by Fred Coleman


ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON -- Navy pilots call it "bad-guy
territory." Most days last week, jets lifted off America's newest
nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and streaked across southern
Iraq, policing a no-fly zone and practicing bombing runs. On one
sortie, Cmdr. Charlie Hautau's A-6 Intruder penetrated 120 miles
into Iraq to the city of Tallil. From 5 miles away and 22,000
feet up, the navigator, Lt. Craig Clapperton, fixed a concrete
military command center in the cross hairs of the infrared sight
on his laser-guided "smart bomb" system. "I have the target," he
said. This time, Hautau didn't push the red trigger button on his
black control stick. Instead, he said, "Simulated bombs away." 

     The two fliers then met an Air Force KC-10 tanker over Saudi
Arabia, refueled and returned to Tallil for a second mock bombing
run in which they pretended to eliminate a star-shaped cluster of
surface-to-air missiles. In their 3 hours and 37 minutes in the
air, they faced no hostile aircraft or groundfire. They actually
carried a Maverick missile and two 2,000-pound guided-bomb units,
the ordnance they would use for the real thing. They also
confirmed Iraqi ground radar picked them up. "We're making sure
they know we're up here," Hautau said. "We want to keep them
guessing. Each time might be for real." 

     Fearless flying. High-tech supremacy gives U.S. pilots a
remarkable edge. Sorties over Iraq include Navy F-18 Hornets and
F-14 Tomcats for advance reconnaissance or attack support, EA-6B
Prowlers to jam enemy antiaircraft guidance systems on the ground
and Air Force F-16s, based in Saudi Arabia, to clear the skies.
So far, they have practiced knocking out airfields, ammo dumps
and other key targets with impunity. No such dress rehearsals
were possible over Vietnam without the other guy firing back.
This time, Iraq hasn't dared. Hautau, a gulf war veteran,
appreciates the advantage. "I was shot at big time over Baghdad
but never hit," he recalls. "These days, the missions are
routine. You can tell from our radio communications over Iraq.
There's no stress in the voices." 

     The 79 planes on the George Washington, now on its maiden
cruise, are making a difference. The carrier was in the Persian
Gulf in September, then moved to the Adriatic Sea to cover United
Nations forces in Bosnia. When the Kuwait crisis flared, it
returned to the gulf in 48 hours, its attack jets capable of
destroying Iraqi tank columns from the air. "Saddam Hussein is
acutely aware of our presence," says Lt. Jeff Lewis, an F-18
pilot on the carrier. "He deployed toward Kuwait only when we
left and retreated as soon as we got back." Adds Rear Adm.
Alexander Krekich, commander of the George Washington battle
group, "We're here and we're ready."