150 VS 5

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

Nine years ago, NATO attacked the country of Yugoslavia. That first night, in the first attack, NATO had approximately 150 airplanes in the air and Yugoslavian Air Forces managed to get five fighter aircraft airborne. On the following day, Yugoslavian attack aircraft began flying sorties over Kosovo and Metohija (KiM). Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was defeated within days. Stalemate between NATO and Yugoslavia was ended after 78 days with UN Resolution 1244.

 

NATO used over 1000 cruise missiles and more then 1000 airplanes. Yugoslavian air defenses shot down two NATO airplanes (one F-16 and one F-117), few dozens of cruise missiles and few UAV’s.

[EvilBivol-1]

Considering the volatile history of this topic on our forum, let me warn everyone now that nationalist attitudes or personal attacks will not be tolerated. There is no reason this topic should not be up for a military/aviation analysis. However, this will be impossible if the manner in which it is usually discussed - with overtones of nationalism and personal attacks against posters - continues.

 

We will leave the topic open in the hopes that it takes a "normal" course. If you don't have anything substantive to contribute, then please avoid posting anything.

[borchi_2b]

well thats how a war locks like when a huge coalition is attacking a fearly small country.

 

it is sad that only a few mig29a remained, but i have to say, this is war.

i am not sure, but there were more than only 1 f-16 and 1 f-117 that were lost.

i had a paper on another comp, that gave the total list of all lost planes in this war, and i could call more then only 2 planes on the nato side.

 

damn, i just figured, that the document is not an open source, so just forget what i wrote, sorry

 

lets leave it the numbers that are official, ok :-)

 

well the war was primarly fought by aircrafts as far i can recall, so it is strange that the war ended after so many days, cause there were so man ways in the woods to hide the tanks etc.

[RvETito]

I surely remember the night it started. I was having dinner with my brother when the movie we were watching on the TV was interrupted by CNN breaking news that NATO has started operation Allied Force against Yugoslavia. They were showing F-16's, F-15E's and F-117 taking off from Aviano AB, Italy.

 

Sofia is not far from the border and I remember the the sound and the flash from the blasts of bombs being drop near the border- close to Nis district. Also I heard more than once sonic booms of NATO warplanes, obviously looking for cover in bulgarian airspace and of course the F-16 pilot who got lost or has been running away, after penetrating our airspace heading east he launched a AGM-88 HARM missile against SAM site near Sofia whose crew has turned it off and the missile has gone blind after loosing the signal and it flew straight into a civil house blowing off it's roof. Luckly it's warhead didn't detonate otherwise... That house was (and still is with a new roof) about 2km from where I live.

 

I'm not gonna judge anyone here. Lets just pay respect and keep a minute of silence for those who has died during this war.

[mvsgas]

Or any war..................

[borchi_2b]

but interesting what you could tell us here :-)

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

Lets just pay respect and keep a minute of silence for those who has died during this war.

Death toll was some 1000 soldiers, and 2000 civilians. 88 children lost their lives. A minute of silence …

[Mugatu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_War for maybe more accurate accounts and different view points.

 

But I think this thread has moved in the direction EB feared already.

[TorwaK]

It's better to no comment. I say just RIP.

[59th_LeFty]

War is an ungly thing. Military aviation is good only while it is a "Big game".

 

Damn, I remember that moment, when I just walked the street as a young kid, put my eyes on the sky, and those formations were like moving stars. MANY, MANY stars. I'll never forget it. Patroling F-15s over my head, 30k feet high, Falcons hanging around the tankers, well, ther were 'some' activity in the air in those times :)

[golfsierra2]

I really can't see why Hajduk started this topic once again....

[Excelsior]

I really can't see why Hajduk started this topic once again....

 

 

Due to the fact that march 24th was the 9th anniversary of the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia perhaps?

 

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

Due to the fact that march 24th was the 9th anniversary of the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia perhaps?

 

That is correct.

 

Also, as I was reading articles in our newspaper on that sad 9th anniversary, one of our generals provided account of that first night. Thus the title of the thread.