Archie, Flak, AAA, and SAM: A Short Operational History of Ground-based Air DefenseUS Air Force assumptions about future conflicts have proved to be in error. Since 1945 the Air Force has geared itself for air-to-air combat and a nuclear exchange with a major power. Although this is certainly America's most serious challenge, it has turned out to be the least likely one. For the reality of war has proved to be far different. Since World War II the US Air Force has fought in two wars against minor powers, used conventional weapons, and found its chief opposition to be ground-based air defense weapons. Not only did the nature of war prove different from the one anticipated, but the technology took a turn away from the offense to favor the defense. The big contributor to this shift in the balance between the offense and defense was the emergence of effective surface-to-air missiles. The airmen never appreciated the impact of ground-based air defense systems until it was too late. The US Air Force used ECM, direct action, and tactics to nullify the defensive threat but, in so doing and in relearning old lessons, suffered heavy losses. What should be emphasized to all American military personnel, especially all airmen, is that since World War I and especially since early 1944, US airmen have lost more aircraft in combat to ground-based air defense systems than to hostile aircraft. There is no indication that the future will be any different. |
Contents
THE POSTWAR YEARS 194565 | 71 |
VIETNAM | 95 |
RECENT EXPERIENCE | 137 |
Copyright | |
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Air Defense Artillery Air Defense School air defense systems Air Operations air power Air University Air Warfare aircraft losses altitude American airmen antiaircraft artillery antiaircraft guns Arab Argentine Army Air Defense attack August Aviation Week battle Bofors bombers bombing Britain campaign chaff claimed combat Communist countermeasures damaged December Defense Artillery Museum downed effective Eighth Air Force electronic equipment Falkland War Falklands feet Fifth Air Force fighters Figure Fixed-Wing Aircraft flak flying Forces in Europe Futrell German flak ground fire ground-based air defense gunners heavy helicopters Imperial War Museum Israeli Air Force January Japanese July June kills Korea launched Linebacker Linebacker II London lost Maxwell AFB miles military Missile Age Navy Nordeen North Vietnamese October percent Photo Credit pilots Ploesti proximity fuzes radar Report SAMs slant range sorties Soviet Stinger surface-to-air missile Syrian Tactical Air targets United USAF Historical Vietnam World World War II