European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday january 20, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 7 War in the Gulf High tech arms dazzling Success so far by John Boatman and Barbara Starr Jane a defence weekly whether War with Iraq can be won swiftly depends heavily on a Host of sophisticated . Weapons never before used in combat. So far americans High tech Arsenal seems to be working with almost dazzling Success. The . Military a Confidence in its agility and electronic sophistication is pitted against iraqi Armor and masses of dug in heavily fortified troops accustomed to fighting mostly defensive Battles. The War opened with top secret electronic jamming technology stalling iraqi weapons and communications in Baghdad. / a this was followed by a smart weapons a cruise missiles radar invisible planes and precision targeted missiles and bombs. . Spy satellites assess the damage on an almost hourly basis beaming information that is Analysed and used to plan new . Attacks. Ever since the Vietnam War . Commanders civilian analysts defense contractors legislators and journalists have debated the Worth of Many of the military a sophisticated multimillion Dollar weapon systems especially those linked to tanks and anti tank warfare. Most of the weapons Are the result of the expensive and often controversial defense buildup ordered by former president Reagan. Among the High tech weapon systems in the persian Gulf Are the Only two e-8a stars ground surveillance planes in existence. They have not officially completed their test programs but were rushed to the Gulf at the request of the senior . Commander Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf. Stars a joint surveillance target attack radar systems a is designed to fulfil a general a dream. A super sensitive radar system carried by a Boeing 707 Airliner it Aims to provide Field units with highly detailed information of enemy ground targets such As tanks distinguishing Between wheeled and tracked vehicles. A. A the Range of the stars is More than 155miles, so it can look Down at the Battlefield from a Safe distance behind the lines. Natos top Soldier army Gen. John Galvin was so impressed with an Early demonstration of stars in Europe last year that he reportedly recommended the system to Gen. Colin Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. No one can say yet if the stars will work As advertised. During its development Grumman corp. Officials reported technical problems and Cost overruns. Other expensive weapon systems designed to protect . Forces from heavy losses Are going into Battle for the first time including the multiple launch rocket system or Mars and the my Abrams Battle tank. There Are 130 Mars and each of the tracked vehicles can blast a Salvo of 12 rockets Over almost 20 Miles. Each rocket scatters More than 600 deadly bomb lets across an area the size of a football Field bursting through Light Armor and possibly penetrating the thinner top Armor of Battle tanks. Fifteen Mars Are fitted to carry an even More formidable rocket the army tactical missile system. Only two launchers Are fitted to each vehicle but these missiles can travel More than 60 Miles. Each carries 1,000 bomb lets designed to wreak havoc in enemy command posts and missile Sites. But an army engineering report showed that the effectiveness of Mars can be severely hampered by something As simple As failure to provide Basic map Reading skills to platoon members responsible for moving the vehicle . Conceived to repel a soviet led invasion in Central Germany More than 1,000 my tanks Many of them the More powerful meals form the heart of the armoured forces ranged against Saddam Hussein. Able to go More than 40 Miles an hour while firing its Cannon each of these 65-Toiv pieces of military hardware Cost almost $3 million. Supporters Call this tank a the King of the killing ground Quot and Praise it for matchless agility and acceleration. A. It is supposed to. Have the most elaborate  Armor plating Ever developed but its critics argue that live fire testing of the m1 has never adequately simulated the threat represented by the 125mm can non. Used by iraqi Tun amp. The mls 105mm Cannon is described As inadequate against iraqis top of the line soviet built tanks and the ammunition for the bigger 120mm cannons on the my a1 is so Bulky that the tank can carry Only 40 rounds. In addition heat and Sand play havoc with the tanks unique Gas Turbine engine. Reports from the Gulf say the tanks broke Down during exercises after an average of Only 152 Miles and had some kind of system failure a electronic or mechanical a every 21 minutes. Army officials say new engine air filters have been perfected that dramatically improve the tanks performance in the desert a. The authors Aro correspondents for Jane a defence weekly part of Tho Jane a information group in London Winch also publishes Quot Jano s fighting ships Quot and other military books and journals Carrier s Crew responds to Gulf War s Call editors note the following Pool dispatch was subjected to Security review by . Military authorities and its release was delayed by Neil Macfarquhar associated press aboard the John f. Kennedy in the red sea a anxiety and anticipation turned to Relief and Pride after the warplanes that a toured from this aircraft Carrier in the first attack on Iraq returned safely. Mission accomplished. The pilots said their aircraft had encountered heavy flak but not nearly As much resistance As they expected in raids on thursday the first Day of the persian Gulf War. The announcement that War had finally come put an end to the months of waiting. The word came wednesday afternoon when the voice of rear adm. Riley d. Mixson head of the about 30-ship Battle Force in the red sea boomed out Over the Public address system. A you have trained hard and you re ready. Now lets execute. For the air Crews we Are All very very proud of you. I wish you Good Hunting and godspeed. God bless you All a Moxson said. A loud whoop rang through the lower mess decks where Crew members were eating lunch and tables were soon pushed aside by ordnance men to make Way for dozens of anti radar missiles and 1,000-Pound laser guided bombs moved from the lower storage areas to the flight decks. A it brings tears to my eyes a said Sid Cohen 41, a mess chief specialist. A a i Hope everyone will be All right. Its not going to be a one sided thing. Well lose lives on both  the pilots went into intensive briefings and tried to relax before the attack. Some wrote letters Home. Others went out on deck to pose for pictures with their arms wrapped around bombs. The planes launched by the Kennedy included eight f-14 fighters 18 a-7 Light attack bombers six a-6 medium attack bombers and a variety of other aircraft to a a a Quot v a crewman signals to an a-7 Pilot returning to the aircraft Carrier John f. Kennedy after a first Day bombing Mission. Jam enemy radar and Monitor flights Over Western Iraq. The deck was bathed in a Dull Orange Light covered by acrid Jet fumes that stung eyes and throats As All the jets Reed at once. Ground Crews executing the complicated a. A moving morsels of food. Football game a butterflies in my Stom that lighted the deck and the surface of Ach excitement fear a said a 25-year-old the sea As the fighter zoomed off. F-14 Pilot who identified himself Only As ships commander capt John Wes As he watched the first launches. Gay said the first night of War had Given a it s historic in t it. 5t2 j Crew members the Chance to the Constellation Orion Hung in the fulfil their training. But the excitement _ night sky above. The Only illumination did not make it a Carefree moment item choreography to keep All the jets in was an occasional burst of Light when an a entering War is not a game a he said line resembled a Colony of worker ants f-14 lit one of its afterburners. A i take no Delight that it came to this.  be f ame started As a thin Blue sword a lot of innocent people Are going to be a i feel like i Felt before a High school and then exploded into twin volcanoes killed. That a the reality of