Smart Bombs: The Most Important Factor In The Gulf War Of 1991
To what extent were smart bombs the most important factor in the way the Gulf war of 1991 was conducted?
Laser-guided bombs have been called the “invention that shaped the Gulf War.” (Correll, 2010). By the time of the Persian Gulf War in 1991, laser guided bombs were in widespread use. (Handwerk, 2005). In fact, 90% of the bombs hauled to Iraq’s borders were smart weapons. For some, the Gulf War is remembered as the war where smart weapons played a major role in the way the Gulf War was conducted. (Sample, 2003) For others, using smart bombs is meaningless because they result in minor victories with collosal death tolls (TV, 2012). There are both claims and counterclaims for these arguments. But lets investigate which statement is correct. …show more content…
Have smart Bombs been the most important factor in the way the Gulf War has been conducted? We must look more closely on the Gulf War, on how the smart bombs were used, and any limitations they have. Only after, will we be able to understand thoroughly if smart bombs were the most influential technology used in the Persian gulf war of 1991.
In the first Persian Gulf War of 1991, there was the invasion of the small nation of Kuwait by Iraq. Iraq was facing major debt issues due to the Iran-Iraq war, and wanted to invade Kuwait in order to steal their oil fields. After having invaded from August 2-4 1990, the Kuwait force was defeated and Kuwait was now part of Iraq. In response to this action, the UN and US President George Bush authorized the use of military force against Iraq to push Saddam Hussein back to Iraq (Yahoo Answers, 2010). When Saddam Hussein refused to agree, the operation “Desert Storm” was launched (Jan 18, 1991). Bush formed an international coalition of 32 nations including the United States, Middle Eastern countries of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria as well as Britain and France to oppose Iraqis forces (Office of the Historian). The coalition forces were much stronger and kicked Iraq forces out of Kuwait, which by then most Iraqi forces in Kuwait, which by then most Iraqi forces in Kuwait has fled or surrendered there was significant damage of infrastructure, property damage, as well as deaths. Iraq and the UN signed ceasefire in April of 1991 (Yahoo Answers, 2010).
The Gulf War was the first major conflict of modern military, armed with advanced technology such as smart bombs, which were reserved for special operation and difficult missions.
By the time of the war, the use of laser guided weapons was already very widespread (Sample, 2003) (Handwerk, 2005). According to the “Gulf War Airpower Survey”, the desert storm “reconfirmed that smart bombs possessed a near (…) target-destruction capability, and a (…) revolutionary development in aerial warfare.” (Correll, 2010). In fact, the 2,000-pound laser-guided bomb crashed through the hardened concrete of the Amiriyah bomb shelter in Iraq, creating a large hole as well as killing 208 Iraqi civilians. The bombs targeted Amiriyah because they had picked up electronic signals, and sattelites could see a lot of vehicles and people moving in/out of the bunker. (Handwerk, 2005). Before dropping the most widely used smart bombs (Paveway IIs and IIIs), an infrared laser illumitnated the spot on the target. This laser could be wielded by troops on ground, by the plane carring the bombs or by other planes. When the bomb is released from the plane, an infrared sensor on the smart bomb depicts the laser spot and sends signals that are able to control the smart bombs and steer it into position, ready to hit the target. These bombs were invisible to radars and had an average accuracy of 10 feet (Sample, 2003) (Correll, 2010). It must not be forgotten that there are also a few limitations about these …show more content…
bombs as well.
Image showing laser guided bombs being dropped
(Wikipedia, 1991)
Despite their success, smart bombs did not gain instant acceptance (Office of the Historian). The trouble is, that smart bombs were not always considered smart. Mostly because not all of them were as accurate as portrayed. Films of laser-guided bombs perfectly show the bombs missing their targets and pilots cursing and/or hyperventilating. Nobody came to know about all these things, as they were never showed on Media. During the first five nights of combat, out of 167 laser-guided bombs, 76 missed their targets because of pilot error, electronic or mechanical malfunctions (Martin, 2005). Another limitation of smart bombs is that planners must know exactly which building to hit. Missing the target by only 10 meters will wipe a lot of people: and not necessary people intended to be killed (Handwerk, 2005). One of the major troubles was that the nation sending the bombs could only be precise in sending the bombs down if the sky was clear. If there were any clouds or sand storms, for example, the bombs view on the target would be obscured, making the weapon go off course. In the coming year, the technology of smart weapons has advanced even more. This can be seen in the last Gulf War where in effort to overcome the problem mentioned before, the US had developed all-weather guided bombs. GPS signals would pass through clouds without giving misleading accounts, making the bombs guided by Americans able to be used regardless of the weather (Sample, 2003). One innovation that facilitated decision-making during the Gulf War was the use of teleconferences. These saved many hours of travel time between the different nations (Office of the Historian). Even still, smart bombs have been very influential as to how the first Gulf War was conducted. Hitting places were Iraq had weapons could not easily be done “on-land” through fighting. This is a crucial conclusion that underlines the fact that laser-guided bombs did play an essential and very extensive role in the Gulf War.
