Operation ALLIED FORCE
Kosovo Order of Battle

DoD Studies Kosovo Lessons Learned American Forces Press Service 14 October 1999 -- A total of 15 unmanned aerial vehicles were lost over Yugoslavia, officials said. Improved mission planning, improved processes for interaction between UAV operators and manned aircraft, and equipment upgrades are needed.
Bombs to the Balkans by Staff Sergeant Christopher Larsen, USAR, and Major Dick Tremain, USAR (Ret.) Army Logistician SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1999 -- Working to fulfill an urgent request from the Air Force for more ammunition, more than 16,000 750-pound bombs were transported, along with tail fin assemblies, fuzes, and boosters.
Ammo troops one key to Operation Allied Force success 2nd Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs June 28, 1999 -- 2nd Air Expeditionary Group's aircrews dropped more than 11,650 weapons averaging about 45 per sortie. "That equates to about 5.4 million pounds of steel and 1.9 million pounds of high explosives worth in excess of $24 million.
OPERATION ALLIED FORCE - ORDER OF BATTLE / BASING 1 JUNE 1999 JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY
June 1999
USS Inchon Task Group completes Shining Hope mission NavNews 02 July 1999 - As refugees leave protective enclaves in Albania to return to uncertain futures in Kosovo, USS Inchon (MCS 12) quietly departed her station in the Adriatic Sea.
HUNGARY-BASED HORNETS RETURN HOME Marine Corps News (June 30) -- As quickly as it began, it ended. July 1, in accordance with Secretary of Defense William Cohen's order for redeployment of U.S. aircraft, the 24 Marine F/A-18Ds here with Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons (All-Weather) 332 and 533 began returning home.
VMAQ-4 RETURNS TO CHERRY POINT Marine Corps News (June 29) -- VMAQ-2 arrived in Aviano February 20, after being given 48 hours notice to deploy. Pending VMAQ-4's arrival, VMAQ-1 redeployed from Incerlik, Turkey, to Aviano March 21. Once VMAQ-4 arrived, VMAQ-1 returned to Incerlik to complete their six-month commitment to Operaton Northern Watch.
PROWLERS SERVE AS NATO GUARDIAN Marine Corps News 25 June 1999 - Pilots from VMAQ-2 arrived in Aviano February 20 after being given 48 hours notice to deploy, and joined by VMAQ-1 March 21, who redeployed from Incerlik Air Base, Turkey, and VMAQ-4 March 30, which had only been home at Cherry Point, NC, for eight months. VMAQ-1 left April 13 to return to Operation Northern Watch in Incerlik, and VMAQ-4 is slated next on the rotation list. VMAQ-2 will bring up the rear.
Second increment of U.S. aircraft returning home 25 Jun 1999 (AFPN) -- On the heels of the order to bring back more than 300 U.S. aircraft flown during Operation Allied Force, another 300 will soon return to their home stations.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZES REDEPLOYMENT OF SECOND INCREMENT OF U.S. AIRCRAFT FROM OPERATION ALLIED FORCE June 24, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has authorized the commencement of the redeployment of the second increment of U.S. aircraft deployed for NATO's Operation Allied Force. The Secretary's action will allow a seamless transition between the return of the first increment of aircraft announced June 21 and the beginning of this second increment of 315 aircraft.
DoD News Briefing Thursday, June 24, 1999 -- There are 60 European-based aircraft that were assigned to Operation ALLIED FORCE that will return to places like Lakenheath, England, for instance. There were 18 F-15Cs in Italy that will return to Lakenheath, England, and there are others that will return as well.
Allied Force troops set to leave Incirlik (AFPN) 23 Jun 1999-- Approximately 50 troops and two KC-135s deployed here in support of NATO's Operation Allied Force will head for home June 24.
DoD News Briefing Tuesday, June 22, 1999 -- What we've announced so far is two increments of planes to come back that totals actually closer to 400 than 300 when you put in the tankers. And we had over 700 planes there, U.S. planes. Seventy-one were on the THEODORE ROOSEVELT. They've already departed. The THEODORE ROOSEVELT was most recently in Mallorca, Palma, [Spain] where the Secretary visited the crew, and you did as well on Sunday. So almost 500 will have come out. That will leave somewhat over 200 in the theater. Many of those, of course, were assigned to the theater anyway. I think at the beginning there were about 200 U.S. aircraft assigned to the theater. They'll stay there.
OVER 300 U.S. AIRCRAFT TO REDEPLOY FROM OPERATION ALLIED FORCE June 21, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has authorized the redeployment of over 300 U.S. aircraft deployed for NATO's Operation Allied Force to return to their home bases in the continental United States and Europe. The aircraft will redeploy in two increments. The first increment of 124 aircraft will commence redeploying immediately and take place over the next two weeks. A second increment of over 243 CONUS-based aircraft will begin redeploying after the first increment has completed its redeployment.
Charleston moves peacekeeping forces 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs (AFPN) 18 Jun 1999 -- The 437th Air Expeditionary Group was established again, June 9, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, with 12 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, 25 aircrews and 70 maintenance members. Instead of bringing Army forces to Tirana, Albania, they are now moving them to Skopje, Macedonia. They are also airlifting peacekeeper forces and equipment from Germany directly to Skopje.
Army sending troops to Kosovo (Army News Service, June 11, 1999) - Some 1,500 members of the Army's Task Force Hawk have been ordered to Skopje, Macedonia to be among the first Americans to establish a presence in the Kosovo peace implementation force.
Kosovo Crisis June 11, 1999 -- The Government of Canada has authorized the addition of 500 personnel to the contingent that is already assigned for the K4 in Kosovo. This will bring the total contingent up to approximately 1,300. The additional personnel will come mainly from the first battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton. They will join the 800 within a 60 day period and they in turn will work with the Fourth United Kingdom Armoured Brigade.
Participation of France in the operation " Allied forces " implemented by Atlantic Alliance 10 June 1999 -- More than 90 aircraft took part in the sides of allied with the operations in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
16th Air Force (as of June 10, 1999)
DoD News Briefing Wednesday, June 9, 1999 -- Thirty-seven tankers in Moron, Spain.
There will basically be three elements. The first is the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. That's, 1,900 people. The Marines can get up from Thessaloniki into Kosovo in 72 to 96 hours. The second is 1,700 people from Task Force Hawk. We talked about that yesterday. That involves eight helicopters, and it involves a light infantry unit. Then there will be the 200 people, the initial entry force, from Task Force Falcon. They'll come down and begin setting up. Then as the Army force comes in, the Marines will leave. The Army force will come down with its equipment. Task Force Falcon is the initial entry force that will come down from Germany and begin to prepare the way for the Army force that will come in following the enabling force of Marines and the elements of Task Force Hawk. Task Force Falcon will be 7,000 Army people from the 1st Infantry Division in Germany. The Army forces in Germany have begun to load their equipment on trains, and they will then be taken to the port of Bremerhaven and loaded on ships and come down to Thessaloniki in Greece where they will be offloaded and then travel by road up to Kosovo. There will be 11,000 separate soldiers on the ground in Kosovo. But they won't all be there at the same time. If this transition takes place as planned, all of Task Force Falcon, the 7,000 soldiers primarily from Germany, are there within 30 days of the Military Technical Agreement, the Marines will start leaving sometime prior to those 30 days.
The Task Force Hawk group is 1,700 soldiers going in. It has one tank company that has 14 M1-A1 tanks. It has a mechanized infantry company that has 14 Bradley fighting vehicles in it. The Marine Expeditionary Unit, the 26th, doesn't have tanks, but it does have light armored vehicles, 13 of them, one company of those. It has some armored amphibious vehicles, 15 of those, which are tank-like in that they're armored and have some weaponry on them. They have an artillery battery. They have 27 HMMWVs, these jeep-like things armed with TOW missiles, which can be used in anti-tank or anti-armor engagements.
New unit marries Guard, active-duty forces 9 Jun 1999 52nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs -- The 104th Expeditionary Operations Group, with about 18 aircraft at Trapani Air Base in Italy, is made up of about 500 guardsmen from the 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Mass.; the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field, Idaho; and the 110th Fighter Wing, W.K. Kellogg Airfield, Mich.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE CHIEF OF JOINT OPERATIONS, VICE-ADMIRAL SIR IAN GARNETT 9 JUNE 1999 -- The remaining helicopters will also arrive, bringing the total number of UK support helicopters in theatre to 6 Chinooks and 6 Pumas.
SECRETARY COHEN ORDERS AIR FORCE ENGINEER TEAMS TO ALBANIA June 8, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has ordered three U.S. Air Force Red Horse engineer teams to Albania to execute critical road and bridge repairs in Albania.
DoD News Briefing Tuesday, June 8, 1999 -- The U.S. part of that force, as you know, is 7,000 people, but the initial part will be a so-called enabling force which will be comprised of two elements. The first will be the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is now in the Aegean waiting for a signal to get off the ships and start moving. 1,900 out of the 2,200 Marines we anticipate will go ashore. The second part will be 1,700 soldiers from Task Force Hawk. That will be a light infantry battalion, I guess two light infantry companies actually, an anti-tank company, and a group of helicopters, a mechanized company, and some artillery. The light infantry troops will be from the 82nd Airborne. The tentative makeup of this 1,700 people is there will be an aviation task force that will have eight Apaches, and a number of other helicopters, Black Hawks, CH-47s. There will be two light infantry companies, an anti-tank company, a tank company, and a Bradley company, both of which will actually come from the 1st Armored Division. They're already with Task Force Hawk. Then there will be some artillery, field artillery task force that will have some 105mm Howitzers, some Paladins and some Multiple Launch Rocket Systems with them.
NATO-Yugoslav Talks Break Down, Air Campaign Continues By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service 07 June 1999 -- The United States has more than 700 aircraft committed to Operation Allied Force. The Air Force deployed some F-16s to Turkey, but will wait before deploying two squadrons of F-15s from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
Maintainers ensure refuelers can drop the boom Air Force News Service 07 June 1999 - Personnel and aircraft from the 117th ARW and the 128th ARW are deployed at RAF Brize Norton as the 106th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, GEN SIR CHARLES GUTHRIE 7 JUNE 1999 -- The deployment of the United Kingdom reinforcements for KFOR is on schedule. The lead company group of First Battalion the Parachute Regiment has already arrived in Macedonia and the remainder of the battalion, Headquarters 5 Airborne Brigade, will be in theatre by tonight. Elements of the Chinook and Puma support helicopter force have also already arrived in theatre. Finally, the First Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles will start deploying tomorrow and will be complete in theatre by Thursday. Therefore we are on schedule to have around 11,000 British soldiers in theatre by Thursday.
DoD News Briefing Monday, June 7, 1999 -- The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit is aboard its ships in the Aegean, near Thessaloniki. Today, a spokesman for the Greek government said that they would be allowed to offload and transit through Greece soon. We don't believe there will be any problem with meeting the time lines. They can get from the decks of their ships to Kosovo in 96 hours or less. Without speaking for the Greek government, let me say that we anticipate that the Marines will be able to get off their ships, land in the port, move through Greece into Macedonia and into Kosovo to be in place on time. And today a Greek government spokesman said he anticipated that they would be able to land soon and move through Greece to their posts. The last I heard, about two hours ago, no decision had been made about whether elements of Task Force Hawk would participate in the enabling force or the U.S. part of the KFOR. But that clearly is under discussion right now, and a decision could come in the next couple of days.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, GEN SIR CHARLES GUTHRIE 6 JUNE 1999 -- By Thursday, we plan to have some 11,000 British troops in place in Macedonia with the number rising to 13,000 by next Sunday. There are some 15,000 NATO personnel currently in Macedonia, the breakdown of major contributions from the Allies is: the United Kingdom has some 5,500 troops - that is around 30 per cent of the total; Germany is contributing 25 per cent, France 20 per cent and Italy 15 per cent.
BRIEFING BY THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR THE ARMED FORCES, DOUG HENDERSON AND THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF (COMMITMENTS), AIR MARSHAL SIR JOHN DAY SATURDAY, 5 JUNE 1999 -- The 4th Armoured Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Bill Rollow, consists of two battle-groups, the 1st Battalion Irish Guards Battle-Group and the King's Royal Hussars Battle-Group, a squadron of the Household Cavalry Regiments, elements of the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery and 21 Close Support Regiment of the Royal Engineers form part of the Brigade. In all, the British contribution to Headquarters ARC, the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, we have some 5,500 British military personnel already in Macedonia. Yesterday, we announced that the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment and a number of other units were to be deployed to Macedonia this weekend. This morning I can announce that we are in addition sending the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, the 1st Battalion the Royal Ghurkha Rifles, the HQ of 5 Airborne Brigade and the commander and an element of the HQ of 3 UK Division and their associated support. This means that we are now planning on a total deployed commitment of 13,000 UK troops by the end of next week.
DoD News Briefing Saturday, June 5, 1999 -- The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit does have a fairly substantial ground combat element attached to it. It has an artillery battery of six 155mm howitzers, 13 light armored vehicles -- that's a company's worth, and provide some protection. Then they have some amphibious assault vehicles, 15 of those, which are also lightly armored. This particular Marine Expeditionary Unit, the 26th, does not have tanks assigned to it. It has a number of light armored vehicles, and that would be its primary rolling force. They have also a number of helicopters and Harriers with them as well.
16th Air Force (as of June 4, 1999)
ORBAT Update 04 June 1999 From Our Special Correspondent Information about French forces activity and ORBAT. Responding to a SACEUR demand, France will send more planes very soon in a first wave : 8 Mirage 2000 D to Istrana, and 2 Mirage F1 CR toSolenzara.
Incirlik welcomes new unit, contributes to two operations 39th Wing Public Affairs June 4, 1999 -- The addition of the 39th Air Expeditionary Wing forces this week marks the first time that the Air Force has directly supported two different combat operations and areas of responsibility from one location. The new wing will support Operation Allied Force, the NATO-led air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugloslavia, and add approximately 750 more people and some 20 KC-135 aircraft.
Kosovo Crisis June 4, 1999 -- Standing Naval Force Atlantic under the command of Canadian Commodore David Morse in the flagship HMCS Athabascan which is a Canadian ship, is in the Adriatic and has assumed responsibility for reporting and monitoring of naval shipping in the waters off the Montenegran coast. He assumed that responsibility from the Standing Naval Force Mediterranean which has been in the Adriatic for some time now.
BRIEFING BY THE FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER, MR. TONY LLOYD, AND THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF (COMMITMENTS), AIR MARSHAL SIR JOHN DAY 4 JUNE 1999 -- Currently, NATO has just over 15,000 troops in Macedonia including representatives from 14 NATO nations. The main troop contributors are the United Kingdom with over 5,000, Germany with almost 4,000, France with over 3,000 and Italy with some 2,500 and I am aware that nations have plans to increase their troop numbers as quickly as possible. Last night, Mr. Robertson, our Secretary of State for Defence, reduced the notice to move of three light battalions of the British Army which he had previously earmarked for NATO's enhanced Kosovo Force. These are the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, the 1st Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles and the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment. With their supporting elements which include artillery, Royal Engineers, logisticians, signallers and Royal Air Force support helicopters, the total British contribution to enhanced KFOR amounts potentially to just over 13,000 personnel.
DoD News Briefing Friday, June 4, 1999 -- We did move some F-16s to Turkey, as you know, and we had planned to move 36 additional F-15s to Turkey. They were supposed to leave this weekend. They have been put on hold temporarily.
NATO: Peacekeeping Force of 50,000 Allied Troops to Enter Kosovo The New York Times 04 June 1999 -- The American force of 7,000 is expected to include three heavy armored divisions and a fourth lighter infantry division from the 1st Infantry Division in Germany, known as the Big Red One. The American contingent will also include helicopters and other support units, which could be culled from the 5,000 soldiers already sent to Albania with Apache helicopter gunships. The first American troops, though, could be Marines. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, with 2,200 personnel already nearby, could establish the American presence immediately and then gradually turn over the mission to the Army units.
NATO HQ Background Briefing By Jamie Shea 3 June 1999 -- There have been provisions, which the Turkish government has announced, for a number of NATO aircraft to operate from Turkish bases but I'm not aware exactly when they will become operational. We will try to clarify that for you later on.
A War Out of the Night Sky: 10 Hours With a Battle Team By MICHAEL R. GORDON The New York Times 03 June 1999 -- There is only one squadron of EC-130 planes in the U.S. Air Force -- the 42nd Airborne Command and Control Squadron -- and five of their seven planes are at Aviano.
FACT SHEET: NEW U.S. AIRCRAFT DEPLOYMENTS TO "OPERATION ALLIED FORCE" - June 2, 1999 -- In his commencement address to graduates of the United States Air Force Academy today, the President will announce a new deployment of 48 U.S. aircraft to augment Operation Allied Force. The deployment of an additional 48 U.S. aircraft is part of the 176-aircraft increase approved by Secretary of Defense William Cohen on May 6. They include a squadron of F-16CJs (12 aircraft) and two squadrons of F-15Es (36 aircraft total) from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Air Combat Command. Together with 20 KC-135s from the USAF Air Mobility Command, will bring the total number of U.S. aircraft supporting Operation Allied Force to 769.
