|[[A-7E Corsair|A-7E Corsair II]]
|Attack aircraft
|24
|24
|-
|[[A-6E Intruder|A-6E TRAM/SWIP Intruder]]
|Attack aircraft
|62
|96
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Support Aircraft
|-
|[[E-2C Hawkeye]]
|[[Airborne early warning and control|AEW&C]]
|21
|29
|-
|[[EA-6B Prowler]]
|Electronic warfare
|21
|27
|-
|[[EA-3B Skywarrior]]
|Electronic reconnaissance 
|6 or fewer
|6 or fewer
|-
|[[Grumman A-6 Intruder#KA-6D|KA-6D Intruder]]
|Tanker aircraft
|16
|16
|-
|[[C-2A Greyhound]]
|[[Cargo aircraft]]
|2
|2
|-
|[[Lockheed S-3 Viking|S-3A/B Viking]]
|Multi-mission
|31
|43
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[United States Marine Corps]]
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Combat Aircraft
|-
|F/A-18A/C Hornet
|Multirole fighter
|72
|78
|-
|[[AV-8B Harrier]]
|Attack aircraft
|81
|84
|-
|A-6E TRAM Intruder
|Attack aircraft
|20
|20
|-
|[[AH-1 SuperCobra]]
|[[Attack helicopter]]
|43
|75
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Support Aircraft
|-
|EA-6B Prowler
|Electronic warfare
|12
|12
|-
|[[OV-10 Bronco]]
|Attack/[[Forward air control|FAC]]
|8
|19
|-
|[[Lockheed KC-130]]
|Tanker aircraft
|12
|15
|-
|[[CH-46 Sea Knight]]
|[[Transport helicopter]]
|72
|120
|-
|[[UH-1 Iroquois]]
|[[Utility helicopter]]
|36
|50
|-
|[[CH-53D Sea Stallion]]
|Heavy-lift helicopter
|20
|29
|-
|[[CH-53E Super Stallion]]
|Heavy-lift helicopter
|33
|48
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[United States Army]]
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Combat Aircraft
|-
|[[AH-64 Apache]]
|Attack helicopter
|189
|245
|-
|[[AH-1S|AH-1S Cobra]]
|Attack helicopter
|112
|141
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Support Aircraft
|-
|[[UH-60 Black Hawk]]
|Utility helicopter
|20
|20
|-
|UH-1H Iroquois
|Utility helicopter
|169
|197
|-
|-
|[[Bell OH-58 Kiowa#OH-58C|OH-58C Kiowa]]
|Reconnaissance
|257
|324
|-
|[[Bell OH-58 Kiowa#OH-58D|OH-58D Kiowa]]
|Reconnaissance
|79
|97
|-
|[[CH-47 Chinook]]
|Transport helicopter
|99
|127
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Special Operations Command Central]]
|-
|[[HC-130 Hercules]]
|[[Search and Rescue|Search & Rescue]]/[[Combat search and rescue|CSAR]]
|4
|4
|-
|[[EC-130E Hercules]]
|[[Command and Control|ABCCC]]
|6
|6
|-
|EC-130E Volant Solo
|[[PSYOPS]]
|2
|2
|-
|[[EC-130H Compass Call]]
|[[Electronic Warfare]]
|5
|5
|-
|[[MC-130 Hercules]]
|Airlift/Refueling
|4
|4
|-
|[[MH-53J Pave Low]]
|[[Spec Ops]]/CSAR
|8
|13
|-
|[[MH-60G|MH-60G Pave Hawk]]
|Spec Ops/CSAR
|8
|4
|-

