Why was operation rolling thunder important?

Answer 1

It was a complete and utter failure and acheived none of its objectives. During the three year mission, flow of supplies through North Vietnam actually increased!

Answer 2

The mission of Rollling Thunder was to gradually build up enough bombing pressure on Hanoi to make them realize that supporting their war in South Vietnam would fail. Of course, as history has shown, the North built up it's "air defenses and escalated their war"...and so did the US. What was gained by US Air Force/US Navy aircraft & NVAF (North Viet Air Force) was combat experience in jet warfare. The first aerial duels (dog-fighting) between jets (NVAF MiGs & US jets) occurred during Rolling Thunder. This led to improvements in newer jets, cannons, air to air missiles, tactics and strategy for later air battles yet to come in the skies over North Vietnam.

Answer 3

North Vietnam simply escalated their air defenses to meet the new threat. Rolling Thunder terminated in November '68, with LBJ's hope that the North would sue for peace, but the North was more determined than ever. By '69 the North Viet Air Force received new MiG-19 jets from Communist China (J-6 versions); and created a third air regiment. The previous ones were MiG-17 units. By '72, most of the North's air force was flying MiG-21's, and they went after the B-52's.

Answer 4

Taught (or re-trained) US airmen how to dog-fight with super-sonic jets. Also taught US airmen how to combat highly advanced ground defense systems (Radar and SAMs). Top Gun (USN) and Red Flag (USAF) aerial combat schools were created from Rolling Thunder.

Answer 5

Other than the F100 Super Sabre & F101 Voodoo which had been dispatched to Southeast Asia in 1961/1962 the US did not have the opportunity to combat test any of their other cold war built US warplanes such as the B52 bomber, F105 Thunderchief, F102 Delta Dagger, A4 Skyhawk, F8 Crusader, F4 Phantom II, B66 Destroyer, F104 Starfighter, etc. With Rollling Thunder coming on line in 1965 the opportunity presented itself (out of necessity). All of these warbirds were used plus more. Combat losses occurred to all of them, with the Thunderchief suffering the most; so badly in fact that the F105 is the only US warplane in history to have been pulled off the front lines because of excessive loss rates (no longer combat effective).

The US Military learned a lot from Rolling Thunder!