Huggins also had support from artillery, aviation, military intelligence, and other units. OA was a US attack on a stronghold in the Shah-I Kot area held by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. 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. Pay Online. Around midnight, the units of TF Hammer loaded into their vehicles and left their base in Gardez at 333558N 691344E / 33.59944N 69.22889E / 33.59944; 69.22889 (Gardez) for the Shahi-Kot Valley. Thus, changing the approach to all future engagements and how they would be governed. It was fought in difficult mountain conditions and ended up with an American . Mission orders define the desired results but do not mandate how to achieve them. Grim 31, an AC-130 aircraft providing fire support and reconnaissance for the assault, spotted Harriman's convoy and, due to a failure in its inertial navigation system, believed it was in a position away from friendly forces (this was due to a problem with the "glint" panels which should have identified the convoy as American). Mission commanders are trained with methods to analyze risk factors to mitigate them. (LogOut/ Debatably, competence is the most essential principle relating directly to the commander. All work is written to order. The Afghan fighters, in trucks, were devastated by mortar fire registered in advance to strike fixed points on the road. Mainly due to the multi-head command structure and the lack of time to define correct approaches to solving problems that may be encountered. Ropel was later awarded the Bronze Star Medal with a Valor device for his actions. . Many high-value targets did escape, reportedly the primary target of interest Osama bin Laden, due to the many negative circumstances that occurred during the planning and conduct of the mission. It is the example demonstrated by Medal of Honor Recipient Master Chief Britt Slabinski. The competence of Americas military forces was tested in the battles of Operation Anaconda (OA). 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. However, during Operation Anaconda, the Afghan troops were not from the battle-tested Northern Alliance, but instead from a local, untested Pashtun militia. 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. 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). "[36], "The U.S. soldiers would in fact eliminate such 'threats,' says a former KSK officer. Shadow Warriors: A History of the US Army Rangers. The commanders intent for OA was clear and concise. Action is power and no greater force catapults action like the power of war. At the end of the first day of battle when the Troops returned to base for inspections; they realized that all of them had been hit by multiple enemy bullets (p. 15). Their vital intelligence was fed back to the AFO and would prove invaluable once the operation started. [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. Task Force K-Bar: ODAs from the 3rd SFG. The operation took place in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zormat. 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 Command Structure. The six principles of mission command are: build cohesive teams through mutual trust, create shared understanding, provide a clear commander's intent, exercise disciplined initiative, use mission orders, and accept prudent risk. Operation Anaconda has given a substantial vision for the military commanders and the team members. [6] Miscommunication between Texas 14 and higher command meant the bombardment was not that extensive and consisted of six bombs. The hot reception resulted in only two of the planned eight CH-47's landing in the LZ. "Not a Good Day to Die" Penguin Group (New York), 2014: Holmes, Tony. Study for free with our range of university lectures! [6] The final plan foresaw two major forces: TF Hammer and TF Anvil. As a result, they did not fire and the CH-47 made an entry similar to the first, this time successfully landing the team on the ground amidst heavy machine gun and rocket fire while taking some casualties. [29] although this has not been confirmed by commanders. Initially, resources such as air support, heavy mortars, and personnel were not sufficiently allocated for the operation based largely on the inaccurate intelligence assessment. Macpherson, Malcolm. It provided an example of the ability of the American military to accomplish the mission in the face of adversity and to succeed regardless of the chances for success. . Operation Anaconda was an operation that took place in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains of Afghanistan from 2 March 2002 through 18 March 2002. The final team was known as Mako 31 and was composed of three SEALs from DEVGRUs Recce Squadron, a USAF Combat Controller and a US Navy EOD operator. The way the operation was planned and executed highlighted the need for a paradigm shift in the way the U.S. conducted military operations. The TF 11 operators added their firepower. The two SEAL fire teams, Mako 30 and Mako 21, planned to establish an observation point on either end of the valley. The operators and an assigned CSAR team boarded 3 MH-47Es while the Rangers climbed aboard a pair of MH-60G Blackhawks, launching from Bagram in the early morning. Operation Anaconda was conducted in Shaikot Valley, Afghanistan, in March 2002. there are various rules and . "First, technology overconfidence, particularly among high-ranking commanders and staff, deludes American forces into believing they can dissolve the fog of war. NOT RATED. 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. [35] The previous record of 2,310 metres (7,580ft) was set a few days before by his teammate Arron Perry, also of the 3rd Battalion PPCLI. The rockets would automatically detonate at 920 meters, catching helicopters in flak bursts (a tactic learned in the Soviet-Afghan War). With the help of the new arrivals and close air support, the force was able to consolidate its position on the peak. The AC-130 was then directed to attack the large groupings of enemy combatants currently exposed on top of the mountain, one to three minutes before the Mako 30 was scheduled to arrive. b. Adamec, W. Ludwig. Osprey Publishing, 2005. Keywords: Operation Anaconda, mission command, unified land operations. 3 references, APA Format and original work. Use your time to develop a deep understanding of your topic to fully explain your analysis. Mako 30 and Lt. Cmdr. Another team codenamed India, composed of three Delta operators and an attached ISA operator walked into the valley through the same conditions to a hide in the southwest of the valley, known as the "Fish Hook". 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. "[34] He rejects the popular characterization of the operation as a guerilla war.[34]. One of Slabinskis SEAL teammates Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts fell from the helicopter onto the top of the enemy-infested mountain. [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. Major General Franklin L. Hagenbeck, Commander, Combined Joint Task Force Mountain, was put in command of the operation. [14] TF Anvil consisted of TF Rakkasan and the 1-87 to set up blocking positions and prevent enemy forces from escaping. Operation Anaconda remains one of the most significant operations in Operating Enduring Freedom. The United States had secured the support of friendly governments as well as much needed ground support from the Northern Alliance. 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. The mission command philosophy is executed through the mission command warfighting function, which basically consists of a series of mutually supporting tasks. The philosophy of mission command is guided by six interdependent principles: build cohesive teams through mutual trust, create shared understanding, provide a clear commander's intent, exercise . The planning process lacked commander's intent, understanding, and mutual trust. Mission command addresses the nature of operations by exercising mission command philosophy, executed through mission command warfighting function and enabled by mission command system. The operation displayed the militarys capability to adapt to unanticipated changes and overcome them. MilitaryScienceCaseAnalysis.docx. It provided an example of the ability of the American military to accomplish the mission in the face of adversity and to succeed regardless of the chances for success. 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