DoD News BriefingWednesday, June 2, 1999 -- Just an update on the aircraft. 720 total U.S. These include the ones Mr. Bacon mentioned that are going into Turkey. The aircraft carrier is still out there, three amphib ships, and a large portion of those are still fighter/bombers and reconnaissance-type aircraft. Allies have 325 total, of which 239 are fighter/bombers. They still have the aircraft carrier Garibaldi from Italy which has Harriers on it, and the French have the Foch which has Super-Etendards and Etendards on it. Clinton said he was going to release more airplanes to the theater.These are the ones that I think Secretary Cohen signed a deployment order for back in early May. But the fact is, they're just beginning to move. The first increment of F-16s is on its way, should arrive soon. Then some groups of F-15s will leave in the next couple of days.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, GEN SIR CHARLES GUTHRIE 1 JUNE 1999 -- The Tornado GR1 aircraft from Royal Air Force Bruggen were completing their transfer to Solenzara. The Royal Air Force continues to supply support sorties for a broad range of NATO operations and this activity is now enhanced by having 5 VC10s and 2 Tristars located in Ankona in Italy.
Allied Force - Shaw AFB F-16s deploy 01 June 1999 -- Twelve F-16CJs from the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw departed on Tuesday for the conflict in Kosovo.
May 1999
NATO HQ Background Briefing By Jamie Shea 30 May 1999 -- Ça fait donc 769 US, et 320 européens. Tu es meilleur mathématicien que moi, donc je te demande d'ajouter le total. Mais ça fait plus de 1.000, ça nous amène aux alentours de 1.100 avions.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 29 May 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent The new French order of battle, reflecting the deployment of 22 additional aircraft, includes additional assault aircraft, such as 6 more Jaguar (Istrana, Italy), 8 more Mirage 2000 D (Istrana, Italy), and 10 Mirage F1CT (Solenzara, France). French forces now include 8 air superiority Mirage 2000 C, down from 11 (at Grosseto, Italy, rather than Istrana). Reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft now include 2 more Mirage IV P (Solenzara, France, rather than Istres), 2 more Mirage F1CR (Solenzara, France, rather than Istrana), 1 more E-3F-SDCA AWACS (Avord, France), and 2 AS-330 HORIZON (AWACS helicopters on a PUMA base)(Kumanovo, Macedonia). Support forces include 3 more KC 135 FR (Avord, France) and 3 SA 330 PUMA CSAR (Combat Search And Rescue)(Istrana, Italy). The French Navy aircraft carrier Foch is to be withdrawn on 10 June 1999 for 5-6 weeks.
DoD News Briefing Saturday, May 29, 1999 -- These aircraft include one squadron of F-16CJs -- that's 12 aircraft -- that are from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, and two squadrons of F-15Es -- that's a total of 36 aircraft -- from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. These aircraft will not actually start moving until early next week, and they'll be moving over the course of about seven or eight days. These additional aircraft are part of the 176 aircraft that were in the increment that Secretary Cohen approved for a deployment on May 6th in response to General Clark's earlier request. The 68 aircraft bring to a total of 129 the number of aircraft deployed under that May 6th announcement, and to a total of 769 the number of U.S. aircraft currently deployed for Operation ALLIED FORCE. [NOTE: Although there is some confusion in the transcript, these aircraft are almost certainly the aircraft deploying to Turkey, although the initial annoucement indicated 18 rather than 12 F-16CJ, and this latest deployment announcement places these aircraft in Turkey about ten days later than initially anticipated]
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ORDERS ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT TO JOIN OPERATION ALLIED FORCE May 29, 1999 --- Secretary of Defense Cohen has ordered forward an additional 68 U.S. Air Force aircraft, to include the deployment of a squadron of F-16CJs (12 aircraft) and two squadrons of F-15Es (36 aircraft total) from the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command as well as 20 KC-135s from the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command.
Roundtable with Secretary Cohen Friday, May 28, 1999 -- As of today, we have some 24 F-18D models, Marine Corps F-18s, that are operating out of Hungary. We will soon have F-15s and F-16s operating out of the region as well.
DoD News Briefing May 28, 1999 -- The F-18s started flying out of Hungary? They're flying today. We have tankers flying out of there as well, and the Hungarians have MiG-29s that they're flying their own air defense with.
MAG-31 FORWARD ARRIVES IN HUNGARY Marine Corps News 27 May 1999 -- Over 20 U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D aircraft have arrived in Hungary. Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons (All-Weather) 332 and 533 left their home base in Beaufort, SC for Hungary on May 20.
DoD News Briefing May 26, 1999 -- There are 717 total U.S. aircraft in the area. The majority of those attack-type aircraft, although we have the majority of the tankers. Nearly 165 tankers in the region now, which is getting up to the number that we had in the Gulf War. The allies are up to 324. U.S. Forces They have--71 more aircraft over the last few days have arrived. Allied Forces It's almost 1,052 aircraft now participating in this.
Kosovo House of Commons Hansard for 26 May 1999 (pt 17) -- The North Atlantic Council yesterday took note of a revised plan drawn up by NATO's military authorities, which, subject to more detailed planning, identifies a requirement for a force of about 45,000 to deal with the full range of tasks now envisaged. That figure excludes any additional forces that may be needed to provide essential national logistic support, which may raise the overall number to nearer 55,000 to 60,000.
I am now reducing the notice to move of the three infantry battalion groups which, as previously announced, are undergoing training for possible operations in Kosovo. The units concerned are the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Rangers; the 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment; and the 1st Battalion, the Royal Gurkha Rifles. In addition, we are reducing the notice of 3 Commando brigade and the amphibious ready group, of a number of combat support groups, of two brigade headquarters, of elements of a divisional headquarters and of a number of RAF support helicopters and support units. In all, we are reducing the notice to move of more than 12,000 personnel, in addition to the 5,400 already deployed in Macedonia as part of the Kosovo implementation force and the 1,600 others committed to Kosovo operations.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF (COMMITMENTS), AIR MARSHAL SIR JOHN DAY 26 MAY 1999 -- The North Atlantic Council accepted the updated plans for an enhanced force to go into Kosovo, increasing the force from 28,000 to 45,000. Taking essential national support troops into account this will result in a force more than 50,000 strong. Of the present agreed size of force of 28,000, about half have already deployed into Macedonia and it is hoped that the stronger implementation force will be available in the next few weeks to get into Kosovo at the earliest opportunity. Britain provides the Commander and the permanent framework for the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corp, the ARC, the headquarters around about which the Kosovo implementation force is based. We also provide it with some 5,500 soldiers and the United States has some 5,000 troops serving in Albania. Other European countries are also making a significant contribution to KFor. Germany already has almost 3,500 troops in Macedonia, France more than 2,500, Italy is contributing more than 2,000 troops plus a similar number based in Albania.
The Tornadoes which are currently based at Bruggen will be moving next week to the French Air Force base at Solenzara in Corsica. The move will allow the Tornadoes to be used much more effectively and for a higher sortie rate. The move to Corsica will allow us to make adjustments to the deployments of Royal Air Force tanker aircraft and we will be basing both Tristars and VC10s at Ankona in Italy.
DoD News Briefing Tuesday, May 25, 1999 -- There are already on the ground about 12,000 to 14,000 NATO troops in Macedonia. This is the, sort of the nucleus of the KFOR that was sent down there before. I think there are 12,000 NATO troops, and there may be some other non-NATO troops to make a total of 14,000 in all in Macedonia. There are about 10,000 allied troops in Albania, including our 5,000 or so as part of Task Force Hawk. Then we have troops there doing humanitarian work as part of Task Force Shining Hope. So there's a total in theater now of about 22,000 to 24,000 troops.
DoD News Briefing Monday, May 24, 1999 -- I wanted to bring you up to date on the number of aircraft that have moved over to Tazar in Hungary. There are now 20 of the F/A-18Ds that have arrived there. There are an additional four en-route. They could arrive as early as later today. They actually got there on Saturday. They'll undergo a couple of days of acclimation to the area, and then they'll be integrated into the allied force operation. This deployment brings the total number of allied aircraft involved in the operation to more than 1,000. That includes 723 U.S. aircraft and 281 allied aircraft. There are still additional aircraft that are scheduled to be deployed. I don't have a fixed number for you, but we're still growing. There will be additional tankers. There will be additional strike aircraft added to this over the coming weeks.
NATO HQ Press Conference given by NATO Spokesman, Jamie Shea and SHAPE Spokesman, Major General Walter Jertz 23 May 1999 -- The Alliance has been able to conduct a full scale combat operation, beginning with 350 aircraft and moving now to 852. We have just over 13,000 at the moment forces in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and we are aiming to bring that figure up, in fact the exact figure is 13,830 with 74 personnel in Greece in order to help to handle the forward movement of goods and forces that come via the port of Thessiloniki. The aim in the immediate future is to bring that level up to about 16,000, which is the ceiling that we have currently agreed with the government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and for that ceiling to be reached, some Canadian, some Italian and some UK forces are shortly to be deployed.
DoD News Briefing Friday, May 21, 1999 -- The aircraft with the new 24 F-18Ds that have arrived to Tazar for the U.S. are up to 712 -- 314 fighter/bombers. NATO's up to 281.
Briefing Slides - DoD News Briefing, Friday, May 21, 1999 - U.S. Forces and Allied Forces
USAF 16th Air & Space Expeditionary Task Force Fact Sheet (as of May 21, 1999)
Spanish air force continues Aviano AEF operations 31st AEW Public Affairs May 21, 1999 -- The detachment is comprised of two squadrons, the 122nd Squadron, which arrived in February with six EF-18s from Zaragoza Air Base, Spain, and the 312nd Squadron, which is permanently assigned at Aviano, with one KC-130 tanker.
DoD News Briefing Thursday, May 20, 1999 -- 24 United States Marine Corps F/A-18Ds left Beaufort, South Carolina, today at 7:00 this morning, and they're on their way to Hungary where they'll be in a couple of days. They'll be stationed at Tazar, Hungary. There are some deployments in the works for Turkey, they're F-15s and F-16s that will be deploying probably early next month. NATO announced 72. There will be actually 54 American planes, and the rest will be Turkish planes. It doesn't go to 300. This completes the 176 that Secretary Cohen signed out on a couple of weeks ago.
BRIEFING BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF (COMMITTMENTS), AIR MARSHAL SIR JOHN DAY 20 MAY 1999 -- HMS Invincible was operating in the Gulf before joining the NATO forces in the Adriatic. For the last month she has made a valuable contribution with her Sea Harriers regularly flying air defence patrols. HMS Invincible and her Task Group will leave the Adriatic tomorrow. There will not be a direct replacement. However, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Argus, the Royal Navy’s helicopter training ship, will supplement the NATO maritime presence. As part of the continuing build-up of NATO air assets, 12 Royal Air Force Tornado GR1s are deploying from Bruggen in Germany to Solonzara in Corsica. This is an increase from 8 to 12 in the number of Tornadoes committed to Operation Allied Force and their forward deployment will also allow a higher sortie rate. The United Kingdom will forward deploy VC10 tankers to Ankona in Italy where they will join the Tristars already based there. So far these VC10s have been almost exclusively used to refuel the Tornado GR1s operating from Bruggen in Germany, and their forward deployment will mean that the VC10s will be available to support a wider variety of NATO aircraft on a daily basis.
Spanish air force continues Aviano air ops 20 May 1999 31st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs -- The detachment comprises two squadrons, the 122nd Squadron, which arrived in February with six EF-18s from Zaragoza Air Base, Spain, and the 312nd Squadron, which is permanently assigned at Aviano, with one KC-130 tanker. There are approximately 20 pilots and 200 people supporting the six EF-18s and the KC-130.
NATO HQ Press Conference by NATO Secretary General, Mr Javier Solana, and the Italian Prime Minister, Mr Massimo D'Alema 20 May 1999 -- The Italian Air Force supplies the second largest contingent, with some 50 planes.
DoD News Briefing May 19, 1999 -- F/A-18s will be leaving Beaufort, South Carolina, for Hungary soon. The first group of 150 Marines and sailors departed the Marine Corps Air Station at Beaufort today aboard an Air Force C-17, and the Hornets will follow tomorrow -- 24 F/A-18Ds. Altogether, this deployment in Hungary, Tazar, Hungary, will involve about 800 Marines and sailors, all of whom should be in place the first part of next week.
The NATO planning now is focusing on the peace implementation force. The NATO Military Committee has agreed to a KFOR, the so-called Kosovo Peace Implementation Force, of about 45,000 to 50,000, larger than the 28,000 talked about last summer, going into Kosovo. The U.S. contribution then, which was going to be about 4,000 troops, would anticipate a proportional increase, which would be in the range of 7,000 or so. There are already 13,000 NATO troops in Macedonia, and we have 6,000 troops now in Albania, including Task Force Hawk and some Air Force people who run the airport in Tirane. I think there are other NATO troops, probably a couple of thousand other NATO troops in Albania.
NATO HQ Transcript of the Press Conference given by NATO Spokesman, Jamie Shea and SHAPE Spokesman, Major General Walter Jertz 18 May 1999 -- NATO continues to add reinforcements to Operation Allied Force. You have seen that 18 A10s will be deployed in Italy, due to be there by 20 May. 72 F15s and F16s will be deployed to Turkey, due to be operational on the last day of this month.
DoD News Briefing May 18, 1999 -- The 18 A-10s announced are now in Italy. They are coming from Reserve, Air National Guard units in Massachusetts, Michigan, and Idaho. Six each from units in those states. NATO announced today that 72 72 F-15s and 16s were going to be deployed in Turkey. Of that number, 54 are U.S. planes that will be going to Turkey and those are F-15s and F-16s, and another 18 are Turkish planes that will join in the Operation ALLIED FORCE effort. We'll announce the final bed-down location later on. They probably won't leave for another week or two. Our planes won't be there until next month.
MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS No. 073-M May 18, 1999 -- Acting Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters has directed the call-up of 44 airmen for active duty.
MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS No. 074-M May 18, 1999 -- Acting Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters has directed the call-up of 109 airmen for active duty.
Canadian Forces contribution to NATO operations in the Balkans BG-99.061 -- 17 May , 1999 -- The present Canada currently has approximately 305 people, and 18 CF-18 aircraft, in Aviano, Italy, to carry out missions as part of Operation Allied Force.
DoD News Briefing May 17, 1999 -- Later this week we anticipate that 24 Marine Corps F/A-18Ds will leave for Hungary where they will bed down. So both these groups of planes should be ready to operate relatively soon. They are from Beaufort, South Carolina. The latest count on aircraft in the AO, the total allied/U.S. is somewhere around 930 or 940.
BRIEFING BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR ROBIN COOK, THE FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER, MR. TONY LLOYD, AND THE VICE-CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, ADMIRAL SIR PETER ABBOTT 17 MAY 1999 - Britain is the leading troop contributor to Macedonia, and within Macedonia and Albania we now have about 20,000 NATO troops. Only at the weekend, Britain earmarked a further 2,300 troops who are on standby to go there should they be needed.
BRIEFING GIVEN BY THE MINISTER FOR THE ARMED FORCES,MR DOUG HENDERSON 15 MAY 1999 -- In total 47 RAF aircraft are engaged now. We have allocated more resources to the task. RAF Tornadoes will be forward deploying to Corsica from their base in Germany. A total of 12 Tornadoes will be operating from the Solenzara Base from 1 June. There are 8 originally from Bruggen. The Secretary of State announced on the 29th that there would be 4 extra, so it is those 8 plus the 4 from Bruggen going to Solanzara. The 2nd Armoured Battle Group will be ready on 22 May. Three further infantry battalions, together with gunners and engineers, are being prepared. This consists of 684 soldiers from One Royal Irish Regiment based in Caterrick, 679 from One Parachute Regiment from Aldershot, 680 from One Royal Gurkha Rifles currently at Church Crookham. Together with the gunners and engineers, this comes to nearly 2,300 additional people. No decision has yet been made to deploy those forces in theatre, it is prudent planning for the successful end of the air campaign.
DoD News Briefing Friday, May 14, 1999 -- Right now we're at 922 aircraft. In a few weeks we'll be at 1260. We are still working the final permissions and the deployment details of getting our forces into Turkey and Hungary. Some of these bases will require considerable logistics construction and other elements that will have to be put in there to make the base usable and up to standards, navigation aids and the like. All of those take varying periods of time.
DoD News Briefing May 13, 1999 -- As of right now, we're at 645 total aircraft, of which 272 are fighter/bombers, and then the support includes tankers and reconnaissance. The allies are at 277. The 176 planes haven't completed moving yet. They'll be going in in the next week or so and starting operation shortly thereafter. When the 176 planes get there it brings it up to 1,200 U.S. and allied planes. At the end of this buildup, when it finally occurs over the next few weeks, there will be 982 U.S. aircraft, which is 337-plus. There will be about 1,259 total aircraft in the area supporting this operation. The balance of the 300 plane package is still under review and could be made available if the CINC still needs them. With the number of troops in Turkey and Hungary, I'm not sure what it is yet, but a squadron of fighters usually is about 200-some folks with it. That's 18 aircraft; usually there's a couple of hundred folks. They're flying tankers out of Hungary now. But the other aircraft that will be flying out of Turkey and Hungary, the fighters, have not started flying from there yet. I think it's within a couple of weeks or so.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 13 May 1999 -- Turkish press reports that Turkey has opened the air bases in Balikesir, Bandirma and Corlu for Kosovo air operations at the request of the NATO. In the first stage, 18 F-16s will be deployed at Bandirma; 36 F-15s will be deployed at Balikesir and 9 tankers will be deployed at Corlu Airport.
