Importance of aircraft in Arab-Israeli Wars and first Gulf War

Importance of aircraft in Arab-Israeli Wars and first Gulf War.

-The Six Day War 1967:

1. Air power proved to be decisive in the Six Day War. The eventual Israeli victory was mainly down to control of the air which, in turn, was due to the actions of the Israeli air force on the first day of the war (5th June 1967).
2. Although Israel's first and most critical attack was on Egyptian Air Force, which had by far a much more modern and large air force than other Arab air forces; Israel was able to catch them off-guard, with a surprise pre-emptive attack.
3. That afternoon, attacks on Jordanian, Syrian and Iraqi air fields were carried out by Israel, wiping out most of those nations' air forces, with all of the Jordanian air force being wiped out by the end of the first day. Israeli Blitzkrieg tanks, supported by the air force, were then able to  carry out enemy attacks without fear from the air.
4. By the end of the six days (5-10 June), Israel had defeated their Arab neighbours using Blitzkrieg tactics from WW2, with more modern tanks and aircraft. The Israelis used speed and surprise, attacking without warning, equipped with the most up to date tanks supplied by the USA. They used careful planning which ensured control of the air and the effective use of tank warfare, ideal for areas of the Sinai and Golan Heights.

-The First Gulf War:

1. Stage 1 of the war was an air offensive against Iraq, launched on 16th January 1991, lasting nearly a month. In a short time, a variety of aircraft, including Stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and precision-guided weapons seriously damaged Iraq's military and economic structure.
2. Stage 2 was Operation Desert Saber which was launched 23rd February 1991. Land forces advanced into Kuwait and liberated the country within 4 days.
3. The air war began 17th January 1991, with the plan to carry out strategic bombing, gain air superiority, bomb the Iraq artillery, and then finally launch a ground offensive.
4. Weapons such as smart bombs were used, although they weren't overly accurate e.g. the F-117 had a hit rate of 55% while the older F-111 hit the target 70% of the time with laser guided bombs.
5. The most important part was the ground offensive - only ground forces can take and hold ground, although airpower was still vital in softening up Iraqi trenches and forces, it is nearly impossible to destroy an opponent without ground troops.
6. Complete air dominance, which is very rare, was soon won - even vulnerable aircraft were able to roam the air. This is what is called deep battle, where due to modern weapons with extended range, an attack does not just attack the enemy front lines, but his whole military organisations, his front, his art, his reserves and his C&C, without which his troops are blind and helpless.