Operation Northern Watch

Operation Northern Watch was the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, which had been established in 1991 to protect Kurdish refugees and enforce a no-fly zone north of the 36th parallel in Iraq. After Provide Comfort ended in December 1996, the coalition continued the mission under a new name, with the stated goal of monitoring Iraqi compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 688, which demanded an end to repression of the Kurdish population. The operation was headquartered at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, with aircraft also operating from other bases in the region. The U.S. Air Force provided the bulk of the airpower, including F-15E Strike Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons, and KC-135 tankers, while the Royal Air Force contributed Tornado and Jaguar aircraft.¹

ONW conducted daily patrols over northern Iraq, with aircraft flying from Incirlik and other bases, and used aerial refueling to extend loiter times. The operation faced frequent Iraqi anti-aircraft fire and surface-to-air missile threats, leading to numerous retaliatory strikes against Iraqi air defense sites. For example, in December 1998, during Operation Desert Fox, ONW aircraft struck Iraqi radar and missile sites in the north, and such engagements continued sporadically until the end of the operation.² The coalition also dropped leaflets and used psychological operations to encourage Iraqi pilots not to violate the no-fly zone. Despite the tense environment, no coalition aircraft were lost to enemy action during ONW, though several were damaged by anti-aircraft fire.³

The operation was a multinational effort, with the United States and the United Kingdom as the primary participants, but also included contributions from Turkey, which hosted the main base, and occasional support from other NATO allies. Turkey's role was crucial, as it allowed coalition aircraft to operate from its territory, but this was a politically sensitive arrangement, with the Turkish government periodically restricting or threatening to restrict operations in response to domestic and regional pressures.⁴ The operation also coordinated with Kurdish groups on the ground, providing humanitarian aid and monitoring the situation in the Kurdish autonomous region. The coalition's rules of engagement were designed to minimize civilian casualties, but there were occasional incidents, such as the 2002 bombing of a civilian target that drew criticism.⁵

One lesser-known aspect is the use of U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, which flew high-altitude surveillance missions from bases in Saudi Arabia and other locations, providing intelligence that was vital for targeting and threat assessment. Another is the role of the 39th Air and Space Expeditionary Wing, which was activated specifically for ONW and managed the day-to-day operations. The operation also saw the first combat use of the GBU-15 and AGM-130 standoff weapons in the northern zone, and it tested new tactics for suppressing enemy air defenses. Additionally, ONW was one of the longest-running no-fly zone operations in history, lasting over five years, and it set a precedent for later operations such as Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya. The operation's end was abrupt, with the coalition ceasing patrols on March 17, 2003, just days before the invasion of Iraq, and the no-fly zones were formally abolished by the Coalition Provisional Authority in May 2003.

No-fly zone

A designated area over which aircraft are prohibited from flying, often enforced by military patrols.

Sortie

A single mission by an aircraft, typically involving takeoff, flight, and landing.

Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD)

Military actions to neutralize or destroy enemy surface-to-air threats.