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US Forces Order of Battle - 06 January

This is a "best available" order-of-battle of forces deployed in CENTCOM's part of Southwest Asia, as well as EUCOM forces in Turkey participating in Operation Northern Watch. Even prior to September 11, 2001, the amount of publicly available information concerning aircraft types and specific units has diminished to the point that it is no longer possible to provide a high fidelity profile of current deployments. There are evidently significant gaps in unit identifications, as well as non-trivial uncertainties as to numbers of specific types of aircraft. The presence of significant numbers of civilian contractor personnel at various facilities in the region further complicates accounting for total personnel numbers.

Excluding forces deployed in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom, there are probably about 52,000 military personnel in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, including about 400 aircraft of all types. The number of troops deployed in the area fluctuates on a daily basis, and has averaged between 20,000 and 25,000 in recent years, with typically about 200 aircraft in the region. Forces in the region include a mix of special operations forces deployed in support of US Central Command operations. To enhance force protection throughout the region, additional military security personnel are also deployed.

Ground forces include a variety of units that are normally deployed in the region, which total about 3,700 troops. Forces in the region include a Patriot missile task force with two batteries deployed in Saudi Arabia and two in Kuwait. The Army Intrinsic Action / Desert Spring training exercises routinely deploy 1,500 to 5,000 troops for rotations of several months. As of early-December 2002 a brigade rotation was virtually complete. Nearly all of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division had returned to the United States, though comments made by 3rd Division officials to the press have made it clear that the 3rd BDE could redeploy to the region if so ordered. It is believed that the total Army presence in the region is nearly 10,000 soldiers.

The US Air Force's Expeditionary Air and Space Force (EAF) concept and organization sets a guideline for Air Force deployments to operational locations. The EAF is comprised of 10 Aerospace Expeditionary Forces (AEF) each with lead combat and support wings including on-call wings that could be deployed if required. Deployments for active duty units lasts roughly 90-days while Reserve and Guard units deploy typically for 30 - 60 days. Generally one AEF is assigned to Operation Southern Watch and one is assigned to Northern Watch. AEF 7 and AEF 8 units deployed beginning in late November and will remain until the end of February 2003.

The EUCOM Area of Responsibility includes approximately 1,700 Air Force personnel at Incrilik AB Turkey, flying Operation Northern Watch patrols (Though there are roughly 4,000 people at Incirlik in general). Prior to Operation Enduring Freedom, approximately 6,200 Air Force personnel were normally stationed in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility. As many as 17,500 Air Force personnel may be currently stationed in the CENTCOM and EUCOM areas responsible for operations against Iraq, operating a total of about 280 aircraft of all types.

Naval units include a headquarters and shore-based units comprised of about 1,200 people at Manama in Bahrain. Nearly a thousand civilian mariners are associated with Military Sealift Command ships at Diego Garcia. During the 1990s overall Naval force personnel levels in the CENTCOM AOR typically varied between 8,000 and 15,000. Each Carrier Battlegroup, with its associated Carrier Air Wing, has approximately 11,000 sailors embarked. Each Amphibious Group has about 1,700 sailors, 1,500 Marines, and 700 Marine aviators embarked. As of mid-to-late December 2002 there was one carrier battle group in the area, and one amphibious group, for a total of around 14,000 naval personnel. These units included about 128 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. A total of about 507 Vertical Launch System cells are available for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which is roughly twice the average number typically deployed in recent years. Based on estimates of prior deployments, perhaps as many as 200 Tomahawks are actually deployed. The cruise missile force can be augmented significantly within days.

Currently, there are about 370 combatant and direct support aircraft in the Iraq [CENTCOM and EUCOM] Area of Responsibility, which total includes air to air, air to ground, dual role, direct support, and attack helicopters.

Note: While this listing is dated, one should keep in mind that the page is often edited numerous times during a particular edition, sometimes daily. One should visit the page often to get the most up-to-date listing of affairs.

