Without commenting on the capabilities of the AV-8B.
Of the 36,245 strikes mounted during Desert Storm the B-52 bomber dropped one-third of the air war's 88,500 tons of ordnance.
86 deployed USMC AV-8Bs flew 3,342 sorties (5 loses).
84 USMC F/A-18s flew 5,239 sorties (4 damaged).
90 USN F/A-18s flew 4,449 combat sorties (1 lost).
250 USAF F-16 aircraft flew 13,500 sorties (5 lost in combat, 2 in training).
I could go on but it's pointless. It hides the true value of the AV-8B which was it's nearness to the battlefield, availability and turn-round time. During the war, the AV-8s were based around 35nm from the Kuwait border, they maintaining a mission capable rate in excess of 90% and their average turnaround time was 23 minutes. It's big down side being it's vulnerability to IR SAW due to the nozzle location.
Last edited by ORAC; 16th Aug 2002 at 06:12.