This work contains a detailed look at the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet by Carrier Air Wings operating in the period leading up and during the 2003 Iraq War. This is the is first of three books on the Hornet, covering US Navy, US Marine and RAAF Stingers' in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Author Tony Holmes has sensibly broken down the subject area in order to cover as much territory as possible. With around 250 Hornets being deployed, the book sets the scene with a quick review of Operation Southern Watch and the road to war, and reviews tactics and weapons to be employed. Chapter 2 is titled 'Shock and Awe' and covers strike missions conducted by Hornets in the first days of OIF and the author has been able to draw on many first hand accounts of the F/A-18Fs work during the conflict. The bread and butter Hornet operations in OIF was providing close air support (CAS) to the advancing Marines and US Army V Corps units and in Chapter 3. 'Shaping the Battlefield' the book deals with how tasking came from the troops in the field, via ground or airborne Forward Air Controllers to the waiting tactical jets. Once more first hand accounts are provided by aircrew, with explanations of Kill Boxes and FAC processes are provided to put a pilots story into context. This chapter also extensively deals with the second major 'friendly fire' incident of the air war, when Lt. Nathan White was shot down and killed by a Patriot SAM near Karbala.
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