Recent Developments

An Associated Press story dated January 1, 2003 indicates that the 1st and 3rd Brigades from the 3rd Infantry Division have been ordered to the Middle East and will begin to transit to the region in the coming days.

Command elements of 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division have already begun to deploy to Kuwait. According to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer on January 3, 2003, an undisclosed number of the headquarters staff and other advance elements departed on or about Jan. 2. A reference to this deployment has been added to the Kabals listing.

The Abraham Lincoln Battle Group as of December 30, 2002 was operating south of Australia transiting back to the United States. According to reports from the Associated Press dated January 1, 2003 the Lincoln was ordered to remain deployed rather than returning to the United States. On January 2, 2003, based on Navy documents, the Abraham Lincoln was believed to be Northwest of Australia, indicating a redeployment to the Persian Gulf. However, on January 3, 2003 a story in the West Australian indicated that the Lincoln and elements of her Battle Gorup would be returning to Fremantle for maintenance and resupply.

The USS Tarawa, the rest of her Amphibious Ready Group, and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deploying on January 6, 2003. While this deployment has been previously scheduled it is believed that she will transit directly to the Persian Gulf. The USCGC Boutwell, which is transiting with the Tarawa departed on January 3 from Alameda. It will take her roughly 30 days to arrive in the North Arabian Sea.

Reports from Reuters and other sources on January 3, 2003 confirmed that units from the I Marine Expeditionary Force had received orders to deploy to Kuwait and that troops and equipment would begin to move "soon".

Elements of V Corps have received orders to deploy to Kuwait. According to Stars & Stripes in a story on January 2, 2003 the 94th Engineer Battalion, the 22nd Signial Brigade, the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, and the 3rd Corps Support Command will be departing for Kuwait in the coming weeks.

Additionally, a report in the Stars and Stripes dated January 2, 2003 indicates that elements of the 1st Infantry, 1st Armored, 1st Cavalry and 101st Airborne Divisions will be gathering in Germany in mid-January under exercise Victory Scrimmage, where they will flesh out the ground strategy against Iraq.

1,000 soldiers from the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade have deployed to Israel recently. This deployment is part of Operation Shining Presence a Joint Exercise involving United States and Israeli forces. This is not, however, a routine deployment as US forces are scheduled to remain in the area following the conclusion of the exercise.

300 soldiers from the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and the 35th ADA Brigade will depart for Southwest Asia in the coming weeks according to a story by the Associated Press on January 3, 2003. Both units are Patriot units.

600 soldiers from V Corps returned to Germany sometime before Christmas. However, a listing for V Corps will remain on the Order of Battle as 100 troops from the unit remain in Kuwait.

The 20th Special Operations Squadron has been identified as being located in Djibouti in support of operations in the Horn of Africa. A story dated December 29, 2002 from the Marine Corps News indicated that a Pavelow unit from Hurlburt Field was operating from Djibouti. The only Pavelow unit at Hurlburt is the 20th SOS.

The 118th Fighter Squadron was identified as being located at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. The unit arrived in late December but it is unclear as to whether this was a scheduled deployment or if this was a last minute arrangement.

The 22nd Fighter Squadron reportedly left for Kuwait on December 30, 2002 according to a story in the Stars and Stripes dated January 3, 2003. Some 300 airmen and an undisclosed number of aircaft departed for a CENTCOM location believed to be in Kuwait, most likely to Al Jaber. It is believed that the unit replaced the 510th Fighter Squadron which had been at Al Jaber since September.

The 391st Fighter Squadron previously listed at Al Jaber has been identified as having returned to the United States in September. The units return could not be verified through news reports or through the media but was rather confirmed by a tip from an anonymous caller, an illustration of the difficulty in tracking CENTCOM units.

Additionally, VMFA 212 also located at Al Jaber is most certainly not still deployed.