Smart weapons used in the Gulf War appear to have changed more than just the tactic of war. They have changed they way wars are conducted (Handwerk, 2005) It has certainly changed the way the first Persian Gulf War was conducted. The Gulf War’s aim was to portray the war as clinical and bloodless using smart bombs. Sadly it is a “shattered myth” that this war was bloodless”, because with the use of smart weapons, wars will never really be able to be “bloodless”. Therefore it can be said that the use of smart bombs significantly affected the way that the Gulf War of 1991 was conducted. Even though there were other factors apart from the smart bombs that also played roles in the war, it is believed that these were the most influential. It is important to understand this war, and the way it was conducted, because this war is considered the most “one sided battle in modern history” (TVS, 2012).
Word Count: 1,122
WORKS CITED
Correll, J.
T. (2010, March). The Emergence of Smart Bombs (Precision-guided munitions in Vietnam wrote the book on ground attack). Retrieved September 8, 2013, from Air Force Magazine: http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2010/March%202010/0310bombs.aspx Handwerk, B. (2005, February 18). "Smart Bombs" Change Face of Modern War . Retrieved September 8, 2013, from National Geographic: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0218_050218_tv_bombs_2.html Martin, M. (2005). The Persian Gulf war: Saddam 's failed invasion. San Diego: Lucent Books.
Office of the Historian. (n.d.). A SHORT HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE: The First Gulf War . Retrieved September 10, 2013, from US De partmnet of State: Office of the Historian: http://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/firstgulf Sample, I. (2003, March 19). US gambles on a 'smart ' war in Iraq . Retrieved September 8, 2013, from New Scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3518-us-gambles-on-a-smart-war-in-iraq.html?page=1#.UiTZ-xYijdk TV, S. (Director). (2012). 20th Century Battlefields- Episode 8: 1991 Gulf War [Motion Picture].
Wikipedia. (1991 , January 17). Gulf War Air Campaign. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from
Wikipedia. http://www.google.de/imgres?q=smart+bombs+persian+gulf+war&um=1&hl=de&biw=1024&bih=588&tbm=isch&tbnid=LytxOi_QXDEs8M:&imgrefurl Yahoo Answers. (2010). Description of the Gulf War. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from Yahoo Answers!:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110112193037AAI0PQz
Laser-guided bombs have been called the “invention that shaped the Gulf War.” (Correll, 2010). By the time of the Persian Gulf War in 1991, laser guided bombs were in widespread use. (Handwerk, 2005). In fact, 90% of the bombs hauled to Iraq’s borders were smart weapons. For some, the Gulf War is remembered as the war where smart weapons played a major role in the way the Gulf War was conducted. (Sample, 2003) For others, using smart bombs is meaningless because they result in minor victories with collosal death tolls (TV, 2012). There are both claims and counterclaims for these arguments. But lets investigate which statement is correct. …show more content…
Have smart Bombs been the most important factor in the way the Gulf War has been conducted? We must look more closely on the Gulf War, on how the smart bombs were used, and any limitations they have. Only after, will we be able to understand thoroughly if smart bombs were the most influential technology used in the Persian gulf war of 1991.
In the first Persian Gulf War of 1991, there was the invasion of the small nation of Kuwait by Iraq. Iraq was facing major debt issues due to the Iran-Iraq war, and wanted to invade Kuwait in order to steal their oil fields. After having invaded from August 2-4 1990, the Kuwait force was defeated and Kuwait was now part of Iraq. In response to this action, the UN and US President George Bush authorized the use of military force against Iraq to push Saddam Hussein back to Iraq (Yahoo Answers, 2010). When Saddam Hussein refused to agree, the operation “Desert Storm” was launched (Jan 18, 1991). Bush formed an international coalition of 32 nations including the United States, Middle Eastern countries of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria as well as Britain and France to oppose Iraqis forces (Office of the Historian). The coalition forces were much stronger and kicked Iraq forces out of Kuwait, which by then most Iraqi forces in Kuwait, which by then most Iraqi forces in Kuwait has fled or surrendered there was significant damage of infrastructure, property damage, as well as deaths. Iraq and the UN signed ceasefire in April of 1991 (Yahoo Answers, 2010).
The Gulf War was the first major conflict of modern military, armed with advanced technology such as smart bombs, which were reserved for special operation and difficult missions.
