GULF WAR : DESERT STORM: DAY 1 : Allied Jets Raid Iraqi Targets

WAR OF WORDS President Bush, in a TV address to the nation: “The battle has been joined. We will not fail.” Saddam Hussein, in a radio broadcast aimed at President Bush: “If you believe that the (Iraqi) ground forces can be neutralized, then you are deluding yourself.” Dick Cheney, U.S. Defense Secretary, commenting on the early stages of Operation Desert Storm: “So far, so good.” Sen. Sam Nunn, (D-Ga.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee: “Saddam Hussein has made a tragic miscalculation.” Gordon Bonnyman, Vietnam veteran: “I think this is a tragic day for the world and a tragic day for the United States. I think we will lose this war whether we win it or not.” Rev. Billy Graham: “There come times when we must fight for peace. I pray we will be on God’s side.” President Bush: “It is my hope that somehow the Iraqi people can, even now, convince their dictator that he must lay down his arms.” Saddam Hussein: “The great showdown has begun! The mother of all battles is under way.” Turkey Political moves begun to allow U.S. and NATO jets at Turkish bases to operate offensively against Iraq. Chemical, biological and nuclear weapons facilities Singled out by U.S. as early targets for air attack; claimed destroyed. SCUD missiles An early target; U.S. says none re known to have been launched; other reports say a handful are launched but fail to hit targets. Iraq air force Reported to have been largely destroyed on the ground. Coalition pilots say they met no resistance from Iraqi jets. Some of the handful of Iraqis who managed to get aloft flew north, away from the fighting. Iraqis claim to have downed 14 coalition jets, but U.S. says two allied planes were lost. High-level bombing Targets heavily defended by anti-aircraft are hit by jets flying out of reach of defenders. Baghdad Western reporters glimpse air raids on targets around the city and Iraqi anti-aircraft gunners’ vain attempts to down allied jets. Tomahawk IIs A wave of cruise missiles launched at the start of the attack from U.S. Navy ships strike precisely at targets too dangerous to send piloted planes against. Republican Guard Iraq’s elite troops reportedly pounded by allied bombers. Defensive lines Extensively fortified triple-deep defensive positions erected by Iraq along Saudi border to repel ground attack. Carrier-based jets Navy pilots first fly their jets to land bases in Saudi Arabia before launching missions against Iraq. Refinery attack Iraqi rockets and artillery strike minor refinery near Kuwait border; hit scored on gasoline storage tank. Allied onslaught against Iraq’s air defenses A typical formation attacking an Iraqi airbase would include several different types of aircraft specializing in different aspects of the mission. F-15E Eagle U.S. fighter-bomber; excels at high-speed low-level bombing attacks on many types of targets. A-6 Intruder U.S. Navy attack jet; the EA-6B electronic countermeasures version jams enemy radar systems, allowing the formation to reach targets without being spotted by Iraqi jets or missiles. E-3 AWACS Command jet directs air operations using sophisticated on-board radar. F-117 Stealth fighter-bomber Jet’s extremely small visibility to radar makes it useful for gaining surprise and knocking out anti-aircraft missiles and radar stations. Tornado GR1 Fighter-bomber flown by British, French and Saudi air forces to carry “runway-buster” bombs and other weapons. Other aircraft likely to be used in airbase attacks: U.S. F-4 Wild Weasel radar-jamming fighter-bombers; British and French-Jaguar fighter-bombers; British Tornado F-3 and U.S. F/A14 fighters for cover against enemy fighters.