European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a a a the stars and stripes thursday january 24, 1991 my in the Gulf where is Saddam s air Force allies Brace for counterpunch from Iraq by the stars and stripes with . Forces As the War in the persian Gulf concludes its first week Allied military planners remain puzzled by the largely no show status of Saddam Hussein a air Force. Yet future plans for the War include the expectation that iraqis Fleet of aircraft will make an appearance soon. A there is a lot of speculation going on right now in classified circles about what his Saddam a game plan might be if he has one a a said it. Col. Randall Bigum commander of the 53rd tac fighter Sqq a f-15s based in Pitburg Germany. A every one of those speculations a eludes a massive use of his air Power that is remaining in support of some counter of Tensive a said the 45-Ycar-Oid commander from Springfield a. A a we re prepared for that. We re not letting Down our guard. We can to. The Price is too  so far the Allied command has reported the Downing of 17 enemy aircraft a paltry number considering Allied sorties Nave numbered More than 10,000 since the War began. A a pilots have reported spotting enemy fighters joining the fray Only after Allied aircraft have completed the Mission and arc heading Home. The iraqi pilots seem to be attempting to pick off stragglers. Still the main defense from inside Iraq and Kuwait has come from ground based anti aircraft weapons including surface to air missiles Sams and anti aircraft artillery aaa. Pilots aboard the aircraft Carrier America said the intensity of air defences varies with the targets. Airfields and Power plants tend to have just a few anti aircraft batteries. Scud Sites however Are Well defended. The Lack of enemy aircraft has frustrated some pilots even though they know the dangers involved in Aerial dog fights with the soviet built migs and French mirages used by Iraq. A i dream about getting a Mig. Id Jook Forward to it a said it. Drew Bugai 33, of Manhasset ., an f-14 Pilot aboard the Carrier John f. Kennedy a i done to want to say i want to run into one but i  be  it. Tyler Kearly 29, of Houghton Mich an f/a-18 Pilot said he did no to mind not. A. A. A a a a. A a. Media Pool an american servicewomen checks bombs at an air base in saudi Arabia. Allied warplanes continue to blast iraqi targets daily. Encountering a Mig on a Mission monday. He had his hands full with a Sam. A to be totally honest i got enough excitement for one Day a he said. A maybe next time but i got my Money a Worth for  it. Cmdr. Don Barbaree 35, an f-14 Pilot aboard the America was asked if he was disappointed about not having enemy planes to Duel. A the ego in you says yes a he said a but the sanity says  said the original Battle plan for operation desert storm included More air to air combat than has materialized. A we were supposed to confront his air Force head on Early on. He has chosen not to take that course a he said of Saddam. It is now the Allied chore to determine Why Saddam has taken this approach in defending his country Bigum said. A a it a probably by design that he has refrained from flying his air planes a he said. A i done to know of any engagement that has occurred in which the f-15cs have not come out with kills on   results will affect the morale and psyche of the iraqi pilots he added. Pilots have already seen evidence of that. Enemy aircraft have turned and run several times immediately after spotting the Allied pilots. Bigum guesses that Saddam is with holding his air Force in Hopes of using it m a More advantageous situation. But Bigum Hasni to figured out what that might be. It. Col. Charles Plunkett 43, commander of n Squadron of f-16s, has a simple explanation for the absence of enemy planes. A i think they re scared to Tell the truth a said the Hartsville s.c., native. A i think they re very intimidated by us. They be Only got a few Good Pilot anyway flying the Mig-29  one Navy Pilot summed up iraqis use of its air Force this Way a an air Force on the ground is no better than having a Bunch of  this article was based on information gathered by Pentagon Pool reporters Dugan says Saddam playing waiting game Saratoga Springs  A Iraq is waiting to launch a major attack against .-led forces that May not win it the military War but instead the psychological Battle said retired air Force it. Gen. Michael j. Dugan. Iraqi president Saddam Hussein wants a a scheme that lasts for a longer period of time because it plays on the cohesion of the coalition president Bush has pulled together a Dugan said tuesday. Iraq also a May be adopting a tet strategy in which its armed forces would mount a major offensive similar to the 1968 As Dugan Sault by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War he said. Dugan was fired sept. 17 As air Force chief of staff for comments he made about . Contingency plans for massive air raids on Iraq and particularly for targeting the iraqi Leader. Fliers unfazed by threat to use captives As Shields by the stars and stripes aboard the Carrier America pilots say Saddam Hussein a plan to use captured Allied pilots As human Shields at bombing targets wont Stop them from doing their jobs. A fall it does is Hack us off a said Pat an f-14 Pilot from Virginia Beach a. A a it a not going to slow us Down one bit. A first of All there Are a lot of targets and i done to think he has enough prisoners to go around to All of them.�?�. The pilots interviewed did not want their full names used for fear of reprisals against their families in the states. Saddam has threatened to use Allied prisoners of War As human Shields at military and Industrial targets just As he did with civilian hostages in the months following iraqis invasion of Kuwait. A i know if i were in their place i would be cheering when i heard the bombs coming Down a Pat 30, said of the captured pilots. Fliers know through their training what to expect As a prisoner of War he said this just adds to the. Grimness. The threat is a typical of the individual we re dealing with a Pat said of Saddam. A the has no regard for human life. He a  j.p., a 34-year-old who flies an f/a-18 Hornet sail pilots will be focused on the task at hand when approaching  Shields a a won to impede our Mission a he said. The intense concentration needed to Complete bombing run and return to the Carrier does not allow Pilot time to think about anything else he said. He i drop his bombs without hesitation. A if i find out later that one of them died id fee sad a he said a but we All knew what we were Gettin  other pilots did not want to discuss the news which reached them through their ships inboard newspaper. A a it a a big War and a lot of Guys Are scattered Abou it a a surveillance Jilot said. A i done to think it will affect  this article is based on information gathered by Pentagon Pool reporter aboard the aircraft Carrier America and cleared by the military