RAF Lessons of the War in Iraq

[soddim]

War, in my limited experience, is a series of cock-ups caused mostly by inadequate preparation, poor planning and inadequate equipment. However, one learns much in each conflict and it might be that the only good to come from war is the lessons on how to prevent the next one and how to fight more effectively if prevention does not work.

With this in mind, I look back at recent conflicts and find that in the RAF there is no distributed publication of lessons learned. This contrasts markedly with the lessons distributed throughout the USAF after Vietnam. I remember that CTTO at the time of the Falklands war wanted to publish lessons learned but was stopped with the advice “This was a victory, we do not wish to discuss our failures”.

If we are not to learn from war we are destined to repeat our failures. Will the RAF have learned some lessons in Iraq and will they be published even in classified form?

[Flatus Veteranus]

There was a report issued, on a tri-service basis, about weapons and equipment performance in CORPORATE (Falklands conflict). It made pretty lurid reading. It seemed that about the only bits of kit that worked iaw the brochures were the bits sold us or given to us by the Yanks. Of course, the report was fairly highly classified.

[caspertheghost]

Hate to poop on your parade, but I seem to remember reading an article recently entitled "Lessons learned from Kosovo" in RAF Air Power Review.....

Probably doesn't count though as no-one actually reads it!

[Barn Doors]

Guaranteed! Remember though, that a lot of lessons were learned and implemented after the Kosovo conflict. It may take some time for them to come out in the wash but you can be fairly confident that they will..... in some form! They are not just issues of equipment though. The major lessons often concern tactics, and they will almost certainly remain highly classified when published. This will apply to every unit, in the air and equally on the ground.

[FOMere2eternity]

Catch 22 really. 'Lessons Learnt', if not acted upon, can soon turn into 'Top Tips for the Enemy', therefore for both security and embarrassment reasons not much filters out.

Tie that in with the Treasury and it becomes a case of not much needs to filter out because, hey, we won and our boys made do with the kit they had. Spend the cash on asylum seekers.

Much safer (?) and cheaper to stay pals with the Americans and borrow their stuff, particularly when they're out on a diplomatic limb, as they're more likely to want to be pals too.

Shop floor-wise, just pray you get sent somewhere with a US element and you should be able to wangle uniform items and food.

[Stray Fin]

Having just returned from out that way, it appears that many of the events over the past few weeks that will eventually lead to 'lessons learnt' occured in the last Gulf War. Particularly those relating to the kit. But then if we bought American who would fund British Aerospace?

[tu chan go]

'Lessons Learnt' or 'Lessons Observed'?

[Tilt and Gain]

Must agree with you Tu Chan Go.

I've been to The Air Historical Branch (I can't recommend a vist highly enough) and read a few "Lessons Learned" reports from 1939-45.

Many are disturbingly prophetic.