Napier, Michael/Hector, Gareth (Illustr.) Iraq 2003

Precision warfare comes of age

In 2003, a coalition led by the United States invaded Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime. As in the Gulf War of 1991, the Air Force played a decisive role. However, this war differed significantly from its predecessor and represented a new type of warfare: through targeted missions with precision-guided weapons and close cooperation with ground forces, the air force was particularly effective and efficient. Air force expert and former RAF pilot Michael Napier explains how the 2003 air campaign was planned and executed. He describes the preparatory work carried out in the no-fly zones before hostilities began, how the plan was changed at the last minute to decapitate the Iraqi government, and how the campaign then developed to support both the advance of Anglo-American ground forces and special forces operations against tactical ballistic missiles in the western desert. It analyses in detail the relationship between the conduct of air operations and progress on the battlefield during the three-week war. Illustrated with dramatic artwork, 3D diagrams, maps and photographs, this book assesses what made Iraq 2003 the air campaign of the early 21st century.