DATE=  11/3/97

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-37974

TITLE=U-S FORCES / IRAQ

BYLINE=JIM RANDLE

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  THE UNITED STATES HAS A VARIETY OF AIRCRAFT AND WEAPONS 

IN THE GULF REGION, SHOULD THE DISPUTE OVER BAGHDAD'S BANNING OF 

AMERICAN WEAPONS INSPECTORS ESCALATE INTO MILITARY ACTION AGAINST

IRAQ.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON.



TEXT:    //  SFX: F/A-18'S LANDING ON AIRCRAFT CARRIER DECK // 



THE SOUNDS OF U-S FIGHTERS TAKING OFF AND LANDING ON AIRCRAFT 

CARRIERS MAY GET LOUDER AND MORE FREQUENT IF WASHINGTON AND THE 

UNITED NATIONS CANNOT WORK OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES WITH BAGHDAD.  



THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER U-S-S NIMITZ IS ALREADY IN THE GULF; IT 

CARRIES 73 PLANES, INCLUDING ABOUT THREE-DOZEN F-A-18'S THAT CAN 

EASILY HIT GROUND TARGETS DEEP IN IRAQ WITH BOMBS OR MISSILES.



THE NIMITZ IS ACCOMPANIED BY 16 OTHER SHIPS, ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF 

WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF LAUNCHING UNMANNED, GUIDED CRUISE MISSILES 

THAT HAVE BEEN USED AGAINST IRAQ BEFORE.  THESE FAIRLY ACCURATE 

WEAPONS CAN ALSO HIT TARGETS DEEP IN IRAQ.



THE CRUISE MISSILES ARE DIFFICULT TO SHOOT DOWN BECAUSE THEY FLY 

AT A LOW ALTITUDE, BELOW RADAR LEVEL, AND ARE TOO SMALL TO EASILY

HIT WITH ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE.



THE U-S AIR FORCE CAN ALSO LAUNCH A VERSION OF THE CRUISE 

MISSILE. HEAVY BOMBERS, SUCH AS THE B-ONE OR THE B-52, HAUL THE 

MISSILES FROM BASES THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS AWAY AND LAUNCH THEM 

WITHOUT ENTERING IRAQI AIRSPACE.  



THE AIR FORCE ALSO HAS ABOUT 100 OTHER PLANES -- MOSTLY FIGHTERS 

-- BASED NEAR IRAQ TO ENFORCE THE U-N "NO-FLY" ZONES. THESE 

PLANES FLY DAILY MISSIONS OVER IRAQ, FULLY ARMED AND READY FOR 

COMBAT.  THEY CAN REACH AND STRIKE TARGETS ANYWHERE IN IRAQ. 



THE F-117 RADAR-EVADING "STEALTH" FIGHTERS THAT WERE WIDELY USED 

DURING THE GULF WAR ARE   NOT   CURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN THE GULF, 

BUT A U-S AIR FORCE OFFICIAL SAYS THEY ARE "ALWAYS AVAILABLE" IF 

COMMANDERS THINK THEY ARE NEEDED. 



//  OPT  //  THE AIR FORCE OFFICIAL SAYS THE ALLIED JOINT TASK 

FORCE BASED NEAR IRAQ ALSO INCLUDES ABOUT FIVE-THOUSAND AMERICAN 

SOLDIERS, CONTINGENTS OF FRENCH AND BRITISH AIRCRAFT, AND A U-S 

ARMY UNIT THAT OPERATES PATRIOT AIR DEFENSE MISSILES.  //  END 

OPT  // 



SINCE THE GULF WAR, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF ARMED 

CONFLICT WITH IRAQ.  IN ONE OF THE MORE RECENT CONFRONTATIONS, 

PRESIDENT CLINTON ORDERED THE LAUNCH OF DOZENS OF CRUISE MISSILES

AT IRAQI ANTI-AIRCRAFT SITES AFTER IRAQI FORCES ATTACKED KURDISH 

ENCLAVES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. (SIGNED)



NEB/JR/RRM



03-Nov-97 4:24 PM EST (2124 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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