Davids kamp mot Goliat, En teoriutvecklande fallstudie av Nordvietnams luftförsvar mot USA under Operation Rolling Thunder.

Sammanfattning: In 1999 Shaun Clarke presented a theory called SPOT-bombing. SPOT means Strategic Persuasion Oriented Targeting, it’s an offensive denial strategy for small states use of airpower. The theory is how they can use limited resources and forces, to go for the enemy´s supreme leadership and change their mind about how they wag the war. This study is about Clarke’s offensive strategy is applicable in a defensive context, by using the theory in the Operation Rolling Thunder. Focus is North Vietnams use of defensive airpower, against the USA´s offensive acts. During the operation North Vietnam use a well intergraded air defence system. The USA was chocked because their tactic and technology was developed for a nuclear war not a conventional war. North Vietnams air defence system caused a number of losses in aircraft and crews. By using an effective propaganda organisation, North Vietnam rise the fighting spirit in the country and the global sympathies for them. The result became that the supreme leadership in the USA called off the operation in 1968 without any operational goals were achieved. This study shows that it’s possible to apply the theory in a defensive context.