Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: CNN & battelfield communications
Message-ID: <1991Jan18.003548.8604@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 18 Jan 91 00:35:48 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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Approved: military@att.att.com



From: att!druhi!fidder 


Question on battelfield communications. 

I was under the impression that when we attacted Iraq that all forms of
electronic communication would be jammed.  How is it that CNN was able
to do live broadcasts even during the actual raids ?  I know that CBS
was asking the same question, and that CNN made the comment that either
side could shut them down at any time (which apparently the Iraq's have
done).  

A related question is why was the supprise so apparently complete ?  It
is not like we didn't advertise that we were going in soon after the 15th...
Is it possible that the first wave took out all the primary communication
channels (except CNN ofcourse), and that the field commands had no 
authority to strike back on there own ?   What weapon systems would have 
been used on the communication links ?

Just curious... what does a Tomahawk cost ?

Things are going to get real interesting in the next few weeks.

Ted Fidder