TURKEY / KOSOVO Voice of America 12 May 1999 -- THERE ARE WIDESPREAD REPORTS THAT A BASE IN CORLU IN THE EUROPEAN PART OF TURKEY BORDERING GREECE AND BULGARIA WILL BE USED BY NATO. ACCORDING TO TURKISH PRESS REPORTS THE ALLIANCE WILL LIKELY DEPLOY AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF F-16 AND F-15 FIGHTER JETS AS WELL AS TRANSPORT AND TANKER PLANES AT THE TURKISH BASE.
TANK KILLERS UNLEASHED Voice of America 12 May 1999 -- PENTAGON SOURCES SAY THE U-S ARMY'S SPECIAL TANK-KILLING "APACHE" HELICOPTERS ARE READY FOR ACTION IN KOSOVO.
DoD News Briefing May 12, 1999 -- We're coming in from both the north and the south, as you know. The other areas of entry should be within a matter of days, I believe.
Danzig, Peters directed 2,171 airmen, 33 aircraft for active duty call-up MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS 068-M May 12, 1999 --- Acting Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters and Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig have activated 2,173 airmen and sailors as well as 35 aircraft for active duty.
NATO HQ Transcript of the Press Conference given by NATO Spokesman, Jamie Shea and SHAPE Spokesman, Major General Walter Jertz May 12, 1999 -- With Turkey, negotiations are still going on but you have seen already public announcements vis-à-vis Hungary regarding some tankers, A-10s and F-18s but the exact numbers, as General Jertz says, are still subject to negotiation as well as the timing and as for Turkey, we will wait for Turkey to make a public announcement when the time is right.
Transcript of the Press Conference given by NATO Spokesman, Jamie Shea and SHAPE Spokesman, Major General Walter Jertz 10 May 1999 -- As for the troops, we have already a sizeable force of just under 7,000 in Albania at the moment with a temporary support, as you know, by UK forces and ARRC forces just over the border in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and we have, as you know, coming up to 16,000 in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
16th Air Force (as of May 10, 1999)
FRENCH MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS IN THE KOSOVO CRISIS (May 10, 1999)
DoD News Briefing Saturday, May 8, 1999 -- I don't believe we have 24 F-15 planes deployed in Hungary. What Hungary has said is that they're willing to take F-18s, and the F-18s aren't there yet. When the F-18s get there, we'll discuss their mission.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 08 May 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent -- The French submarine Amethyste, the British submarines H.M.S. Splendid, and H.M.S. Turbulent are nuclear powered vessels (SSN's). The Dutch submarine Dolfjin is not nuclear powered, but is of very advanced design and it's electronic intelligence gathering capabilities are extensive. H.M.S. Splendid not too recently became the first British SSN to deploy Tomahawk land attach cruise missiles. The Royal Navy is retrofitting this Tomahawk capability into their other SSN's, launching these weapons through their existing torpedo tubes. It is unknown if H.M.S. Turbulent has Tomahawk capability at this moment.
The Weapons: Top General Requests Arms at Border With Croatia New York Times 08 May 1999 -- On Thursday, Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen ordered 176 additional aircraft to join the campaign, including 96 attack fighters, and the Pentagon said still more would be on their way soon. France announced Friday that it would send 22 more aircraft. Once the latest squadrons arrive, NATO will have more than 1,100 aircraft committed in the Balkans, more than 800 of them American. NATO's commander has asked the Pentagon to position Army Tactical Missile System rocket batteries along Yugoslavia's borders. A battalion includes three batteries that are able to fire nine rockets each, as well as 300 soldiers to operate them. General Clark's request did not specify an exact location, but one area under consideration was the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, south of Dubrovnik. The Pentagon has not yet approved General Clark's request.
Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System Briefing May 7, 1999 -- We have two aircraft now employed in theater today. The other two aircraft are at Robins. We've got sorties that operate in excess of 16 hours duration providing great coverage to the field today. We've got approximately 200 people in theater right now.
Briefing Slides DoD News Briefing, Friday, May 7, 1999 U.S. Forces (990507-J-0000K-004) and Allied Forces (990507-J-0000K-005)
DoD News Briefing May 7, 1999 -- Secretary Cohen signed an order to deploy an additional 176 fighter and tanker aircraft to Operation ALLIED FORCE. It's quite likely that more will be called up over time. This total of 176 aircraft includes as many as 80 KC-135 tanker equivalents, and we reckon that about 15 of those 80 will come from the Guard or the Reserve, but we don't have those units identified yet. In addition to the A-10s there will be 18 F-16CJs deploying from the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. The 4th Fighter Wing in Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is preparing to deploy 36 F-15E Strike Eagles. And Marine Aircraft Group 31 from the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, South Carolina, is preparing to deploy 24 F/A-18 Hornets. 18 A-10s will come from three Air Guard units -- the 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Field, Westfield, Mass; the 110th Fighter Wing, Kellogg Airport, Battle Creek, Michigan; and the 124th Wing, the Boise Air Terminal in Idaho.
So far this means the Reserve call-up will be 5,035. There will be, so far, an additional 2,789 Reservists called up to help take over and man additional A-10s. In addition there will be included in this number of 2,789 additional Reservists will be 524 Red Horse engineers coming out of Kelly Air Force Base in Texas and Great Falls, Montana. The ones from Kelly are Reservists and the ones from Great Falls, Montana, are members of the Air National Guard. There are weather forecasters being called up, 60 to 70 weather forecasters, and also some Air Force intelligence people. The Red Horse team will work on refugee camps in Albania helping to cope with the flow there.
Reservists support Tanker Airlift Control Center 7 May 1999 (AFPN) -- Thirteen Air Force reservists have been mobilized to work full time in the Tanker Airlift Control Center here in support of NATO's Operation Allied Force.
C-17 operations at Ramstein coming to a close 7 May 1999 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs (deployed) -- Most C-17 aircraft and aircrews deployed to Ramstein will return home May 7, as crews deliver the last shipments of Army support equipment into Tirana, Albania, under Task Force Hawk. All but 15 aircrews and six planes will return to their squadrons at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., to begin new missions.
DOD orders more aircraft into Allied Force 7 May 1999(AFPN) -- An additional 176 Air Force and Marine aircraft will join other U.S. aircraft participating in NATO's Operation Allied Force. Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen ordered the deployment of a squadron of A-10s (18 aircraft), a squadron of F-16CJs (18 aircraft), two squadrons of F-15Es (36 aircraft total), two squadrons of FA-18Ds (24 aircraft total) and up to 80 KC-135-equivalent tanker aircraft.
BRIEFING BY THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE, MR. JOHN SPELLAR, AND CHIEF OF JOINT OPERATIONS, VICE-ADMIRAL SIR IAN GARNETT 7 MAY 1999 -- The four Harriers that have literally just landed, this brings our total complement from 12 aircraft to 16 at Gioia del Colle.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ORDERS ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT TO JOIN OPERATION ALLIED FORCE May 6, 1999 --- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has ordered the deployment of up to an additional 176 Air Force and Marine aircraft to join other U.S. aircraft participating in NATO's Operation ALLIED FORCE. The additional aircraft include the deployment of a squadron of A-10s (18 aircraft), a squadron of F-16CJs (18 aircraft), two squadrons of F-15Es (36 aircraft total), two squadrons of FA-18Ds (24 aircraft total) and up to 80 KC-135 equivalent tanker aircraft. These aircraft will begin to move when directed by Clark.
DoD News Briefing Thursday, May 6, 1999 -- The total number of U.S. planes committed to Operation ALLIED FORCE is 639. There are 277 allied planes, and that should add up to 916 total as of today. The first tankers have started arriving in Budapest. One arrived yesterday, which was the advance party; three more arrived today; and three are supposed to arrive on Friday. Four more are arriving today, and three will arrive on Friday for a total of eight.
Q: Anything on your deployment about 24 F-18 planes in Hungary for attacks against Serbia? Mr. Bacon: No, I have nothing to say on that now. Q: It was reported today in the Washington Post. Mr. Bacon: I understand that.
In the force of 28,000 that we looked at several months ago, the U.S. was going to be 4,000. So that's 1/7th, 14 percent, much less than the percentage was when we went into Bosnia, when we were about a third, as I recall, 20,000 out of about 60,000.
YUGOSLAVIA AND THE WORLD TANJUG May 6, 1999 -- Hungarian Defense Minister Janos Szabo said that in the small town of Tazzar, in the south of the country, will soon arrive 24 F-18 hornet, accompanied by 500-800 soldiers. Also to take part in the killer mission are mid-air tankers C-135, whose first contingent has arrived at Budapest airport Ferihedj-1.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF (OPERATIONS), AIR MARSHAL SIR JOHN DAY 6 MAY 1999 -- The United Kingdom's 4th Armoured Brigade is now almost complete in Macedonia with the arrival of the Irish Guards battle-group to join the King's Royal Hussars' battle-group who have been there for some weeks. This brings the United Kingdom's ground force strength to over 6,000 troops equipped with Challenger main battle tanks, Scimitar reconnaissance vehicles, Warrior armoured fighting vehicles, AS-90 heavy artillery, Puma and Lynx helicopters and considerable Royal Engineer and logistical support.
White House transcript of briefing by Cohen,Shelton and Clark, Spangdahlem, Germany USIA 05 May 1999 -- We now have more than 700 aircraft, over 30 ships, almost double the forces we had some five weeks ago, with more on the way. The details of all of the reinforcement have been worked out through the various countries involved. Everything is on track in terms of the reinforcement flow. New basing agreements are being reached. Over-flight permission has been secured. And what this is going to enable us to do is to greatly expand the areas that we're covering, intensify the coverage when the weather is most favorable and intensify it on those targets that are of highest priority to us. So the intensification is very much underway and we expect the full flow of assets within the next 30 days.
Transcript of Press Conference Given by Mr Jamie Shea and Major General Walter Jertz 5 May 1999 -- NATO had already for several months in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia a significant Enabling Force, 4,000 extra troops have been added to that enabling force over the last few days, essentially a German and a UK battle group. That brings it up to 16,000, although some of them are on their way.The numbers in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia today are about 13,000-plus.
DoD News BriefingWednesday, May 5, 1999 -- The F-18s to be based in Hungary could be Spanish, could be Canadian, could be US Navy. The truth of it, SACEUR is still working the bed-down plan, but I'm not sure if that's the type of aircraft or where they'll go. Task Force Hawk is right at around just under 5,000 now. They're getting pretty close to 5,150, I believe is the number. Almost everything is closed out except a few personnel. I'm not going to tell you where they're going to deploy to for operational purposes.
Kosovo Crisis May 05, 1999 -- Our land force contribution to KFOR, that is the Kosovo Force, our preparations continue to send our troops to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The ship loading is planned for the 22nd to the 24th of May. We expect our force, particularly the vehicles and ultimately the equipment and people to be in theatre about three weeks later and to be operationally integrated into the British brigade no later than the 27th of June which is within the 60-day timeframe that we committed to when we committed our forces to operations on the 27th of April.
BRIEFING BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR. ROBIN COOK, THE CHIEF OF JOINT OPERATIONS, VICE-ADMIRAL IAN GARNETT AND THE WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN, MR. JOE LOCKHART 5 MAY 1999 -- In Macedonia, elements of UK's 2nd Armoured Battle Group continue to arrive and when the deployment is complete the total number of British troops in theatre will amount to some 6,300 people.
Muddy soldiers support Task Force Hawk (Army News Service, 05 May 1999) -- The task force consists of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and Multiple Launch Rocket System launchers which will enhance NATO's ability to conduct tactical strikes against Yugoslavian units in Kosovo. In addition to the Apaches and MLRS launchers, soldiers here can expect Bradley fighting vehicles, Abrams main battle tanks and 155mm howitzers to join them at Hawk base camp.
Hawk infantry patrols learning Albanian Albania (Army News Service, 05 May 1999) A contingent from the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C., assigned to Task Force Hawk in support of NATO's Operation Allied Force.
DoD News Briefing May 4, 1999 -- There's nothing more to say on the call-up of the 300 additional aircraft, nothing new to say, because it's still being evaluated.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, THE FRENCH DEFENCE MINISTER, M. ALAIN RICHARD, THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF (COMMITMENTS), AIR MARSHAL SIR JOHN DAY, AND THE FRENCH DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATIONS, GEN XAVIER DELCOURT 4 MAY 1999 -- A Royal Navy warship continues to operate with the French Navy’s carrier battle group, which is led by the French Aircraft Carrier Foch. The Royal Navy has been part of this carrier battle group since the beginning of this operation, initially with HMS Somerset and now with HMS Grafton. Task Force 470. Since the beginning of the crisis we have deployed our Carrier group, CTF 470. It is composed of the aircraft carrier Foch with 14 Super [indistinct] and 4 … 4P on board. For combat …, the Foch also has 2 … helicopters, in addition to the 2 combat … belonging to the Air Force and based in Macedonia. The Foch is combined by anti-aircraft frigate Cassar, the Tanker … and … Jules Verne and the submarine Emerald. In Macedonia the French brigade is at present composed of two battalions which represent roughly 3,000 men. The second [indistinct] is an armoured brigade, about 2,000 men strong on alert in France. We recently deployed additional intelligence … assets in Macedonia, that is … which is a small … CL289 … and an airborne radar called Horizon. A little over 800 French soldiers are in Albania at the moment. France is considering increasing its participation by roughly one-quarter the size of our contribution to the aircraft force. In terms of refuelling, we have already saturated our nearest base, which is east near Marseille because the contents of the tanks are just at the limit to refuel more or less 20/25 aircraft a day so now we have opened another air base in the south west of France to organise a larger fueling circuit in favour of the Allies.
General DELCOURT's declarations at the Franco-British press conference 4.5.99 -- The UK and French force contributions are comparable in size, not identical but very complementary. Put together, they represent 20% of the air assets of the Alliance, and 50% of the European contribution. We recently deployed additional intelligence acquisition assets in Macedonia, i.e. " Crecerelle ", which is a small UAV, CL 289 UAVs and an airborne radar called " Horizon ". We have deployed Carrier Group CTF 470. It is composed of the aircraft carrier " Foch " with 14 Super Etendard and 4 Etendard IV P on board. For Combat SAR, FS Foch also has 2 Super Frelon helicopters, in addition to the 2 CSAR Puma provided by the Air Force which are based in Macedonia.
KC 130 DETACHMENT PROVIDE UNSEEN SUPPORT TO 24TH MEU(SOC) Marine Corps News 04 May 1999 -- 36 Marines and two KC-130's of the 24th MEU(SOC) fuel the NATO air campaign. The KC-130 detachment, Marine Air/Ground Refueler Squadron 252, not only refuels Harriers and other NATO aircraft , but they are also used to refuel the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter.
Kosovo Crisis 04 May 1999 -- The additional CF-18s that we spoke to you about, the 6 CF-18s are now combat ready and bringing our operational total of aircraft to 18 in Aviano.
Kosovo Crisis May 03, 1999 - In terms of the aircraft deploying to Aviano, this is the additional aircraft, we reported to you last week that eight additional aircraft were on their way over from a combination of aircraft from Cold Lake and Bagotville. All of those aircraft have in fact now arrived in Aviano. Two of the aircraft are for maintenance swap-out if you like, they’re replacing CF-18s that need to return back to Canada for scheduled maintenance. The remaining six of course will make up the total complement of 18 aircraft in Aviano, therefore bringing our force to the number that we had reported to you previously.
Pennsylvania Guardsmen prepare for Kosovo deployment 3 May 1999 National Guard Bureau -- 470 citizen-airmen and 14 KC-135 Stratotankers from the Pittsburgh-based 171st Air Refueling Wing will soon take part in NATO's Operation Allied Force over Yugoslavia.
DoD News Briefing Monday, May 3, 1999 -- There's been no movement on the 300 aircraft. It's still under review, and at the appropriate time we'll move forward with it. At the appropriate time the Apaches will come into use. We're not going to telegraph when they're going to be used. Secretary Cohen has ordered another small group to be called up, 120 members of the 939th Rescue Wing, Air Force Reserve in Portland, Oregon. This will bring to the total 2,236 Reservists who have been called up so far under the Presidential Selective Reserve Call-up. Some of the other units that have been called include elements of the 117th Wing from Birmingham, Alabama, which began deploying on Saturday; the 931st Air Refueling Group from Wichita, Kansas which deployed on Saturday; the 128th from Milwaukee, the 161st from Phoenix, and the 171st from Pittsburgh will begin their deployments on Tuesday.
Kosovo Crisis May 02, 1999 -- Four of the eight CF-18 aircraft en route to Aviano have arrived in Europe and the other four are over the mid-Atlantic right now as I speak and all eight aircraft will be in Aviano tomorrow morning. And with the change out of aircraft, that means the return of two other aircraft, that will bring our total, as you know, up to 18.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 02 May 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent -- The six PACAF F-15Cs are staying at RAF Lakenheath for the time being although their crews have deployed to Cervia for combat duty flying 493rd FS aircraft. The PACAF aircraft may join the campaign if and when any 493rd FS aircraft are rotated back to Lakenheath for maintenance.
