. ▁ ▁Despite ▁months ▁of ▁Ira qi ▁sab re - r att ling , ▁K uw ait ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁its ▁forces ▁on ▁alert ▁and ▁was ▁caught ▁una ware . ▁The ▁first ▁indic ation ▁of ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁ground ▁advance ▁was ▁from ▁a ▁rad ar - equ ipped ▁aer ost at ▁that ▁detected ▁an ▁Ira qi ▁arm our ▁column ▁moving ▁south . ▁K uw ait i ▁air , ▁ground , ▁and ▁naval ▁forces ▁resist ed , ▁but ▁were ▁vast ly ▁out number ed . ▁In ▁central ▁K uw ait , ▁the ▁ 3 5 th ▁Arm oured ▁Brigade ▁deployed ▁approximately ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁Ch ie ft ain ▁t anks , ▁B MP s , ▁and ▁an ▁art illery ▁battery ▁against ▁the ▁Ira q is ▁and ▁fought ▁delay ing ▁actions ▁near ▁Al ▁Jah ra ▁( see ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Br id ges ), ▁west ▁of ▁K uw ait ▁City . ▁In ▁the ▁south , ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁Arm oured ▁Brigade ▁moved ▁immediately ▁to ▁ev acu ate ▁its ▁forces ▁to ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia . ▁Of ▁the ▁small ▁K uw ait i ▁Navy , ▁two ▁miss ile ▁boats ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁e va de ▁capture ▁or ▁destruction . ▁ ▁K uw ait ▁Air ▁Force ▁aircraft ▁were ▁sc ram bled , ▁but ▁approximately ▁ 2 0 % ▁were ▁lost ▁or ▁captured . ▁An ▁air ▁battle ▁with ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁hel ic opter ▁air bor ne ▁forces ▁was ▁fought ▁over ▁K uw ait ▁City , ▁inf lic ting ▁heavy ▁losses ▁on ▁the ▁Ira qi