|[[MH-47 Chinook]]
|Transport helicopter
|N/A
|4
|-
|[[UH-60 Black Hawk#Utility variants|UH-60V Black Hawk]]
|Utility helicopter
|N/A
|64
|-
|[[UH-60 Black Hawk#Special purpose|EH-60 Black Hawk]]
|Utility helicopter
|N/A
|27
|-
|[[Bell UH-1 Iroquois#U.S. military variants|UH-1V Iroquois]]
|[[Medical evacuation|Medivac]]
|N/A
|115
|}
((Notelist))
{|class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;" |Aircraft
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;" |Type
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;" |Deployed
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;" |Notes
|-
|+Operation Desert Storm Aircraft - Allied Countries<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg317">Cohen, Keaney (1993), Volume V, Pg. 317</ref>
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Royal Saudi Air Force]]
|-
|[[Panavia Tornado ADV]]
|Interceptor aircraft
|24<ref name=GWAPSSR197>''Gulf War Air Power Survey: Summary Report''. pg. 197</ref>
|
|-
|F-15C Eagle
|Fighter aircraft
|69<ref name=GWAPSSR197/>
|
|-
|[[F-5 Freedom Fighter|F-5E/F Freedom Fighter]]
|[[Light fighter]]
|87<ref name=GWAPSSR199>''Gulf War Air Power Survey: Summary Report''. pg. 199</ref>
|
|-
|[[Panavia Tornado IDS]]
|Interdictor/Attack
|24<ref name=GWAPSSR199/>
|
|-
|[[F-5 Freedom Fighter#Reconnaissance versions|RF-5E Freedom Fighter]]
|Reconnaissance
|10<ref name=GWAPSSR195/>
|
|-
|[[E-3 Sentry]]
|AEW&C
|
|
|-
|C-130 Hercules
|Tactical airlift
|
|
|-
|[[E-3 Sentry#Variants|KE-3A Sentry]]
|Tanker aircraft
|
|
|-
|[[KC-130 Hercules]]
|Tanker aircraft
|
|
|-
|[[Bell 212]]
|Utility Helicopter
|
|
|-
|[[BAe 125]]
|VIP Transport
|
|
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Royal Air Force]]/[[Fleet Air Arm]]/[[Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)]]<ref name=Flintham>Flintham, V. (2009). ''High Stakes: Britain's Air Arms in Action 1945-1990''. United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Aviation. Ch 9.4 - The Second Gulf War (1990-1991)</ref>
|-
|[[Panavia Tornado F3]]
|Interceptor aircraft
|18
|
|-
|[[Panavia Tornado#Variants|Panavia Tornado GR1]]
|Interdictor/Attack
|48
|6 GR1a variants
|-
|[[SEPECAT Jaguar]] GR.1A
|Attack aircraft
|12
|
|-
|[[Blackburn Buccaneer]] S.2B
|Attack aircraft
|12
|
|-
|[[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod]]
|[[Maritime Patrol Aircraft]]
|8
|3 R.1, 5 MR.2 variants
|-
|C-130 Hercules
|Tactical airlift
|7
|
|-
|[[Vickers VC10]]
|Aerial refueling
|9
|K2, K3 variants
|-
|[[Lockheed TriStar (RAF)|Lockheed Tristar]]
|Aerial refueling
|2
|
|-
|[[Handley Page Victor]]
|Aerial refueling
|8
|
|-
|[[Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander|BN-2 Islander]]
|[[Utility aircraft]]
|1
|
|-
|BAe 125
|VIP Transport
|1
|
|-
|[[Aérospatiale Gazelle#variants|SA 341B Gazelle]]
|Utility/[[Armed helicopter]]
|24
|([[British Army]])
|-
|[[Westland Lynx]]
|Attack/light utility helicopter
|24
|AH.7 ([[British Army]])
|-
|Westland Lynx
|Maritime attack helicopter
|10
|HAS.4GM/HAS.3CTS ([[Royal Navy]])
|-
|[[Boeing Chinook (UK variants)|Boeing Chinook]] HC1
|Transport helicopter
|17
|
|-
|[[Westland Sea King]]
|Medium-lift helicopter
|22
|20 HC.4, 2 HAS variants ([[Royal Navy]])
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[French Air Force]]<ref name="ODint">Micheletti (1991), Introduction</ref>
|-
|[[Mirage 2000C]]
|Multirole fighter
|12
|Assigned to [[Al-Ahsa International Airport|Al-Ahsa]]
|-
|[[Mirage F1]]C
|Multirole fighter
|8
|Assigned to [[Doha International Airport|Doha]] (Opération ''Meteil'')
|-
|[[Mirage F1#Mirage F1CR|Mirage F1CR]]
|Reconnaissance
|4
|Assigned to Al-Ahsa
|-
|SEPECAT Jaguar A
|Attack aircraft
|24
|Assigned to Al-Ahsa
|-
|C-160G ''Gabriel''
|SIGINT
|1
|Assigned to Al-Ahsa
|-
|DC-8F ''Sarigue''
|Electronic warfare
|1
|Operated from France
|-
|[[Transall C-160]]
|Transport aircraft
|5
|Assigned to [[King Khalid International Airport|Riyadh]]
|-
|KC-135FR
|Tanker aircraft
|5
|Assigned to Riyadh
|-
|[[Nord 262]]
|[[Airliner]]
|1
|Assigned to Riyadh
|-
|[[Dassault Falcon 20|Mystère XX]]
|VIP Transport
|1
|Assigned to Riyadh
|-
|[[SA 330 Puma]]
|Search & Rescue
|2
|Assigned to Al-Ahsa
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Royal Canadian Air Force]]<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg317"/>
|-
|[[CF-18 Hornet]]
|Multirole fighter
|18<ref name=GWAPSSR197/>
|
|-
|[[CC-130 Hercules]]
|Transport aircraft
|
|
|-
|[[Boeing CC-137]]
|Aerial refueling
|3
|
|-
|[[CC-144 Challenger]]
|VIP transport
|
|
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Italian Air Force]]<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg317"/>
|-
|Tornado IDS
|Interdictor/Strike
|10<ref name=GWAPSSR199/>
|
|-
|[[Aeritalia G.222]]
|Transport aircraft
|
|
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Kuwaiti Air Force]]<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg317"/>
|-
|Mirage F1
|Multirole fighter
|15<ref name=GWAPSSR199/>
|
|-
|[[A-4 Skyhawk]]
|Attack aircraft
|20<ref name=GWAPSSR199/>
|
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Royal Bahraini Air Force]]<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg317"/>
|-
|F-16 Fighting Falcon
|Multirole fighter
|12<ref name=GWAPSSR197/>
|
|-
|F-5 Freedom Fighter
|Light fighter
|12<ref name=GWAPSSR199/>
|
|-
|Bell 212
|Utility helicopter
|
|
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[United Arab Emirates Air Force]]<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg317"/>
|-
|Mirage 2000
|Multirole fighter
|
|
|-
|C-130 Hercules
|Tactical airlift
|
|
|-
|Bell 212
|Utility helicopter
|
|
|-
! colspan="4" style="align: center; background: #C9A0DC" |[[Qatar Air Force]]<ref name="GWAPSvolVpIpg317"/>
|-
|Mirage F1
|Multirole fighter
|
|
|-
|[[Alpha Jet]]
|Light attack/[[Jet trainer|trainer]]
|
|
|-
|}

=== Iraqi Armed Forces ===
At the time of the Gulf War the [[Iraqi Air Force]] (IQAF) was the sixth largest in the world, consisting of over 750 fixed-wing combat aircraft operating out of 24 primary airfields, with 13 active [[Force dispersal|dispersal]] fields and 19 additional dispersal fields.<ref name="OnTarget152">Davis, Richard G. ''On Target: Organizing and Executing the Strategic Air Campaign Against Iraq''. DIANE Publishing. (2002) p 152</ref><ref name="DF29">Davis, Richard G. ''Decisive Force: Strategic Bombing in the Gulf War'' DIANE Publishing. (1996) p. 29</ref><ref>((Cite web|title=Iraqi Air Force [IQAF]|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/airforce.htm|access-date=2020-11-24|website=www.globalsecurity.org))</ref> Iraq had also constructed 594 [[hardened aircraft shelter]]s to house nearly its entire air force, protecting them from attack.<ref>Davis (2002), p. 254</ref>  Iraq similarly possessed an impressive amount of air defenses.  Its inventory included 16,000 [[surface-to-air missile]]s total, both [[radar]] and [[Infrared homing|infrared guided]], with over 3,600 of these major missile systems.  Up to 154 SAM sites and 18 SAM support facilities were located in Iraq, with another 20 or 21 sites in the Kuwaiti [[theater of operations]] (KTO).  Iraq also possessed a large number of [[anti-aircraft artillery]] (AAA), with 972 AAA sites, 2,404 fixed AA guns and 6,100 [[Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon|mobile]] AA guns.<ref name="IWS135">Cordesman, Anthony H. ''Iraq and the War of Sanctions: Conventional Threats and Weapons of Mass Destruction''.  Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999. p. 135-136</ref>  Providing complete coverage of Iraqi airspace were 478 early warning radars, 75 high-frequency radars, and 154 acquisition radars.<ref name="OnTarget152"/>