BRIEFING BY THE ARMED FORCES MINISTER, MR. DOUG HENDERSON, AND VICE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, ADMIRAL SIR PETER ABBOTT 1 MAY 1999 -- Over the next few weeks US tankers will deploy to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and RAF St Morgan in Cornwall. This deployment will provide NATO planners with an ability to further intensify attacks on the capability of Milosevic’s military machine.
April 1999
DoD News Briefing, April 30, 1999 -- The ten B-52H Stratofortresses that Secretary Cohen announced having deployed yesterday are all departing this evening for England. Eight will come from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, and two from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, and they will arrive at Fairford Royal Air Force Base in England tomorrow morning. This is not your father's B-52. This is not the Vietnam B-52. This thing has been modified over the last 29 years to the point where now the bombs that are dropped from the B-52, because of the global positioning satellite capability of the B-52, are as accurate as the ones off the B-1. They'll be dropped against targets of the appropriate type that would not be a problem with collateral damage. There are some of those targets there. As this war, or this operation I should say, continues to increase in OPSTEMPO, those type of weapons will be used on the appropriate targets. The AGM-142 HAVE NAP is a precision-guided munition that has somewhat of a standoff range. We do have a supply of those, and five of the B-52s that we are sending over, of this new batch of B-52s, are outfitted to fire the HAVE NAP.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, THE ARMED FORCES MINISTER, MR. DOUG HENDERSON, THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, GEN SIR CHARLES GUTHRIE AND COMMANDER AFOR, LT GEN JOHN REITH 30 APRIL 1999 -- There is to be a further significant increase in the UK's contribution to the air campaign. Another 4 Harriers will sent to be Gioia del Colle, bringing the total there to 16 in addition to the 7 Sea Harriers embarked on HMS Invincible. Another 4 Tornados will also be made available, bringing the total number available to 12. In addition, another Tristar tanker will be sent to Ancona in Italy.
NATO HQ Backgrounder by Mr Jamie Shea 30 April 1999 -- Canada is sending extra CF18 aircraft, the UK announced yesterday 8 additional aircraft, 4 Tornadoes, 4 Harriers.
President activates 9 Reserve, Guard units to support Allied Force refueling operations 29 April 1999 -- Air Mobility Command Public Affairs The initial call-up includes an about 45 KC-135 air refueling aircraft and crews from five Air National Guard units and four Air Force Reserve Command units. These will add to the more than 120 KC-135 and KC-10 AMC aircraft deployed to Europe.
DoD News Briefing, April 29, 1999 -- With respect to the B-52s, they not only carry CALCMs, they carry a variety of other weapons, and what they will use will depend upon what the target selection will be on any given night or mission. So we'll leave that up to SACEUR to determine which targets, what sort of munitions he wants to place on them. They certainly are capable of dropping the kind of munitions that would be for large staging areas and where there is a massing of artillery and other types of weaponry. With respect to the Apaches, the President has not signed any employment order. General Clark is now preparing the Apache forces, as such, going through the training missions, make sure that the troops are properly trained and equipped and well familiar with all of the area in which they have to operate. And when he believes they should be employed, he'll make such a recommendation, and we'll take it up with the President at that time.
ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT DEPLOY TO OPERATION ALLIED FORCE 29 Apr 1999 -- The additional U.S. Air Force air assets include eight B-52Hs from the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; two B-52Hs from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.; two E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft from 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.; and one EC-130 Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) aircraft from the 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
More aircraft deploy to Operation Allied Force 29 Apr 1999 (AFPN) -- Additional Air Force air assets include eight B-52H's from the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; two B-52H's from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.; two E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft from the 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.; and one EC-130 Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center aircraft from the 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. The aircraft will begin deploying to Europe early next week.
DoD News Briefing, April 28, 1999 -- The official number because some come and go, is around 575 U.S. aircraft. There's another couple of hundred allied. We transfer aircraft back and forth to do maintenance, so that changes a little bit. There are over 400-some attack-type, strike-type aircraft. Even on a mission, for example when you go into the Kosovo engagement zone -- last night one of the missions had 80 aircraft attached to it. On the remainder of the aircraft, I think it will probably be in a couple of blocks, but I think it will be coming relatively soon, and the whole thing will become, the whole pattern will become clear relatively soon. There will be some tankers are going to be based in Budapest. The airfield in Hungary, I believe it's called Ferihegy, has enough fuel for those type of aircraft. It's an international airport that has large airline-type aircraft, so there's plenty there. Is Tazar going to be used at all? We are working out the basing arrangements for the strike aircraft as well. When we have things to say about where these planes will be based, we'll say it, but now isn't the time. The Apaches are not quite ready to be employed yet. The President has to authorize the actual employment, the use of these helicopters. I don't anticipate that that will be a problem. I think it will be done very quickly when General Clark asks for them to be used. I suspect that approval will be coming soon. I don't believe that's been brought to his attention. It would be more appropriate for the White House to talk about that. I understand they've got plenty of assets there, and they haven't requested a replacement for the Apache that went down.
NATO HQ Transcript of the Press Conference by Mr Jamie Shea and General Giuseppe Marani 28 April 1999 -- Canada has announced it is sending 800 troops and 8 CF-18s to the theatre, Turkey is preparing a force of 1,000, it was announced this morning, to be ready also for a NATO-led peace implementation force in the area. Hungary has granted the use of its air bases for tanker refuelling aircraft which will shortly be arriving.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, GEN SIR CHARLES GUTHRIE 28 APRIL 1999 -- Yesterday the Canadian Prime Minister announced that Canada will be deploying up to 800 troops and 280 vehicles to Macedonia in preparation for their employment in Kosovo. The main component of the Canadian force will be a reconnaissance squadron which will be capable of conducting surveillance and security operations in Kosovo. They will also have 8 helicopters which will carry out airborne surveillance, transport and medical evacuation missions. The Canadians will also be providing combat engineers. These units will come under the command of a British armoured brigade.
Army taps individuals, not units, in reserve call-up (Army News Service, April 28, 1999) -- Army planners will tap individual reserve soldiers in needed job specialties, rather than units, to answer President Bill Clinton's April 27 reserve call-up order to support NATO operations in the Balkans.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 27 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent -- Royal Netherlands Navy Walrus class submarine 'Dolfijn' reportedly deployed to the Adriatic from Holland on April 26, 1999 reportedly to relieve a 'British submarine'.
Kosovo Crisis April 27, 1999 -- The additional CF-18s going to Aviano to bring our total number of aircraft in Aviano up to 18. Just to add to that, to give you a little more detail today, the additional CF-18s will come from 4 Wing Cold Lake. They’re scheduled to depart tomorrow to link up with CF-18s from Bagotville. Canada has received and has approved a formal request from NATO to deploy the military contingent that we had identified to you previously as our contribution to the international peace implementation force ultimately in Kosovo. Op Kinetic consists of two operational components - a ground force and a tactical aviation force. These are augmented by a national command element, a national support element and an engineering unit. The operational forces will be assigned to NATO control under the British 4th Armoured Brigade and will be employed as brigade level assets. The tactical helicopter unit will employ its eight Griffon helicopters for airborne surveillance, transport and medivac, medical evacuation missions. The army’s contribution will consist of an armoured reconnaissance squadron composed of approximately 200 soldiers primarily equipped with Coyote vehicles. In addition there will be a 50-person strong national command element which will be responsible to provide command and communications. An additional 200 soldiers will provide national support services like first line maintenance, transport, ration and supplies to sustain our troops in theatre. The army component for Operation Kinetic is therefore approximately 600 soldiers.
30 Aerial Refuelers Ordered to Allied Force By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service 27 April 1999 -- The 30 tankers, air crews and support personnel will deploy by May 1 in response to a request earlier this month from U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark.
Spangdahlem A-10s operating from southeast Italy 27 Apr 1999 U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service -- The 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and the newly created 40th Air Expeditionary Group are engaged in A-10 Thunderbolt II combat and support missions as part of NATO's Operation Allied Force. Originally sent to Aviano Air Base, Italy, from its home station at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, the 81st EFS completed its move to Gioia Del Colle Air Base, Italy, April 11.
7th Air Expeditionary Group provides strategic airlift to Allied Force 27 Apr 1999 (AFPN) -- Aircrews temporarily assigned to the 437th Air Expeditionary Group at Ramstein Air Base are providing strategic airlift for deployed units supporting NATO operations in Kosovo. Each day the 437th AEG flies about 20 sorties from Ramstein to Tirana. Out of the 400 members assigned to the 437th AEG, Richardson estimates about 97 percent are from Charleston Air Force Base, SC.
Charleston C-17s supporting Task Force Hawk 27 Apr 1999 -- About 12 C-17s from Charleston AFB are deployed as part of the 437th Air Expeditionary Group, which is responsible for airlift of Army equipment and personnel to Tirana.
871 reservists, 15 KC-135 tankers called up 27 Apr 1999 (AFPN) -- Nearly a thousand Air Force reservists from four KC-135 air refueling units are going on active duty under the Presidential Selected Reserve Call-up April 27. The initial call-up identified 871 reservists and 15 KC-135 aircraft. The announcement also named Air National Guardsmen and KC-135 aircraft for call up. The KC-135 crews are from the Beale, Grissom, McConnell and Selfridge units, plus the 507th ARW, Tinker AFB, Okla.; and the 916th ARW, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. The aircraft are from Beale, Grissom, Selfridge, Seymour Johnson and Tinker. The C-130 crews are operating out of Germany. At the time of the call-up announcement, the Reserve and Guard were accomplishing about half of the air refueling in support of NATO operations in the Balkans.
DoD News Briefing Tuesday, April 27, 1999 -- For SUSTAINED HOPE, which is our portion of the humanitarian effort-- there are several areas that have SUSTAINED HOPE personnel operating out of there. ALLIED HARBOUR will be the NATO mission when that stands up. That's planned for about 7,600 folks. Out of the total U.S. personnel, 1581 will chop to the NATO mission ALLIED HARBOUR when that stands up. Today we are calling up approximately 2,100 Guardsmen and Reservists to meet our immediate need to deploy additional air refueling aircraft, crews, support people, and associated equipment. Some of them will be going to existing tanker bases that we have right now to augment those forces. Then there are other bases that the theater is looking at right now that they will be going to, but I don't have the specifics of that at this point.
SECRETARY COHEN ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL SELECTED RESERVE CALL-UP April 27, 1999 -- The first increment of the latest PSRC calls to active duty 26 aircraft and 1,015 airmen from the following units to replace volunteers in the Allied Force theatre of operations.
Strategy: As More Aircraft Are Sent, Reserve Call-Up Is Imminent New York Times 27 April 1999 -- There are already 120 tanker aircraft in Europe supporting NATO operations. Of the 300 planes requested by Clark, at least 100 will be refueling tankers, according to Kenneth Bacon, the Pentagon spokesman.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ORDERS MORE SUPPORT AIRCRAFT TO ALLIED FORCE April 26, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has ordered the deployment of 30 KC-135 equivalent tanker aircraft, air crews, support personnel and associated equipment to join other U.S. aircraft participating in NATO Operation ALLIED FORCE.
DOD orders 30 more tankers into Operation Allied Force 26 Apr 1999 (AFPN) -- Up to 30 more aerial refueling aircraft will leave to support Operation Allied Force later this week, bringing the U.S. military closer to issuing a Reserve call-up. The aircraft will begin deploying from home bases this week. A third of the supreme allied commander Europe's request for more than 300 planes was for tanker aircraft.
DoD News Briefing, April 26, 1999 -- When the basing decisions are all made, we will announce them as a package or at the appropriate time as the planes go off. We have about 600 overall aircraft, attack and support. I think it's premature now to talk about exactly where additional planes will go. Secretary Cohen has ordered the deployment of 30 additional KC-135 equivalent Tanker aircraft, air crews, and support personnel to join Operation ALLIED FORCE. Some could be KC-10s; some could be KC-135s. There are 137 tankers in the approximately 500 U.S. planes that are already in the force. That doesn't include the equivalent 30 that are being sent. The possible additional 24 Apaches are still under review. 23 of the original 24 have arrived, as of yesterday 18 arrived, but then five more arrived today, and there are about 56 total helicopters now. There's 18 MLRS with them, and the number of troops as of yesterday was about 3,400 with Task Force HAWK. It's probably plussed up today, obviously, because they've flown some helicopters in. Lieutenant General Hendricks, the V Corps Commander, is down there commanding 24 Apaches.
Kosovo Crisis April 26, 1999 -- On the question of additional CF-18s, between 27 and 30 April eight CF-18s will depart from Cold Lake, Alberta and Bagotville, Quebec and fly to Goose Bay Labrador to prepare for the trip across the Atlantic to Aviano, Italy. Two of the eight aircraft are replacement aircraft for two CF-18s returning to Canada from Aviano for scheduled maintenance. The transit of the eight CF-18s will involve stops at Goose Bay, Keflavik, the United Kingdom and likely a stop in Germany before arriving in Aviano, Italy on or around the 2nd of May.
Shaw joins Aviano team in mission with a purpose 26 Apr 1999 31st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs 20th Fighter Wing people deployed approximately 350 people and 24 F-16CJs arrived at Aviano two weeks ago.
Transcript of Press Conference given by NATO Spokesman, Jamie Shea and Colonel Konrad Freytag, SHAPE 25 April 1999 -- At the moment we have in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia just over 12,000 currently deployed there and we are sending via Greece at the moment the second German battle group, it is on its way, and also the second UK battle group, also via Greece, and this will take the numbers up to something like 16,000 once those deployments are completed. The apaches are in the process of deploying to their location in Tirana and in the north of Albania.
Press Conference by NATO Spokesman, Jamie Shea and Colonel Konrad Freytag, GEAF, SHAPE 24 Apr. 1999 Corrected Version -- As for the extra aircraft capability, SACEUR has said that he would like capabilities to allow him to continue intensive 24 hours operations, particularly tanker capability, in particular for inflight refuelling and also reconnaissance aircraft, because obviously it is very important for us to have good reconnaissance, for two reasons: both to do the battle damage assessment quickly and decide which targets do not have to be revisited; secondly of course to be able to keep track of the humanitarian situation inside Kosovo as well.
Press Conference by NATO Spokesman, Jamie Shea and Colonel Konrad Freytag, SHAPE 23 April 1999 -- NATO is becoming stronger, we have 690 aircraft now in the theatre, we have 20 ships - that is double the numbers that we had at the beginning of this operation.
BRIEFING BY THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY, MS CLARE SHORT, AND THE CHIEF OF JOINT OPERATIONS, ADMIRAL SIR IAN GARNETT 23 APRIL 1999 -- Yesterday and last night, NATO forces continued operations against targets in Kosovo and Serbia, supported by Royal Air Force air to air refuelling Tristars, airborne early warning E3Ds and a Nimrod reconnaissance aircraft. UK Harriers attacked a military command post with cluster bombs and Sea Harriers from HMS Invincible flew combat air patrols.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO DEPLOY FOR TASK FORCE HAWK April 23, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen authorized the deployment of one light infantry company, one Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) platoon with three MLRS vehicles, one High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) anti-tank company with 20 TOW-mounted and 18 Javelin-mounted HMMWVs, one combat engineer platoon, one Avenger air defense platoon with four Avengers, one military intelligence platoon, one military police platoon and one combat service support team. Additional assets deployed from Europe include one brigade headquarters, one mechanized infantry company with 14 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, one armor company with 15 Abrams tanks, one 155mm artillery battery of eight Howitzers, one MLRS battery (minus) with six MLRS vehicles, one combat engineer company, one construction engineer company (minus), one short-range air defense battery with eight Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicles, one smoke generator platoon and appropriate combat support and combat service support elements. This deployment brings the approximate number of U.S. forces in Task Force Hawk to 5,350. Units should begin deployments early next week.
HC-4 Supports Operation Allied Force NAVEUR NEWS SERVICE 23 April 1999 -- Helicopter Combat Support Squadron FOUR (HC-4), based out of NAS Sigonella, is the primary means of transporting cargo and troops to the fleet. Since the start of Operation Allied Force, HC-4 has provided constant logistic support to both the carrier battle group and the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG).
DoD News Briefing Friday, April 23, 1999 -- No decision on additional helicopters. No final decision yet on the 300 aircraft. No decision yet on the call up of the Reserves. Sending a significant number of new airplanes to the theater both from the U.S. and from other allied countries will require new basing arrangements in new places. You have to figure out where all the planes are going to go and then once that's figured out, you have to decide what the support, force protection and other facilities are at those bases.
