|
 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
|
Posted on 12/30/2002 12:02:14 AM PST by SAMWolf
|
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
|
| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.
|
|
|
|
The ground campaign, initially designated DESERT SWORD and subsequently designated DESERT SABRE, began on 24 February 1991. When ground operations started in earnest, coalition forces were poised along a line that stretched from the Persian Gulf westward 300 miles into the desert. Two corps covered about two-thirds of the line occupied by the huge multinational force.  The Vll Corps, under Lt. Gen. Frederick M. Franks, Jr., was deployed to the right of the XVIII Airborne Corps and consisted of the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized), the 1st Cavalry Division (Armored), the 1st and 3d Armored Divisions, the British 1st Armored Division, the 2d Armored Cavalry, and the 11th Aviation Brigade. Three commands held the eastern one-third of the front. Joint Forces Command North, made up of formations from Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia and led by His Royal Highness Lt. Gen. Prince Khalid ibn Sultan, held the portion of the line east of Vll Corps. To the right of these allied forces stood Lt. Gen. Walter E. Boomer's I Marine Expeditionary Force, which had the 1st (or Tiger) Brigade of the Army's 2d Armored Division as well as the 1st and 2d Marine Divisions. Joint Forces Command East on the extreme right, or eastern, flank anchored the line at the Persian Gulf. This organization consisted of units from all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Like Joint Forces Command North, it was under General Khalid's command.  General Schwarzkopf unleashed all-out attacks against Iraqi forces very early on 24 February at three points along the allied line. The main attack was designed to avoid most fixed defenses, drive deep into Iraq, envelop Iraqi forces from the west and attack and destroy Saddam Hussein's strategic reserve - Republican Guard armored and mechanized infantry divisions augmented by several other Iraqi Army heavy divisions. This wide left sweep was sometimes referred to as the " Hail Mary" plan. XVIII Airborne Corps attacked in the west and deep into Iraq to control the east-west lines of communication along Highway 8 and cut off Iraqi forces in the Kuwait Theater of Operations. In the far west the French 6th Light Armored and the 101st Airborne Divisions started the massive western envelopment with a ground assault to secure the allied left flank and an air assault to establish forward support bases deep in Iraqi territory. In XVIII Corps' mission of envelopment, the 24th Infantry Division had the central role of blocking the Euphrates River valley to prevent the escape north of Iraqi forces in Kuwait and then attacking east in coordination with VII Corps to defeat the armor-heavy divisions of the Republican Guard Forces Command. In the approximate center of the allied line, along the Wadi al Batin, Maj. Gen. John H. Tilelli, Jr.'s 1st Cavalry Division attacked north into a concentration of Iraqi divisions, whose commanders remained convinced that the coalition would use that and several other wadies as avenues of attack. VII Corps would conduct the main Coalition effort, attacking east of XVIII Airborne Corps and west of Wadi Al-Batin, driving to the north and then east to find, attack, and destroy the heart of President Saddam Hussein's ground forces, the armor-heavy Republican Guard divisions.  In the east two Marine divisions, with the Army's Tiger Brigade, and coalition forces under Saudi command attacked north into Kuwait. These forces held the enemy's tactical and operational forces in place by breaching Iraqi defenses in Kuwait and encircling Iraqi forces in the heel of Kuwait and Kuwait City. Once Kuwait City was encircled and Iraqi forces were ejected or defeated, Arab-Islamic forces would liberate Kuwait City. Iraqi forces, often isolated in static defenses for long periods, were steadily demoralized by air and psychological operations along with the harsh conditions Accordingly, many Iraqis lost the will to resist by the time the ground operation began. In 100 hours of combat XVIII Airborne Corps moved its lead elements 190 miles north into Iraq and then 70 miles east. By the time offensive operations were halted, XVIII Airborne Corps had completed its advance into Iraq, cutting off Iraqi retreat and helping with the Republican Guard's final destruction. The 24th Infantry Division with the 3rd ACR continued its attack to the east to block enemy withdrawal and completed the elimination of the Republican Guard.  