Hardened aircraft shelter

In theory, HASs were also built to protect aircraft in a nuclear strike; however, the effect of such an attack on airfield taxiways, runways, support facilities and personnel would have made any retaliatory mission extremely difficult, and subsequent return and rearming almost impossible.

[citation needed] Iraq's HAS hangars were built to a standard somewhat higher than NATO or Warsaw Pact shelters, but nevertheless proved almost useless during the Gulf War.

[citation needed] Early attempts to defeat them typically used a "one-two punch" using a TV-guided missile to blast open the doors, followed by bombs tossed in the front.

US efforts soon turned to simply dropping a 2,000 lb laser guided bomb on the top, which would easily penetrate the roof and explode within.

[citation needed] Kevlar-lined deployable shelters could protect aircraft from bomblets (a common anti-airfield weapon).

Survivability is enhanced if the defender also chooses to use mobile tactics, using each highway strip for a limited number of sorties before moving on to another.

Improvements in the Bas 90 system included construction of short backup runways in the direct vicinity of the airbases, and further dispersion of aircraft positioning and ground operations.