War in Southeast AsiaUses of Air Power

Missions, Campaigns, & Planes

Vietnam: Part II: Uses of Airpower

Describe how airpower was used in Southeast Asia to Describe how airpower was used in Southeast Asia to interdict interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trailthe Ho Chi Minh Trail

Describe the US Air ForceDescribe the US Air Force’’s s efforts to gain air superiorityefforts to gain air superiorityduring the Vietnam conflictduring the Vietnam conflict

Describe and give an example of the Describe and give an example of the tactical airlift missionstactical airlift missionsflown during the Vietnam conflictflown during the Vietnam conflict

OBJECTIVEOBJECTIVE: : Know how airpower was used during the war in Southeast Asia..

Samples of BehaviorSamples of Behavior::

Samples of BehaviorSamples of Behavior (Continued)(Continued)::

Describe the US Air ForceDescribe the US Air Force’’s s Search and RecoverySearch and Recovery mission in mission in VietnamVietnam

Describe Describe ““Rolling ThunderRolling Thunder,,”” ““Linebacker ILinebacker I,,”” and and ““Linebacker Linebacker IIII”” –– strategic bombing campaignsstrategic bombing campaigns against North Vietnamagainst North Vietnam

Describe the Describe the uses and the effectiveness of the Buses and the effectiveness of the B--5252 in the in the Vietnam conflictVietnam conflict

Overview

nn Background of Airpower in VietnamBackground of Airpower in Vietnamnn Major MissionsMajor Missionsnn Video & 3 Major Strategic CampaignsVideo & 3 Major Strategic Campaigns

AC-130F-105

F-4

C-123F-111

O-1

KC-135

B-52

Uses of Air PowerBackground

nn After Tonkin, US air units built up rapidlyAfter Tonkin, US air units built up rapidlyuu 10 major US air bases in South Vietnam10 major US air bases in South Vietnamuu Also flew from 6 bases in ThailandAlso flew from 6 bases in Thailanduu BB--52s flew mostly from Guam52s flew mostly from Guamuu Navy flew from carriers in Gulf of TonkinNavy flew from carriers in Gulf of Tonkin

nn Most air power supported ground opsMost air power supported ground ops

nn Air superiority over Air superiority over SouthSouth never a concernnever a concern

nn InIn--country operations centered around country operations centered around interdictioninterdiction, , close air supportclose air support, , airliftairlift, , reccerecce, , search search and rescueand rescue and and air refuelingair refueling

Uses of Air Power1964 to 1968

nn Forestall suspected enemy offensivesForestall suspected enemy offensivesnn Defend and supply isolated outpostsDefend and supply isolated outpostsnn Interdict the Southern end of the Ho Chi Interdict the Southern end of the Ho Chi

MinhMinh Trail Trail uuSeries of roads and paths through the dense Series of roads and paths through the dense

junglejungleuuNorth VietnamNorth Vietnam’’s primary supply route into s primary supply route into

South VietnamSouth Vietnam

Uses of Air PowerDuring Vietnamization (1969-1973)

nn Train the South Vietnamese Air Train the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF)Force (VNAF)

nn Support the South Vietnamese ArmySupport the South Vietnamese Armynn Forestall suspected enemy attacks Forestall suspected enemy attacks

against withdrawing American unitsagainst withdrawing American units

Missions (Functions)nn CounterAirCounterAirnn CounterlandCounterland

uu InterdictionInterdictionuu Close Air Support (CAS)Close Air Support (CAS)

nn Reconnaissance (Reconnaissance (RecceRecce))nn RefuelingRefuelingnn EtcEtc……..

What’s important is the mission…not the airplane’s original design

What kind of aircraft starts with A-, B-, C-, F-, K-, R-, etc.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGETEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Missions: Interdiction

nn Aircraft: FAircraft: F--4 Phantom, F4 Phantom, F--100 Super 100 Super SabreSabre, F, F--105 105 ThunderchiefThunderchief (Thud), AC(Thud), AC--130 130 GunshipsGunships

nn Best known interdiction aircraft was BBest known interdiction aircraft was B--52 52 StratofortressStratofortressuu Nuclear bomber modified to carry conventional bombs Nuclear bomber modified to carry conventional bombs

Operations to divert, disrupt, delay, or destroy the enemy’s surface military potential before it can be used effectively against friendly forces.

