Operation Anaconda would have greatly benefited from a unified command structure, because of the command structure that the operation used there were many issues with planning, integration, and confusion. The insurgents used their ZPU-1 antiaircraft guns, DSHK and small arms fire against the attack helicopters supporting the Rakkasans. [2] Estimates of Al-Qaeda and Taliban casualties range from 100 to 1,000, with U.S. commanders favoring the higher estimates and Afghan commanders favoring the lower estimates. The competence of Americas military forces was tested in the battles of Operation Anaconda (OA). Blaber, Pete. A Predator UAV had the convoy under surveillance, showing 3 SUVs, a pickup truck and a large security element of gunman. The mission was aimed at destroying the terrorist forces labeled Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Study for free with our range of university lectures! American forces eventually gained the upper hand, inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban forces and pushing them out of the valley. The mutual trust would have to be achieved before American lives would be put in danger. OA demonstrated collaboration between countries, government agencies, various special operation groups, different military components, and companies of large ground forces. The Operation Anaconda is seen as the initial conventional operation style of military in Operation Enduring Freedom. Mission orders define the desired results but do not mandate how to achieve them. Behind every idea is a fundamental structure. The shift came . One team would move to the peak of Takur Ghar, which commanded the southern approach to the Shahi-Kot valley. It is composed of two distinct areas, the Lower and Upper Shahi-Kot which run roughly parallel to each other. Anaconda was a military operation carried out by an international coalition led by the United States of America against the forces of the terrorist organization al Qaeda in Afghanistan in March 2002. In the Lower Shahikot several imposing mountains dominate the landscape; chief among them is Takur Ghar at the southeastern end of the valley; to the northeast is Tsapare Ghar, dominating the northern entrance to the valley. Finally, between several generals including SOF generals; the principle of shared understanding is exemplified as they agreed that command and control would be more effective under a conventional generalship under General Franks with SOF as a support element (Lambeth p. 167-168). Supported by 16 Apaches, 5 USMC Cobras helicopters and several A-10A ground attack aircraft; the Rakkasans methodically cleared an estimated 130 caves, 22 bunkers and 40 buildings to finally secure the valley. The mission command philosophy is executed through the mission command warfighting function, which basically consists of a series of mutually supporting tasks. The SEAL fire team, Mako 30, was picked up by an MH-47 Chinook helicopter, at 23:23 on 3 March. Mission orders that assign tasks and allocate resources became more accurate due to the missteps of Operation Anaconda. Previously stated; the commanders intent does not emphasize the why of the mission, but the mission order does. The road was in poor condition and difficulties ensued. Not a Good Day to Die, Berkley Reprint, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 01:20. Close air support was an element that was not properly planned for in the beginning, but was what ended up being the lifeboat for the ground elements locked in combat with the overwhelming al-Qaeda forces. This delay meant that the SEALs could not be inserted into the LZ east of the peak until 02:30 on 4 March, which did not allow enough time to reach the peak before daylight. The objective of this essay is to demonstrate how the seven principles of mission command can be applied to the operational environment of the Operation of Anaconda. Also on March 4, 2nd Battalion of the Rakkasans air assaulted into the eastern end of the valley, immediately attacking the heights under Apache cover. It was then called away to support other troops before the Chinook arrived. This operation aimed at removing Taliban and al Qaeda forces located in this valley. 3. CIA paramilit. Operation Anaconda not have had an ideal start, but after a few days and some recalibration, the tide turned for the better. Action is power and no greater force catapults action like the power of war. Others within AFO and the CIA were making the same connection. Counterinsurgency: The operation, carried out by Soldiers of Company D, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, was part of the continuous effort to sweep out insurgent strongholds. [6] This operation was the first large-scale battle in the post-2001 War in Afghanistan since the Battle of Tora Bora in December 2001. "First, technology overconfidence, particularly among high-ranking commanders and staff, deludes American forces into believing they can dissolve the fog of war. (2005). For example, in the early planning stages of OA General Mikolashek, General Hagenbeck, and General Franks conflicted with the planning phase because the three shared information, but were each in charge of their generalship. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! Due to time constraints, a helicopter insertion would be needed for the teams to reach the peak before dawn. This commander would have the authority to assign resources according to real-time need. The wounded were refused medevac during the daylight hours, due to risk of another downed helicopter. In Sabinskis mind, he was well aware of the risk of returning to the area of initial contact. No plagiarism, guaranteed! The U.S. sends 400 of its troops back to base. Operation Anaconda is one of many battles one can study and learn from immeasurable contingencies and circumstances. The main body of TF Hammer reached its pre-assault point around 06:15 and waited for the expected "55 minute" aerial bombardment of enemy positions. They did not possess the desire to overcome changes in their operating environment nor the capability to do so if given the chance. Task Force 64: 1 Squadron, Australian Special Air Service Regiment. Task Force Bowie: AFO (made up of a 45-man reconnaissance unit Delta Force and augmented by selected DEVGRU operators recce specialists and supported by ISA's technical experts, AFO conducted covert reconnaissance usually sending small 2 or 3 man teams on foot or on ATVs, deploying observation posts to watch and report enemy movements and numbers as well as environmental reconnaissance). The Pashtun militia obviously failed to