and allied air forces pummeled Iraqi positions and supply lines. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coalition fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighters, supported by EF-111 Ravens, raced into Iraqi air-space virtually unopposed followed by hundreds of U.S. The attack created a twenty-mile gap in the enemy's air defense network opening a corridor through which U.S. Army's 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st ABN DVN (Air Assault), accompanied by four Air Force MH-53 Pave Low special operations helicopters, flying fast and low, opened fire at 0236 - Baghdad time - on 17 January.Īfter their 27 Hellfire missiles destroyed Iraqi radar sites, the Apaches followed with 100 Hydra-70 rockets that knocked out the associated anti-aircraft guns. Task Force normandy, consisting of nine AH-64 Apache helicopters from the U.S. Bush announces the start of the DESERT STORM air campaign, 16 January 1991Įarly on 17 January 1991, Operation desert shield came to an end when the air campaign of Operationĭesert storm began. “Just 2 hours ago, allied air forces began an attack on military targets in Iraq and Kuwait.

Big tank battle