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Proving themselves with Joint Task Force Proven Force

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kelsey Tucker
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  On Jan. 17, 1991, 20th Fighter Wing forces participated in Joint Task Force Proven Force, flying sorties out of Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, during the Persian Gulf War.

The forces targeted strategic areas in northern Iraq in order to cripple Iraqi forces and draw them away from the main theater in Kuwait, where Operation Desert Storm was taking place.

According to the Defense Technical Information Center’s report, ‘Joint Task Force Proven Force: An Outstanding Success,’ “JTF Proven Force’s mission was, with the government of Turkey’s approval and coordination, to open a second front, destroy centralized air defense command and control, achieve air superiority, and destroy nuclear, biological and chemical weapon storage and production.”

The JTF was split into four components: air forces, search and rescue, psychological operations and a Patriot surface-to-air missile battalion.

The Air Force component consisted of 11 different types of aircraft, which is where the 20th FW came in; deploying 26 F-111E Aardvark and 6 EF-111A Raven aircraft, they flew 681 sorties and destroyed 423 targets. Those targets ranged from military development production sites, missile plants, surface-to-air facilities and signal intercept stations near the Tigris River in Mosul, Iraq, and later Baghdad.

The sorties were conducted with a 90 percent success rate for attacking designated targets, dropping 3,500 tons of ordnance with no JTF aircraft losses.

“The 20th FW was an integral part of forcing Saddam Hussein to position one quarter of his forces to Iraq’s northern border, and denying him and his militaries safe haven in that area,” said Christopher Koonce, 20th FW historian. “This, in turn, allowed for a more effective theater air campaign and ensured a shortened conflict driving Iraqi forces out of Kuwait with limited U.S. led coalition losses.”

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Proving themselves with Joint Task Force Proven Force

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kelsey Tucker
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  On Jan. 17, 1991, 20th Fighter Wing forces participated in Joint Task Force Proven Force, flying sorties out of Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, during the Persian Gulf War.

The forces targeted strategic areas in northern Iraq in order to cripple Iraqi forces and draw them away from the main theater in Kuwait, where Operation Desert Storm was taking place.

According to the Defense Technical Information Center’s report, ‘Joint Task Force Proven Force: An Outstanding Success,’ “JTF Proven Force’s mission was, with the government of Turkey’s approval and coordination, to open a second front, destroy centralized air defense command and control, achieve air superiority, and destroy nuclear, biological and chemical weapon storage and production.”

The JTF was split into four components: air forces, search and rescue, psychological operations and a Patriot surface-to-air missile battalion.

The Air Force component consisted of 11 different types of aircraft, which is where the 20th FW came in; deploying 26 F-111E Aardvark and 6 EF-111A Raven aircraft, they flew 681 sorties and destroyed 423 targets. Those targets ranged from military development production sites, missile plants, surface-to-air facilities and signal intercept stations near the Tigris River in Mosul, Iraq, and later Baghdad.

The sorties were conducted with a 90 percent success rate for attacking designated targets, dropping 3,500 tons of ordnance with no JTF aircraft losses.

“The 20th FW was an integral part of forcing Saddam Hussein to position one quarter of his forces to Iraq’s northern border, and denying him and his militaries safe haven in that area,” said Christopher Koonce, 20th FW historian. “This, in turn, allowed for a more effective theater air campaign and ensured a shortened conflict driving Iraqi forces out of Kuwait with limited U.S. led coalition losses.”