In ninety hours of continuous movement and combat, VII Corps achieved impressive results against the best units of the Iraqi military. Franks' troops destroyed more than a dozen Iraqi divisions, an estimated 1,300 tanks, 1,200 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 285 artillery pieces, and 100 air defense systems, and captured nearly 22,000 men. At the same time, the best Iraqi divisions destroyed only 7 MlA1 Abrams tanks, 15 Bradleys, 2 armored personnel carriers, and 1 Apache helicopter. And while killing unknown thousands of enemy troops, VII Corps lost 22 soldiers killed in action. Due to the speed of the allied advance, the VII Corps began its attack ahead of schedule early in the afternoon on the twenty-fourth. Penetrating the minefields to their front, U.S. soldiers overran Iraqi positions within a few hours. The Iraqi troops—tired, hungry, and physically and psychologically battered—began surrendering in droves. The next day the 1st Armored Division quickly crushed the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division as VII Corps pivoted to the east. The 24th Infantry Division’s heavy armor moved rapidly to exploit the initial air assaults of the 101st and 82d Airborne Divisions. Linking up with the 101st battle positions, the 24th Division moved the 200 miles north to the Euphrates River by noon on the twenty-sixth, blocking the Iraqi retreat. In the most decisive actions of the war, the VII Corps, moving directly east with three heavy divisions abreast, attacked the elite Iraqi Republican Guard units. Late in the afternoon on the twenty-sixth, the VII Corps hit elements of the Tawakalna Division in the battle of 73 Easting. In quick succession, the 2d ACR, 1st and 3d Armored Divisions, and the 1st Infantry Division smashed through the Tawakalna Division. Overwhelming the enemy with accurate tank fire and assisted by deadly Apache helicopter gunships, the VII Corps hit the Medina Division in the early afternoon of the twenty-seventh. At Medina Ridge, an attempted Iraqi ambush of the 1st Armored Division ended with the destruction of over 300 enemy tanks.  During four days of combat Tiger Brigade task forces destroyed or captured 181 tanks, 148 armored personnel carriers, 40 artillery pieces, and 27 antiaircraft systems while killing an estimated 263 enemy and capturing 4,051 prisoners of war, all at a cost of 2 killed and 5 wounded. The battles of DESERT STORM soon wound down against crumbling resistance. With the VII Corps poised to crush the remainder of the Republican Guard units, only the declaration of a cease-fire saved the Iraqis. When offensive operations ended, the Coalition faced the beaten remnants of a once-formidable foe. Coalition ground forces, with tremendous support from air and naval forces, had defeated the Iraqi Army. Coalition armies stood on the banks of the Euphrates River, stretched across the Iraqi and Kuwaiti deserts and patrolled a liberated Kuwait City. 
|
On the night of 23 February, Marine units all along the Kuwait border moved into final attack positions and waited for the order to commence the ground offensive. Real-time and near-real-time tactical reconnaissance were provided by Navy and Marine Corps UAVs and Navy F-14s equipped with the tactical air reconnaissance pod system (TARPS). The deadline set by President Bush for Iraq to get out of Kuwait had expired.
Iraq had no "eyes" over the battlefield with which to observe the allied strategy. While the United States and its coalition partners unleashed General Schwarzkopf's "Hail Mary" play, the Iraqis were convinced that the battle would be joined at the center of their defensive lines along the Saudi-Kuwait border, and by amphibious assault.
What the Iraqis could not realize was that the allies had secretly moved two entire corps of American forces (the Army's 7th and 18th), supported by British and French divisions, far to the west in one of the largest and swiftest battlefield troop movements in history. This giant "end run" by more than 250,000 soldiers spread over several hundred miles, moved deep into Iraqi territory from the Saudi border behind the Iraqi forces to deliver a fatal "left hook." The flanking maneuver not only cut off all avenues of retreat north and west of Kuwait, it fulfilled Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell's prediction that the coalition-- specifically the American military --were going to "cut off the head ... and kill" the Iraqi army.
The Marine Corps, with the support of Navy air power, was tasked with going for the jugular. Afte rperforming their own deception by shifting both Marine divisions some 40 to 50 miles northeast from their original staging area, the Marines stepped off into battle. The 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions, each more than 18,000 strong, and the U.S. Army 1st Brigade ("Tiger Brigade"), 2nd Armored Division, plunged into the attack. They were supported by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and thousands of combat service support staff from the 1st and 2nd Force Service Support Groups, and by Navy air forces.