BRIEFING BY THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY, MS CLARE SHORT, AND THE CHIEF OF JOINT OPERATIONS, ADMIRAL SIR IAN GARNETT 23 APRIL 1999 -- In the Ionian Sea HMS Invincible, with her embarked air group of Sea Harriers and helicopters, is accompanied by HMS Newcastle and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fort Austin. In the Adriatic the submarine HMS Splendid, armed with her highly effective Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, remains on station. Also in the area, frigates HMS Iron Duke and HMS Somerset are operating respectively with NATO’s standing Naval Force Mediterranean and the French Carrier group. Ashore in Macedonia elements of Fourth Armoured Brigade have been deployed since the middle of February. These include The Kings Royal Hussars with Challenger tanks, the Irish Guards and The Kings Own Royal Border Regiment with Warrior armoured fighting vehicles, and 4 Regiment Royal Artillery with 155mm guns. Equally important are the combat support and combat service support units such as logisticians, signallers, electrical and mechanical engineers, field ambulance, pioneers and an RAF helicopter detachment. These UK troops are under the NATO command of Lt General Mike Jackson, Commander Ace Rapid Reaction Corps. In all we plan to deploy around 6,800 UK troops in Macedonia.
Ramstein civil engineers build Tirana tent city 23 Apr 1999 -- The 100-person 86th Civil Engineer Group team has been turning an old soccer field near the flightline into a compound to house airmen helping in aerial port operations for Joint Task Force Shining Hope.
Medical team sets up first expeditionary medical squadron 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) 22 Apr 1999 -- Airmen from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Spangdahlem Air Base and here deployed to Tirana, Albania, as part of the 86th Expeditionary Medical Squadron, the Air Force's first expeditionary medical squadron.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 22 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent -- The Danish contingent at Grazzanisse hes been beefed up today from 6 to 9 jets, again from Skrydstrup. Still no MLUs.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 21 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent - It seems the Elmendorf F-15Cs that deployed to Europe last week will not be joining Allied Force. The jets went to RAF Lakenheath the UK, although the personnel all went to Cervia to be inserted into the 493rd EFS. At Cervia a few weeks ago most people really were walking on their toes to keep up with the air tasking. Availabilty of jets was no problem though. The augmentation from Elmendorf comes from the 54th FS.
ALBANIA / APACHES Voice of America 21 April 1999 -- THE FIRST OF THE LONG-AWAITED U-S APACHE ATTACK HELICOPTERS HAVE ARRIVED IN ALBANIA.
Elmendorf pilots join NATO combat operation 21 Apr 1999 -- (AFPN) -- F-15C Eagle pilots from the 54th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, have arrived at Cervia Air Base and begun flying combat missions in support of NATO's Operation Allied Force. The pilots and other 54th FS airmen have rolled into the 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 21 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent Netherlands added some assets during the past couple of days, including 4 more F-16AM's of 315 Squadron deploying today/tomorrow from Twente Air Base. The Hr Ms Rotterdam (Landing platdform Dock) arrived 5 days ago, and the diesel sunmarine Hr Ms Dolfijn being send today/tomorrow.
The Paratroops: Elite U.S. Force Lands in Albania, to Guard Helicopters The New York Times 21 April 1999 -- There has been speculation that the Apaches would be based farther north, near Lezhe, at an old military airfield variously marked on maps as Gramsh or Gjader that was used by U.S. planes operating over Bosnia. One brigade of the 82d Airborne is kept on constant ready alert at all times as a quick-response force to a crisis anywhere in the world. 700 soldiers from the division's 3rd Brigade, second battalion of the 505th Parachute Infantry, had been dispatched here to provide security for the Apaches.
Bragg troops deploy to Albania (Army News Service, April 20, 1999) - About 450 military personnel left Fort Bragg Saturday to support the ongoing NATO air operations in the Balkans. . Elements of the 229th Aviation Regiment, and soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, left from Pope Air Force Base, NC, adjacent to Fort Bragg.
DoD News BriefingTuesday, April 20, 1999 -- It's part of our operational security to have conflicting reports about where the Apaches are. The plan for right now, assuming we don't have another downpour, is for them to move half of the Apaches tomorrow, the remainder on Wednesday (sic) [Thursday], and they'll be in place by then. They have their own organic self-defense with the Avenger coming with them. They also have ground protection with the Bradley fighting vehicles; there are eight in place. The 82nd Airborne, some of the units from there are landing today. Task Force HAWK, they just moved in the 82nd, so it's 3,300 today. There's no progress on the Reserve callup. It's related to the additional request of 300 planes and where those planes are based.
F-16CJs, EA-6Bs, add firepower to largest wing 31st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs 19 Apr 1999 -- The latest wave of incoming aircraft touched down April 16 to add its firepower to the already formidable aerial armada in place here. The new arrivals include a handful of EA-6B Prowlers from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Wash., and a handful of F-16CJs from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. With more than 6,000 people and 170 combat aircraft, the 31st AEW is the largest Air Force combat wing ever assembled. The wing consists of two permanently-based F-16 squadrons and deployed F-15Es, F-16s, C-130s, KC-135s, F-117s and F-18s.
Eglin detachment going above, beyond for Kosovo operation 53rd Wing Public Affairs 20 Apr 1999 --- When the call came in late March for the B-1 bombers to join the NATO team in the Kosovo crisis, the detachment was completing the combat certification process for a hardware and software upgrade to the bomber. The upgrade, known as a block cycle upgrade, converted the B-1 from Block C to Block D, adding precision weapons, satellite navigation and defensive improvements to the aircraft.
U.S. INFANTRY COMPANIES AND ATTACK HELICOPTER CREWS TO DEPLOY IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ALLIED FORCE April 20, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has directed the deployment of additional units to provide force protection for Task Force Hawk in Albania. Some 615 soldiers from the headquarters and headquarters company and two light infantry companies of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 11 additional AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crews from 229th Aviation Regiment, and logistics support personnel from the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C., have begun deploying to Tirane.
Services supports Aviano buildup by Senior Airman Angela Furry 31st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs 19 Apr 1999 -- With a deployed population nearly equaling the permanent party population, services teams here are working long and hard at finding beds for everyone.
C-17s give Apache helicopters a lift CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- April 19, 1999 --– Twenty-four U.S. Army AH-64 Apache "gunship" helicopters got a lift from Charleston's deployed contingent of C-17s today as they deployed to Albania. The C-17s, which are temporarily assigned to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, have flown more than 160 sorties to move personnel and equipment from Ramstein to Tirana Rinus Airport in Albania, to support the Apache deployment. The wing contingent at Ramstein stood up the 437th Air Expeditionary Group, consisting of the 17th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and the 437th Expeditionary Logistics Squadron.
DoD News BriefingMonday, April 19, 1999 -- The Reserve callup and the approval of the 300 aircraft are still being worked by the system. It will be a couple of days until we have definitive numbers. The Apaches are not all in Brindisi. Some are still in Pisa. They're moving toward Brindisi. The plan right now -- if the weather holds and nothing else occurs, they should move in tomorrow. Current plans are only to put in 24, the other 24 were on hold. General Leaf has a wing of 171 aircraft operating right now, with several thousand extra people there [on] temporary duty. He normally would have around 54 aircraft there. I can't tell you anything at all about the ENTERPRISE stopping and joining into this battle as it comes around. The ABCCC has been operating at Aviano Air Base continuously now for seven years, temporary duty. They've been in that region continuously for seven years almost day in and day out. They know the business, they're trained up.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 19 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent Belgium plans since today (19/04/1999) to deploy 4 more F-16 in the near future. Three more VAQ-138 Prowlers arrived tonight at Aviano, adding up to 25 EA-6Bs Fairford also hosts KC-135s now, at least 5 at present. 20+ F-16CJs from Shaw arrived last Thursday and Friday at Aviano. At least some of these are from the 79th FS (now EFS).
Kosovo Conflict 17 April 1999 -- It’s still going to take several weeks before all of the additional 300 planes that General Clark has asked for are going to be there and ready and up and operating. We will be adding six more CF-18s to the 12 that already are stationed in Aviano. This will bring to 18 the total number of jet fighters. We will add approximately 25 personnel. The jet fighters will come from Cold Lake, Alberta and we are looking to have them in theatre in approximately two weeks. We have 122 CF-18s. However, at any given time there’s about over, a little over 80 of them that are ready for operation.
BRIEFING BY THE MINISTER FOR THE ARMED FORCES, MR. DOUG HENDERSON, AND THE CHIEF OF JOINT OPERATIONS, VICE-ADMIRAL SIR IAN GARNETT 17 APRIL 1999 -- From today, the UK’s contribution to air operations will include 7 FA2 Sea Harriers operating from HMS Invincible. The carrier was returning to UK following a deployment in the Gulf. From today NATO has more than 33 Naval vessels in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. There are 3 aircraft carriers, 1 helicopter carrier, 18 destroyers and frigates, a number of submarines, 5 amphibious assault ships and 6 oiler and supply ships. If I include carrier assets, there are now about 600 military aircraft in place and available for tasking. As well as the UK, 12 other NATO countries have all assigned aircraft to NATO. The landforce element of KFOR, already in Macedonia, amounts to nearly 12,000 men and women, as well as the UK’s Fourth Armoured Brigade, this is made up of a Panzer Brigade from Germany, an Armoured Brigade from France and Italy’s Garibaldi Brigade. Reconnaissance units and specialists have also been provided by 10 NATO countries. In Albania, under national command, there are another 2,000 troops from France, the United States, Germany, Greece and Italy, with smaller contributions from Belgium, Canada and Spain.
DoD News Briefing Saturday, April 17, 1999 -- The Apaches are now en-route to Brindisi. The field at Tirana took a heavy dose of rain. They've got the aluminum matting in place, they're putting that down today. The latest I've heard is that they expect tomorrow or Monday for the Apaches to fly over. The force protection will all be in place at that time. Right now the additional 24 has not been approved, and I'm not sure the SACEUR still wants those other 24. The approximately 300 aircraft SACEUR has requested is a capability, and he does not specify what type of aircraft. That will come back here and then the Joint Staff as well as the CINCs will work out where those aircraft, with that capability the CINC wants, should come from. They have to find out where they're going to go, and then start moving them forward with the air bridge. They're doing that pretty rapidly. But that is being worked now.
DoD News Briefing , April 16, 1999 -- From the U.S. aircraft alone, there's over 227 fighters and bombers; 219 support; 17 reconnaissance -- which is 463 total, including the 82 ordered deployed last week. Allied forces are contributing 190 in total. The Apaches are actually en-route down through Italy. They're stair-stepping through Italy. The field at Tirane took a heavy dose of rain a day or two ago and they're moving in aluminum matting today to prepare some landing zones for the helicopters. The estimate right now is they should start arriving Sunday and Monday.
Joint Press Conference with Secretary Cohen and Minister of Defense Scognamiglio , April 16, 1999 -- Italy is doing more than providing access to bases. It is making a major contribution of planes and pilots in NATO's air campaign, and it's taking the lead in responding to the humanitarian emergency that's been created by Milosevic's brutal policies.
24TH MEU(SOC) AV8B HARRIERS PARTICIPATE IN NATO AIRSTRIKES Marine Corps News 16 April 1999 - The MEU's mission was to launch and recover four of the MEU's six AV-8B Harrier jets, attached to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266, from USS Nassau currently in the Adriatic Sea, and deliver eight 500-pound bombs on unspecified targets. The airstrikes were the first of its kind for the 24th MEU(SOC) and the first ever combat mission for the AV-8B Harrier two-plus variant.
Kosovo Conflict 16 April 1999 -- There are real estate problems in Aviano. Certainly there are more than 130 aircraft, fighter aircraft located in Aviano now on a base which normally has 20 or 30. There is a certain amount of coordination that has to be done before additional aircraft go into Aviano. Aviano is in the process of trying to determine how it can best fit the mix of additional aircraft that will come in there. The A-10 Warthog aircraft that were recently deployed to Aviano are now going to be redeployed to a base further south on the Italian boot to make additional room for other aircraft. They’re joining squadrons of British aircraft that are further south. The Prime Minister mentioned in the House that we might be considering sending another six additional CF-18s. We are still examining that matter. We have the request from NATO and it was reiterated today in the meetings. We started with six, we went another six to 12 and certainly going to another six would be a consideration but at this point in time we haven’t decided on the response and that includes the number. We have stated that our preference is to have our aircraft co-located so if we send additional aircraft then those numbers obviously play into the numbers that we can obviously deploy co-located at Aviano.
Reaper Ball brings new tradition to Cervia 501st Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs 16 Apr 1999 Named after the 493rd Fighter Squadron Grim Reapers, the ball is serving as a morale booster for deployed airmen at Cervia Air Base, Italy.
F-15E WSOs guide technology to target 16 Apr 1999 31st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs F-15E warplanes from the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, are currently deployed to Aviano as part of the 32nd Air Expeditionary Wing. The 494th EFS is a subordinate unit of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England.
F-16CJs arrive at Aviano Air Base ready to fight 15 Apr 1999 31st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs -- The first of the F-16CJs from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., deploying to Europe to help prosecute the Operation Allied Force air campaign over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, arrived here April 15. This new deployment order also includes the additional OA-10 close-air-support aircraft, EA-6B Prowlers, KC-135 tankers, KC-10 tankers and C-130 transport aircraft. The nearly 20 F-16s are assigned to the 31st Air Expeditionary Wing. With more than 6,000 people and 150 combat aircraft, the 31st AEW is the largest Air Force combat wing ever assembled. The 31st AEW consists of two permanently-based F-16 squadrons and deployed F-15Es, F-16s, C-130s, KC-135s, and F-117 stealth fighters.
USS Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group deployed today Navnews 14 April 1999 -- The USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) departed Hampton Roads for a scheduled six-month deployment April 14. The ARG, composed of the Kearsarge, USS Ponce (LPD 15) and USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) will relieve the USS Nassau (LHA 4) Amphibious Ready Group currently on station in the Adriatic.
USS Inchon Task Group delivers first Navy relief supplies to refugees in Albania Navnews 14 April 1999 -- Inchon Inchon has 10 MH-53Es and two CH-46 "Sea Knight" medium-lift helicopters embarked.
Pacer CRAG modified KC-135s deploy to support no-fly zone April 14, 1999 (AMCNS) -- Approximately seven Pacer CRAG-modified KC-135Rs deployed this week from Grand Forks AFB, N.D., to Southwest Asia to replace 319th Air Refueling Wing KC-135s there, which were deployed to Europe recently to support NATO's on-going Allied Force air operations.
Operation Allied Force: KC-10 aircrews extend NATO reach April 14, 1999 (AMCNS) -– More than 200 members of McGuire Air Force Base, are deployed to an undisclosed location in Southern Europe. The troops, many of whom deployed in February to join the 92nd Air Expeditionary Group in its support of a NATO buildup in the region, are part of McGuire’s contribution to Operation Allied Force.
Travis KC-10s deploy to Europe for Allied Force 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs April 14, 1999 (AMCNS) -- The role of Travis Air Force Base people and aircraft in Operation Allied Force is growing as NATO intensifies its bombing campaign over Yugoslavia. U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender aircraft, aircrews and support people deployed to an undisclosed location in Europe April 2.
DoD News Briefing Wednesday, April 14, 1999 -- Last weekend we announced 82 aircraft going over. The 24 F-16CJs will arrive tomorrow in Aviano. They're from Shaw Air Force Base. Also arriving tomorrow will be four A-10s. They'll go to Gioia del Colle, which is south of Aviano in Italy. They're from Pope Air Force Base. On the 16th of April, six EA-6Bs will arrive in Aviano from Whidbey Island and Cherry Point. There were 41 tankers set to deploy, but because of the efficiencies of our tanker operations, we've been able to reduce that to 38 tankers. There will be 33 KC-135s and five KC-10s going over. Task Force HAWK is on schedule to close this week. The helicopters -- some of them have started to move today, about half of them. The other 50 percent will start moving tomorrow. They all should close out by Friday and Saturday. The deployment of two Army logistics support vessels that will be used to take to Europe equipment for Task Force HAWK. Basically they'll be carrying over large loaders, or unloaders, things that can be used to move containers of supplies and get them onto trucks and take them off to support Task Force HAWK. They will be arriving in several weeks with this unloading equipment on them.
NATO HQ Press Conference by Jamie Shea and Brigadier General Giuseppe Marani 14 April 1999 -- Canada, France, Italy have all in recent days contributed further aircraft and support to this operation.
