File: aacwr_12.txt
Page: 12
Total Pages: 49

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INTRODUCTION

Operation Desert Shield

Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 set in motion a series of events that changed the face of the Middle East. Six days after the invasion, U.S. Army and Air Force combat units began arriving in Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield. Initially, their mission was to deter any designs Iraq might have on its neighbors, but in November President George Bush and his advisers began building up forces that could dislodge the invaders from Kuwait if diplomatic and economic measures failed to evict them. The U.S. and its allies won approval for a series of United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding Iraq withdraw from Kuwait, calling on all members to stop trade and commerce with Iraq until it did so, and authorizing the use of force after 15 January 1991 if Iraq did not comply. Between 8 August 1990 and 16 January 1991, the U.S. and its coalition partners deployed more than 2,400 fixed-wing aircraft and 600,000 people to Southwest Asia. Facing coalition forces were about 546,000 Iraqi soldiers, 4,000 tanks, 2,500 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 3,000 artillery pieces, and 700 combat aircraft. USAFE played a strategic part in this operation.

As United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) did not have assigned forces, it had to draw forces from other U.S. military services and commands. Thus, under Operation Desert Shield, USCENTCOM, through the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CS), directed USAFE to deploy combat aircraft, personnel, munitions, and equipment to Southwest Asia to deter further Iraqi aggression and provide long term logistical support to u. s. Air Force units there. Additionally, USAFE assisted in the deployment of Tactical Air Command (TAC) unit by serving aircraft that transited Europe before go to Southeast Asia.

The deployment of united States military forces to Southwest Asia occurred in two phases. The first started within days the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and continued into September. Initially, U.S. Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF) planned to rotate tactical air force deployments among USAFE, TAC, Pacific Air Forces, Air Force Reserve, and
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* From executive summaries in USAFE calendar year 1990 and 1991 histories.

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