On January 17, 1991, as the Gulf War’s Desert Storm air campaign commenced, former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s promise of a fierce battle over Kuwait was met with formidable force. American, British, French, Kuwaiti, and Saudi planes filled the skies, marking the beginning of a historic military operation. Among the pilots were Lt. Cmdr. Mark Fox and Lt. Nick Mongillo, two of four F/A-18C Hornet pilots from the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, who were on a mission to Al Walid Air Base H-3 in western Iraq.
An E-2C Hawkeye radar aircraft detected two Iraqi MiG-21s approaching at supersonic speed, just 15 miles ahead. “At three miles, I could see them,” Mongillo recounted to The New York Times. Within mere seconds, Mongillo engaged, and his missile struck the MiG-21, which was soon engulfed in flames.
Despite carrying a payload of four 2,000-pound Mk.84 bombs, the F/A-18C Hornets were adept at switching from air-to-ground to air-to-air combat roles instantaneously. This versatility granted the American pilots a significant advantage in achieving aerial superiority. “Our relative rate of closure was more than 1,200 knots,” Lt. Cmdr. Fox later recalled in the book Gulf War Air Debrief. Fox’s Sidewinder missile hit its mark, followed by a Sparrow missile that flew into the resulting fireball. The entire engagement, from detection to missile impact, spanned less than 40 seconds.
Fox and Mongillo’s successful engagement resulted in the first MiG kills by Navy aviators since 1968. They proceeded to complete their bombing mission, releasing their ordnance over the target. This mission marked the only Navy fighter plane kills in the Gulf War, with Mongillo achieving “ace” status, having already downed four other enemy planes in combat. Mongillo was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.
The F/A-18C Hornets flown by Fox and Mongillo are set to be displayed at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, commemorating the 30th anniversary of their historic mission on January 17, 2021.
In the broader context of combat aircraft performance, the F/A-18 Hornet’s record stands out. During the Gulf War, the F/A-18 Hornet achieved two air-to-air kills, suffered one air-to-air loss, and one loss to ground fire. This performance underscores the aircraft’s capability and versatility in modern combat scenarios.
The Gulf War mission by Fox and Mongillo exemplifies the strategic and tactical prowess of the F/A-18C Hornet, cementing its place in military aviation history.