BRIEFING BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY, MS. CLARE SHORT, AND THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF (COMMITMENTS), AIR MARSHAL SIR JOHN DAY 14 APRIL 1999 -- . We have sufficient aircraft in-theatre at the moment of the right quality, SACEUR is not asking us for more but there are more. The British Army’s initial deployment in February and March comprised the headquarters of Fourth Armoured Brigade and The King’s Royal Hussars Battle Group. These were in addition to the British troops serving with the headquarters of the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, the ARRC, and we currently have some 4,500 troops in Macedonia. The deployment of a second British Battle Group, which is the Irish Guards Battle Group, will add about another 2,000 troops to those numbers. The two British Battle Groups are of similar composition, comprising Challenger main battle tanks, Scimitar reconnaissance vehicles, Warrior armoured infantry fighting vehicles, AS90 heavy artillery and armoured engineer vehicles. We have also deployed air defence assets to theatre, including high velocity missiles mounted on Stormer armoured vehicles.
NATO HQ Press Conference by Jamie Shea and General Wesley Clark13 April 1999 -- I have asked for additional aircraft, approximately 300 is the number that's being reported in the press which I requested from US sources but this is part of a NATO request and it is actually a larger total than that because we'll be asking NATO to provide sources, this is just the US share of this request. We said as we started this campaign, that it would progressively intensify, we recognised that it would and we said it at the time and so it's very much on-track as we imagined it would be.
DoD News Briefing, April 13, 1999 -- General Clark talked about the 300 additional U.S. planes that he's requested. This is currently being reviewed by the Joint Staff. The request he sent in, which I won't describe in great detail, was a flexible request that basically gives the Joint Staff some ability to look at various tradeoffs of types of planes, and so the Joint Staff will be doing that over the next couple of days, and we will have something for you as soon as possible on that. It's entirely possible that there will be additional helicopters over time, but I wouldn't think that would come immediately. Basically the planes fall into three categories -- ground attack, air suppression, and tankers. Many of the tankers are flown by Reservists. Also some of the Army assets going into Macedonia and Albania likely would come from the Reserves. There are specialties such as civil affairs that only exist in the Reserves. I haven't heard of any discussion at all about moving a second aircraft carrier into the area. Task Force Hawk has organic air defense capability with it.
The Air War: Pentagon Said to Be Adding 300 Planes to Fight Serbs The New York Times 13 April 1999 The Pentagon plans to approve the deployment of 300 additional warplanes in the fight against Yugoslavia, in response to a request by the NATO Supreme Commander, Gen. Wesley K. Clark.
KOSOVO - MORE U-S PLANES Voice of America 13 April 1999 -- PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE CONSIDERING A REQUEST BY NATO'S MILITARY COMMANDER FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE HUNDRED MORE PLANES.
Safety, Accuracy Key to NATO Air Strikes By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 12 April 1999 -- Overall, about 7,300 American and 6,000 NATO service members along with 230 U.S. and 220 NATO planes support NATO air operations.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 12 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent
Kosovo ORBAT Update 12 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent
U.S. Sending 82 More Aircraft to Join NATO Forces American Forces Press Service 12 Apr 1999 -- A total of 82 more U.S. aircraft will join NATO's Operation Allied Force air campaign against Yugoslavia, DoD officials announced April 10.
Back shop maintainers provide behind-the-scenes support Air Force Print News 12 Apr 1999 -- The approximately 250 MXS people are mainly responsible for providing maintenance support for more than 30 KC-135s and RC-135s currently assigned to the 100th Air Expeditionary Wing, as well as the MC-130Hs and MC-130Ps and the MH-53J helicopters assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Group at RAF Mildenhall UK.
DoD News Briefing Monday, April 12, 1999 -- As far as Task Force Hawk goes, there have been upwards, if they close out the C-17s today which they're expecting 20 sorties, it will be 38 C-17 sorties as of this afternoon; and then over the next few days they expect to average 20 C-17 sorties into Tirane to close out Task Force Hawk. They'll continue to move force protection in. Then over the next seven to ten days they're hoping to close out the task force, and the helicopters will self-deploy over the next week or so.
BRIEFING BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR. ROBIN COOK, THE ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, MR. PASKAL MILO, AND AIR MARSHAL JOHN DAY, DEPUTY CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF (COMMITMENTS) 11 APRIL 1999 -- Britain has deployed the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible and its task force to the Ionian Sea, it will be supported by the destroyed HMS Newcastle and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fort Austin. HMS Invincible will bring its full complement of aircraft, including 7 Sea Harrier FA-2 aircraft and 10 Sea King helicopters, and that brings to a total of 19 the Harriers deployed by Britain to this conflict. For some time now the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset has been specifically allocated to the French Carrier Battlegroup led by the aircraft carrier Foch.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ORDERS MORE ASSETS TO EUROPE, April 10, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has ordered 82 additional aircraft to deploy to Europe in support of NATO Operation ALLIED FORCE. This new order includes the deployment of 24 additional F-16CJ fighters, four additional OA-10 close air support aircraft, six EA-6B Prowlers, 39 KC-135 tankers, two KC-10 tankers and seven C-130 transport aircraft. The F-16CJs, OA-10s and two EA-6B aircraft will come from the U.S. Atlantic Command. U.S. Pacific Command will supply four EA-6Bs, and U.S. Transportation Command will provide the KC-135s and C-130s.
DoD News Briefing, April 10, 1999 -- We've got about 400 there now. This is another 82. So it's approximately 480 US. The total number of tankers will be in the 100 tanker range. Yesterday we announced six F-15C fighters, and these are on top of those planes that we announced. Before this the overall NATO air package was 600, so now it will be about 680 or so. And to answer your next question, I anticipate that other allies will be announcing force enhancements soon. The Apache request came in stages. It was made verbally, but the paperwork had to follow. Then we had to go through a fairly extensive process of finding out where the best place to put the Apaches was. Also the Apaches were a more complex force package in that it involved not only the Apaches, but Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, and a significant on-ground force protection package. They will have Bradley fighting vehicles there for force protection. I would think within 30 days they'll be fully up and running, at the very latest. They could theoretically, within seven to ten days, be operating in some way in support of the mission.
Apache Copters May Take a Month to Fly in Balkans The New York Times 10 April 1999 -- The full deployment has moved sluggishly due to bad weather, slow-moving bureaucracy and an air-traffic bottleneck over Albania because of the airlift of food and relief supplies. A major factor in the delay has been the small and underequipped airport outside Tirana. If the airport operated 24 hours a day and was not hampered by the weather, the full force could arrive within 16 days. At the current pace, however, the estimate is that 25 more days will be needed, meaning it will be May 2 when the full force is there. NATO's senior military commander, Gen. Wesley Clark scolded officials organizing the airlift into Albania, ordering them to do more to speed the deployment. Other Pentagon officials would prefer to use the Apaches only after the air defenses are further weakened. The Apaches, along with the long-range rocket batteries, will ultimately set up a base at an airfield now being carved out of a pasture in an undisclosed location between Tirana and Albania's northern border with Kosovo.
DoD News Briefing Friday, April 9, 1999 -- The number of additional aircraft General Clark has asked for is in the dozens. It's a complement of aircraft similar to what are there now -- suppression of enemy air defense, some attack aircraft and some tankers. The purpose for the INCHON remaining in the area is they have heavy lift helicopters that have the capability to lift heavy loads into remote areas. As we talked about yesterday, the road from Tirane to Kukes is in terrible shape and it's going to take helicopters to get the food up to the refugees. They'll be used for humanitarian aid. The commander feels there's an adequate amount of both cruise missiles and TLAM missiles. There is an adequate amount of those type of weapons to execute the strategic targets.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ORDERS MORE ASSETS TO EUROPE April 9, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen tasked U.S. Pacific Command to deploy six F-15C aircraft to Europe in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. He also ordered a mine countermeasures ship to remain in the Mediterranean to participate in NATO Operation Allied Harbor.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 09 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent
Task Force Hawk sorties begin 9 Apr 1999 (AFPN) -- Airlift for Task Force Hawk began April 8 with five sorties of C-17s carrying the first elements to support deployment of Army Apache helicopters to Albania as part of Operation Allied Force.
DoD News Briefing -- April 8, 1999 -- Task Force Hawk, the Apache deployment from Europe into Albania, has been approved. The total airlift to support the 24 Apache helicopters and support that goes along with that is about 150 C-17 sorties. We have five of those C-17 sorties flying into Albania today with infantry fighting vehicles and cargo trucks. There will be four Bradley infantry fighting vehicles on the ground today there, and they will start setting up perimeter defense and start setting up force protection. The helicopters, the Apaches will self-deploy from Europe to Albania. Additionally, there are 12 aircraft with 22 crews that are dedicated for airlift for this deployment into Albania in Europe, and 45 C-17 sorties worth of cargo have been prepared at Ramstein Air Force Base and are being readied to be shipped into Albania. The concept as it is today looks like they'll be operating at Tirane Rinus Airport in Tirane. We're still hoping to have a small, initial capability, operational capability within seven to ten days, and then they'll start building up from there for full operation.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 08 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent
NATO: Lacking Ground Troops, General Seeks More in Air The New York Times - 08 April 1999 -- NATO's senior military commander, Gen. Wesley Clark, wants "vastly increased assets" over the 600 aircraft already involved. A major aim would be to improve NATO's ability to bomb Yugoslav armored forces in Kosovo. Since the raids began on March 24 the number of warplanes grew from 430 to more than 600. Clark believed the campaign could use additional A-10 jets and B-1 bombers. Although Italy's air fields are already overcrowded, NATO could not take full advantage of the recent good weather because it had no more planes to use.
DoD News Briefing Wednesday, April 7, 1999 -- Apaches are preparing to deploy in Germany as we speak today, and the intention is for them to get there as soon as possible, in the seven- to ten-day, maybe two-week period, for an initial capability. Then it would take a little bit longer for them to be full up and running. If they did go into Albania, obviously Tirane would be one of the locations where we would forward deploy the logistics or transship logistics that they would need to support that operation. The five Air National Guard air refueling wings supporting Operation ALLIED FORCE are the 155th out of Nebraska; the 186th out of Mississippi; the 134th out of Tennessee; the 126th out of Illinois; and the 108th out of New Jersey. Additionally, the 193rd Special Operations Wing from Pennsylvania is providing EC-130 support. No AC-130s are involved in this operation. The USS NASSAU Amphibious Ready Group will remain on station in the Adriatic. They were originally scheduled to return home on the 13th of May.
CLARK - KOSOVO Voice of America 07 April 1999 -- THE ALLIANCE WILL SOON ASK FOR A VAST EXPANSION OF FORCES TO SPEED UP ATTACKS AGAINST SERB TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA.
Army sending task force to Albania USAREUR NEWS RELEASE 990406-1 -- April 6, 1999 -- A task force of about 2,000 soldiers from U.S. Army Europe is preparing to deploy to Albania as part of "Operation Allied Force." "Task Force Hawk" will consist of about 50 helicopters, a Multiple Launch Rocket System battalion, an infantry battalion, a Deep Operation Control Center and support forces.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, MR GEORGE ROBERTSON 6 APRIL 1999 -- HMS Splendid, Britain’s Tomahawk missile submarine, has been reloaded with missiles and she will be back on station and ready for further attack within the next 24 hours.
DoD News Briefing -- April 6, 1999 -- The ROOSEVELT is in place and ready to perform air ops as we speak. What they bring is a complement of over 45 strike aircraft with an additional 15 to 20 support aircraft which increases the total number of aircraft in the region from the U.S. perspective up to about 600. That's counting support and everything else, plus the allies. The number of U.S. aircraft in theater is nothing near the total aircraft or military capability we have today in the U.S. military. The readiness of the U.S. military has been not really affected by this. From an air crew perspective particularly, the readiness probably has increased because we're actually doing the combat mission.
The Military: Needed on Several Fronts, U.S. Jet Force Is Strained The New York Times - 06 April 1999 -- The European Command moved 10 F-15 jets and 3 EA-6B prowler electronic warfare aircraft from Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to bases in Italy and immediately suspended the air patrols over northern Iraq. The United States and its allies have continued patrols over southern Iraq, but at a slower pace.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 06 April 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent
NATO: Anti-Tank Copters Will Go Into Action Against Serbs in Kosovo Soon, Allies Say The New York Times - 06 April 1999 -- The Apache anti-tank helicopters and their missile systems are expected to be in position in about a week.
DOD NEWS BRIEFING 05 April 1999 -- The Apaches have not yet started to move. How they move is still being worked out. They could fly down themselves. They could be carried in other planes, and that will all be worked out as we work out other details, such as the precise placement. I had said they could go to Tirane. It turns out they could go someplace else now. We may decide not to put them in Tirane in order not to clog up that airport for a period time while humanitarian aid is coming in. The ROOSEVELT is basically there doing carrier qualifications and should be ready for operations, I believe, tomorrow. I think she should be ready as soon as tomorrow to participate in operations. Last night U.S. participation, for example, in the strike included the full range of systems -- B-1s, B-2s, F-117s, the tactical aviation, the F-15s, F-16s.
Army sending task force to Albania (Army News Service, April 5, 1999) - A task force of about 2,000 soldiers from U.S. Army Europe is preparing to deploy to Albania as part of "Operation Allied Force." "Task Force Hawk" will consist of about 50 helicopters, a Multiple Launch Rocket System battalion, an infantry battalion, a Deep Operation Control Center and support forces. The Apaches will come from two elements of the 11th Aviation Regiment, headquartered in Illesheim, Germany. The support force will have about 400 soldiers and about 26 UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters to provide utility and medical evacuation support. The 41st Artillery Brigade will provide an MLRS battalion from the 1st Battalion, 27th Artillery Regiment from Babenhausen, Germany.
Additional F-117 stealth fighters arrive in Germany 5 Apr 1999 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- U.S.-based F-117 Nighthawks arrived here April 4 to help support NATO operations over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE April 5, 1999 -- This report is to inform you of my decision to deploy additional U.S. forces to Albania in support of ongoing NATO air operations to reduce the capacity of the Serbian military and security forces to conduct offensive operations. In particular, rotary wing, artillery, and tactical missile systems will be deployed to establish a deep strike task force in Albania to enhance NATO's ability to conduct effective air operations in Kosovo as part of the current NATO mission.
U.S. ATTACK HELICOPTERS AND MULTIPLE LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEMS TO DEPLOY IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ALLIED FORCE April 4, 1999 -- In anticipation of NATO's acceptance of this offer, the U.S. European Command has already begun preparations for the movement of the units from Germany to Albania. It is anticipated that it will take up to ten days to deploy the units.
Pentagon Sends in Carrier Battle Group By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 05 April 1999 -- Pentagon officials announced April 3 that Defense Secretary William S. Cohen had directed the Theodore Roosevelt battle group to remain in the Mediterranean to support Operation Allied Force.
DoD News Briefing Sunday, April 4, 1999 -- President Clinton has approved the deployment of two battalions of Apache attack helicopters from the 11th Aviation Brigade in Illesheim Germany to Albania to help support the air operations of Operation ALLIED FORCE. These helicopters will deploy from Germany in the next several days, and they will be accompanied by a battalion of Multiple Launch Rocket System artillery; the GPS satellite-guided versions of ATACMs; one mechanized infantry battalion [sic, company], which is about 120 people with 14 Bradley fighting vehicles; one military police company; one signal company, and other elements such as military intelligence, aviation maintenance, and required support. All together we reckon this will be about 2,000 soldiers on the ground in Albania. There will be 24 Apache attack helicopters, and there will be some other support helicopters, Black Hawks, Chinooks, etc. The ATACMs can range virtually all of Kosovo.
USS ROOSEVELT AIRCRAFT CARRIER HEADS FOR ADRIATIC SEA APRIL 3 By Butler T. Gray USIA APRIL 3, 1999 -- Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon announced April 3 that Defense Secretary William Cohen has ordered the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier to the Adriatic Sea to take part in "Operation Allied Force against Serbian forces."
The Strategy: Elite Forces Standing By if Air Power Doesn't Work The New York Times 03 April 1999 -- In all, there are close to 12,000 NATO troops in Macedonia, including 950 Italians, more than 200 Dutch troops, and 400 of various nationalities attached to the Rapid Reaction Corps headquarters. Those headquarters moved from Rheindahlen, Germany, to Macedonia a few weeks ago. The most readily transportable American forces in Europe are in the Southern European Task Force, a 4,000-member airborne light infantry brigade based in Vicenza, Italy; the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in the Adriatic, with 2,000 troops and materiel like attack helicopters and tanks, and the 1,000-members Special Forces drawn from the Army, Navy and Air Force. The United States had 70,000 troops in Germany, principally in the 1st Infantry Division in Wurzberg and the 1st Armored Division in Bad Kreuznach. An additional 11,500 troops are stationed in Italy, 10,000 in Britain, and close to 7,000 in Bosnia, with smaller presences elsewhere. Of the troops, 65,000 are in the Army, 34,000 in the Air Force, 10,000 in the Navy and 1,000 in the Special Forces.
