Iraq: September 10, 1999


US warplanes bombed Iraqi air defense sites in northern Iraq.

September 9; US warplanes bombed Iraqi air defense sites in northern and southern Iraq.

September 2; The US and Iraq are engaged in a war of attrition, although you might not realize this from the lack of US or British aircraft shot down. Iraq is losing various facilities (air defense, pumping stations, etc.; many of which may be dummies), but the US air forces involved are using up weapons, spare parts, unit morale, money, retention rates, and airframe time (particularly on the EA-6B jammer fleet).--Stephen V Cole

US aircraft were fired on by Iraqi anti-aircraft guns in the Northern No-Fly Zone, and responded by bombing the Iraqis.

August 26; Iraq has begun firing a new longer-range version of the SA-2 anti-aircraft missile at US and British planes in the No Fly Zones. This allows Iraq to engage the planes from bases outside of the No Fly Zones themselves, bringing political heat on the US and UK when they penetrate the central Iraqi sector to hit such targets. The new SA-2 may have a longer range than its guidance radar (meaning much of the extra range is wasted) but most Iraqi missiles are fired unguided as "nuisance threats" anyway.--Stephen V Cole

August 26; Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery in the southern no-fly zone fired on U.S. aircraft. 


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