Much of this equipment was combined into an integrated air defense system (IADS) overseen by Kari, an automated [[Command and control|C<sup>2</sup>]] computer system developed by Iraq and built by French contractors in the wake of [[Operation Opera]] (Kari in turn is the French spelling of Iraq backwards).  Kari tied the entire IADS to a single location, the national Air Defense Operations Center (ADOC) located in an underground bunker in [[Baghdad]], and in turn divided the country into four defense sectors each overseen by a Sector Operations Center (SOC) located at [[H-3 Air Base|H-3]], [[Kirkuk Air Base|Kirkuk]], [[Taji]] and [[Talil Air Base|Talil]]; a fifth SOC was added at [[Ali Al Salem Air Base|Ali Al Salem]] to cover the recently conquered Kuwait.  Each SOC oversaw the local airspace and commanded anywhere from two to five Intercept Operations Centers (IOCs) per sector.  The IOCs were located in bunkers constructed at Iraqi Air Force bases and tied into local radar systems, whose information they could pass on to their SOC and thence on to Baghdad.  In this way a SOC was capable of simultaneously tracking 120 aircraft and selecting for the appropriate weapon system to engage them.  The SOC could automatically target for SA-2 and SA-3 SAM systems in their sector, which meant the SAMs did not have to turn on their own radar and reveal their position, or an IOC could [[Ground-controlled interception|direct local interceptors]] to engage the targets. Baghdad itself was one of the most heavily defended cities in the world—more heavily defended several times over than [[Hanoi]] during the [[Vietnam War]]—protected by 65% of Iraq's SAMs and over half of its AAA pieces.<ref name="OnTarget172">Davis (2002), p. 172-179</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;" |Aircraft
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;" |Origin
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;" |Type
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;" |Variant
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;" |In service
|-
|+Iraqi Fixed-Wing Aircraft 1991<ref name="oai.dtic.mil">[http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA484530 Iraqi Perspectives Project Phase II. Um Al-Ma'arik (The Mother of All Battles): Operational and Strategic Insights from an Iraqi Perspective] ((Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722185912/http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA484530 |date=2011-07-22 )), Volume 1 (Revised May 2008)</ref>
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |[[Military aircraft#Combat aircraft|Combat Aircraft]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Dassault Mirage F1|Mirage F1]]
|rowspan="2"|[[France]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Multirole combat aircraft|Multi-role aircraft]]
|F1EQ/BQ
|88
|-
|F1K (captured from Kuwait)
|8
|-
|[[Mikoyan MiG-29]]
|[[Soviet Union]]
|[[Fighter aircraft]]
|MiG-29A (Product 9.12B)
|33
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Mikoyan MiG-25]]
|rowspan="2"|Soviet Union
|[[Interceptor aircraft]]
|MiG-25PD/PDS
|19
|-
|[[Reconnaissance aircraft|Reconnaissance-bomber]]
|MiG-25RB
|9
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Mikoyan MiG-23]]
|rowspan="2"|Soviet Union
|Fighter aircraft
|MiG-23ML/MF/MS
|68
|-
|[[Fighter-bomber]]
|MiG-23BN
|38
|-
|[[Mikoyan MiG-21]]/[[Chengdu J-7]]
|Soviet Union/China
|Fighter aircraft
|MiG-21MF/Bis/F-7M
|174
|-
|[[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19|MiG-19]]C/[[Shenyang J-6]]
|Soviet Union/China
|Fighter aircraft
|
|45
|-
|[[Sukhoi Su-25]]
|Soviet Union
|[[Attack aircraft]]
|Su-25K
|62
|-
|[[Sukhoi Su-24]]
|Soviet Union
|Attack/[[Interdictor]]
|Su-24MK
|30
|-
|[[Sukhoi Su-17|Sukhoi Su-22]]
|Soviet Union
|Fighter-bomber
|Su-22M2/M3/M4
|68
|-
|[[Sukhoi Su-17|Sukhoi Su-20]]
|Soviet Union
|Fighter-bomber
|
|18
|-
|[[Sukhoi Su-7]]
|Soviet Union
|Fighter-bomber
|Su-7BKL
|101
|-
|[[Tupolev Tu-16]]
|Soviet Union
|[[Bomber aircraft|Bomber]]
|Tu-16KSR-2-11
|3
|-
|[[Tupolev Tu-22]]
|Soviet Union
|Bomber
|Tu-22B/U
|4
|-
|[[Xian H-6]]
|[[China]]
|Bomber
|H-6D
|4<ref name="Museum">((cite web |last1=Aviation Museum |first1=Northwestern Polytechnical University |title=馆藏飞机介绍：轰-6-航空学院 |url=http://hangkong.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1012/1900.htm |website=hangkong.nwpu.edu.cn |access-date=26 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064546/http://hangkong.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1012/1900.htm |archive-date=26 October 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all ))</ref>
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |[[Military transport aircraft|Transport]]
|-
|[[Antonov An-26]]
|Soviet Union
|Transport
|
|5
|-
|[[Ilyushin Il-76]]
|Soviet Union
|Cargo
|
|19
|-
|[[Dassault Falcon 20]]
|France
|VIP Transport
|
|2
|-
|[[Dassault Falcon 50]]
|France
|VIP Transport
|
|3
|-
|[[Lockheed JetStar|Lockheed Jetstar]]
|USA
|VIP Transport
|
|6
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |[[Trainer aircraft|Trainers]]
|-
|Mikoyan MiG-29
|Soviet Union
|Conversion Trainer
|MiG-29UB
|4
|-
|Mikoyan MiG-25
|Soviet Union
|Conversion Trainer
|MiG-25PU
|7
|-
|Mikoyan MiG-23
|Soviet Union
|Conversion Trainer
|MiG-23U
|21
|-
|Mikoyan MiG-21
|Soviet Union
|Conversion Trainer
|MiG-21U
|62
|-
|Sukhoi Su-25
|Soviet Union
|Trainer/Attack
|Su-25U
|4
|-
|Sukhoi Su-22
|Soviet Union
|Trainer/Attack
|Su-22U
|10
|-
|[[BAC Jet Provost]]
|[[United Kingdom]]
|Trainer
|
|20
|-
|[[Aero L-39 Albatros]]
|[[Czechoslovakia]]
|Trainer/Attack
|
|67
|-
|[[Embraer EMB 312 Tucano|Embraer Tucano]]
|[[Brazil]]
|Trainer/[[Counter-insurgency aircraft|COIN]]
|
|78
|-
|[[FFA AS-202 Bravo]]
|[[Switzerland]]
|Trainer
|
|34
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;" |Type
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;" |Origin
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;" |In Service
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;" |Deployment
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;" |Organization
|-
|+Iraqi SAM Launchers 1991
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Major SAMs
|-
|[[SA-2 Guideline]]
|Soviet Union
|160<ref name="IWS135"/><ref name="MWWapxii">Eisel, B., Schreiner, J. '., Schreiner, J. A. (2009). Magnum! The Wild Weasels in Desert Storm: The Elimination of Iraq's Air Defence. United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Books. Appendix II</ref>
|Major cities<ref name="Tucker829">Tucker, Spencer C. (Editor), ''The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts'', ABC-CLIO, 2010, p. 829-832</ref>
|20-30 [[Artillery battery|batteries]]<ref name="IWS135"/>
|-
|[[SA-3 Goa]]
|Soviet Union
|140<ref name="IWS135"/><ref name="MWWapxii"/>
|Major cities<ref name="Tucker829"/>
|25-50 batteries<ref name="IWS135"/>
|-
|[[SA-6 Gainful]]
|Soviet Union
|100+<ref name="IWS135"/> to 140-150<ref name="MWWapxii"/>
|Strategic targets<ref name="Tucker829"/> <br />[[Republican Guard (Iraq)|Republican Guard]]<ref name="Davis175">Davis (2002), p. 175</ref> <br />Armored Divisions<ref name="Davis175"/>
|36-55 batteries<ref name="IWS135"/>
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |Light SAMs
|-
|[[SA-8|SA-8 Gecko]]
|Soviet Union
|30-40<ref name="IWS135"/> to 170-190<ref name="MWWapxii"/>
||Strategic targets<ref name="Tucker829"/> <br />[[Republican Guard (Iraq)|Republican Guard]]<ref name="Davis175"/> <br />Armored Divisions<ref name="Davis175"/>
|20+ batteries<ref name="IWS135"/>
|-
|[[Roland missile|Roland]]
|France
|50-60<ref name="IWS135"/> to 90-100<ref name="MWWapxii"/>
|Airfields<ref name="Tucker829"/>
|
|-
|[[I-HAWK]]
|[[United States]]
|3 (captured from Kuwait)<ref name="MWWapxii"/>
|
|
|-
|[[SA-9 Gaskin]]
|Soviet Union
|400<ref name="IWS135"/>
|Regular Army<ref name="Davis306">Davis (2002), p. 306-307</ref>
|
|-
|[[SA-13 Gopher]]
|Soviet Union
|192<ref name="IWS135"/>
|Republican Guard<ref name="Davis306"/>
|
|-
|[[SA-7 Grail]]
|Soviet Union
|6,500<ref name="IWS135"/>
|[[MANPADS]]
|
|-
|[[SA-14 Gremlin]]
|Soviet Union
|288<ref name="IWS135"/> to "thousands"<ref name="MWWapxii"/>
|MANPADS
|
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;" |Type
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;" |[[Caliber|Calibre]]
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;" |Origin
|-
