Ideas on Fictional Desert Storm Scenerios

[exhausted 55]

1982 - May, same time frame as the Falklands, PM Thatcher deploys ships to Red Sea instead of the South Atlantic.

Saddam Hussein, after contemplating action against Iran 2 years before, he has been advised that an assault and annexation of Kuwait is a much more likely goal then to defeat Iran. Kuwait is defeated in 4 days. Ronald Reagan, feeling pressure from the gas crisis, foresees his deal with the Saudis falling through and gas prices about to climb back to where they were just before he took office. Iranian saboteurs wreck havoc on Iraqi oil pipelines and the industrialized world is quickly spinning closer to war.

 

The Soviets quickly see to it to defend Iraq's sovereignty and begin to discreetly funnel advisers into Iraq. A NATO-centric alliance is formed and is slowly deployed to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE. No less then 6 carrier battle groups are deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and Persian Gulf. The Soviets have attempted to seal the coalition ships from their supplies by blocking the route into the Persian Gulf by deploying large cruiser groups, including their aircraft carrying cruisers. Also, Soviet forces in Syria have threatened to invade into Israel and Jordan if their territory is used to stage attacks against Iraq.

 

Here is a preliminary order of battle for air units:

 

US Navy/ Marines: 6 Sq of F-14s, 4 NAVY sq of F-4Ss, 4 MARINE sq of F-4Ns and Ss, 5 Sq of A-7s, 4 NAVY sq of A-6s, 3 MARINE sq of A-6s, 2 sq of E-2s, 5 sq of AV-8As and Cs, 6 Sq of A-4Ms

US AIr Force: 3 Sq of B-52s, 3 Sq of F-111Fs, 7 sq of F-15As, 8 sq of F-16As, 3 sq of A-10As, 4 sq of A-7Ds, 4 sq of ANG F-4s, 1 sq FL ANG F-101B, 2 sq F-4Gs

RAF: 4 sq of Harrier Gr3s, 2 sq of Buccaneers, 3 sq Tornado Gr1s, 2 sq Tornado F3s, 1 sq Lightning F6s, 2 sq F-4Ms

RN: 4 sq Sea Harrier FRS1

Free Kuwait: 1 sq Lightnings, 2 sq Mirage F1s

Turkey: 1 sq of F-4E, 1 sq F-104. 1 sq F-100C

Israel: Kfir, Phantoms, Skyhawks, Eagles, and Falcons

 

Iraq: whatever it had

Soviet Union: 2 sq of Yak-38s, 4 sq of MiG-23s, 3 sq of MiG-27s, 2 sq MiG-25s

 

1977:

 

August 2, 1977: Tensions around the Persian Gulf are raised due to high oil prices and Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein's, apparent intention to annex the State of Kuwait. Intelligence experts were tipped off by Jordanian and Israeli government officials who claimed that Hussein had approached the leaders of Syria and Jordan about alleged plans to invade and annex Kuwaiti territory. US security agencies have confirmed that the meetings were in fact about denying the west of bases to launch a counter attack into Iraq's vast western desert.

 

With Europe and North America feeling the pressure of rising oil prices, their governments have vowed to go to any length to prevent the prices of oil from skyrocketing to unseen highs. US president James Carter has reportedly been in steady contact with Iran's shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to work out plans to pressure Iraq into staying within it's current borders. The Camp David meetings between the United States, Egypt, and Israel have been accelerated as viable options against Saddam Hussein are weighed. A working plan for peace and strength between the two Middle Eastern countries seems very close. The United States has worked out a plan of cooperation between countries, even including some from Latin America. So far, Canada, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand have all promised military support should hostilities commence in the Middle East. Some countries have been offered debt forgiveness in exchange for their participation.

 

October 1, 1977: Public opinion in the United States has regarded the last couple of months to be a recurrence of a recent nightmare. Sixty-nine percent of average Americans polled have expressed doubt, and sometimes outright anger, about the mobilization of the military to yet another country half a world away. President Carter has attempted to quell public dissatisfaction by pointing out that if we don't act then the record high prices at the pump would triple. Recently deployed or diverted units include elements of the First Marine Expeditionary Force, several Navy Carrier Groups, and recent Air Force traffic indicates the redeployment of certain Army forces from the Korean Peninsula. Also of note is the federalization of several National Guard units expected to be deployed into Northern Iran to protect against a possible, yet highly unlikely Soviet disruption of western forces.

