Operation Allied Force: Volume 2 - Air War Over Serbia, 1999

Operation Allied Force: Volume 2 - Air War Over Serbia, 1999


On 24 March 1999, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) launched Operation Allied Force against Serbia, claiming that Serb forces in Kosovo were engaged in ethnic cleansing and gross violations of human rights. Serbia, in turn, claimed to be fighting against an insurgency. This would be the last war in Europe during the 20th century. The second volume of Operation Allied Force provides in depth analyses of the operation. The authors have analysed the experiences of both sides, starting from the command chain of the aviation of both air forces and the operations of the Yugoslav/Serb air defences. This book explains many "firsts" that occurred in Operation Allied Force: the use of B-2A stealth bombers, new SEAD aviation tactics, and new munitions ranging from JDAM, JSOW to Graphite bombs. It also examines the tactics of Serbian air defences to minimize the effects of the air strikes, by adopting movement and improvisation. Finally, the authors reveal the level of damage and casualties on the FR Yugoslavia side and comments upon the aircraft losses on both sides. The analyses are based upon original data as the authors, both the members of the joint Serbian Air Force/USAFE team which analysed Operation Allied Force in 2005-2006, received the opportunity to compare the experiences of both sides. Operation Allied Force, Volume 2 is illustrated with photographs, diagrams and other illustrations from FRY/Serbian Air Force, official USAF/NATO photographs from the US National Archives and original colour artworks commissioned for this project. AUTHORS: Bojan Dimitrijevic is a historian and Deputy Director of the Institute for Contemporary History, in Belgrade, Serbia. Educated at the Universities of Belgrade and Novi Sad, CEU Budapest and University of Bradford. He served as advisor to the Minister to the Serbian MoD, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the President of Serbia, and as Assistant to the Minister of Defence. Lieutenant-General Jovica Draganic (ret.) was educated at the Air Force Technical Military High School, Air Force Technical Military Academy (1984), Command-Staff Academy (1996) and National Defence School (1999), and also graduated at Belgrade Electro-technical Faculty, Belgrade University (1990). He served in the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade for over two decades, in nearly all commanding positions from platoon to brigade commander. Between 2005 and 2017 he served on senior posts within Serbian Armed Forces as: Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Air Defence HQ, Chief of Training/Doctrine Department of General-staff (J-7), Director of the Defence Inspectorate and as Deputy Chief of Staff Serbian Armed Forces. During Operation Allied Force, he commanded the 4th Missile Battalion of the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade. 130 colour photos, 38 colour profiles, 1 map, 4 diagrams, 5 tables