D Company of the 1-159 Aviation Regiment has according to a story by the Associated Press dated January 2, 2003 reportedly been activated and alerted to deploy with 22 of its 50 members. D Company flies the OH-58D Kiowa. The unit will not be deployed as a unit but will be seeded in other units. The elements of D Company will be deployed by late January.

The 6-6th Cavalry, an Apache squadron, is reportedly no longer in Kuwait. It is unclear when the unit returned, or if it shall redeploy, but V Corps spokesmen state that it is currently in Germany.

VAQ 133, previously located at Incirlik supporting Northern Watch, returned to the United States recently.

Alerts & RUMINT

Shortly after December 26, 2002 a number of reports began to surface concerning various alerts that some units may or not have received ordering them to prepare for a deployment to the Southwest Asia region. While it is not clear just how accurate these reports are this section is being provided to better track the RUMINT that are floating around the media.

Two infantry battalions from the 53rd Infantry Brigade (Florida National Guard) have been activated and will be sent to Fort Stewart for training. It is unclear whether or not these units, the 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment will be sent to the Middle East, Afghanistan or Homeland Security but it is an aligned unit of the 24th Infantry Division, which is associated with the XVIII Airborne Corps.

The George Washington and most of her Battle Group has also reportedly received an official notification that it should deploy within 96 hours of receiving a deploy order. Standard Operating Procedure for carriers that have just returned from a deployment would make the Washington the Surge Carrier for a period of time, so this notification is not particularly new. Furthermore, sources indicate that there has not been a change in the GW's status, ie supplies are not being loaded and leaves have not been cancelled.

The Kitty Hawk and her Battle Group could possibly be one of the other Pacific based carriers to receive a deployment alert. However, there are indications that the Kitty Hawk will not deploy for the Middle East as she may be kept in the region in light of recent tensions with North Korea. The news that the Lincoln Battle Group had been ordered to remain underway may confirm the theory that the Kitty Hawk will remain in the region in case of increased tensions with the DPRK.

Various news story's also indicate that two Amphibious Ready Groups have also been alerted to prepare for an early deployment. While the Navy has not disclosed which two ARGs will be sent the USS Tarawa ARG is already due to depart sometime after the beginning of the New Year and the USS Iwo Jima ARG has completed its pre-deployment training exercises and is scheduled to depart in February. Each ARG carries a Marine Expeditionary Unit, in this instance it will be the 15th MEU and the 26th MEU respectively.

The Associated Press reported on December 27, 2002 that the USNS Comfort had recieved orders to depart for Diego Garcia as early as December 30, 2002. One of the obvious prerequisites for a war with Iraq has been the the need to have a hospital ship nearby to receive casualties.

Stars and Stripes reported on December 28, 2002 that elements of V Corps received warning orders. Stars and Stripes went on to say that the orders did not involve the 1st Infantry Division nor the 1st Armored Division but rather that it included the 12th Aviation Brigade, the 18th Military Police Brigade, the 30th Medical Brigade, the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, the 3rd Corps Support Command and the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade.

However, a number of reports including one from the Chicago Tribune dated December 29, 2002, indicate the the 1st Infantry and 1st Armored have both received orders to deploy to Kuwait.

The 101st Airborne Division has also reportedly been put on alert as has the 1st Cavalry Division.

Five combat wings have also reportedly received alerts as well. They include the 1st and 4th Fighter Wings, B-1B bombers from 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, rescue helicopters from the 57th Wing, Predators from the 11th Resonnaissance Squadron , and C-130s from the 347th Rescue Wing at Moody Air Force Base.

The 724th Military Police Battalion departed Florida on December 28, 2002. They are expected to head to Fort Dix where they will prepare for a deployment to Kuwait.

The Associated Press is reporting that Port Security Unit 313 from Tacoma, WA has been activated and will be deployed to the Middle East to provide port security.

TSV-1X Spearhead and the USS Columbia were identified as having been at Diego Garcia as recently as December 27, 2002.