|+Iraqi Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1991<ref>Keaney, T. A., Cohen, E. A. (1993). Gulf War Air Power Survey Volume IV: Weapons, Tactics, and Training and Space Operations. United States: Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. P. 16</ref>
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |[[Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon|Self-Propelled]]
|-
|[[ZSU-57-2]]
|57mm
|Soviet Union
|-
|[[M53/59 Praga]]
|[[30 mm caliber|30mm]]
|[[Czechoslovak Socialist Republic|Czechoslovakia]]
|-
|[[ZSU-23-4]]
|[[23 mm caliber|23mm]]
|Soviet Union
|-
! colspan="5" style="align: center; background: lavender;" |[[Towed artillery|Towed]]
|-
|[[KS-30]]
|130mm
|Soviet Union
|-
|[[KS-19]]
|100mm
|Soviet Union
|-
|[[85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)|KS-12/12a/18]]
|85mm
|Soviet Union
|-
|[[AZP S-60]]
|57mm
|Soviet Union
|-
|[[AZP S-60|Type 59]]
|57mm
|China
|-
|[[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70|Bofors L-70]]
|40mm
|Sweden
|-
|[[37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)|M1939]]
|37mm
|Soviet Union
|-
|[[37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)#Variants|Type 55]]
|37mm
|China
|-
|[[Oerlikon GDF]]
|35mm
|Switzerland
|-
|[[ZU-23-2]]
|[[23×152mm|23mm]]
|Soviet Union
|-
|[[Zastava M55]]
|[[20 mm caliber|20mm]]
|[[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]]
|-
|[[ZPU]]-4/ZPU-2
|[[14.5×114mm|14.5mm]]
|Soviet Union/[[People's Republic of Bulgaria|Bulgaria]]
|-
|[[ZPU#Variants|Type 56]]
|14.5mm
|China
|-
|[[ZPU#Variants|MR-4]]
|14.5mm
|[[Socialist Republic of Romania|Romania]]
|-
|}
((Location map+|Iraq|places=((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = '''[[Muthenna Air Base]]'''
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 33 |lat_min = 19 | lat_sec = 36
    | lon_deg = 44  |lon_min = 22  | lon_sec = 05
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Nasiriyah Airport|Tallil Air Base]]
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 30 |lat_min = 56 | lat_sec = 23
    | lon_deg = 46  |lon_min = 05  | lon_sec = 33
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Al-Taqaddum Air Base|Tammuz Air Base]]
    | position = bottom
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 33 |lat_min = 20 | lat_sec = 22
    | lon_deg = 43  |lon_min = 35  | lon_sec = 24
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Jalibah Southeast Air Base]]
    | position = left
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 30 |lat_min = 32 | lat_sec = 44
    | lon_deg = 46  |lon_min = 36  | lon_sec = 14
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Ubaydah Bin Al Jarrah Air Base|Abu Ubayda Air Base]]
    | position = bottom
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 32 |lat_min = 29 | lat_sec = 01
    | lon_deg = 45  |lon_min = 45  | lon_sec = 21
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = As-Salman Air Base
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 30 |lat_min = 39 | lat_sec = 00
    | lon_deg = 44  |lon_min = 34  | lon_sec = 10.2
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[H-3 Air Base|Al-Walid/H-3 Air Base]]
    | position = right
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 32 |lat_min = 55 | lat_sec = 46
    | lon_deg = 39  |lon_min = 44  | lon_sec = 38
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Ar Rumaylah Southwest Air Base|Artawi Air Base]]
    | position = bottom
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 30 |lat_min = 21 | lat_sec = 21
    | lon_deg = 47  |lon_min = 06  | lon_sec = 36
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Al Asad Airbase|Qadisiyah Air Base]]
    | position = right
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 33 |lat_min = 48 | lat_sec = 08
    | lon_deg = 42  |lon_min = 26  | lon_sec = 28
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Qayyarah Airfield West|Saddam Air Base]]
    | position = bottom
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 35 |lat_min = 45 | lat_sec = 57
    | lon_deg = 43  |lon_min = 07  | lon_sec = 18
 ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Balad Air Base|Bakr Air Base]]
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 33 |lat_min = 56 | lat_sec = 00
    | lon_deg = 42  |lon_min = 22  | lon_sec = 00
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[H-1 Air Base|Al-Assad/H-1 Air Base]]
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 33 |lat_min = 48 | lat_sec = 51
    | lon_deg = 41  |lon_min = 26  | lon_sec = 07
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Kirkuk Air Base|Al-Hurriah Air Base]]
    | position = right
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 35 |lat_min = 28 | lat_sec = 10
    | lon_deg = 44  |lon_min = 20  | lon_sec = 56
  ))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Shaibah Air Base|Wahda Air Base]]
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 30 |lat_min = 25 | lat_sec = 34
    | lon_deg = 47  |lon_min = 38  | lon_sec = 34
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Shaykh Mazhar Air Base]]
    | position = bottom
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 32 |lat_min = 56 | lat_sec = 25
    | lon_deg = 44  |lon_min = 38  | lon_sec = 04
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[Mosul International Airport|Firnas Air Base]]
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 36 |lat_min = 18 | lat_sec = 21
    | lon_deg = 43  |lon_min = 08  | lon_sec = 51
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = [[H-2 Air Base|Sa'ad/H-2 Air Base]]
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 33 |lat_min = 21 | lat_sec = 22
    | lon_deg = 40  |lon_min = 35  | lon_sec = 47
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = H-3 Northwest Air Base
    | position = top
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 33 |lat_min = 04 | lat_sec = 34
    | lon_deg = 39  |lon_min = 35  | lon_sec = 52
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = H-3 Southwest Air Base
    | position = bottom
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 32 |lat_min = 44 | lat_sec = 48
    | lon_deg = 39  |lon_min = 35  | lon_sec = 59
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = ''[[Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base|Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base (Abbas)]]''
    | position = bottom
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 28 |lat_min = 56 | lat_sec = 6
    | lon_deg = 47  |lon_min = 47  | lon_sec = 31
))
((Location map~ | Iraq
    | label = ''[[Ali Al Salem Air Base|Ali Al Salem Air Base (Andan)]]''
    | position =left
    | background =
    | mark = Red pog.svg
    | marksize = 10
    | lat_deg = 29 |lat_min = 20 | lat_sec = 48
    | lon_deg = 47  |lon_min = 31  | lon_sec = 14
))|caption=Air Bases of the Iraqi Air Force in January 1991 (Captured Air Bases inside Kuwait in Italics)|width=600px))
Though impressive on paper, the Iraqi Air Force's primary role was to act as a [[Fleet in being|regional deterrent]], with a secondary role of supporting the [[Iraqi Army]], rather than attempt to gain [[air superiority]] in any conflict.  Basic training was rigid, inflexible, and left pilots with extremely poor [[situation awareness|situational awareness]].  Additional training was provided by the Soviet Union, with Mirage pilots attending courses in France.  Soviet trainers generally passed everyone but assessed less than half of the IQAF students would have been accepted into Soviet fighter units.  French training (which the Iraqis considered decidedly superior to Soviet) resulted in an 80% failure rate; nevertheless those who failed were qualified to fly upon return to Iraq.<ref>Keany, Thomas; Eliot A. Cohen (1993). ''Gulf War Air Power Survey - Operations and Effects and Effectiveness''. United States Dept. of the Air Force. p. 71-77</ref>  In all, a third of Iraqi pilots were deemed to meet the standards of Western pilots, and almost all of them lacked aggressiveness and were overly dependent on ground control to direct them to targets.  In addition, the air force suffered from spare parts shortages and maintenance shortfalls, and a majority of their equipment like the MiG-21 were outdated and of dubious combat value.  Only 170 aircraft like the MiG-29 and Mirage F1 were considered comparable to Coalition aircraft, with the MiG-29 being downgraded export models.<ref name="OnTarget172">Davis (2002), p. 172-179</ref>

