The Battle of Khafji

The battle of Al Khafji has been described as the defining moment of Desert Storm. It may also be a defining moment for contemporary airpower doctrine. No other single battle in Desert Storm has more significance for the future of deep attack and operational airpower. The battle exploited precision attack and advanced surveillance systems in halting a major Iraqi offensive. Air forces, supported by ground forces, were able to compel the enemy to avoid large-scale movements and, in many cases, abandon their weapons completely. The Iraqi army's fear of destruction caused widespread paralysis. The effects of airpower allowed the coalition to reoccupy Kuwait at extraordinarily low cost in terms of casualties. This study is about Khafji's implications for force structure, and theater interdiction on the modern battlefield. This study looks at those implications by detailing the course of events during the battle, analyzing the battle and the implications of this analysis for force structure and theater interdiction and operational airpower doctrine.