More U.S. Fighters Join NATO Air Campaign By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 02 April 1999-- Defense Secretary William S. Cohen has directed 12 more F-117 stealth fighters to join NATO Operation Allied Force. The 12, plus one to replace the fighter lost over Yugoslavia March 27, are from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Their arrival this weekend will bring the total number of stealth fighters to 24 and the total number of U.S. aircraft taking part in the air campaign to 210, said Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon.
53rd Wing helps get B-1s to the fight (AFPN) 2 Apr 1999 -- With the help of the 53rd Wing the B-1 bomber is now a part of NATO's Operation Allied Force. Achieving in less than 100 hours what normally takes a few months, the wing developed, tested and fielded new software for the B-1B, allowing it to join the NATO effort April 1 -- less than a week after the call came for their support.
B-1B's, Predators enter conflict in Yugoslavia : 2 Apr 1999 (AFPN) -- B-1B Lancers flew their first bombing missions in NATO's Operation Allied Force over Yugoslavia the night of April 1, striking "fairly large staging areas" in Kosovo. The Air Force Predator, an unmanned aerial vehicle, also began surveillance flights for the operation April 1.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ORDERS 12 MORE F-117S TO EUROPE April 1, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has directed the deployment of 12 additional F-117A Nighthawk stealth attack fighters to join other U.S. aircraft currently supporting Operation Allied Force.
DoD News Briefing 01 April 1999 -- Secretary Cohen has directed that 12 additional F-117 fighters be deployed to Operation ALLIED FORCE. Actually, a total of 13 planes will go over, including one to replace the lost stealth fighter last weekend. So that will bring our total of stealth fighters up to 24 in the theater and our total number of aircraft up to about 220, total number of U.S. aircraft.
March 1999
DoD News Briefing Wednesday, March 31, 1999 -- Weather permitting, I believe the Predator is ready to go. I don't think the Hunter is on-line yet. The carrier battle group will arrive early in the Mediterranean. Its assignment to this theater remains a possibility, but no decision has been made. General Clark certainly has raised the possibility that the ROOSEVELT could be used in his operation. A request for the Apaches has been made, but it has not been approved yet. We've got approximately 210 airplanes. I think you know the major elements: B-52, B-2s, F-117s. There are also A-10s, F-15s, F-16s, a wide range of--obviously a large number of tankers.
NATO operations make modern bomber history (AFPN) 31 Mar 1999 -- When five B-1B bombers were ordered to deploy to Europe March 29 in support of NATO operations in Yugoslavia, it marked a milestone in modern bomber history. Operation Allied Force is the first time the Air Force's heavy bomber fleet -- the B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer -- are being used together operationally.
Media daily briefing By Lieutenant-Colonel Yvan Houle Canadian Air Staff spokeperson – 31 March 1999 -- Ramp space in Aviano itself is a prime consideration but we hope to be able to co-locate all 12 CF-18s there. All 12 CF-18s will be PGM-capable. Further from withdrawing all CF-18 aircraft from "Exercice Brilliant Foil", Canada is also withdrawing KC-130 Hercules are participation, and is currently considering participation of CE-144 Challenger electronic warfare aircraft. Canadian Forces have committed two CC-130 Hercules transport aircraft for intra-theatre tactical airlift. At the same time, we are committing CC-150 Polaris as required for strategic airlift.
Canadian air operations over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - 30 March 1999 -- We have received today a request from the Supreme Allied Command in Europe to provide additional CF-18 jet fighter aircraft plus crew in the air campaign effort in Yugoslavia. We will be providing an additional six CF-18s. We hope that they’ll be stationed in Aviano. We are awaiting confirmation that they in fact can join our other aircraft in Aviano. This will bring to 12 the CF-18 squadron that we have for purposes of these flights to Yugoslavia. The Canadian Forces have two types of aircraft dedicated to the transport role - the CC-150 Polaris Strategic Transport Aircraft and the CC-130 Hercules Tactical Transport Aircraft. Polaris is the name given to the five Airbus A-310 aircraft acquired by the military in the early ‘90s.
DoD News Briefing, March 30, 1999 -- The number of American personnel is somewhere in the 7,300 to 7,500 range. The number of American aircraft now is probably about, around 210. It goes up and down depending on swap-outs, etc. For instance, some of the B-52s that are there now will come back. And the total number of aircraft in the NATO force would be probably around 370, 380. Gen. Clark has moved, I believe, six or eight more A-10s from one part of his theater to another down to Aviano. He can make these intra-theater changes in force on his own, and he's done that. I think, in the last day or two, he has augmented the A-10 supply in Aviano. Q: Can you explain why NATO would have to decide on a deployment of Apaches? Is that because Apaches are essentially a ground system? A: This is a NATO operation.
More B-52s to bolster deployed force USAFE News Service March 30, 1999 -- The first of three B-52H Stratofortresses landed here March 27 to bolster the four-plane force already on station. The previous day, four Barksdale bombers launched and headed home to Louisiana after participating in the first wave of airstrikes over the former Republic of Yugoslavia March 24.
U.S. Commits More Air Power to Allied Force By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 30 March 1999 -- The United States is adding more planes to its contingent of more than 250 aircraft and 7,300 service members supporting NATO Operation Allied Force. Defense Secretary William S. Cohen has ordered five B-1B Lancer bombers, five EA-6B Prowlers, 10 refueling tankers and several Predator and Hunter unmanned aerial reconnaissance aircraft to Europe. Pentagon officials are also considering sending Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.
BRIEFING BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR. ROBIN COOK, AND THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, GEN SIR CHARLES GUTHRIE 29 MARCH 1999 - An additional four Royal Air Force Harriers arrived in Gioia del Colle yesterday and are today ready for operations. This brings to twelve the total of Harriers we have available. Also now in the region is the additional RAF Tristar tanker which will fly in support of our aircraft, and those of other nations. The Royal Air Force is also preparing eight Tornadoes so that they will be ready for action, if required, in the next few days.
Bombers supplement NATO forces (AFPN) 29 Mar 1999 -- Five B-1B Lancer bombers are deploying to Europe to beef up the U.S. contribution to NATO's Operation Allied Force. The planes will depart Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., and be ready for air operations by April 1.
More B-52s bolster deployed force U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service 29 Mar 1999 -- The first of three additional B-52H Stratofortresses landed here March 27 to bolster the four-plane force already here.
SECRETARY COHEN ORDERS MORE BOMBERS TO EUROPE March 29, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has ordered five B-1B Lancer bombers to Europe to plus up the U.S. contribution to NATO's OPERATION ALLIED FORCE. The planes will depart Ellsworth AFB, S.D., and be ready for air operations no later than April 1.
DoD News Briefing , March 29, 1999 -- The United States is sending some new assets into the theater as part of the NATO plan to augment the air force. The Predator is now ready to go. It was weathered out yesterday. There will be a couple of days of training, then the Predator will be on the case if the weather permits. We are also in the process of sending eight Hunter UAVs over to the theater to operate, to give us more unmanned surveillance. Predator and Hunter can be susceptible to icing in the winter which makes it impossible to fly. Predator has not flown in Bosnia during the winter. The weather is pretty much the same, maybe even worse in Kosovo. So there are times during the year when they can't fly.
PENTAGON-KOSOVO Voice of America 29 March 1999 -- WITH UP TO HALF THE DAILY SORTIES NOW AIMED AT TARGETS INSIDE KOSOVO PROVINCE, THE U-S AIR FORCE IS SENDING IN MORE SPECIALIZED FIREPOWER.
BRITAIN ANNOUNCES INCREASE IN RAF AIRCRAFT FOR NATO USIA 28 March 1999 -- Britain announced March 29 that it has increased the number of Royal Airforce aircraft engaged in support of the NATO operation in Yugoslavia.The additional aircraft include: 12 Harrier GR7s, 8 Tornado GR1s, 2 Tristar Tankers, and 3 E-3D AWACS.
BRIEFING BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, MR. GEORGE ROBERTSON, AND THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, GEN SIR CHARLES GUTHRIE 28 MARCH 1999 -- Another four RAF Harriers will deploy to Italy to join the eight already there. These aircraft will be ready for operations tomorrow. Eight Tornado GR1 bombers should be prepared for operations against Serbia. To support this increased air effort an additional RAF Tristar tanker from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire will join the NATO air to air refuelling fleet later today. Other allies are also increasing their efforts. The United Kingdom has agreed to a request from the United States to operate additional United States B52 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, armed as they are with their air launch Cruise missiles, and some of those have already arrived.
USS Roosevelt CVBG Ready to Deploy NAVEUR NEWS SERVICE By 2nd Fleet Public Affairs (NWS) - Ships and squadrons of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Battle Group deployed March 26 from their east coast bases for a scheduled six-month deployment.
Aviano remains ready for NATO's call USAFENS 23 March 1999-- March 23, 1999 31st Air Expeditionary Fighter Wing Public Affairs (USAFENS) -- With negotiations in Paris failing to yield an agreement, deployed military service members and aircraft from around the world remain at Aviano to support possible NATO air operations over the former Republic of Yugoslavia.
U.S. AIRCRAFT ORDERED TO DEPLOY IN SUPPORT OF NATO OPERATIONS March 19, 1999 --Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen today ordered the deployment of seven additional U.S.-based aircraft to the European Theater in support of NATO operations. The aircraft have been alerted to be prepared to move within 48 hours. Deploying aircraft include three EA-6B Prowlers and four KC-135 refuelers.
USS Enterprise/CVW-3 return to the Arabian Gulf NAVY WIRE SERVICE (NWS18) - 18 March 1999 - USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and Carrier Air Wing THREE (CVW 3) transited the Suez Canal March 14, headed east toward their second visit to the Arabian Gulf during the current deployment.
Five EA-6B aircraft to redeploy NAVY WIRE SERVICE - 4 March 1999 - Five of the 10 EA-6B Prowlers, which had deployed to Europe to support NATO, are to return to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. Once they arrive, they are to resume their prepare-to- deploy posture.
February 1999
Air Force beefs up expeditionary forces (AFPN) 24 Feb 1999 -- The 31st Air Expeditionary Wing includes EC-130E airborne battlefield command and control centers and EC-130H electronic warfare aircraft. The 100th Expeditionary Air Refueling Wing includes RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and KC-135s.
Air Force beefs up expeditionary forces 24 Feb 1999 (AFPN) -- The Air Force formally assigned deployed aircraft and people Monday to two air expeditionary wings currently supporting Bosnia operations, and established a third expeditionary wing to support NATO forces in response to the Kosovo crisis.
The number of B-52Hs at RAF Fairford increased from 6 to 8 on 22 February 1999. Subsequently a number of F-15s departed RAF Lakenheath for Italy, with roughly a dozen F-15Cs going to Cervia-San Giorgio on Sunday 21 February, with additional F-15Es also going to Italy.
F-117s arrive at Aviano to support possible NATO operations Air Force Print News 22 Feburary 1999 -- About a dozen F-117 Nighthawk aircraft from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., began arriving here Feb. 21 to support possible NATO air operations over the former Republic of Yugoslavia.
Ramstein C-130s support Kosovo contingency USIA 22 Feburary 1999 (AFPN) -- C-130 transport planes based at Ramstein continue to airlift people and cargo in support of possible NATO air operations over the former Republic of Yugoslavia.
Kosovo ORBAT Update 21 February 1999 - from Our Special Correspondent
ACC assets deploy in support of possible NATO air operations 19 Feb 1999 (AFPN) Support people from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., have already departed for Aviano Air Base, Italy, where 12 F-117 Nighthawks will be forward-based. Six B-52 Stratofortress bombers and associated support people from Barksdale AFB, La., will deploy to Royal Air Force Base Fairford, United Kingdom.
AMC supports force deployment for Kosovo 19 Feb 1999 (AFPN) -- Air Mobility Command is supporting the movement of 22 fighter aircraft from the United States to bases in Europe to support possible NATO airstrikes in Kosovo. Seven AMC bases will provide 29 aerial refueling aircraft to ferry the fighters from the U.S. to Europe and to provide additional tanker capability in Europe. Four KC-10 Extender and 25 KC-135 Stratotankers will deploy and stay at selected European bases to provide in-flight refueling support for airstrikes if necessary.
Reserve unit supports possible Kosovo air ops (AFPN) 19 Feb 1999 -- The 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, launched a C-141B Starlifter today in support of possible NATO air operations in Yugoslavia.
B-52 AIRCRAFT ORDERED TO DEPLOY TO UNITED KINGDOM February 19, 1999 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has ordered the deployment of six B-52 aircraft to the Royal Air Force base at Fairford, United Kingdom. The aircraft, based at Barksdale Air Force Base near Bossier City, La., are expected to depart for England within the next two days.
DoD News Briefing Thursday, February 18, 1999 -- The United States plus NATO in general, already have in position in Europe sufficient aircraft to take action should that be the course that is required by NATO. The movement of these aircraft certainly adds to the capability and brings additional forces closer to the theater, but that is not to say that action could not be taken in their absence. The 117s, I think most of you know come from Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. The 10 EA-6B Prowlers come from -- five of them are going to come from Whidbey Island in Washington, five of them will come from Cherry Point, North Carolina. The KC-10s come from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey and Travis Air Force Base in California. And the 135s come from McConnell Air Base in Kansas, Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington, Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, Robbins Air Force Base in Georgia, and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. As I say, they'll be departing over the next two or three days.
MILITARY READIES FOR PEACE OR ACTION PENDING KOSOVO TALKS OUTCOME Jacquelyn S. Porth USIA 18 February 1999 -- The deployment includes 12 F-117 Stealth aircraft, 10 EA-6B Prowler aircraft, and 29 KC-10 and KC-135 refuelers required to keep other aircraft aloft for extended periods.
Cohen Orders 51 Aircraft to Bulk NATO's Kosovo Muscle Jim Garamone and Linda Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 18 February 1999 -- Fifty-one U.S. aircraft will deploy to European staging areas to support possible air operations in Yugoslavia, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said Feb. 17.
U.S. AIRCRAFT ORDERED TO DEPLOY IN SUPPORT OF NATO OPERATIONS February 17, 1999 --- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen today ordered the deployment of additional U.S.-based aircraft to Europe in support of potential NATO operations. The aircraft are to be prepared to move within 48 hours.
January 1999
DoD News Briefing Tuesday, January 26, 1999 -- No forces have been deployed from the United States or been put on alert for deployment from the United States -- no deployment orders have been signed. The Commander-in-Chief of American forces in Europe, Gen. Clark has moved some forces within his theater closer to Kosovo, some naval forces and a small number of planes.
DoD News Briefing Thursday, January 21, 1999 -- We have not moved any planes from the United States to Europe. As you probably recall last fall when NATO initially passed its activation order for a possible air campaign, there was an allied force that totaled 430 planes. Those were combat aircraft as well as support aircraft, tankers, etc., AWACS. That is the largest possible force that was contemplated under the activation order last fall. Most of those planes are already in Europe.
PENTAGON OUTLINES POSSIBLE NATO MOVES IN KOSOVO Susan Ellis USIA 21 January 1999 -- In the past several days NATO forces have been placed on two-day or 48-hour alert for possible action in Kosovo. That order has reduced the alert time from the earlier four days or 96 hours, which had been stiplulated by the activation order agreed to by NATO members in the autumn of 1998. The U.S. aircraft that were poised to strike then are still in Europe.
KOSOVO: FURTHER DEPLOYMENT OF HARRIERS TO ITALY 20 January 1999 - Defence Secretary George Robertson announced today that the UK will shortly be deploying four additional Harrier GR7 ground attack aircraft and an additional tanker aircraft to Italy to join other UK and NATO forces. This will bring the total number of RAF aircraft in Italy to eight Harrier GR7s and two tankers.
COHEN / KOSOVO Voice of America 20 January 1999 -- U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS READY TO BOMB YUGOSLAVIA IF NATO DECIDES AIR ATTACKS ARE NEEDED. MR. COHEN ALSO SAYS YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAS BROKEN PROMISES TO REDUCE TENSIONS IN KOSOVO.
KOSOVO / U-S Voice of America 20 January 1999 -- THE UNITED STATES IS MOVING THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ENTERPRISE AND AT LEAST THREE OTHER WARSHIPS CLOSER TO YUGOSLAVIA. THE DUTCH ARE SENDING EIGHT MORE F-16 FIGHTERS TO ITALY TO REINFORCE NATO PLANES PATROLLING THE SKIES OVER KOSOVO.
NATO-KOSOVO Voice of America 20 January 1999 -- : NATO SAYS IT IS MOVING MILITARY FORCES CLOSER TO YUGOSLAVIA, BUT NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE TO USE THEM TO STOP THE SERBIAN OFFENSIVE IN ITS PROVINCE OF KOSOVO.
KOSOVO / NATO PLANES Voice of America 19 January 1999 -- NATO COMMANDERS NOW HAVE ABOUT 100 PLANES AVAILABLE WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF YUGOSLAVIA IF THE DECISION IS MADE TO LAUNCH AN AIR ATTACK. THE NUMBER OF PLANES IS GROWING. THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ENTERPRISE -- WITH ABOUT 75 AIRCRAFT ABOARD -- IS HEADING FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA TO ADRIATIC WATERS NEAR YUGOSLAVIA.
NATO / KOSOVO Voice of America 17 January 1999 -- THE NATO COUNCIL MAKES NO SPECIFIC MILITARY THREAT AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. HOWEVER, THE STATEMENT SAYS AN EXISTING ORDER FOR AIR STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA REMAINS IN EFFECT.
December 1998