Likewise, Kari itself had a number of deficiencies of which Coalition air forces would take advantage. The system was primarily oriented towards defending against much smaller attacks from Iraq's most likely enemies—[[Iran]], [[Syria]] and [[Israel]]—and focused on [[point defense]] rather than area defense. This meant there were significant gaps in its coverage, particularly on the orientation from Saudi Arabia straight to Baghdad, and attacking aircraft would be able to approach their target from multiple directions. Like its aircraft, much of Iraq's ground air defenses were also outdated: SA-2 and SA-3 systems were nearing the end of their operational lifespan and their countermeasures were well-known at this point, while its other SAM systems were not much younger. Furthermore, the IADS was centralized to a fault. Although each IOC was [[datalink]]ed to their respective SOC and in turn back to the ADOC, the defense sectors couldn't share information between each other. If a SOC was knocked out of action the attached air defense weapons lost all ability to coordinate their response; its respective SAM batteries would be forced to rely on their own radar systems while most AAA lacked any radar guidance.<ref name="OnTarget172"/>

== Main air campaign starts ==
((More citations needed section|date=February 2009))
[[File:EF-111 over Desert2.jpg|thumb|left|[[EF-111A Raven|EF-111 Raven]]]]

A day after the deadline set in [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 678]], the coalition launched a massive air campaign, which began the general offensive codenamed '''Operation Desert Storm''' with more than 1,000 sorties launching per day. It began on 17 January 1991, at 2:38 AM, Baghdad time, when Task Force Normandy (eight US Army [[AH-64 Apache]] helicopters led by four US Air Force [[MH-53 Pave Low]] helicopters) destroyed Iraqi radar sites near the Iraqi–Saudi Arabian border which could have warned Iraq of an upcoming attack.

At 2:43 A.M. two USAF [[EF-111A Raven|EF-111 Ravens]] with terrain following radar led 22 USAF [[F-15E Strike Eagle]]s against assaults on airfields in Western Iraq. Minutes later, one of the EF-111 crews—Captain James Denton and Captain [[Brent Brandon]]—destroyed an Iraqi [[Dassault Mirage F1]], when their low altitude maneuvering led the F1 to crash to the ground.

At 3:00 AM, ten USAF [[F-117 Nighthawk]] stealth bombers, under the protection of a three-ship formation of EF-111s, bombed [[Baghdad]], the capital. The striking force came under fire from 3,000 [[anti-aircraft gun]]s on the ground.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://retronewser.com/2021/01/16/u-s-and-allied-forces-open-air-war-on-iraq-to-force-saddam-husseins-army-from-kuwait/|title=U.S. And allied forces open air war on Iraq to force Saddam Hussein's army from Kuwait 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 17 1991)|date=16 January 2021))</ref>

Within hours of the start of the coalition air campaign, a [[P-3 Orion]] called ''Outlaw Hunter'' developed by the US Navy's [[Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command]], which was testing a highly specialised [[over-the-horizon radar]], detected a large number of Iraqi patrol boats and naval vessels attempting to make a run from Basra and [[Umm Qasr]] to Iranian waters. ''Outlaw Hunter'' vectored in strike elements, which attacked the Iraqi naval flotilla near [[Bubiyan Island]], destroying eleven vessels and damaging scores more.

