Gulf War
By the time of the Gulf War, the capabilities of "smart" aeroplanes dropping dumb bombs from low altitudes were sufficient to place an unguided munition within 30 feet (9.1 m) of a target. However, Iraqi air defenses in the Kuwait theater of operations, characterized by large numbers of man-portable air-defense systems, surface-to-air missiles and rapid-firing light antiaircraft cannon, simply would not permit such routine use of the low altitude operating environment. Operations from medium altitudes (15,000 ft and higher) at longer slant ranges severely complicated bombing accuracy, particularly against targets that required essentially a direct hit to be destroyed, such as hangars, bunkers, tanks, and artillery. As one analytical study concluded:
Medium and high-altitude bombing with unguided munitions posed problems, even with digital smart platforms. Using smart platforms to deliver dumb bombs against point targets smaller than the circular error probable (CEP) may well require redundant targeting.
Adding to this problem has been a generalized lack of appreciation of how warfare has changed since World War II. On the eve of the Gulf War, for example, critics of proposed military action posited scenarios where tens of thousands of Iraqis would be killed by largely indiscriminate air attacks that would "carpet bomb" population centers, particularly Baghdad.
On "opening night" of the Gulf War, Baghdad was struck by two kinds of precision attackers: ship-launched cruise missiles, and aircraft-launched laser-guided bombs.
In the best-known example from the Gulf War, well-publicized attacks against bridges in downtown Baghdad, coupled with a precision attack against the Al Firdos command and control bunker that killed several hundred individuals using it as a shelter, generated a political reaction that included shutting down the strategic air campaign against Baghdad for ten days. The well-publicized precision bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade led to an international outcry, riots in Beijing, and serious international diplomatic repercussions between the People's Republic of China and the United States. The CIA admitted it directed the operation, claiming a targeting error occurred, and both the aircrew and equipment were cleared of blame.
Read more about this topic: Precision Bombing
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