On their way, the Marines had to cross two belts of minefields, 12-foot high sand berms, barbed-wire defenses, booby traps and fire trenches, all the while under sporadic attack by Iraqi artillery. These "impenetrable barriers" were quickly breached by the Marine teams. As the two Marine divisions advanced, two Saudi and Qatari task forces moved up Kuwait's east coast in a similar drive. The initial Marine advance was described by Schwarzkopf in his 27 February briefing as follows:
"It was a classic, absolutely classic military breaching of a very, very tough minefield, barbed wire, fire trench-type barrier. They went through the first barrier like it was water. Then they brought both divisions steaming through that breach. Absolutely superb operation -- a textbook, and I think it will be studied for many, many years to come as the way to do it."
Overhead, Cobras, Harriers and Intruders provided close-air support as the Marines pushed forward meetingoccasional resistance. Navy A-6 Intruders laid down heavy barrages. Marine aircraft attacked in waves as engineers continued to shoot line charges and drop bundles of plastic pipes near trenches so the blade tanks could form makeshift bridges. Even though the 1st Division Marines encountered artillery fire and a mechanized counter-attack, their attack proved unstoppable. Most Iraqis fought for only a few minutes before surrendering. Massive artillery and air support from Navy and Marine aircraft sparked a frenzy of surrender that, at times, slowed the progress of advancing Marine units.
The 2nd Marine Division enjoyed equal success. With the Army's Tiger Brigade on the west flank, the 8th Marine Regiment to the east, and the 6th Marine Regiment in the center, the division kicked off its attack. Within hours they too had breached both defensive belts. Facing enemy mortar and small arms fire, the 2nd Division drove into Kuwait and took more than 5,000 EPWs by the end of the first day.
As Marines continued their attack the sea-based arm of the Navy-Marine Corps team continued to provide support. The battleships continued rapid, responsive gunfire on targets designated by Navy and Marine spotters on the ground and in the air. The amphibious task force in the Persian Gulf continued to demand difficult decisions from the Iraqi generals. Because of the threat of an amphibious landing and the uncertainty of where and when it [word/words missing in text] to ten divisions, totaling 80,000 men, to the defense of the Kuwait coastline. In addition they garrisoned troops and equipment on Bubiyan and Faylaka Islands which command sea approaches to vital areas.
About 7,500 Marines from the 5th MEB were off-loaded from amphibious ships at Saudi Arabian ports at the beginning of the ground attack to serve as the 1st MEF reserve force. Marine AV-8B Harriers, AH-l Cobra helicopters and special operations units from the 4th MEB aided the Arab forces in the east coast drive. On the second day of the ground war, both Marine Divisions faced sporadic resistance as they pushed further into Kuwait. They fought some intense battles along the way, and by the time Kuwait's International Airport was secured on the fourth day of the ground war, the two Marine divisions had defeated an Iraqi force of 11 divisions.
At 0800, Persian Gulf time, 28 February, American forces ceased offensive combat operations by order of the President. In 100 hours of offensive combat, the Marines and one Army Brigade, supported by Navy, Marine and coalition aircraft, destroyed or damaged 1,060 tanks, 608 artillery pieces, five Frog launchers and two Scud launchers, and captured more than 20,000 Iraqi soldiers.
The Iraqi armed forces had extensive experience of warfare. They had just brought an eight year war with Iran to a successful conclusion. The Coalition troops, on the other hand, were largely inexperienced. Britain had found the Falklands War with marines and paratroopers; this war was fought with tanks and mechanized infantry instead. The Syrians had fought within the last decade in Lebanon, but the 9th Division had not been involved. The Egyptians had last fought a war in 1973, shortly after the US had wound down its involvement in Vietnam. Of the gulf states, only Omani Army had anything approaching extensive combat experience.
