During the Gulf War between January and March 1991, USAF pilots shot down 37 Iraqi planes, including 32 fixed-wing aircraft and five helicopters.
The Iraqi Air Force failed not to show up when the U.S. Attacked Iraq in 2003. It was unable to make a single sortie. There was no aerial opposition to the Allied air and ground forces. Due to the lack of resistance from the Iraqi Air Force, the U.S. Air Force could utilize aircraft that were less susceptible than fighters and bombers.
Iraq’s refusal to fire any aircraft in response to the invasion was partly planned. In light of the 1991 battle, the Iraqi leadership knew that fighting the U.S. and coalition air forces would be fruitless.
At the beginning of the exchange of fire on the battlefield, the U.S. military invested in primary advanced high-tech weapons for the first time to completely suppress Iraq. Finally, Iraq, which suffered heavy losses, accepted the ceasefire agreement. However, the operation of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was puzzling at the time. He was willing to be chased and beaten by the U.S. military, and he also hid hundreds of fighter jets in the desert. What kind of magical operation was this, and what was the purpose?
The Gulf War and the Russia-Ukraine conflict are similar in that they both involve disputes over the interests of the United States. Since Iraq and Kuwait had disagreements over oil issues, and the United States believed that Iraq’s actions posed a threat to American interests, the war was imminent.
The Gulf War was from August 2, 1990, to February 28, 1991. During this period, the military comparison between the United States and Iraq differed. The United States has become the big brother of the global military. It was easy to win Iraq, but It is worth noting that Iraq did not dispatch the air force to fight back strategically but confronted it with individual weapons and tanks.
According to the military development of Iraq at that time, although it was not as good as the United States, it was still a powerful country. There are still hundreds of fighter jets as the main firepower, but Saddam did not dispatch them but chose to bury them in the desert.
Since he assumed the presidency, Iraq’s economy has grown, and he has attached great importance to military development. He has traded foreign arms and imported many advanced weapons to enhance the military’s strength. Then, why Would Saddam Hussein rather bury hundreds of fighter jets in the desert than deploy against the U.S. military?
It is not that Saddam Hussein was unwilling to be dispatched, but the situation has been determined. Although hundreds of fighters can create many opportunities on the battlefield, these fighters are not enough to hurt the United States in the face of the United States, which has become a superpower. Instead of dying, it is better to hide and preserve his strength and make a comeback in the future.
However, the United States did not give Saddam this opportunity; soon after the Iraq war, the U.S overthrew Saddam’s regime. The U.S. military captured him. The hundreds of fighter planes that Saddam buried in the desert were initially intended to be used to make a comeback.
Several Mig-25 Foxbat fighters and SU-25 Frog Foot fighter-bombers were discovered buried in the desert near the Al-Taqqadum airbase near Baghdad, Iraq, in 2003. The planes had their wings removed and were fully buried with sand. Despite their time in the desert, the aircraft was in reasonable condition and could have been returned to duty with minor repairs.
Given that only a dozen planes were recovered from the desert, it’s likely that there are more buried and still to be discovered if they’re real.