Vietnam: Part II Uses of Air Power

Vietnam: Part IIVietnam: Part II

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerBackgroundBackground

War was primarily a land war -- most air War was primarily a land war -- most air power used in conjunction with ground power used in conjunction with ground operationsoperations

North stayed above DMZ, so air superiority North stayed above DMZ, so air superiority over the South was never a concernover the South was never a concern

In-country operations centered around In-country operations centered around interdictioninterdiction, , close air supportclose air support, , airliftairlift, , reccerecce, , search and rescuesearch and rescue and and air refuelingair refueling

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerBackgroundBackground

After Tonkin, US airair units built up rapidly US Air Force occupied 10 major air bases

• All were built and defended by the Air Force• Huge logistical effort

Also flew from 6 bases in Thailand Navy flew from carriers in Gulf of Tonkin B-52s flew from Guam and, at times, from

the US

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power1964 to 19681964 to 1968

Forestall suspected enemy offensivesForestall suspected enemy offensives Defend and supply isolated outpostsDefend and supply isolated outposts Interdict the Southern end of the Ho Chi Interdict the Southern end of the Ho Chi

Minh Trail Minh Trail • a series of roads and paths through the a series of roads and paths through the

dense jungledense jungle• North Vietnam’s primary supply route into North Vietnam’s primary supply route into

South VietnamSouth Vietnam

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerDuring VietnamizationDuring Vietnamization

Train the South Vietnamese Air Force Train the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF)(VNAF)

Support the South Vietnamese ArmySupport the South Vietnamese Army Forestall suspected enemy attacks Forestall suspected enemy attacks

against withdrawing American unitsagainst withdrawing American units

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerInterdictionInterdiction

A major mission during SEA warA major mission during SEA war Aircraft used: F-4 Phantom, F-100 Super Aircraft used: F-4 Phantom, F-100 Super

Sabre, F-105 Thunderchief (Thud), AC-130 Sabre, F-105 Thunderchief (Thud), AC-130 GunshipsGunships

Best known interdiction aircraft was the B-Best known interdiction aircraft was the B-52--a nuclear bomber modified to carry 52--a nuclear bomber modified to carry conventional bombsconventional bombs• Arc LightArc Light--Name for B-52 interdiction missions --Name for B-52 interdiction missions

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerClose Air SupportClose Air Support

Missions to support forces of the groundMissions to support forces of the ground Aircraft used: A-4 Skyhawk, F-4, F-100, A-37 Aircraft used: A-4 Skyhawk, F-4, F-100, A-37

Dragonfly, A-1 Skyraider and AC-47 Dragonfly, A-1 Skyraider and AC-47 Gunships (Puff the Magic Dragon)Gunships (Puff the Magic Dragon)

Gunships, cargo aircraft armed with rapid-fire Gunships, cargo aircraft armed with rapid-fire machine guns, were very effectivemachine guns, were very effective

Forward Air ControllersForward Air Controllers (FACs) were used to (FACs) were used to locate the enemy and mark targets for faster locate the enemy and mark targets for faster flying jets flying jets

Close Air Support ( Cont)Close Air Support ( Cont)

B-52 Arc Light aircraft were B-52 Arc Light aircraft were occasionally used for close air supportoccasionally used for close air support

B-52 were used extensively in close air B-52 were used extensively in close air support at Khe Sanhsupport at Khe Sanh• Flew 2,548 sorties and dropped bombs Flew 2,548 sorties and dropped bombs

within 300 yards of of US Marine perimeter within 300 yards of of US Marine perimeter B-52 credited with saving Khe Sanh and B-52 credited with saving Khe Sanh and

repelling the Tet and Easter Offensivesrepelling the Tet and Easter Offensives

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerTactical AirliftTactical Airlift

Vital to successful US operations because of Vital to successful US operations because of poor security on roadspoor security on roads

Aircraft used: UH-1 Hueys, C-7 Caribous, C-Aircraft used: UH-1 Hueys, C-7 Caribous, C-123 Providers and C-130 Hercules123 Providers and C-130 Hercules

Missions often flown while under attackMissions often flown while under attack Supplies often air-dropped because of enemy Supplies often air-dropped because of enemy

fire and poor landing facilitiesfire and poor landing facilities A major factor in keeping Khe Sanh aliveA major factor in keeping Khe Sanh alive

