Day 7: 23 Jan 1991

23 January 1991 (Wednesday): DAY 7

GENERAL:

v Bush talks of bringing Saddam to justice

v Both of Iraq's functioning nuclear reactors, the French built Tammuz-2 and the

Soviet built IRT-5000, which are both at Tuwaitha in the southeast

suburbs of Bagdad. The IAEA is trying to gain access to the plants to check

for nuclear spillage.

v Belgian Scientist Aubin Heyndricks says that Iraq may be ready to employ

Biological Warfare and noted that Iraq has used typhoid and cholera against

the Kurds. The Soviets have said that Iraq has the capability to use

botulism, anthrax, cholera, and some "obscure African viruses".

AIR WAR:

v General Powell declares "Air Superiority" over all of Kuwait and

Iraq despite only the destruction of (19) aircraft in air combat

v Coalition sorties pass 12,000 with 19 aircraft losses

v US Airpower hits "Baby Formula" Plant

v Air War emphasis shifts to Shelters with attacks by F-117, F-111, and A-10

v Iraq is making good use of deception & decoys

- making destroyed facilities look repaired

- look-alike SCUD decoys

- painting serious damage on the un-damaged

v BDA Assessments far behind, CHECKMATE works to pass national level info

to the Gulf and TAC via classified FAX and Phones...works

v Iraqi aircraft that "escaped" to Iran seemed to have been flown by lesser

experienced pilots which implies that the veteran pilots were being held

back for possible operational missions. Almost all of the (20) Su-24 Fencer's

were accounted for in Iran leading to the speculation that they were not

operationally ready.

v US Navy Aircraft Carriers in the Red Sea have stayed safely out of Iraqi aircraft

and missile range. Strike aircraft utilize Saudi forward airfields for recovery in

case of low fuel or at times double cycle for more ordnance. Attack Iraqi vessels.

v Iraq has captured a Tornado pilot who was Evading

v 1st UK GR-1 use of laser designated weapons, but laser source not known

v USN A-6's damage an Iraqi tanker being used as an Intel collector, and sink a

Hovercraft which is refueling from a tanker, and (1) Zhuk Boat

F-117 HIGHLIGHTS (23Jan/Day 7):

v Day 7/Wave Two: 14 x F-117's from the 416th TFS, 10 launched

- launched on the 23rd and hit targets on the 23rd

- Insufficient time for mission planning and photographic support

was reason given for the loss of four sorties (ground aborted by pilots)

- Scored 16 hits with 18 PGM attempts (89%)

- takeoff scheduled at Midnight on the 23rd

- Missile handling facilities

- the main Signals Intelligence Station

- Transportation Facilities in Bagdad

- VIP residence at Abu Al Jahish

- Highway Bridges over the Euphrates River at An Nasiriyah & As Samawah

- Highway Bridge at Al Quranah

Note: On this raid the "Biltmore" was bombed by a BLU-109 from an F-117

It was the lock-up facility for at least a dozen POW's including Jeffrey Zaun and Robert Wetzel, an A-6E crew off the Saratoga downed 17Jan91

v Day 8/Wave One: 14 x F-117's from the 415th TFS, 13 launched

- Insufficient time for mission planning and photographic support

and bad weather was given as reasons for poor performance

- evening launch on the Day 7/23rd for target time on the Day 8/24th

- Scored 2 hits with 3 PGM attempts, 23 no-drops (67%)

- Road Bridges (all alternative targets....all no drops)

- 3 x bombs dropped at Al Basrah, Um Al Aish, & Al Khirr

KILLS:

v 19 x Iraqi AF aircraft reported downed in air combat, changed to just 17,

the reason is that two Navy kills were double counts, but they were MiG-21's and

still not mentioned in the totals.

- (8) MiG-29

- (2) MiG-25

- (1) MiG-23

- (6) F-1 Mirages

v 24 x aircraft were destroyed on the ground

v Al Taqadoum Airfield is targeted with 7 x Badger Tu-16/B6 bombers that are being

configured with chemical weapons, 4 x are totally destroyed

v The Iraqi AF has flown NO counter air-to-ground sorties

v Iraq's Command & Control System still operating due to redundant and resilient

communications on their own generator power.

v Some press reports give RSAF credit for their 2 x Kill, listed here on the 24th

v Friendly losses listed as 14 US (9 combat)

LOSSES:

v 1 x UK GR-1 Tornado lost during night airfield raid

- flown during night of 23-24 January

- Medium level attack against Ar Rumaylah Airfield

- 8 x VT fused Mk-83 1000 lbs Bombs

- GR-1 ZA403/"CO", based out of Dhrahan, Saudi Arabia

- loss caused by premature detonation of bombs

- became the 5th UK Tornado combat loss

- Both crew members are MIA

- FltLt Pilot Simon Burgess (pilot)

- SqdLdr Bob Ankerson (Nav)

v 10 x US Aircraft are lost in combat, 16 x for the coalition

- 2 x from SAM's

- 3 x from AAA/GF

- 5 x unknown

v (5) of (66) Main & Dispersed Runways were the only active facilities

v 1 x AV-8B Harrier Hit the Ground off the Oman Coast (Non-Combat Loss)

- during an amphibious training exercise

- pilot, 1st Lieutenant Manuel Rivera, Jr (31) of Bronx, NY .... KIA

v 1 x US Army AH-1 Cobra in Saudi Arabia to non-combat causes

- crew survived

- low altitude night flying on goggles very difficult

SCUDS:

v 5 x SCUD's fired at Saudi, 2 Riyadh, 2 Dhahran, 1 KKMC) 4 intercepted, 1 miss

v 1 x SCUD intercepted over Israel by Patriot

v at least one Iraqi missile shot down over Saudi Arabia had a solid fuel rocket

motor, according to analysis of the wreckage. This may indicate that there

is a new SCUD variant being produced in Iraq or that an SS-12 Scaleboard

Soviet made IRBM might have been used. There have been reports that the

Soviets did sell SS-12's to Saddam.

v satellites have seen the Israeli's positioning several Jericho II Ballistic

Missiles into position for a possible retaliatory strike on Iraq. As many as

12 may have been moved. Seymour Hersh's new book "The Samson Option"

goes into details about the Israeli "nuclear" missile retaliatory capability.

Gulf War 1991 Chronology

Day 7: 23 Jan 1991