Battle of Bubiyan
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Bubiyan was a naval engagement of the Gulf War
, that occurred in the waters of the Persian Gulf
, where the bulk of the Iraqi Navy, while attempting to flee to Iran, much like the Iraqi Air Force, was engaged and destroyed by Coalition warships and helicopters.
The battle was completely one-sided. The initial attack by three Lynx
helicopters of the Royal Navy using Sea Skua
missiles destroyed five TNC 45 FAC
s, a landing craft and two Zhuk class patrol boats, before the US Navy aircraft arrived. A total of twenty of the twenty-two ships that attempted to escape were destroyed.
The USS Princeton
and USS Tripoli
were hit by Iraqi naval mines, twelve sailors were wounded, six seriously.
Also related to the Bubiyan action was the Battle of Khafji
, where Saddam Hussein
, sent an amphibious assault to Khafji to reinforce the city from the Coalition Attack. This too was spotted by the Coalition Naval forces and subsequently exterminated.
The last action of the Iraqi Navy was to launch a ground-ground Silkworm missile
at the USS Missouri
, however it was intercepted midflight by a Sea Dart missile
from the British destroyer HMS Gloucester
and destroyed.
The Iraqi Navy, much like the Air Force, was a reluctant enemy, relying on passive force and defensive weapons such as naval mines. After the Bubiyan action, the Iraqi Navy ceased to exist as a fighting force at all, leaving Iraq with very few ships, all in poor condition.
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, that occurred in the waters of the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, where the bulk of the Iraqi Navy, while attempting to flee to Iran, much like the Iraqi Air Force, was engaged and destroyed by Coalition warships and helicopters.
The battle was completely one-sided. The initial attack by three Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopters of the Royal Navy using Sea Skua
Sea Skua
The Sea Skua is a British lightweight short-range air-to-surface missile designed for use from helicopters against ships. It is primarily used by the Royal Navy on the Westland Lynx helicopter, although Kuwait uses it in a shore battery and on their Umm Al Maradem fast attack craft.The British...
missiles destroyed five TNC 45 FAC
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
s, a landing craft and two Zhuk class patrol boats, before the US Navy aircraft arrived. A total of twenty of the twenty-two ships that attempted to escape were destroyed.
The USS Princeton
USS Princeton
Six United States Navy ships have borne the name Princeton, after the town of Princeton, New Jersey, site of an American victory in the Revolutionary War....
and USS Tripoli
USS Tripoli
Two ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Tripoli, after the city of Tripoli in Libya, scene of action in the Barbary Wars, and commemorated in the Marines' Hymn.* The first was an escort aircraft carrier in service from 1943 to 1958....
were hit by Iraqi naval mines, twelve sailors were wounded, six seriously.
Also related to the Bubiyan action was the Battle of Khafji
Battle of Khafji
The Battle of Khafji was the first major ground engagement of the Gulf War. It took place in and around the Saudi Arabian city of Khafji, from 29 January to 1 February 1991 and marked the culmination of the Coalition's air campaign over Kuwait and Iraq, which had begun on 17 January 1991.Iraqi...
, where Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, sent an amphibious assault to Khafji to reinforce the city from the Coalition Attack. This too was spotted by the Coalition Naval forces and subsequently exterminated.
The last action of the Iraqi Navy was to launch a ground-ground Silkworm missile
Silkworm missile
The Shang Yo or SY-series , and the Hai Ying or HY-series were early Chinese anti-ship missiles. They were derived from the Soviet P-15 Termit missile.The HY-1 and HY-2 received the NATO reporting name Silkworm...
at the USS Missouri
USS Missouri
Four ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Missouri in honor of the state of Missouri:, a sidewheel frigate launched in 1841 and destroyed by fire in August 1843, a Maine class battleship in service from 1900 to 1922., an Iowa class battleship in service from 1944 to 1998; site of the...
, however it was intercepted midflight by a Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart or Guided Weapon System 30 is a British surface-to-air missile system designed by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and built by British Aerospace from 1977...
from the British destroyer HMS Gloucester
HMS Gloucester
Eleven vessels, and one planned, of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Gloucester, after Gloucester, the city in England.* The first Gloucester was a 54-gun ship launched in 1654 and wrecked in 1682....
and destroyed.
The Iraqi Navy, much like the Air Force, was a reluctant enemy, relying on passive force and defensive weapons such as naval mines. After the Bubiyan action, the Iraqi Navy ceased to exist as a fighting force at all, leaving Iraq with very few ships, all in poor condition.