Of Iraq's 545,000 troops in the Kuwait Theater of Operations, about 100,000 are believed to have lost their lives. Of IRaq's 44 army divisions, 42 were found to be combat ineffective. By the end of the war, estimated losses of equipment were as followed:
Total Equipment
Iraqi Coalition
Lost On hand Lost On hand
Tanks 4,000 4,230 4 3,360
Artillery 2,140 3,110 1 3,633
Armored Personal Carriers 1,856 2,870 9 4,050
Helicopters 7 160 17 1,959
Aircraft 240 800 44 2,600
| 'First we're going to cut it off. Then we're going to kill it.' -- General Colin Powell 'Iraq went from the fourth-largest army in the world to the second-largest army in Iraq in 100 hours' -- Lieutenant General Tom Kelly |
1.Air Force Sergeant Damon V. Kanuha, 28 of San Diego. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 1 Block 2 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
Florida
2.Air Force Staff Sergeant John P. Blessinger, 33 of Fort Walton Beach, FL. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at Row 5 Block 2 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
3.Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Paul G. Buege, 43 of Mary Esther, FL. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 7 Block 3 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
4.Air Force Sergeant Barry M. Clark, 26 of Hulburt Field, FL. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 9 Block 2 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
5.Air Force Capt. Arthur Galvan, 33 of Navarre. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 10 Block 2 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
6.Air Force Capt. William D. Grimm, 28 of Hulburt Field. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 3 Block 1 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
7.Air Force Tech. Sergeant Robert K. Hodges, 28 of Hulburt Field. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 8 Block 1 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
8.Air Force Master Sergeant James B. May II, 40 of Fort Walton Beach. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 6 Block 3 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
9.Air Force Staff Sergeant John L. Oelschlager, 28 of Niceville. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 1 Block 4 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
10.Air Force Staff Sergeant Mark J. Schmauss, 30 of Hulburt Field. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 9 Block 4 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
11.Navy Lt. Commander Michael Scott Speicher, 33 of Jacksonville. MIA on Jan. 17. Shot down in his F-18 on the opening day of the war. He is the father of two children. Is remembered at: Row 2 Block 3 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
12.Air Force Capt. Dixon L. Walters, Jr., 29 of Navarre. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 10 Block 2 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
13.Air Force Major Paul J. Weaver, 34 of Navarre. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 1 Block 1 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
Illinois
14.Air Force Capt. Stephen Richard Phillis, 30 of Rock Island. Is remembered at: Row 4 Block 3 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
Iowa
15.Air Force Staff Sergeant Timothy R. Harrison, 31 of Maxwell. Is remembered at: Row 4 Block 3 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
Maryland
16.Air Force 1st Lt. Thomas Clifford Bland, Jr., 26 of Gaithersburg. Listed as MIA when the AC-130 Specrte Gunship he was flying in was shot down on January 31. The Gunship was believed to be involved in Special Forces operations. On March 6, the gunship was found off the coast of Kuwait and all aboard will be listed as Killed in Action when their remains are identified. Is remembered at: Row 5 Block 1 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
Virginia
17.Navy Lt. Patrick K. Connor, 25 of Virginia Beach. Is remembered at: Row 1 Block 1 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
18.Navy Lt. Cmdr. Barry T. Cooke, 35 of Virginia Beach. Is remembered at: Row 1 Block 2 on The Gulf War Veterans Memorial
Unknown Hometown
19.Army Specialist David Bush, 21.
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Now that makes me feel old.
This prong of the attack was the release of a huge amount of oil into the Gulf - estimates range from 0.5 million to 11 million barrels, and average at about 6 million barrels. Compare this with the tremendous consequnces of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which was "only" 230,000 barrels. The oil formed a slick 30 miles long and 8 miles wide, which is about the same area as the Isle of Wight. The slick is thought to have killed between 15,000 and 30,000 birds.
The problem was not just the vast amount of oil in the Gulf, but also the nature of the Gulf itself. This inland sea is at most only 35m deep, and only has a narrow connection to the Indian Ocean through the Straits of Hormuz, which means that it takes between three and five and a half years for all the water in the Gulf to be changed, so there was no hope of the oil simply dispersing, as it did in the Braer spill.
Although the burning of Kuwait's oil wells may have been intended as an economic weapon, the environmental conseqences were no less severe than those of the oil slick. It is estimated that about 67 million tonnes of oil were burned in total, which produced about 2.1 million tonnes of soot and 2 million tonnes of sulphur, one of the main causes of acid rain. Fortunately, the soot particles did not go any higher than 5,000 metres, which meant that they were washed down with the rain over the next two weeks. If the soot had got above the rainclouds, it would have remained up there, with severe consequences to the world's climate. As it was, the consequences for Kuwait were still harsh. The soot cloud made the daytime almost as dark as the night, and the World Health Organisation esimated that death rates in Kuwait rose by 10% over the following year because of associated breathing difficulties and skin problems
BAGRAM, Afghanistan - An American soldier was wounded in eastern Afghanistan in a gunbattle with enemy fighters near the border with Pakistan, the U.S. military said Monday.
