ANNIVERSARIES NATO military intervention in BiH concluded

(Patria) - Operation Deliberate Force was a military intervention by the international community led by NATO and the USA, aimed at disabling the military arsenal of Serbs in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which threatened and/or attacked UN "safe zones" in BiH.

The operation began around 2:00 AM on August 30, 1995, and ended on September 20, 1995, involving about 400 aircraft and 5,000 personnel from 15 countries. During the operation, 3,515 sorties were carried out against 338 targets. Aircraft participating in the operation flew from a military base in Italy and from the American aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. 68% of the bombs used in the operation were "precision-guided munitions".

The Serbian air defense system, consisting of aircraft and anti-aircraft artillery, made the operation a dangerous undertaking. On August 30, 1995, a French Mirage 2000 fighter jet was shot down by Serbian anti-aircraft artillery. Nevertheless, the operation was effective in bringing the Serbs to the negotiating table.