By the time of the war, the use of laser guided weapons was already very widespread (Sample, 2003) (Handwerk, 2005). According to the “Gulf War Airpower Survey”, the desert storm “reconfirmed that smart bombs possessed a near (…) target-destruction capability, and a (…) revolutionary development in aerial warfare.” (Correll, 2010). In fact, the 2,000-pound laser-guided bomb crashed through the hardened concrete of the Amiriyah bomb shelter in Iraq, creating a large hole as well as killing 208 Iraqi civilians. The bombs targeted Amiriyah because they had picked up electronic signals, and sattelites could see a lot of vehicles and people moving in/out of the bunker. (Handwerk, 2005). Before dropping the most widely used smart bombs (Paveway IIs and IIIs), an infrared laser illumitnated the spot on the target. This laser could be wielded by troops on ground, by the plane carring the bombs or by other planes. When the bomb is released from the plane, an infrared sensor on the smart bomb depicts the laser spot and sends signals that are able to control the smart bombs and steer it into position, ready to hit the target. These bombs were invisible to radars and had an average accuracy of 10 feet (Sample, 2003) (Correll, 2010). It must not be forgotten that there are also a few limitations about these …show more content…
bombs as well.
Image showing laser guided bombs being dropped
(Wikipedia, 1991)
Despite their success, smart bombs did not gain instant acceptance (Office of the Historian). The trouble is, that smart bombs were not always considered smart. Mostly because not all of them were as accurate as portrayed. Films of laser-guided bombs perfectly show the bombs missing their targets and pilots cursing and/or hyperventilating. Nobody came to know about all these things, as they were never showed on Media. During the first five nights of combat, out of 167 laser-guided bombs, 76 missed their targets because of pilot error, electronic or mechanical malfunctions (Martin, 2005). Another limitation of smart bombs is that planners must know exactly which building to hit. Missing the target by only 10 meters will wipe a lot of people: and not necessary people intended to be killed (Handwerk, 2005). One of the major troubles was that the nation sending the bombs could only be precise in sending the bombs down if the sky was clear. If there were any clouds or sand storms, for example, the bombs view on the target would be obscured, making the weapon go off course. In the coming year, the technology of smart weapons has advanced even more. This can be seen in the last Gulf War where in effort to overcome the problem mentioned before, the US had developed all-weather guided bombs. GPS signals would pass through clouds without giving misleading accounts, making the bombs guided by Americans able to be used regardless of the weather (Sample, 2003). One innovation that facilitated decision-making during the Gulf War was the use of teleconferences. These saved many hours of travel time between the different nations (Office of the Historian). Even still, smart bombs have been very influential as to how the first Gulf War was conducted. Hitting places were Iraq had weapons could not easily be done “on-land” through fighting. This is a crucial conclusion that underlines the fact that laser-guided bombs did play an essential and very extensive role in the Gulf War.
Smart weapons used in the Gulf War appear to have changed more than just the tactic of war. They have changed they way wars are conducted (Handwerk, 2005) It has certainly changed the way the first Persian Gulf War was conducted. The Gulf War’s aim was to portray the war as clinical and bloodless using smart bombs. Sadly it is a “shattered myth” that this war was bloodless”, because with the use of smart weapons, wars will never really be able to be “bloodless”. Therefore it can be said that the use of smart bombs significantly affected the way that the Gulf War of 1991 was conducted. Even though there were other factors apart from the smart bombs that also played roles in the war, it is believed that these were the most influential. It is important to understand this war, and the way it was conducted, because this war is considered the most “one sided battle in modern history” (TVS, 2012).
Word Count: 1,122
WORKS CITED
Correll, J.
T. (2010, March). The Emergence of Smart Bombs (Precision-guided munitions in Vietnam wrote the book on ground attack). Retrieved September 8, 2013, from Air Force Magazine: http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2010/March%202010/0310bombs.aspx Handwerk, B. (2005, February 18). "Smart Bombs" Change Face of Modern War . Retrieved September 8, 2013, from National Geographic: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0218_050218_tv_bombs_2.html Martin, M. (2005). The Persian Gulf war: Saddam 's failed invasion. San Diego: Lucent Books.
Office of the Historian. (n.d.). A SHORT HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE: The First Gulf War . Retrieved September 10, 2013, from US De partmnet of State: Office of the Historian: http://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/firstgulf Sample, I. (2003, March 19). US gambles on a 'smart ' war in Iraq . Retrieved September 8, 2013, from New Scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3518-us-gambles-on-a-smart-war-in-iraq.html?page=1#.UiTZ-xYijdk TV, S. (Director). (2012). 20th Century Battlefields- Episode 8: 1991 Gulf War [Motion Picture].
Wikipedia. (1991 , January 17). Gulf War Air Campaign. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from
Wikipedia. http://www.google.de/imgres?q=smart+bombs+persian+gulf+war&um=1&hl=de&biw=1024&bih=588&tbm=isch&tbnid=LytxOi_QXDEs8M:&imgrefurl Yahoo Answers. (2010). Description of the Gulf War. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from Yahoo Answers!:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110112193037AAI0PQz