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerReconnaissanceReconnaissance

Aircraft used: RF-4C, RB-57 Canberra Aircraft used: RF-4C, RB-57 Canberra and RB-66 Destroyersand RB-66 Destroyers

Aircraft were equipped with variety of Aircraft were equipped with variety of cameras and sensing devicescameras and sensing devices

Missions consisted of locating lucrative Missions consisted of locating lucrative targets and assessing battle damagetargets and assessing battle damage

A valuable part of repelling Tet and A valuable part of repelling Tet and protecting Khe Sanh protecting Khe Sanh

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerSearch and RescueSearch and Rescue

An extremely important part of the air support An extremely important part of the air support mission throughout Southeast Asiamission throughout Southeast Asia

Buttressed aircrew morale -- fliers knew every Buttressed aircrew morale -- fliers knew every effort would be made to save them if shot effort would be made to save them if shot downdown

Aircraft used: HH-3 Jolly Green Giants and Aircraft used: HH-3 Jolly Green Giants and HH-53 Super Jolly GreensHH-53 Super Jolly Greens

By’73, USAF had rescued 3,883 AmericansBy’73, USAF had rescued 3,883 Americans

Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerAir to Air RefuelingAir to Air Refueling

Indispensable -- extended the range of Indispensable -- extended the range of combat aircraft and enabled many aircraft to combat aircraft and enabled many aircraft to return safelyreturn safely

C-130s refueled helicopters, KC-135s C-130s refueled helicopters, KC-135s refueled fixed wing aircraftrefueled fixed wing aircraft

SAC tankers flew 195,000 sorties, unloaded 9 SAC tankers flew 195,000 sorties, unloaded 9 billion pounds of fuel and took part in 814,000 billion pounds of fuel and took part in 814,000 individual refuelings individual refuelings

Campaigns:Campaigns:“Rolling Thunder”“Rolling Thunder”

Officially began 2 March 1965Officially began 2 March 1965 ObjectivesObjectives

• Interdict the flow of supplies from the Interdict the flow of supplies from the NorthNorth

• Force the North to stop supporting the Force the North to stop supporting the Vietcong and quit the warVietcong and quit the war

• Raise South Vietnamese moraleRaise South Vietnamese morale

Rolling ThunderRolling Thunder

Strategic bombing and interdiction campaignStrategic bombing and interdiction campaign• Strategic because it was aimed at the North’s will to Strategic because it was aimed at the North’s will to

wage warwage war• Interdiction because the North had few large industries Interdiction because the North had few large industries

and got most of their material from China and the and got most of their material from China and the Soviet UnionSoviet Union

Employed mostly tactical aircraft -- F-105s, F-4s Employed mostly tactical aircraft -- F-105s, F-4s and F-111s -- B-52s used in ‘66 in the Southern and F-111s -- B-52s used in ‘66 in the Southern part of North Vietnampart of North Vietnam

Rolling ThunderRolling ThunderRestrictionsRestrictions

Johnson administration controlled Johnson administration controlled campaign tightlycampaign tightly

Restriction imposed by civilians included:Restriction imposed by civilians included:• Hanoi, Haiphong, China border -- off limitsHanoi, Haiphong, China border -- off limits• MIG bases and non-firing SAM sites--off limits MIG bases and non-firing SAM sites--off limits • Dams, dikes, hydroelectric plants--off limitsDams, dikes, hydroelectric plants--off limits

White House selected targets, weapons White House selected targets, weapons and flying routes -- with little military inputand flying routes -- with little military input


Graduated increases in bombing intensity Graduated increases in bombing intensity worked to advantage of North Vietnameseworked to advantage of North Vietnamese• Gave them time to recover from damageGave them time to recover from damage• Allowed them to establish the world’s most intense Allowed them to establish the world’s most intense

antiaircraft defense systemantiaircraft defense system• Provided them the will to fight on and a sense they Provided them the will to fight on and a sense they

could survivecould survive

By 1965, it became clear that Rolling Thunder By 1965, it became clear that Rolling Thunder didn’t workdidn’t work


ImpactsImpacts• South’s morale improved as the North suffered under South’s morale improved as the North suffered under

the bombingthe bombing• North used frequent halts and restrictions to repair North used frequent halts and restrictions to repair

damage and resupply forces in Southdamage and resupply forces in South• Criticism grew at home and internationally Criticism grew at home and internationally

