Air engagements of the Gulf War

Persian Gulf War Air Combat
Part of Persian Gulf War
DatePersian Gulf War
17 January – 28 February 1991
(1 month, 1 week and 4 days)
After Persian Gulf War
28 February 1991 - 20 March 2003
(12 years, 2 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Result Coalition victory
Belligerents
 United States
 United Kingdom
 Saudi Arabia
 Iraq
Commanders and leaders
United States Chuck Horner
United States Norman Schwarzkopf
United States Colin Powell
United Kingdom Andrew Wilson
United Kingdom Bill Wratten
Saudi Arabia Khalid bin Sultan
Saudi Arabia Saleh Al-Muhaya
Iraq Saddam Hussein
Iraq Ali Hassan al-Majid
Strength
1,000+ aircraft 750 aircraft
Casualties and losses
1 F/A-18C and 1 MQ-1 confirmed lost, 1 pilot KIA
1 RAF Tornado shot down, several other aircraft damaged (Iraqi claim)
44+ aircraft shot down
(in air-air combat varying on report)[1]

During the 1991 Gulf War and subsequent operations in no-fly zones over Iraq, Coalition air forces faced the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF), the fourth largest air force in the world at the time. In the opening days of the war, many air-to-air engagements occurred, between Iraqi interceptors and a variety of different Coalition aircraft.

  1. ^ ("The First Night" by Cooper/Sadik (IAPR, Vol.26))