From: creps@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Stephen A. Creps)
Subject: NNS42.  U.S. Navy Ships Launch Tomahawk Missiles at Targets
	in Iraq (forwarded from Navy News Service)
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 15:21:22 GMT

   I received this from the (US) Navy News Service.  It contains
accounts of recent air combat over Iraq.

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Coalition aircraft bombed Iraqi military
facilities in the no-fly zone and U.S. Navy ships launched Tomahawk
cruise missiles at a target near Baghdad this weekend in response
to Iraq's continued violations of United Nations Security Council
resolutions. 
     The missile strike was aimed at the Zaafaraniyah nuclear
fabrication facility located 13 kilometers southeast of Baghdad. 
Forty-five Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched Jan. 17 from four
U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea at 12:08 p.m. (EST)
and began impacting the facility at 1:15 p.m. (EST).  
     Initial bomb damage assessments showed seven buildings in the
complex that were targeted were all hit.  The facility, which was
no longer in production, was equipped with sophisticated equipment
needed to fabricate nuclear weapons.
     During the attack one of the Tomahawks in the second wave of
missiles was apparently shot down by Iraqi anti-aircraft fire and
struck the ground in front of the Al Rasheed hotel in Baghdad. 
News footage from the scene showed a lot number from the motor of
the missile which senior military officials at the Pentagon confirm
was a missile issued to a U.S. Navy ship in the area.
     "I would emphasize that the Hotel Al Rasheed was not a
target," said the official.  "(The hotel) was adjacent to the
flight path (of the missile).  The timing of the missile's approach
and the time of impact would indicate that the missile was (shot
down)."
     The official explained that the damage caused by the missile
was not due to an explosion of the warhead.  "Our analysis
indicates that the damage was caused by kinetic impact.  We believe
the missile had not armed itself before it was shot down...the ball
of flame (seen in television news footage) was probably caused by
the remaining fuel in the missile."  
     On Jan. 18 coalition forces again went on the offensive.  This
time aircraft attacked Iraqi military command and control
facilities and surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).  The 15-minute
attack took place from 3:45 to 4:00 a.m. (EST) and targeted Iraqi
assets in the southern no-fly zone.  Originally scheduled to
involve 75 aircraft, the number was reduced to 69 when it was
discovered the SAMs that were to be attacked by Navy aircraft had
been moved.
     Initial damage assessments showed the attack was successful.
Targeted were two air warning sites and the Tallil air defense
sector headquarters.  "We can say categorically that the Iraqi air
defense capability in Southern Iraq is neutralized.  It is
inoperable," said a senior military official.
     After the attack, an F-15C was returning to its base when it
encountered an Iraqi MIG-25, which took an attack posture.  The F-
15 launched an AMRAM missile from 27 miles away, then launched an
AIM-7 Sidewinder missile from about 15 miles away.  It was later
determined the MIG landed safely.
     U.S. aircraft were engaged by Iraqi forces on three occasions
today.  At 2:30 a.m. (EST), Iraqi SAM radars illuminated a U.S. F-
4G on routine patrol.  In response, the F-4 fired one HARM missile
at the site.  At 3:32 (EST), a U.S. Air Force F-16 was fired upon
by Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery (AAA).  The F-16 did not return
fire.  At 5:30 a.m. (EST) two Air Force F-16s also took AAA fire. 
They retaliated by dropping cluster bombs on the site.  No
coalition aircraft were damaged during the incidents.
     On Jan. 13 coalition forces launched the first air raid
against Iraqi surface-to-air missiles.  It was hoped the attack
would be a one-time-only strike to show Baghdad that continued
violation of U.N. sanctions would not be tolerated.
     Since that time, Iraq has continued to deny U.N. inspectors
free passage in Iraqi air space, has deployed mobile surface-to-air
missiles south of the 32nd parallel and has violated both the
southern and northern no-fly zones mandated by the U.N.
Story compiled from official releases
                               -USN-

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Steve Creps, Indiana University
creps@silver.ucs.indiana.edu