A rocket-propelled grenade then hit the helicopter, destroying the right engine and forcing it to crash land. Mako 30 and Lt. Cmdr. With the help of the new arrivals and close air support, the force was able to consolidate its position on the peak. The expectation was that fighters, as in the case of Tora Bora several months earlier, would flee in the face of an assault and that blocker groups would simply be able to round them up.[11]. Stephen Biddle has characterized Operation Anaconda as a "series of surprisingly orthodox ground battles. The two Apaches were damaged early on in the day, one Apache was forced to return to base when an RPG destroyed its left-side Hellfire mount sending shrapnel through the airframe; as well as being peppered by small arms, further RPG rounds and DShK rounds (one DShK round penetrated the cockpit narrowly missing the pilots). However, valuable lessons were learned from Operation Anaconda and utilized in future engagements. Australian soldiers had utilised 'virtual reality' style software for mission rehearsal prior to insertion, and this contributed significantly to their situational awareness in the darkness and poor weather conditions. Major General Franklin L. Hagenbeck, Commander, Combined Joint Task Force Mountain, was put in command of the operation. (2019). [26], It is not certain whether the sailor died immediately or was killed by opposing soldiers. 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). Forces flattening entire villages during Operation Anaconda: 'Let's go, free to pillage' (). Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. Mutual trust is shared confidence which must flow through the entire chain of command. [22], The troops of the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment in the southern landing zones (LZs) faced the heaviest fighting. Competence is gained by knowledge and experience. The main purpose of the Anaconda plan was to defeat the rebellion by blockading southern ports and controlling the Mississippi river. Case Study of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. The terrorists appeared surprised and did not fire on the Chinooks, its possible that they were distracted by TF Hammer's advance or the ineffective communication between the foreign fighters themselves. The Lower Shahikot bordered the Pakistani tribal lands where many al-Qaeda fighters were believed to have escaped to from Tora Bora. One of the F-15E pilots later acknowledged that this may have been a communication directing Grim-31 to cease fire. The mission command warfighting function enables the commander to execute the principles of mission command philosophy. The operation was well-rehearsed to ensure that the mission would be completed in five days. This operation was the first large-scale battle in the US war in Afghanistan since the Battle of Tora Bora in December 2001. CIA paramilit. Operation Anaconda Introduction The philosophy of mission command is guided by six interdependent principles: building mutual trust, creating shared understanding, providing a clear commander's intent, applying specific action, implementing mission commands, and accepting strategic risk. 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. 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. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Features/Story/Article/1736210/medal-of-honor-monday-navy-master-chief-britt-slabinski/. Mission Command in Operation Anaconda: An Analysis (Essay Sample) Instructions: Analyze and evaluate the major points of your case study for research to write your persuasive essay. [citation needed] Though the change may have been meant to enhance direct control of the rescue of the downed SEAL atop Takur Ghar, it had the critical effect of severely limiting communications between the different teams participating in the battle. In the wake of Operation Anaconda, relations between US and UK forces on the ground soured when Stars and Stripes, the magazine for American forces and their families, openly criticized the Royal Marines for returning "empty-handed" from their search for al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters claiming that Britain's contribution to the campaign was "disappointing. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Danger, mental and physical injury and death is a risk in any military operation. 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! You are required to give an in depth introduction of your topic. The TF 11 operators added their firepower. US Special Forces Operation, Operation Anaconda was a military operation that took place in early March 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. Student's Name University Course Professor Date. It is considered as the largest combat operation conducted by the U.S. Army regarding the War on Terrorism which started after the tragedy due to terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. "[6] Predator drone footage also shows the possibility that TSgt. 3 main talking points is Competence, Mutual Trust & Shared Understanding. The base of the Shah-i-Khot. And with that necessary evil comes a necessarily great mission commander. AMF (Afghan Militia Forces): Commander Zia (Task Force Hammer), Kamil Khan and Zakim Khan (Task Force Anvil). Second, there is an insistence, reinforced by information technology, for high-ranking commanders to try to impose their . Task Force Rakkasan: 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, 1st and 2nd battalion 187th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. Initially, resources such as air support, heavy mortars, and personnel were not sufficiently allocated for the operation based largely on the inaccurate intelligence assessment. Each principal had an individual failure that created an enormous challenge to overcome in order to accomplish the mission. *You can also browse our support articles here >. Several soldiers were injured after their jingle trucks overturned, the commanders ordered the trucks to use their headlights, destroying any element of surprise. Such implementations would limit the flow of effectively shared information between components in battle. The commander is faced with the responsibility to plan for the success of the mission with the information given regardless of how inadequate the intelligence seems. Operation Anaconda was a military operation that took place in early March 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. This operation would test our military's readiness for joint operations against a hardened and willing adversary. The goal of shared understanding is that commanders, staffs, and unified action partners will possess a shared understanding of their operational environment, the operations purpose, problems, and approaches to solving them. 