[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 126 (Friday, September 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11441-S11442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 185--RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING THE PERSONNEL OF 
 EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND EFFORTS IN 
 SUPPORT OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION'S (NATO) OPERATION 
                   ALLIED FORCE IN THE BALKAN REGION

  Mr. GRAHAM submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 185

       Whereas the personnel of the Air Armament Center at Eglin 
     Air Force Base, Florida, developed and provided many of the 
     munitions, technical orders, expertise, and support equipment 
     utilized by NATO during the Operation Allied Force air 
     campaign;

[[Page S11442]]

       Whereas the 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) 
     developed at the Air Armament Center was the very first 
     weapon dropped in Operation Allied Force;
       Whereas the Air to Ground 130 (AGM 130) standoff missile, 
     developed at the Air Armament Center, enabled the F-15E 
     Strike Eagle aircrews to standoff approximately 40 nautical 
     miles from targets and attack with very high precision; and
       Whereas the reliable performance of the JDAM and AGM 130 
     enabled the combat air crews to complete bombing missions 
     accurately, effectively, and with reduced risk to crews, 
     resulting in no casualties among NATO air personnel, thereby 
     making these munitions the ordinance favored most by combat 
     air crews: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the men and women of Eglin Air Force Base, 
     Florida, for their contributions to the unqualified success 
     of Operation Allied Force;
       (2) recognizes that the efforts of the men and women of the 
     Air Armament Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, helped 
     NATO conduct the air war with devastating effect on our 
     adversaries, entirely without American casualties in the air 
     combat operations;
       (3) expresses deep gratitude for the sacrifices made by 
     those men and women and their families in their support of 
     American efforts in Operation Allied Force; and
       (4) commits to maintaining the technological superiority of 
     American air armament as a critical component of our Nation's 
     capability to conduct and prevail in warfare while minimizing 
     casualties.

 Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, 6 months ago today on March 24, 
1999, the United States and its allies launched Operation Allied Force 
in the Balkan region. To commemorate this event, I am submitting a 
resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the men and women 
assigned to and employed by Eglin Air Force Base should be recognized 
and commended for their participation in, and efforts associated with, 
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Operation Allied Force.
  The personnel of the Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base 
developed and provided many of the munitions, technical orders, 
expertise and support equipment utilized by NATO during the air 
campaign. Specifically, the two thousand pound Joint Direct Attack 
Munition (JDAM) was the first weapon dropped in the operation. 
Additionally, the Air to Ground 130 (AGM 130) standoff missile enabled 
F15E Strike Eagle aircrews to attack targets with precision from a 
distance of forty miles.
  The reliable performances of the JDAM and AGM 130 enabled combat air 
crews to complete bombing missions accurately, effectively, and with 
reduced risk to crews. The result was zero casualties among NATO air 
personnel.
  The availability of these arms was the result of the vision of the 
Air Armament Center personnel who recognized years earlier that these 
munitions would be important to American armament.
  The brave service personnel from Eglin Air Force Base--and their 
families--sacrificed much in support of Operation Allied Force. We 
express our deepest gratitude to them. We recognize that their efforts 
allowed NATO to conduct an air war with no American combat casualties, 
yet with a devastating effect on our adversaries.
  We commit to maintaining the technological superiority of American 
air armament as a critical component of our nation's capacity to 
conduct and prevail in warfare while minimizing casualties.

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