 

Several "cooperation bases" have been established in various locations throughout the Middle East. The Argentinians and Canadians have made a home in Lebanon, the Italians and Mexicans have divided their forces between Egypt and Turkey, Australia and New Zealand have jointly deployed to Israel and the Persian Gulf, Guatemalan troops have deployed to the Iranian border with Iraq and are expected to operate directly with Iranian troops, and the United Kingdom, the United States, and another, unexpected ally have divided up their forces between Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and from within the Persian Gulf, Mediterranean, and Red Seas.

 

Iraqi despot Saddam Hussein has publically denounced the new alliance, calling it the "Puppets of the American Prostitute's Union," and has threatened World War III and annexation of Israel if the rapid relocation of military assets is not immediately reversed. Libyan dictator, Col. Qadaffi, has expressed equal anger at the West and openly supports Hussein. Qadaffi has threatened to re-invade Egypt if peace talks at Camp David continue. Syria's support of Iraq is still unclear, but is leaning to be likely. The Royal Navy has increased presence in the area and the US 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is standing by just out of the Gulf of Sidra. American leader, Jimmy Carter, has made completely clear his intention to landlock Iraq should a violation of Kuwaiti territorial integrity commence. As expected, Soviet overflights, sometimes into Iranian airspace, have increased and a complete mobilization of Iranian military assets has begun. It has been hinted that the Soviet Union may attempt to use loosely governed territory in Afghanistan's north to reinforce Hussein, or possble more. Reports of Soviet artillery firing spotting flares toward Iranian soil at night have become a source of alert in Tehran.

 

1965: TBD

Edited May 5, 2012 by exhausted

[Slartibartfast 153]

Nice idea... as to the RN though back in 82 they had trouble getting 3 Squadrons together... I know it is fictional... Kuwait also at that time had had A-4KU's as well...

[B52STRATO 215]

Hmmm nice one, looks like a Tom Clancy's novel, a kind of Desert Storm with a touch of Red Storm Rising.

[Spinners 15,968]

Something for your 1965 scenario

 

http://combatace.com/files/file/8257-fictional-hawker-hunter-fga9a-raf-desert-pink/

[fallenphoenix1986 603]

Could be interesting, though there were no operational Tornado F.3's in '82

 

Craig

[pablo10692 4]

I'd enjoy playing it. Don't you have in mind placing some Vulcan Squadrons?

[+allenjb42 4,127]

Just looked up Iraq Kuwaiti relations on Wiki and saw two crises prior to 1990, in 1961 & 1973:

 

Ever since Kuwaiti independence in 1961, the Iraqi governments sought various opportunities to occupy and annex Kuwait. A short-lived crisis evolved in 1961, as the Iraqi government threatened to invade Kuwait and the invasion was finally averted following plans by the Arab League to form an international Arab force against Iraqi designs on Kuwait.

 

Another crisis evolved on 20 March 1973, when Iraqi army units occupied El-Samitah near the Kuwaiti border, which evoked an international crisis. The Iraqi forces eventually withdrew under Saudi pressure.

 

Love this concept though, and to add to the mix, in the earlier scenarios would western forces have been based in Iran too because this was before the 1979 revolution?

[exhausted 55]

Just looked up Iraq Kuwaiti relations on Wiki and saw two crises prior to 1990, in 1961 & 1973:

 

Ever since Kuwaiti independence in 1961, the Iraqi governments sought various opportunities to occupy and annex Kuwait. A short-lived crisis evolved in 1961, as the Iraqi government threatened to invade Kuwait and the invasion was finally averted following plans by the Arab League to form an international Arab force against Iraqi designs on Kuwait.

 

Another crisis evolved on 20 March 1973, when Iraqi army units occupied El-Samitah near the Kuwaiti border, which evoked an international crisis. The Iraqi forces eventually withdrew under Saudi pressure.

 

Love this concept though, and to add to the mix, in the earlier scenarios would western forces have been based in Iran too because this was before the 1979 revolution?

 

Yes, I have factored that in since day 1 ;)

[exhausted 55]

See my updates for 1977.