Page 154 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

154 airpower in 20 Century doCtrines and employment - national experienCes
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in destroying the new missile system on the Suez Canal, and the Egyptians had failed
to prevent the flights of the IAF over the front line despite the losses incurred.
During the war of attrition, Egypt lost 97 aircrafts and Syria 27, most of them
by air-to-air fire (dog-fight) and some by anti-aircraft fire. The IAF lost 18 fighter
aircrafts.
Egypt agrees to a US brokered 90-day cease-fire on 7 August. Egypt used the
truce to move missiles towards the Suez Canal. President Nasser intends renewing
the War of Attrition after cessation of the truce. In this static war, Egypt with a large
population, fully supported by the Soviets was able to replace its fallen soldiers and
equipment. President Nasser of Egypt died before the end of the 90-day cease-fire.
Vice-president, Anwar Saadat was named president of Egypt.

“The Yom Kippur War” 1973

After the cease-fire of 1970, the Arab states, lead by Egypt, continued their threats
against Israel. However, the Egyptian border remained quiet and this was reflected
along the other borders in the north and the east. In the next three years Syria and
Egypt continued extensive arms purchases, especially anti-aircraft missile systems,
including mobile ones (SA6) and their fighting units were trained by Russian troops
and technicians.
The IAF also received new aircrafts and prepared for the next round of fighting.
The most important mission facing it was of course to find a way of destroying the
missile systems in order to gain aerial superiority. Extremely detailed tactical plans
were prepared including series of attacks timed to the second. These plans were
based on the assumption that in any future war, the air force would have enough time
at the outset of hostilities to attack the missile sites, and only after their destruction
would it turn its power to other missions such as ground support and attacking other
targets to support the ground forces.
On 2pm the 6 October 1973, Egypt and Syria opened a massive offensive both
th
from the air and on the ground against Israeli forces along the Suez Canal in the
south and in the Golan Heights on the north of Israel.
This was on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the Day of Atonement, which
is a day of fasting and prayer, and hence the name of the war (“Yom Kippur War”).
There was not sufficient time to reinforce the relatively few troops stationed on the
borders before the sudden attack, and these troops were unable to stop the massive
attacks thrown against them. The Egyptians crossed the Suez Canal with two armies,
one in the north and one in the south of the canal, setting up bridgeheads on the east
bank, while the Syrians advanced all along the Golan Heights and threatened to
reach the Sea of Galilee.
Due to this situation, the IAF was forced to support the ground troops by attack-
ing the enemy forces, without having first taken out the missile batteries which gave
the enemy an umbrella. As a result, the IAF lost many aircrafts in the first phase of