B-52 conventional bombing missions in Vietnam were called Arc Light

nn Aircraft: AAircraft: A--4 4 SkyhawkSkyhawk, F, F--4, F4, F--100, A100, A--37 Dragonfly, A37 Dragonfly, A--1 1 SkyraiderSkyraider and ACand AC--47, 119, 130 47, 119, 130 GunshipsGunships ((““Puff the Puff the Magic DragonMagic Dragon”” or Spooky or or Spooky or DragonshipDragonship, Shadow or , Shadow or Stinger, Stinger, SpectreSpectre))uu GunshipsGunships, cargo aircraft armed with rapid, cargo aircraft armed with rapid--fire machine guns and fire machine guns and

canoncanon…… very effectivevery effectivenn Forward Air ControllersForward Air Controllers ((FACsFACs) used to locate and mark ) used to locate and mark

targets for faster flying jets (Otargets for faster flying jets (O--1 Bird Dog, O1 Bird Dog, O--2 2 SkymasterSkymaster, OV, OV--10 Bronco)10 Bronco)

Air operations against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces

Missions:Close Air Support

But FACs didn’t mark targets for the big boys…

Close Air Support (Cont)

nn BB--52 Arc Light aircraft 52 Arc Light aircraft sometimes used forsometimes used for CASCAS

nn Used extensively for CAS at Khe SanhUsed extensively for CAS at Khe SanhuuFlew 2,548 sorties and dropped bombs within Flew 2,548 sorties and dropped bombs within

300 yards of of US Marine perimeter 300 yards of of US Marine perimeter nn BB--52 credited with saving Khe Sanh and 52 credited with saving Khe Sanh and

repelling the Tet and Easter Offensivesrepelling the Tet and Easter Offensives

Missions:Tactical Airlift

nn Aircraft: UHAircraft: UH--1 1 HueysHueys, C, C--7 Caribou, 7 Caribou, CC--123 Provider and C123 Provider and C--130 Hercules130 Hercules

nn Airlift vital because Airlift vital because roads werenroads weren’’t securet securenn Missions often flown while under attackMissions often flown while under attackuuSupplies often airSupplies often air--dropped (or LAPES) because dropped (or LAPES) because

of enemy fire and poor landing facilities of enemy fire and poor landing facilities nn A major factor in keeping Khe Sanh aliveA major factor in keeping Khe Sanh alive

Missions: Reconnaissance(Recce)

nn Aircraft: RFAircraft: RF--101 Voodoo, RF101 Voodoo, RF--4C, RB4C, RB--57 57 Canberra and RBCanberra and RB--66 Destroyers66 Destroyers

nn Used variety of cameras and sensorsUsed variety of cameras and sensorsnn FoundFound lucrative targets and lucrative targets and assessed battle assessed battle

damagedamagenn Key to repelling Tet offensive and protecting Key to repelling Tet offensive and protecting

Khe Sanh Khe Sanh

Missions: Search and Rescue(SAR)

nn Aircraft: HHAircraft: HH--3 Jolly Green Giants and HH3 Jolly Green Giants and HH--53 53 Super Jolly GreensSuper Jolly Greens

nn Critical support mission Critical support mission (morale!)(morale!)uuFliers knew every effort would be made to get them Fliers knew every effort would be made to get them

out!out!nn By By ‘‘73, USAF had rescued 3,883 Americans73, USAF had rescued 3,883 Americans

Missions: Air to Air Refueling(AAR)

nn CC--130s refueled helicopters, KC130s refueled helicopters, KC--135 135 StratotankersStratotankers refueled fixedrefueled fixed--wing aircraftwing aircraft

nn Indispensable Indispensable ---- extended the range of extended the range of combat aircraft combat aircraft

nn SAC tankers knew how to SAC tankers knew how to ““pass gaspass gas””…… 9 billion pounds of it9 billion pounds of it

Campaigns:“Rolling Thunder”

nn Officially began March 1965Officially began March 1965nn ObjectivesObjectivesuuInterdict the flow of supplies from the NorthInterdict the flow of supplies from the NorthuuForce North Vietnam to stop supporting Force North Vietnam to stop supporting

Vietcong and quit the warVietcong and quit the waruuRaise South Vietnamese moraleRaise South Vietnamese morale

Air implementation of the Graduated Response

Rolling Thundernn Both strategic bombing & interdiction campaignBoth strategic bombing & interdiction campaign

uu Strategic: aimed at the NorthStrategic: aimed at the North’’s s willwill to wage warto wage waruu Interdiction: North had few large industries; most of Interdiction: North had few large industries; most of

their material came from China and Soviet Uniontheir material came from China and Soviet Union

nn Mostly tactical aircraft Mostly tactical aircraft ---- FF--105s, F105s, F--4s and F4s and F--111s 111s uu BB--52s used in 52s used in ‘‘66 in Southern part of N. Vietnam66 in Southern part of N. Vietnam

Campaign not only graduated…but highly restricted

Rolling ThunderRestrictions

nn Pres Johnson tightly controlled campaignPres Johnson tightly controlled campaignuuWhite House selected targets, weapons and White House selected targets, weapons and

flying routes flying routes ---- with little military inputwith little military inputnn Restrictions included:Restrictions included:uuHanoi, Haiphong, China border Hanoi, Haiphong, China border ---- off limitsoff limitsuuMIG bases and nonMIG bases and non--firing SAM sitesfiring SAM sites----off limitsoff limitsuuDams, dikes, hydroelectric plantsDams, dikes, hydroelectric plants----off limitsoff limits