November 1998
PENTAGON PUTS U.S.-BASED B-52S ON ALERT FOR NATO SUPPORT USIA 04 November 1998 -- The Defense Department has authorized putting U.S.-based B-52 bombers and supporting refueling aircraft on alert to support NATO operations. Six US B-52s had been sent to the United Kingdom in October from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana in case there was a NATO requirement to respond militarily in Kosovo. Now those aircraft will return to the continental United States. The alliance has some 300 aircraft in the European region standing by for possible Kosovo-related operations.
October 1998
48th FW's Deployed members settle in at Cervia Jet 48 Magazine 23 October 1998
Aviano maintainers, loaders continue heightened readiness 19 October 1998 -- (AFPN) -- Although recent events have changed the nature of NATO's focus on Kosovo, maintainers and other support personnel at Aviano remain geared for air operations should the need arise. Opting to oversee rather than take military action, the alliance extended the compliance deadline to Oct. 27.
B-52s stand ready for action at RAF Fairford 16 October 1998 -- About 260 U.S. airmen are deployed here from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and several bases across Europe to support the six B-52s which stand ready on the Fairford apron. The B-52s, which could be called on at any time to support contingency operations in Kosovo, arrived Oct. 11.
B-52s stand ready for action at RAF Fairford : October 15, 1998 (USAFENS) -- About 260 U.S. airmen are deployed here from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and several bases across Europe to support the six B-52s which stand ready on the Fairford apron. The B-52s, which could be called at any time on to support contingency operations in Kosovo, arrived Oct. 11.
Rhein-Main AB establishes air refueling staging base : Oct. 14, 1998 (USAFENS) - Four U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extenders deployed from a U.S. base and arrived at Rhein-Main Oct. 12 to establish an aerial refueling staging operation in support of possible future contingencies in Kosovo.
Spangdahlem deploys fighters, 700 airmen : October 14, 1998 (USAFENS) -- Approximately six A-10 Thunderbolt II, 30 F-16CJ and 15 F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft and more than 700 airmen from the 52nd Fighter Wing are deploying to a forward location in support of possible NATO contingency operations in Kosovo.
Air Force forms expeditionary wings for NATO contingency 14 October 1998 -- (AFPN) -- The U.S. Air Force has formed four air expeditionary wings should NATO call for air strikes later this week. The units were formed primarily to support the possibility of air operations over Serbia.
B-52s arrive in Europe, add more muscle to NATO air forces 13 October 1998 -- (AFPN) -- Six B-52 Stratofortress aircraft arrived here Oct. 11 from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., to support possible NATO contingency operations in Kosovo.
48th Fighter Wing deploys F-15Cs to support mission 13 October 1998 -- (AFPN) -- Approximately 15 F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft and approximately 250 airmen from the 48th Fighter Wing are deploying from here to a forward location in support of possible NATO contingency operations in Kosovo.
NATO Sets 96-Hour Deadline, U.S. Deploys B-52s By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 13 October -- NATO voted to take military action Oct. 12 and gave Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic 96 hours to comply with a U.N. Security Council resolution on Kosovo.
TEXT: B-52 AIRCRAFT ORDERED TO DEPLOY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM USIA 13 October 1998 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has ordered the deployment of six B-52 aircraft to the Royal Air Force base Fairford, United Kingdom.
BRITAIN / KOSOVO Voice of America 12 October 1998 -- U-S B-52 BOMBERS ARRIVED THIS PAST WEEKEND AT SEVERAL BRITISH AIRFIELDS TO WAIT FOR A GO-AHEAD FROM NATO COMMANDERS.
B-52 / KOSOVO Voice of America 11 October 1998 -- U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN DISPATCHED SIX B-52'S FROM BARKSDALE, LOUISIANA TO BRITIAN.
Lakenheath's 48th Fighter Wing deploys F-15Cs to support mission : October 11, 1998 (USAFENS) -- Approximately 15 F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft and approximately 250 airmen from the 48th Fighter Wing are deploying from here to a forward location in support of possible NATO contingency operations in Kosovo.
B-52 AIRCRAFT ORDERED TO DEPLOY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM October 10, 1998 -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen today ordered the deployment of six B-52 aircraft to the Royal Air Force base Fairford, United Kingdom.
B-52'S-KOSOVO Voice of America 10 October 1998 -- DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN DISPATCHED HEAVY BOMBERS FROM THE UNITED STATES TO A BASE IN BRITAIN.
NATO Air Strikes Imminent By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 09 October 1998 -- Nearly 260 U.S. planes will be among the 430 allied aircraft NATO may soon send into action, according to U.S. Defense Secretary William S. Cohen.
KOSOVO / AIR DEFENSE Voice of America 08 October 1998 -- PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY SOME 430 PLANES MAY BE NEEDED FOR A NATO OPERATION. YUGOSLAVIA HAS SEVERAL SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SYSTEMS BESIDES THE S-A-6 -- WHICH ARE OLD, BUT STILL EFFECTIVE.
United States commits forces for possible Kosovo strikes 08 October 1998 -- (AFPN) -- U.S. air and naval forces are preparing to support NATO forces should the order come to strike against Serb forces in Kosovo. Although no forces have moved into place, the U.S. commitment could involve more than 200 aircraft, including a Navy carrier air wing.
DoD News Briefing - Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. John J. Hamre , October 8, 1998 - Q: The answer may be obvious, but what's the reason for pledging B-2s, very expensive B-2s and F-117s as part of a potential package for NATO strikes in Kosovo?
KOSOVO AIRSTRIKES Voice of America 08 October 1998 -- U-S FORCES ARE BASED IN ITALY, GERMANY, BRITAIN AND AT SEA ON THE U-S-S EISENHOWER. THE FIRST WAVE OF ANY ATTACK IS SAID LIKELY TO BE A BARRAGE OF CRUISE MISSILES AIMED AT YUGOSLAV AIR DEFENSE RADARS, SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES, AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN BATTERIES. PLANS ARE SAID TO INCLUDE A PAUSE AFTER THE INITIAL ATTACK TO ALLOW YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO CHANGE HIS MIND AND MEET U-N SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS
COHEN KOSOVO Voice of America 02 October 1998 -- DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS NATO AIR STRIKES COULD HIT SERB TARGETS IN KOSOVO AND ELSEWHERE IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. COHEN ALSO SAYS NATO MAY MUSTER 'SEVERAL HUNDRED' AIRCRAFT FOR THE ATTACKS.
PENTAGON / KOSOVO Voice of America 01 October 1998 -- A WELL KNOWN EXPERT IN STRATEGIC STUDIES SAYS AIR STRIKES MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT WAY TO SOLVE THE KOSOVO PROBLEM. THE SERB FORCES HAVE FEW LARGE TROOPS CONCENTRATIONS, TANK FORMATIONS OR LARGE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES THAT COULD BE HURT BY AIR RAIDS.
NATO-KOSOVO Voice of America 01 October 1998 -- IN BRUSSELS THURSDAY, NATO AMBASSADORS COMPLETED TECHNICAL PLANNING FOR A POSSIBLE MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST SERB FORCES AS A WAY TO PREVENT MORE KILLING OF CIVILIANS IN KOSOVO.
DoD News Briefing, October 1, 1998 - NATO has taken another action today. It has voted out the Activation Request or so-called ACTREQ. This is another step in the process NATO must go through before a force can be employed. Last week, as you recall, NATO voted out the Activation Warning, and that was alerting countries that a military action was contemplated. All the options involve striking against military targets. The goal of the options is to reduce or degrade the Serbian military's ability to continue striking the Kosovar Albanians, to continue its attacks.
September 1998
BRIEFING BY SLOCOMBE, VERSHBOW ON NAC DECISION USIA 24 September 1998 -- Permanent Representatives (who make up the North Atlantic Council) "took the very important decision to approve the force generation process to complete NATO planning for possible air operations in connection with Kosovo.
DoD News Briefing , September 22, 1998 - The North Atlantic Council has approved two contingency operation plans. One is an air plan and another is a plan to monitor and maintain a cease-fire agreement if one is reached. There's also a concept of operations for dealing with smuggling and other transporter traffic.
August 1998
NATO Forces to Exercise Near Kosovo By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 10 August 1998 -- NATO is primed to exercise military forces in Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia -- two nations bordering the troubled Serb province of Kosovo.
July 1998

June 1998
CALLS FOR NATO FORCE TO HALT THE VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO Voice of America 29 June 1998 -- NATO IS PLANNING FOR POSSIBLE AIR STRIKES TO HALT THE VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO.
Aviano AB Italy - Official
Aviano AB Italy - Un-Official

A special thanks to Alexander Engelhardt in Germany and a number of other kind contributors for helping clear up some of the pesky details.

Military

Operation ALLIED FORCE Kosovo Order of Battle

June 1999

May 1999

April 1999

March 1999

February 1999

January 1999

December 1998

November 1998

October 1998

September 1998

August 1998

July 1998

June 1998

Operation ALLIED FORCE
Kosovo Order of Battle