[[File:A-10A Thunderbolt II Desert Storm.jpg|thumb|USAF [[A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10A Thunderbolt-II]] [[close air support|ground attack plane]] over circles of irrigated crops during Desert Storm]]
[[File:Multiple F-15E parked during Operation Desert Shield.jpg|thumb|F-15Es in Persian Gulf conflict]]
Concurrently, US Navy [[BGM-109 Tomahawk]] cruise missiles struck targets in Baghdad, and other coalition aircraft struck targets throughout Iraq. Government buildings, TV stations, airfields, presidential palaces, military installations, communication lines, supply bases, oil refineries, a Baghdad airport, electric powerplants and factories making Iraqi military equipment were all destroyed by massive aerial and missile attacks from coalition forces.

Five hours after the first attacks, Iraq's state radio broadcast a voice identified as Saddam Hussein declaring that "The great duel,''' the mother of all battles''' has begun. The dawn of victory nears as this great showdown begins."

The Gulf War is sometimes called the "computer war", due to the advanced computer-guided weapons and munitions used in the air campaign, which included [[precision-guided munition]]s and [[cruise missile]]s, even though these were very much in the minority when compared with "dumb bombs" used. [[Cluster bomb|Cluster munitions]] and [[BLU-82]] "Daisy Cutters" were also used.

Iraq responded by launching eight [[Al Hussein (missile)|Iraqi modified Scud]] missiles into [[Israel]] the next day. These missile attacks on Israel were to continue throughout the six weeks of the war.

On the first night of the war, two F/A-18s from the carrier USS ''Saratoga'' were flying outside of Baghdad when two Iraqi MiG-25s engaged them. In the beyond-visual-range (BVR) kill, an Iraqi MiG-25 piloted by Zuhair Dawood fired an [[Bisnovat R-40|R-40RD]] missile, shooting down an American F/A-18C Hornet and killing its pilot, Lieutenant Commander [[Scott Speicher]].

In an effort to demonstrate their own air offensive capability, on 24 January the [[Attack on Ras Tanura|Iraqis attempted to mount a strike]] against the major Saudi oil refinery, Ras Tanura. Two Mirage F1 fighters laden with incendiary bombs and two MiG-23s (acting as fighter cover) took off from bases in Iraq. They were spotted by US AWACs, and two Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s were sent to intercept. When the Saudis appeared the Iraqi MiGs turned tail, but the Mirages pressed on. Captain Iyad Al-Shamrani, one of the Saudi pilots, maneuvered his jet behind the Mirages and shot down both aircraft. A few days later the Iraqis made [[Samurra Air Battle|their last true air offensive]] of the war, unsuccessfully attempting to shoot down F-15s patrolling the Iranian border. After this episode, the Iraqis made no more air efforts of their own, sending most of their jets to Iran in hopes that they might someday get their air force back.

The first priority for Coalition forces was the destruction of Iraqi [[command and control]] bunkers, [[Scud]] missile launch pads and storage areas, telecommunications and radio facilities, and [[SEAD|airfields]].((Sfn |Clancy | Horner | 2000|pp=334–35)) The attack began with a wave of deep-penetrating aircraft – [[General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark|F-111]]s, [[McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle|F-15E]]s, [[Panavia Tornado|Tornado GR1]]s, [[F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16]]s, [[Grumman A-6 Intruder|A-6]]s, A-7Es, and [[Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk|F-117]]s, complemented by [[McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle|F-15C]], [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat|F-14]]s and [[Panavia Tornado ADV|Air Defense Tornado]]s.((Sfn |Clancy | Horner | 2000 | p = 335)) [[EA-6B Prowler|EA-6Bs]], EF-111 [[radar jammer]]s, and F-117A [[Stealth aircraft|stealth planes]] were heavily used in this phase to elude Iraq's extensive [[Surface-to-air missile|SAM]] systems and anti-aircraft weapons. The sorties were launched mostly from Saudi Arabia and the six Coalition [[aircraft carrier battle group]]s ([[CVBG]]) in the Persian Gulf and [[Red Sea]]. During the initial 24 hours 2,775 sorties were flown, including seven [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52]]s which flew a 35-hour nonstop 14,000-mile round-trip from [[Barksdale Air Force Base]] and launched 35 [[AGM-86 ALCM#Operations|AGM-86 CALCM]] cruise missiles against eight Iraqi targets.((Sfn | Clancy |Horner|2000|pp= 334, 343))

Persian Gulf CVBGs included [[USS Midway (CV 41)|USS ''Midway'']], [[USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)|USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'']], and [[USS Ranger (CV-61)|USS ''Ranger'']]. [[USS America (CV-66)|USS ''America'']], [[USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)|USS ''John F. Kennedy'']], and [[USS Saratoga (CV-60)|USS ''Saratoga'']] operated from the Red Sea (USS ''America'' transitioned to the Persian Gulf midway through the air war).

[[Wild Weasel]]s were very effective; unlike North Vietnamese, Iraqi SAM operators did not turn radar off until just before launch.<ref name="joiner201503">((Cite magazine |last=Joiner |first=Stephen |date=March 2015 |title=What Couldn't the F-4 Phantom Do? |url=https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/what-couldnt-f-4-phantom-do-180953944/?all |magazine=Air & Space |language=en |access-date=2020-06-05))</ref> Antiaircraft defenses, including shoulder-launched ground-to-air missiles, were surprisingly ineffective against coalition aircraft and the coalition suffered only 75 aircraft losses in over 100,000 sorties, though only 42 of these were the result of Iraqi action. The other 33 were lost to accidents.<ref>((cite news | url = http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/gulf.war/facts/gulfwar/ |title = In-depth specials&nbsp;— Gulf War |access-date = 2008-03-23 |year = 2001 | publisher=CNN | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080317110507/http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/gulf.war/facts/gulfwar/ <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> | archive-date = 2008-03-17))</ref> In particular, RAF and US Navy aircraft which flew at low altitudes to avoid radar were particularly vulnerable, though this changed when the aircrews were ordered to fly above the AAA.<ref>((cite web|url = https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/cron/ |title=frontline: the gulf war: chronology |access-date = 2008-03-23 | year =2003 |last= Atkinson |first = Rick | publisher= SBS))</ref>

The next coalition targets were command and communication facilities. Saddam Hussein had closely micromanaged the Iraqi forces in the Iran–Iraq War, and initiative at lower levels was discouraged. Coalition planners hoped that Iraqi resistance would quickly collapse if deprived of command and control.

