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generating capability and destroyed Iraq's command and control
structure; it.also suppressed their air defenses and demolished

Iraq's capability to produce weapons of mass destruction -
chemical, biological and nuclear.


    Navy and Marine Corps ayiators flew sorties from carriers
and from amphibious ships both in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf
and from bases ashore, from the day hostilities began to the day

the ceasefire was ordered.

                             SLIDE 13--

    In all, naval aviation, with approximately 25% of the combat
aircraft in theater, flew approximately 25% of the strike sorties

flown in Iraq.  This involved targets up to 700 miles distant, with
Red Sea sorties averaging 3.7 hours in length, and Persian Gulf

sorties averaging 2.5 hours. An average strike length of 3.7 hours

meant many sorties were longer than five hours, and virtually

                                                               13

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