The soldier, who was grazed in the head by a gunshot from an AK-47 Sunday afternoon, was evacuated to Bagram Air Base and later flown "to Landsthul regional medical center in Germany for further examination and neurological testing," the military said in a statement at Bagram, the headquarters of U.S. forces in Afghanistan
The soldier's name was not released and no other details of his condition were immediately available.
Length: 53 feet, 4 inches
Height: 14 feet, 8 inches
Weight: 22,141 lbs maximum
Speed: 439 mph
Ceiling: 33,500 feet
Range: 2,455 miles (transit) 250 miles (combat)
Power: Two General Electric TF-34-GE-100 Turbofan engines, 9,000 pounds thrust each.
Armament: One 30mm GE GAU-8/A Gatling Gun, 16,000 lbs of a mix of bombs and missiles, depending on the mission
Crew: 1
Service: Air Force
* The slow-moving, high-survivability A-10 is designed as a tank killer and for close air support of troops on the ground. It is designed to take multiple hits from enemy fire and still continue flying. The A-10 is also used to support rescue operations of downed pilots. The A-10 entered service in the mid-1970's and is scheduled to be replaced in the future.
Iraqi Counterpart--
Iraq has the SU-25 Frogfoot in its arsenal for close air support. A Soviet designed aircraft, the SU-25 is slightly faster than the A-10 and carries a similar mix of weapons. In addition, French built Mirage Fighters will also play a close air support role.
Actions in Desert Storm--
The A-10 was the ugly duckling of Operation Desert Storm. Eventhough pilots of A-10's were kidded for flying a "slow" aircraft and the plane's physical appearance is best described by its nickname "Warthog," the A-10 did an excellent job in attacking and destroying Iraqi armor positions, including dug-in and fortified units. In one attack on fleeing Iraqi units, two A-10's teamed up to destroy some 23 tanks using a variety of missiles and the cannon in the nose of this aircraft. A-10's also provided cover to downed pilots while rescue crews worked to save them. Although it is going to be phased out in some units, there are many ground soldiers who would like to see the A-10 kept in the service for several more years.
A total of 136 A-10's and 12 OA-10's were deployed to Southwest Asia. The aircraft flew 8,077 sorties, often for anti-air defense missions and hunting SCUD missiles. Ten of the 15 aircraft damaged returned to action. Six others were shot down and lost.
The first M-1 tanks were delivered to the U.S.Army on February 28, 1980. The new tank was named for the late General Creighton W. Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and commander of the 37th Armored Battalion.
|
The M-1 mounts an M68E1 105 millimeter main gun. Two 7.62mm NATO M240 machine guns are also mounted, one coaxially with the main gun, and one on top of the turret at the loader's station. A .50 caliber Browning M2 HB machine gun is mounted at the commander's station for anti-aircraft defense. The M-1A1, first delivered in August 1985, mounts an M256 smoothbore Rheinmetall main gun developed in West Germany. M-1A1 upgrades also involved enhanced armor protection and a new nuclear-biological-chemical warfare protection system.
 |
|
The Abrams hull and turret are built of a material similar to the ceramic-and-steel-plate Chobham armor developed in Britain. The driver is seated in a reclining position in the front of the hull; the commander and gunner are in the turret on the right, and the loader is on the left. Armor plate separates the crew compartment from the fuel tanks and ammunition storage area.
 |
|
Despite its 63-ton weight, the M-1A1 can attain a top speed of 45 miles per hour. The tank is 26 feet long, 12 feet wide, and eight feet high. Range is limited to 290 miles. In March 1988, a program to develop and mount depleted uranium armor plate on the M-1A1 was begun. A non-radioactive substance, depleted uranium has a density at least two-and-a-half times greater than steel. The depleted uranium armor will raise the total weight of the Abrams tank to 65 tons, but offers vastly improved protection in the bargain. Immediately following President Bush's decision to commit U.S. forces to Saudi Arabia, American armored units began the difficult process of relocating to the threatened area. The M-1A1's arrival was much welcomed by Allied forces, as it is capable of defeating any tank in the Iraqi inventory. From: "Gulf War - A Comprehensive Guide to People, Places & Weapons" by Col. Walter J. Boyne, U.S. A.F. (RET) Signet, 1991 "It was the principal U.S. heavy tank used in the Gulf War. The heavy U.S.-based divisions arriving in the Gulf during the fall of 1990 were equipped with the earlier M1 because the division in Europe which had to face the best Soviet tanks, enjoyed priority for the better-armed M1A1. It is not altogether clear whether all M1s in Saudi Arabia were replaced by M1A1s before war began. The U.S. Army in Saudi Arabia probably had about 1,900 M1A1 tanks. Its ability to fire reliably when moving at speed over rough ground (because of the stabilized gun mount) gave it a capability that proved valuable in the Gulf. The Abrams tank also has FLIR, an infrared vision device that proved effective not only at night, but also in the dust and smoke of Kuwaiti daytime. On average, an Abrams outranged an Iraqi tank by about 1,000 meters." |
Many believe that Michael is still alive and being held as a POW.
Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defence system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. Patriot (MIM-104) is produced by Raytheon in Massachusetts and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Florida.
|
|
|
MISSILE The range of the missile is 70km and maximum altitude is greater than 24km. The minimum flight time is the time to arm the missile, which is less than 9s, and the maximum flight time is less than 3½mins. PAC-2 GEM+ UPGRADE Raytheon has developed the Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile Plus (GEM+), an upgrade to the PAC-2 missile. The upgrade involves a new fuze and the insertion of a new low noise front end which increases the seeker's sensitivity to low radar cross-section targets. The first upgrade forebodies were delivered to the US Army in November 2002. 148 missiles are to be upgraded under the first production contract. PATRIOT ADVANCED CAPABILITY (PAC-3) A new Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile has increased effectiveness against tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, through the use of advanced hit-to-kill technology. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor with Raytheon the systems integrator. The PAC-3 has a Ka-band millimetre wave seeker developed by Boeing. The missile guidance system enables target destruction through the kinetic energy released by hitting the target head-on. 16 PAC-3 missiles can be loaded on a launcher, compared to four PAC-2 missiles. PAC-3 entered low rate initial production in late 1999 and first LRIP production missiles of a total of 92 were delivered in September 2002. The missile has concluded operational testing and a decision on full rate production is expected in 2003. The Netherlands and South Korea have requested sales of PAC-3 missiles and Lockheed Martin and EADS (formerly DaimlerChrysler Aerospace) have established a joint venture company for the production of the system for the German Air Force. M901 LAUNCHING STATION The M901 Launching Station transports, points and launches the Patriot missile. Each launcher has four missiles. The launcher is remotely operated via a VHF or fibre optic data link from the Engagement Control Station, which provides both the missile prelaunch data and the fire command signal. ENGAGEMENT CONTROL STATION The AN/MSQ-104 Engagement Control Station is the only manned station in a Patriot Fire Unit. The Control Station communicates with the M901 Launching Stations, with other Patriot batteries and the higher command headquarters. The Control Station is manned by three operators, who have two consoles and a communications station with three radio relay terminals. The digital Weapon Control Computer is located next to the VHF Data Link Terminals. RADAR The AN//MPQ-53 phased array radar carries out search, target detection, track and identification, missile tracking and guidance and electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) functions. The radar is mounted on a trailer and is automatically controlled by the digital weapons control computer in the Engagement Control Station, via a cable link. The radar system has a range of up to 100km, capacity to track up to 100 targets and can provide missile guidance data for up to nine missiles. The US Army Patriot radars are being upgraded by Raytheon. The upgrade kits provide greater power for the radar and the addition of a wideband capability for improved target discrimination. TARGET ENGAGEMENT A target engagement can be carried out in manual, semi-automatic or automatic mode. When the decision has been made to engage the target, the Engagement Control Station selects the Launch Station or Stations and pre-launch data is transmitted to the selected missile. After launch, the Patriot missile is acquired by the radar. The command uplink and the TVM downlink allow the missile's flight to be monitored and provide missile guidance commands from the weapon control computer. As the missile approaches the target, the TVM guidance system is activated and the missile is steered towards the target. A proximity fuse detonates the high explosive warhead. |
The Apache is a twin-engined army attack helicopter developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). It entered service with the US Army in 1984 and has been exported to Egypt, Greece, Israel, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The US Army has more than 800 Apaches in service and more than 1,000 have been exported. The Apache was first used in combat in 1989 in the US military action in Panama. It was used in the Gulf War and has supported low intensity and peacekeeping operations world wide including Turkey, Bosnia and Kosovo.