== Iraq's air force units flight to Iran ==
[[File:Tomcats DS tanking DN-ST-91-07919.jpg|thumb|right|[[F-14 Tomcat]]s from the [[Red Sea]] and [[Persian Gulf]] await their turn refueling from a [[KC-10 Extender|KC-10A]] over [[Iraq]] during [[Desert Storm]] while conducting a MIGCAP mission to turn back fleeing Iraqi fighters.]]

The first week of the air war saw a few Iraqi sorties, but these did little damage, and 36 Iraqi fighter aircraft were shot down by Coalition planes. Soon after, the Iraqi Air Force began fleeing to Iran, with 115 to 140 aircraft flown there.<ref>((cite web |title=Iraqi Air Force Equipment&nbsp;— Introduction |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/air-force-equipment-intro.htm |access-date=18 January 2005))</ref> This mass exodus of Iraqi aircraft took coalition forces by surprise as the Coalition had been expecting them to flee to [[Jordan]], a nation friendly to Iraq, rather than Iran, a long-time enemy. As the purpose of the war was to destroy Iraq militarily, the coalition had placed aircraft over western Iraq to try to stop any retreat into Jordan. This meant they were unable to react before most of the Iraqi aircraft had made it "safely" to Iranian airbases. The coalition eventually established a virtual "wall" of F-15 Eagles, F-14 Tomcats, and F-16 Fighting Falcons on the Iraq–Iran border (called MIGCAP), thereby stopping the exodus of fleeing Iraqi fighters. In response, the Iraqi Air Force launched ''Operation Samurra'' in an attempt to break the blockade imposed on them. The [[Samurra Air Battle|resulting air battle]] would be the last offensive action of the war for the Iraqi Air Force. <ref>((cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972677,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122015314/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972677,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 22, 2010 | magazine=Time | title=Iran To Iraq: Minders Keepers | date=8 April 1991 | access-date=4 May 2010))</ref>

It was unclear if there had been a formal agreement between Iraq and Iran, with some suggesting that the deal had been hastily drawn up, and initially only permitted sanctuary for Iraqi civilian and transport aircraft. Iran did not allow the Iraqi aircrews to be released until years later.<ref>((cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972677,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122015314/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972677,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 22, 2010 | magazine=Time | title=Iran To Iraq: Minders Keepers | date=8 April 1991 | access-date=4 May 2010))</ref> Iran held on to the Iraqi aircraft for over 20 years, whose value was collectively estimated at $2.5 billion, as partial payment of the $900 billion in reparations but eventually returned 88 of them in 2014.<ref>((Cite web|url=http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/iran-transfers-88-russian-sukhoi-fighter-planes-iraq/|title=Iran transfers 88 Russian Sukhoi fighter planes to Iraq|date=23 June 2014))</ref> However, many Iraqi planes remained in Iran, and several were destroyed by coalition forces.<ref>((Cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/air-force-equipment-intro.htm|title = Iraqi Air Force Equipment - Introduction))</ref>

== Infrastructure bombing ==

The third and largest phase of the air campaign ostensibly targeted military targets throughout Iraq and Kuwait: [[Scud]] missile launchers, weapons research facilities, and naval forces. About one-third of the Coalition airpower was devoted to attacking Scuds, some of which were on trucks and therefore difficult to locate. Some U.S. and British [[special forces]] teams had been covertly inserted into western Iraq to aid in the search and destruction of Scuds. However, the lack of adequate terrain for concealment hindered their operations, and some of them were killed or captured such as occurred with the widely publicised [[Bravo Two Zero]] patrol of the [[Special Air Service|SAS]].

=== Civilian infrastructure ===

Coalition bombing raids destroyed Iraqi civilian infrastructure. 11 of Iraq's 20 major power stations and 119 substations were totally destroyed, while a further six major power stations were damaged.<ref>[http://www.zmag.org/everest.htm IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN: DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN] ((webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604085546/http://www.zmag.org/everest.htm |date=2009-06-04 ))</ref><ref name="medialens">[http://www.medialens.org/alerts/02/020628_John_Sweeney_responds.html John Sweeney Responds on Mass Death in Iraq] ((webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100224025043/http://www.medialens.org/alerts/02/020628_John_Sweeney_responds.html |date=2010-02-24 ))</ref> ((cn span|At the end of the war, electricity production was at four percent of its pre-war levels. Bombs destroyed the utility of all major [[dam]]s, most major pumping stations, and many [[sewage]] treatment plants, [[telecommunications]] equipment, port facilities, oil refineries and distribution, railroads and bridges were also destroyed.|date=November 2022))
[[File:RSAF Tornado 114 07.jpg|thumb|left|[[Royal Saudi Air Force|RSAF]] Tornado during Gulf War]]
Iraqi targets were located by [[aerial photography]]  and [[GPS]] coordinates. According to the non-fiction book, ''Armored Cav'' by Tom Clancy, in August 1990, a USAF senior officer arrived at Baghdad International Airport carrying a briefcase with a GPS receiver inside. After being taken to the U.S. embassy he took a single GPS reading in the courtyard of the complex. Upon return to the U.S. the coordinates were used as the basis for designating targets in Baghdad.<ref>((cite book |last=Clancy |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Clancy |title=Armored Cav |publisher=Berkley Books |year=1994 |page=180 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aku_V8GmABwC|isbn=0-425-15836-5))</ref>

((cn span|The U.S. bombed highways and bridges linking Jordan and Iraq, crippling infrastructure on both sides.|date=November 2022))

== Civilian casualties ==

The U.S. government claimed Iraqi officials fabricated numerous attacks on Iraqi holy sites in order to rally the [[Muslim world]] to support Iraq during the conflict, pointing to Iraq's claim that Coalition forces had attacked the holy cities of [[Najaf]] and [[Karbala]]. At the end of the war, the estimated number of Iraqi civilians killed was 2,278 killed and 5,965 wounded.<ref>Lawrence Freedman and Efraim Karsh, ''The Gulf Conflict: Diplomacy and War in the New World Order'', 1990–1991 (Princeton, 1993), 324–29.</ref> 