exercise disciplined initiative by failing to take action when unforeseen threats arose. Task Force Commando: 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Operation Anaconda was one of the largest-scale operations conducted by the US-led international coalition against the forces of al-Qaeda and Taliban. An Afghan warlord named Zia Lodin is one of the main leaders of the Afghan allies that are fighting against, and have been fighting the Taliban for decades. You are required to give an in depth introduction of your topic. (LogOut/ Their vital intelligence was fed back to the AFO and would prove invaluable once the operation started. They came under fire almost immediately after landing on their way to their objectives, and remained pinned down by heavy mortar fire and locked in a fierce firefight throughout the day. While attempting to land at the top of Taku Ghar, their helicopter was hit with an RPG. Operation Anaconda serves as a powerful model for commanders and army leaders to apply the principles of Mission Command to overcome unpredictable challenges and eventually achieve their potential. [6] Miscommunication between Texas 14 and higher command meant the bombardment was not that extensive and consisted of six bombs. Such implementations would limit the flow of effectively shared information between components in battle. If your specific country is not listed, please select the UK version of the site, as this is best suited to international visitors. Danger, mental and physical injury and death is a risk in any military operation. When the execution of Operation Anaconda occurred, U.S. military presence in Afghanistan was not yet fully mature. The aircraft immediately began taking fire, and the right door minigunner, Sergeant Phillip Svitak, was killed by small arms fire. Trust comes from successful shared experiences and training, usually gained incidental to operations but also deliberately developed by the commander. Task Force 11 received time-sensitive intelligence that a possible HVT was travelling within a convoy of al-Qaeda fighters who were attempting to escape by vehicle from Shahikot into Pakistan. and mutual trust between the DRA and the Soviet forces. CIA paramilitary officers, working with their allies, attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. Commanders and staffs use the science of control to regulate forces and direct the execution of operations to conform to their commanders intent. 3 main talking points is Competence, Mutual Trust & Shared Understanding. This operation included joint efforts by Special Operations and multinational partners who worked together in the Shahi Kot Valley in Afghanistan in March 2002 (Isherwood, 2007). National Defense University, Center for Technology and National Security. (1) Even though headquarters published the warning order on 6 January, the Combined Force Air Component . The Afghan fighters, in trucks, were devastated by mortar fire registered in advance to strike fixed points on the road. Operation Anaconda suffered many obstacles, making the mission multiheaded without a clear shared understanding, which affected its outcome (ADP, 2019). 1,300 words on the Operation Anaconda Case Study. Several soldiers were injured after their jingle trucks overturned, the commanders ordered the trucks to use their headlights, destroying any element of surprise. Operation Anaconda took place in early March 2002 in the Shahikot Valley and the Armagh Mountains, Afghanistan. At approximately 06:10, Razor 01 reached the landing zone. Mansoor fortified the valley, digging trench systems, building bunkers and firing positions into the ridgelines, many of which would be put to effect during the operation. Bahmanyar, Mir. 1,300 words on the Operation Anaconda Case Study. Once a war is initiated it is plagued by violence, death, chaos, confusion, complexity, disorder, and uncertainty. American Forces mistakenly landed in the middle of the valley, instead of the outside and were immediately caught in the Taliban's kill zone. The operation ran into problems from the outset. An Anaconda is a snake that squeezes and suffocates it's victim. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. It is the example demonstrated by Medal of Honor Recipient Master Chief Britt Slabinski. The Afghans suffered forty or more deaths and injuries. As events unfolded, commanders were able to quickly adapt to the realization of their predicament. Just login to the Online Policy Manager to start. Change). Operation Lightning Hammer II. The battle and Mansoor (who was killed in 2008) were eulogized by the Taliban's official website, Voice of Jihad, on 7 March 2021.[9]. The surviving crew and quick-reaction force took cover in a hillock and a fierce firefight began. Throughout the day, the TACP forward air controllers and Special Forces teams that had infiltrated into the area the previous day assisted in calling in airstrikes from B-1, B-52, F-15, F-18 and F-16 aircraft, inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, but by no means silencing them. There is a possibility that Roberts was captured by the al Qaeda fighters, and executed later with a single shot to the back of the head (One of the feeds showed a group of 8-10 fighters huddling around what appeared to be a body; both GRIM 32 and MAKO 30 noted that an IR strobe was active, a video feed showed the fighters passing the IR strobe around). Some are critical about the success of American and coalition forces but General Tommy Franks who led the attacks against the Taliban in 2001 and oversaw the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and defeat of Saddam Hussein stated that OA was an unqualified and absolute success (p. 346). The firefight was over in minutes; of the 18 al-Qaeda fighters, 16 were killed and two were wounded. View all posts by Yskander Arquimides Saucedo. Both teams of SEAL operators now opened fire down on the enemy fighters in a crossfire and the third Chinook landed its operators nearby to investigate a suspicious looking vehicle. Thus, changing the approach to all future engagements and how they would be governed. Operation Anaconda was the first major joint combat operation against the war on terror that the US was committed to winning. Also, it may serve as an ethical NCO practice if orders are absent; the commanders intent serves as a basis for taking initiative in the absence of orders. At around 20:00, the quick-reaction force and Mako 30/21 were exfiltrated from the Takur Ghar peak. These assets were tasked instead to the TF Anvil troops. 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