Today in Technology History
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January 16
On the evening of January 16, 1991, the White House announced the start of Operation Desert Storm.
Technology is often a decisive factor in warfare, and many wars are associated with particular technologies. The Gulf War is associated with guided missiles and precision bombing.
Within 24 hours of the start of the war, Iraq began launching its Scud missiles at Saudi Arabia and Israel. The U.S. shot down the Scuds with Patriot air defense missiles, and during the rest of the war, the world watched "Patriot-Scud duels night after night on television," as one analyst described it.
The eventual victory on the ground was made possible by bombing attacks conducted by the anti-Iraq coalition. U.S. and British aircraft used both conventional and precision-guided munitions to destroy ground targets. The war also saw the first major use of American stealth fighter planes.
In several other ways, technology played an indirect role in the Gulf War. For instance, there was an unprecedented amount of live television coverage of the war. After the war, some soldiers showed symptoms of a mysterious ailment dubbed "Gulf War Syndrome" -- which has often been attributed to Iraqi chemical weapons. And of course, U.S. interest in that region of the world is partly due to the oil America needs to power its machines.
Today, officials in Washington are once again trying to decide if and when Iraq should be attacked. In a new war against Iraq, the U.S. would have the advantage of another eleven years of technological research and development.
Related links:
Use these links to read more about the Gulf War:
Click here to read about the use of stealth fighter planes in the Gulf War.
This page discusses airpower in Desert Storm.
Click here to read about Gulf War Syndrome.
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