Rolling Thunder

nn Graduated increases in intensity gave North Graduated increases in intensity gave North Vietnamese:Vietnamese:uuTime to recover from damageTime to recover from damageuuTime to build worldTime to build world’’s most intense antiaircraft s most intense antiaircraft

defense systemdefense systemuuWill to fight on and a sense they could surviveWill to fight on and a sense they could survive

Rolling Thunder

nn ImpactsImpactsuuFrequent halts and restrictions allowed North to Frequent halts and restrictions allowed North to

reconstitute and reconstitute and resupplyresupply forces in Southforces in SouthuuCriticism grew at home and internationally Criticism grew at home and internationally

nn AmericaAmerica’’s longest air campaigns longest air campaign……a failurea failurenn Rolling Thunder ended before Rolling Thunder ended before ‘‘68 elections68 elections

Campaigns:“Linebacker I”

nn North launched Easter Offensive (Mar North launched Easter Offensive (Mar ‘‘72)72)uuApparent North not negotiating in good faithApparent North not negotiating in good faith

nn Objectives of Linebacker IObjectives of Linebacker IuuInitially CAS for retreating South Vietnamese Initially CAS for retreating South Vietnamese

forcesforcesuuChanged to interdiction campaign against North Changed to interdiction campaign against North

VietnamVietnam

Unlike Rolling Thunder…few restrictions

Linebacker I

nn Civilian casualtiesCivilian casualties…… no longer dictated how no longer dictated how missions were flownmissions were flown

nn Mined Haiphong Harbor for 1Mined Haiphong Harbor for 1stst time to time to restrict inrestrict in--coming suppliescoming supplies

nn AirstrikesAirstrikes in and around Hanoi/ Haiphong in and around Hanoi/ Haiphong uuBB--52 strikes on Haiphong52 strikes on Haiphong

nn ““SmartSmart”” bombs used extensivelybombs used extensively

Linebacker Inn Linebacker I Linebacker I ---- most successful bombing most successful bombing

campaign of the warcampaign of the waruuMore impact in 9 months than 4 years ofMore impact in 9 months than 4 years of

Rolling ThunderRolling ThunderuuSuccess aided by nature of Easter OffensiveSuccess aided by nature of Easter Offensive

……a conventional, mechanized attacka conventional, mechanized attacknn Peace Talks resumed in July 1972 Peace Talks resumed in July 1972 uuNixon curtailed attacks north of 20th parallelNixon curtailed attacks north of 20th parallel

Campaigns:“Linebacker II”

nn Peace Talks stalled again in Dec Peace Talks stalled again in Dec ‘‘7272nn Nixon ordered Linebacker II to run Nixon ordered Linebacker II to run

concurrent with Linebacker Iconcurrent with Linebacker Inn Purpose: Force North Vietnamese to Purpose: Force North Vietnamese to

negotiate and sign a peace treatynegotiate and sign a peace treatynn 18 Dec to 30 Dec 1972 18 Dec to 30 Dec 1972 ---- known as the known as the

““Christmas CampaignChristmas Campaign””

Linebacker II

nn Very intense and logistically complexVery intense and logistically complexnn Hanoi and Haiphong specifically targetedHanoi and Haiphong specifically targetednn BB--52s used for the first time over Hanoi52s used for the first time over Hanoinn By the end, North Vietnam left defenselessBy the end, North Vietnam left defenselessuu1,200 1,200 SAMsSAMs were firedwere fireduu80% of North80% of North’’s electrical systems and 25% of s electrical systems and 25% of

their POL facilities were destroyedtheir POL facilities were destroyed

We had their attention

Linebacker II

nn North Vietnam returned to the bargaining North Vietnam returned to the bargaining table 30 Dec table 30 Dec ‘‘7272

nn All bombing ceased on 15 Jan All bombing ceased on 15 Jan ‘‘7373nn Peace treaty was signed on 27 Jan Peace treaty was signed on 27 Jan ‘‘7373nn Linebacker II was a Linebacker II was a clear successclear success

POWs came home…US involvement ended

Summarynn Uses of AirpowerUses of Airpower

uu InterdictionInterdictionuu Close Air SupportClose Air Supportuu AirliftAirliftuu Air RefuelingAir Refuelinguu ReconnaissanceReconnaissanceuu Search and RescueSearch and Rescue

nn Rolling ThunderRolling Thundernn Linebacker ILinebacker Inn Linebacker IILinebacker II

Missions, Campaigns, & Planes