Following the comprehensive defeat of Iraq military forces during and after the occupation of Kuwait under Operation Desert Storm, the Baathist regime in Iraq almost immediately began campaigns of internal repression, one against the Marsh Arabs in the south of Iraq and one against the Kurds in the north.
The UK began a round of diplomatic conversations which culminated in the creation of Operation Haven (aka Operation Provide Comfort in the USA), a multinational mission to prevent the Iraqi attacks against its own population, to enforce a northern No Fly Zone and to provide humanitarian and re-settlement support to those displaced.
The UK began a round of diplomatic conversations which culminated in the creation of Operation Haven (aka Operation Provide Comfort in the USA), a multinational mission to prevent the Iraqi attacks against its own population, to enforce a northern No Fly Zone and to provide humanitarian and re-settlement support to those displaced.
Two 3 CBAS Gazelle were sent ahead to Diyarbakir on 21 Apr but most of the UK air assets arrived on RFA Argus in the Turkish port of Iskenderun on 30 Apr. Two further 3 CBAS Gazelles joined with the unit on 5 May, having been flown in to Diyarbakir by RAF C-130.
Forward Operating Bases had been set up well into northern Iraq at
- Cap Badge (until 17 Jun)
- Breeze Block (until 29 Jun) and
- Workhorse.
Also involved with Operation Provide Comfort I were the United States Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps plus units from France and Australia.
Op Haven was succeeded by Operation Warden, which was to enforce a No-Fly Zone over Kurdish areas of northern Iraq, largely by a multi-national fixed wing force operating from Incirlik.
Op Haven was succeeded by Operation Warden, which was to enforce a No-Fly Zone over Kurdish areas of northern Iraq, largely by a multi-national fixed wing force operating from Incirlik.
Units |
Dates | Unit | Models |
---|---|---|
18apr91 to 15jul91 | 3 CBAS Royal Marines | SA341B Gazelle AH.1 Lynx |
20apr91 to 05jul91 | 846 NAS Fleet Air Arm | Sea King HC.4 |
30apr91 to jul91 | 845 NAS Fleet Air Arm | Sea King HC.4 |
Individual helicopters |
Model | IDs | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Westland Lynx AH1 | XZ180 XZ182 XZ605 XZ612 XZ644 XZ673 | |||
Aerospatiale SA341B Gazelle AH.1 | XW849 XW851 XX380 XX412 XX413 XX450 ZA728 ZA776 | |||
Ships |
Classes | Ships | |
---|---|---|
Helicopter Carrier | Argus class | A135 RFA Argus, |