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). A total of 8 U.S. soldiers, sailors, and airmen were killed and 82 wounded, along with several Afghan militiamen; U.S. estimates of other casualties vary, indicating rebel casualties between 500 and 800 and at least 14 civilian casualties. Mutual Trust Life Solutions; Pan-American Life Insurance; Annual Report; Company News; Find a Representative; Careers Save Time! 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 signal intelligence also raised the possibility that high-value targets (HVTs) were present in the valley among which were Jalaluddin Haqqani and Saif Rahman. US and Afghan sources believe at least 200 Taliban and Al Qaida fighters were killed during the initial assault and subsequent rescue mission. An enemy counterattack midday mortally wounded Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham, a pararescueman. Leaders cannot stress enough the significance of fabricating a command structure for combat operations. Instead of 150-200 fighters in the valley as expected, post assessment held that the area contained 750 to 1,000 terrorists dug in on the high ground around the valley. 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. Operations planning took place in February of 2002 and was executed from 2-16 March. A great example of mutual trust and shared understanding is demonstrated in The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant. However they were spotted by an Uzbek insurgent and a brief firefight ensued, killing 5 out of 7 foreign fighters, as another insurgent joined the firefight by firing a PKM, the team broke contact and brought in an AC-130 which destroyed the enemy encampment with 105mm rounds.[20]. Task Force Commando: 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Because of this adaptation, the necessary adjustments were made and the tide of the battle would soon turn in favor of the Americans. Nail 22, an AC-130H Spectre, reconnoitered the peak, and, seeing no enemy activity, declared the mountain top secure. The commanders intent becomes the foundation that Soldiers should base their decisions on. Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. According to an interview[36] of some soldiers of the German Special Forces KSK, the post-operation briefing was broken down by an argument between the KSK soldiers and U.S. soldiers. Due to time constraints, a helicopter insertion would be needed for the teams to reach the peak before dawn. As the CH-47 neared their return, the AC-130 radioed on the new satellite frequency for confirmation to fire. TF Panther was under the command of Colonel James L. Huggins and had two infantry battalions from the 3d Brigade of the 82d Airborne Division and one attached infantry battalion from the division's 1st Brigade. The operation took place in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zormat. While this operation was considered an overall success, in the end, initial mission plans and the intent were far from being met. One of Slabinskis SEAL teammates Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts fell from the helicopter onto the top of the enemy-infested mountain. Introduction Operation Anaconda was a subordinate joint combat operation, during Operation Enduring Freedom, (Lyle 2012) to be carried out in the Shahi Kot Valley located in southeastern Afghanistan. CTF 82's headquarters was at Bagram Airfield, and Vines based TF Panther, his primary maneuver element, at the Kandahar Airfield. This was the first time this capability had been used for a live combat mission. But the risk was worth the effort to save his teammate and complete his mission. 3. The army's accomplishments and faults that were experienced in terms of the preparation and execution were fully counted by the US army. The philosophy of mission command is supported by seven fundamental principles established in ADP 6-0 competence, mutual trust, shared understanding, commanders intent, mission orders, disciplined initiative, risk acceptance (p. 19). The military objective was achieved but with a higher loss of life than what was anticipated or warranted. The U.S. forces estimated they had killed at least 500 fighters over the duration of the battle, however journalists later noted that only 23 bodies were found and critics suggested that after a couple days, the operation "was more driven by media obsession, than military necessity". The TF 11 element assigned to the mission included SEAL operators from DEVGRU (commanded by the SEAL who led the Mako 30 mission on Takur Ghar) and attached British SBS operators, with a mixed force of Rangers as back up. TF Hammer's attack stalled short of entering the valley, due to unexpected heavy small arms and mortar fire, combined with the lack of expected close air support. "[36], "The U.S. soldiers would in fact eliminate such 'threats,' says a former KSK officer. Use your time to develop a deep understanding of your topic to fully explain your analysis. This action earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor. It was obvious from this viewpoint that the proximity of friendly forces to the enemy positions was preventing sufficient suppressive firepower from being used due to danger close distance to both Mako 30 and QRF chalk 1. Operation Anaconda was a military operation that took place in early March 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. 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