On 13 February 1991, a [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) warplane fired two [[Laser-guided bomb|laser-guided missiles]] at an [[air raid shelter]] in the [[Al-A'amiriya]] neighborhood of Baghdad, [[Amiriyah shelter bombing|killing at least 408 civilians]] sheltering there. U.S. officials subsequently claimed that the shelter also served as a communications center for the Iraqi military. [[BBC]] correspondent [[Jeremy Bowen]], who was one of the first television reporters on the scene, was given access to the shelter and claimed that he did not find any evidence of it being used by the Iraqi military.<ref name=BBC>Report aired on ''BBC 1'', 14 February 1991</ref> His claims were later contradicted by Iraqi general [[Wafiq al-Samarrai]], who claimed that the shelter was used by the [[Iraqi Intelligence Service]], and that Saddam Hussein had personally made visits to it.<ref>((Citation|title=Frontline: The Gulf War (1990 1991)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsClgHBFs10 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/NsClgHBFs10 |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-11-13))((cbignore))</ref> The day after the bombing of the shelter, a [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) fighter jet fired two laser-guided missiles which were aimed at a bridge in [[Fallujah]] which was used as part of an Iraqi military supply line. The missiles malfunctioned and struck Fallujah's largest marketplace (which was situated in a residential area), killing between 50 and 150 non-combatants and wounding many more. After news of the mistake became public, an RAF spokesman, [[Group captain|Group Captain]] David Henderson issued a statement noting that the missile had malfunctioned but admitted that the Royal Air Force had made an error.<ref>((Cite book|first=Sherry|last=Virginia|title=Needless Deaths in the Gulf War: Civilian Casualties During the Air Campaign and Violations of the Laws of War|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]|year=1991|isbn=978-0-3000-5599-3))</ref><ref>((Cite book|first=A. P. V.|last=Rogers|title=Law on the Battlefield|publisher=[[Manchester University Press]]|year=2004|isbn=978-0-7190-6136-3))</ref>

== Losses ==

An estimated 407 Iraqi aircraft were either destroyed or flown to Iran and permanently impounded there.<ref name="afhra.af.mil">https://www.afhra.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Airmen-at-War/Haulman-WhatHappenedIraqiAF.pdf?ver=2016-08-22-131410-023#:~:text=During%20Operation%20DESERT%20STORM%2C%20the,open%2C%20and%20141%20in%20shelters. ((Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022))</ref> During Desert Storm, 36 aircraft were shot down in aerial combat.<ref>((Citation | url = http://128.121.102.226/aakill.html | title = Air-To-Air Victories in Desert Storm | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090604224140/http://128.121.102.226/aakill.html | archive-date = 2009-06-04 )).</ref> Three helicopters and 2 fighters were shot down during the invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990. Kuwait claims to have shot down as many as 37 Iraqi aircraft. These claims have not been confirmed.<ref name="Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait - ACIG.org">((Citation | url = http://s188567700.online.de/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=47 | title = Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait | publisher = ACIG ))((dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes )).</ref> In addition, 68 fixed wing aircraft and 13 helicopters were destroyed while on the ground, and 137 aircraft were flown to Iran and never returned.<ref name = "defenselink.mil">((Citation | url = http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=45404 | title = The Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm Timeline | publisher = Defenselink)).</ref>

The Coalition lost a total of 75 aircraft—52 fixed-wing aircraft and 23 helicopters–during Desert Storm, with 39 fixed-wing aircraft and 5 helicopters lost in combat.<ref name= "defenselink.mil" /> One coalition fighter was lost in air-air combat, a U.S. Navy F/A-18 piloted by [[Scott Speicher]]. Other Iraqi air to air claims surfaced over the years, all were disputed.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://theaviationgeekclub.com/iraqi-mig-29-pilot-explains-how-he-was-able-to-shoot-down-a-raf-tornado-during-operation-desert-storm/|title = Iraqi MiG-29 Pilot Explains how he was able to Shoot Down a RAF Tornado during Operation Desert Storm|date = 15 July 2019))</ref><ref>((Cite web|url=https://warisboring.com/45910-2/|title = In January 1991, Both Iraq and America Claimed Fictional Air-to-Air Victories| date=28 September 2017 ))</ref> One B-52G was lost while returning to its operating base on Diego Garcia, when it suffered a catastrophic electrical failure and crashed into the Indian Ocean killing 3 of the 6 crew members on board. The rest of the Coalition losses came from anti-aircraft fire. The Americans lost 28 fixed-wing aircraft and 15 helicopters; the British lost 7 fixed-wing aircraft; the Saudi Arabians lost 2; the Italians lost 1; and the Kuwaitis lost 1. During the invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990, the Kuwaiti Air Force lost 12 fixed-wing aircraft, which were destroyed on the ground, and 8 helicopters, 6 of which were shot down and 2 of which were destroyed while on the ground.<ref name="Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait - ACIG.org"/>

== See also ==
* [[Air engagements of the Gulf War]]
* [[Gulf War Air Power Survey]]
* [[List of Gulf War pilots by victories]]

== References ==
((Reflist))

== Bibliography ==
* ((cite book
| title      = The Influence of Air Power upon History
| url      = https://archive.org/details/influenceofairpo0000boyn
| url-access = registration
| last       = Boyne
| first      = Walter J.
| author-link = Walter J. Boyne
| year       = 2003
| publisher  = Pelican (www.pelicanpub.com)
| isbn       = 1-58980-034-6
))
* ((cite book|last1=Clancy|first1=Tom|last2=Horner|first2=Chuck|title=Every Man a Tiger: The Gulf War Air Campaign|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d3lQPgAACAAJ|year=2000|publisher=Berkley|isbn=978-0-425-17292-6))
* ((cite journal |last1=de Gullebon|first1=Hugues|title=Opération Fox: Les missions secrètes des F1 "Aggresseurs" (1) |journal=Le Fana de l'Aviation |date=May 2019 |issue=594 |pages=16–27 |issn=0757-4169 |language=fr|trans-title=Operation Fox: The Secret Missions of the F1 Aggressors, Part 1))
* ((cite book|title=Operation Daguet: French Air Force in the Gulf War|last=Micheletti|first=Eric|year=1991|location=Hong Kong|publisher=Concord Publications|isbn=962-361-022-X))

== External links ==
* [http://www.history.army.mil/reference/gulfbib.htm Bibliography of the Desert Shield and Desert Storm] ((Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212214924/http://www.history.army.mil/reference/gulfbib.htm |date=2007-12-12 )) compiled by the [[United States Army Center of Military History]]

((Gulf War))
((Authority control))

[[Category:Aerial operations and battles of the Gulf War| ]]
[[Category:Airstrikes in Iraq]]

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Return to Gulf War air campaign.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War_air_campaign"