The AH-64D Longbow is fitted with the Longbow millimetre wave fire control radar and the Longbow Hellfire missile. 232 AH-64Ds are in service with the US Army and Boeing is upgrading 269 US Army AH-64A Apaches to AH-64D standard by 2006. The Longbow has also been ordered by the Netherlands (30, deliveries complete), Singapore (20, first delivered in May 2002), Israel (8) and Egypt. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested the upgrade of 30 Apaches to AH-64D longbow standard.
In August 2001, the AH-64D was selected by the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force, with a requirement for 60 helicopters, and in September 2002, Kuwait ordered 16 AH-64D helicopters for delivery from 2005. The Kuwaiti Apaches will be equipped with BAE Systems HIDAS defensive aids system.
WAH 64
A consortium of GKN Westland (now AgustaWestland), Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Shorts bid a version of the Longbow Apache for the UK Army attack helicopter requirement which was selected in July 1995. Assembly of the WAH-64 Longbow Apache is being carried out in the UK by AgustaWestland. The first 24 have been delivered and the helicopter entered service in January 2001 designated as the AH Mk 1.67 are on order for the British Army.
WEAPONS
A 30mm automatic Boeing M230 Chain Gun is located under the fuselage. It provides a rate of fire of 625 rounds per minute. The helicopter has capacity for up to 1,200 rounds of ammunition.
The AH-64D is armed with the Lockheed Martin/Boeing AGM-114D Longbow Hellfire air-to-surface missile which has a millimetre wave seeker which allows the missile to perform in full fire and forget mode. Range is 8km to 12km. The Apache has been equipped with air-to-air missiles (Stinger, AIM-9 Sidewinder, Mistral and Sidearm) and 2.75in rockets. Thales Air Defence (formerly Shorts Missile Systems) of Belfast, Northern Ireland has trialled the Starstreak missile on the Longbow Apache helicopter, integrated with the Target Acquisition Designation Sight (TADS).
The Longbow Apache carries the combination of armaments chosen for the particular mission. In the close support role the helicopter carries 16 Hellfire missiles on four 4-rail launchers and four air-to-air missiles.
SENSORS
The AH-64D Longbow Apache is equipped with the Northrop Grumman millimetre-wave Longbow radar. The Longbow fire control radar incorporates an integrated radar frequency interferometer for passive location and identification of radar emitting threats. An advantage of millimetre wave is that it performs under poor visibility conditions and is less sensitive to ground clutter. The short wavelength allows a very narrow beamwidth which is resistant to countermeasures.
The Longbow Apache can effect an attack in thirty seconds. The radar dome is unmasked for a single radar scan and then remasked. The processors determine the location, speed and direction of travel of a maximum of 256 targets.
The Target Acquisition Designation Sight, TADS (AN/ASQ-170) and the Pilot Night Vision Sensor, PNVS (AN/AAQ-11) were developed by Lockheed Martin. The turret-mounted TADS provides direct view optics, television and three fields of view forward looking infra-red (FLIR) to carry out search, detection and recognition and Litton laser rangefinder/designator. PNVS consists of a FLIR in a rotating turret located on the nose above the TADS. The image from the PNVS is displayed in the monocular eyepiece of the Honeywell integrated Helmet And Display Sighting System, HADDS, worn by the pilot and co-pilot/gunner.
Lockheed Martin has developed a new targeting and night vision system for the Apache, called Arrowhead. Arrowhead has a dual field-of-view second-generation long-wave infrared sensor with improved range and resolution. The new system is planned to enter service with the US Army in 2004.
COUNTERMEASURES
The Apache is equipped with an electronic warfare suite consisting of: AN/APR-39A(V) radar warning receiver from Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton) and Lockheed Martin; AN/ALQ-144 infra-red countermeasures set from BAE Systems IEWS (formerly Sanders, a Lockheed Martin company); AN/AVR-2 laser warning receiver from Goodrich (formerly Hughes Danbury Optical Systems then Raytheon); AN/ALQ-136(V) radar jammer developed by ITT; and chaff dispensers. US Army Apaches will be fitted with the ITT AN/ALQ-211 IRCM (Integrated Radio Frequency Countermeasures) suite. UK AH Mk 1 Apaches have BAE Systems Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (HIDAS).
ENGINES
The Apache is equipped with two turboshaft engines each providing 1,265kW. The American AH-64D has General Electric T700-GE-701 engines and the UK Apache is fitted with RTM322 engines from Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca.
|
|
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.