Description

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This report brings together analyses of three crucial determinants of an armed force's overall capability: * weapons-the tools used by the soldier, sailor, and airman, * tactics-the ways in which the tools are used to produce desired effects and, *training-the way in which the individual soldier, sailor, and airman acquires the skills required to combine weapons and tactics into the operational art of warfare.The report focuses on the impact of these three elements on the application of air power projected by the U.S. and Coalition forces in the Gulf War. The information and conclusions presented provide background essential to a more complete understanding of the facts, principles, andprecepts developed and discussed in other volumes of this study.The research to support this report was drawn from several sources. First and foremost, the extensive operational and technical expertise ofthe principal authors and contributors served as a reservoir of knowledge and background. Their primary search for information focused onintelligence estimates, unit reports, flight data bases, and earlier studies pertinent to the task. Additionally, the authors interviewed Gulf Warparticipants from the United States and Coalition countries and obtained volumes of supporting documents and information now resting within theGWAPS archive. Because of time constraints and the ambitious scope of the task, some issues and topics within this report are either addressedonly at the surface or not addressed at all. These issues are usually identified as areas for future study.