OPENING AIR CAMPAIGN OF OPERATION DESERT STORM

Operation Desert Storm air campaign begins

After months of buildup in the Persian Gulf and the failure of Saddam Hussein to withdraw from Kuwait by the deadline of January 15th, 1991, coalition forces led by the United States shifted from deterrence to attack. In the early hours of January 17th, 1991, waves of aircraft and cruise missiles struck Iraqi air defenses, command centers, and key military units, opening the combat phase known as Operation Desert Storm. Stealth aircraft, precision–guided munitions, and coordinated electronic warfare played a prominent role, showcasing technological advances that had matured since the Vietnam era. For pilots, aircrews, and ground support personnel, the campaign demanded high tempo operations in a heavily defended environment. The air offensive quickly degraded Iraqi capabilities and set conditions for the ground campaign that would follow, while also signaling a new era in how the United States approached large–scale conventional war.