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Coalition aircraft continue to encounter Iraqi aggression

Released: 25 Feb 1999

INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) -- Operation Northern Watch coalition aircraft continue to face heavy aggression from Iraqi forces. While conducting routine enforcement of the northern no-fly zone early this week, coalition aircraft encountered the fiercest opposition to date since tensions began Dec. 28, shortly after Operation Desert Fox.

"Coalition aircrews are doing an outstanding job," said Col. Kenneth Callicutt, Operation Northern Watch Combined Forces Air Component commander. "As long as Iraqi forces continue to threaten our aircrews, we'll continue to respond quickly and defend coalition assets."

A total of eight incidents occurred Monday within a span of only two hours. Acting in self-defense, several U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft unleashed a total of 23 precision-guided munitions -- including 19 GBU-12s and four GBU-10s -- on a variety of anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air-missile sites near Mosul in Northern Iraq.

Two more separate confrontations occurred Tuesday as three U.S. F-15Es responded in self-defense to anti-aircraft artillery fire, dropping three GBU-24 precision-guided munitions on a command and control bunker that was passing targeting data to the anti-aircraft site that posed a threat to coalition aircraft.

There has been no damage to coalition aircraft and all aircrews have returned safely. Damage to Iraqi assets is currently under assessment.

A senior defense official noted that Operation Northern Watch aircrews have destroyed more Iraqi integrated air defenses than occurred during all of Operation Desert Fox, and at a fraction of the cost and optempo demand.

He added that by executing no-fly zone operations, we are strictly enforcing a policy that Saddam Hussein agreed to nearly eight years ago.

Brig. Gen. David A. Deptula, Operation Northern Watch Combined Task Force commander, is quick to highlight the continued magnificent performance of the personnel deployed from all four services, in what he calls a text-book example of jointness.

Coalition forces assigned to Operation Northern Watch will continue to enforce the northern no-fly zone for the foreseeable future.