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                           AIR DEFENSE

     TOPIC:  Identification, Friend or Foe is difficult, at
best.

     OBSERVATION: Throughout the entire theater of operations,
there are numerous weapon systems that are common to both sides
of the conflict (Iraq has Kuwait's equipment and what they have
acquired on the open international arms market).   The indi-
vidual soldier is going to be faced with the monumental problem
of separating friend from foe by more than just the manufac-
turer or silhouette of a piece of equipment.   This will be true
of both air and ground systems.  This identification problem
will also be compounded by the nonlinear battlefield where
focus will not be separated by a line.

     LESSON LEARNED:  (1)  The command and control of the
nondedicated air defense assets needs to be the strictest.  The
nonair defense units should be emphasized to all soldiers.
(2)   For the dedicated air defense personnel that use visual
identification, training on theater directed rules of
engagement is a must.  Additional measures can be taken by the
Theater Command to assist in marking all friendly aircraft for
visual identification.   (3) Vehicle recognition training and
special markings on ground vehicles will enhance the identifi-
cation process for both ground troops and pilots.    (4) Through-
out history units have used field expedient methods to identify
friendly vehicles.  Some of these methods include:   chemical
lights, tape,  flogs, engineer tape in patterns, etc.
(5)   As did the units in North Africa, set up a "traveling
circus" of actual enemy and allied vehicles and equipment to
enhance the recognition training.

      VIEWER NOTES:


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