Johnson ended Rolling Thunder prior to 1968 Johnson ended Rolling Thunder prior to 1968 electionselections

Campaign, America’s longest, was a failureCampaign, America’s longest, was a failure

Linebacker ILinebacker I

Easter Offensive (Mar ‘72) made it apparent Easter Offensive (Mar ‘72) made it apparent the North was not willing to negotiatethe North was not willing to negotiate

Objectives of Linebacker Objectives of Linebacker • Initially a close air support effort to aid retreating Initially a close air support effort to aid retreating

South Vietnamese forcesSouth Vietnamese forces• Later, changed to an interdiction campaign against Later, changed to an interdiction campaign against

North VietnamNorth Vietnam

A systematic campaign with little civilian A systematic campaign with little civilian control -- unlike Rolling Thunder control -- unlike Rolling Thunder


Civilian casualties were a consideration but Civilian casualties were a consideration but didn’t determine how missions were flowndidn’t determine how missions were flown

Haiphong harbor was mined for the first time Haiphong harbor was mined for the first time to restrict in-coming suppliesto restrict in-coming supplies

Strikes were flown over Hanoi and Haiphong Strikes were flown over Hanoi and Haiphong -- B-52 strikes on Haiphong began April ‘72-- B-52 strikes on Haiphong began April ‘72

““Smart bombs’ were used extensivelySmart bombs’ were used extensively


Linebacker I was the most successful US Linebacker I was the most successful US bombing campaign of the warbombing campaign of the war• Had more impact on the North Vietnam in 9 months Had more impact on the North Vietnam in 9 months

than Rolling Thunder did in 4 yearsthan Rolling Thunder did in 4 years Successful largely because Easter Offensive Successful largely because Easter Offensive

was a conventional, mechanized attackwas a conventional, mechanized attack Peace Talks resumed in July 1972 Peace Talks resumed in July 1972 Nixon restricted Linebacker I attacks to below Nixon restricted Linebacker I attacks to below

the 20th parallelthe 20th parallel

Linebacker IILinebacker II

Peace Talks stalled again in Dec ‘72Peace Talks stalled again in Dec ‘72 Nixon ordered Linebacker II to run Nixon ordered Linebacker II to run

concurrently with Linebacker Iconcurrently with Linebacker I Purpose of Linebacker II was to force the Purpose of Linebacker II was to force the

North Vietnamese to negotiate and sign a North Vietnamese to negotiate and sign a peace treatypeace treaty

Ran from 18 Dec to 30 Dec 1972 -- referred Ran from 18 Dec to 30 Dec 1972 -- referred to as the “Christmas Campaign”to as the “Christmas Campaign”


Very intense and logistically complexVery intense and logistically complex Specific targets in Hanoi and HaiphongSpecific targets in Hanoi and Haiphong B-52s used for the first time over HanoiB-52s used for the first time over Hanoi By the end of Linebacker II, North By the end of Linebacker II, North

Vietnam was defenselessVietnam was defenseless• 1,200 SAMs were fired1,200 SAMs were fired• 80% of the North’s electrical systems and 80% of the North’s electrical systems and

25% of their POL facilities were destroyed25% of their POL facilities were destroyed


North Vietnam returned to the North Vietnam returned to the bargaining table 30 Dec ‘72bargaining table 30 Dec ‘72

All bombing ceased on 15 Jan ‘73All bombing ceased on 15 Jan ‘73 Peace treaty was signed on 27 Jan ‘73Peace treaty was signed on 27 Jan ‘73 Linebacker II was a successLinebacker II was a success

• Some believe that if Rolling Thunder had Some believe that if Rolling Thunder had been conducted like Linebacker II, the war been conducted like Linebacker II, the war would have ended in ‘65 -- unlikelywould have ended in ‘65 -- unlikely

SummarySummary

Uses of AirpowerUses of Airpower• InterdictionInterdiction Close Air SupportClose Air Support• AirliftAirlift Air RefuelingAir Refueling• ReconnaissanceReconnaissance Search and RescueSearch and Rescue

Rolling ThunderRolling Thunder Linebacker ILinebacker I Linebacker IILinebacker II

Documents

Vietnam: Part II Uses of Air Power