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US Forces Order of Battle - 25 June

This is a "best available" listing of US forces deployed to the Central Command AOR for Southwest Asia and for US forces deployed to European Command's locations in Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria. It does not include forces deployed exclusively for operations in Central Asia though it may at times list units are involved in both Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

The task of developing a comprehensive listing of US forces present in the area is particularly difficult as forces have been known to rotate in and out of the region in response to heightened operational tempo or exercises. The events of Sept. 11, 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism has had such an effort significantly more difficult as the military seeks to improve operational security and to deceive potential enemies and the media, among others.

Furthermore, the volume of troops moving in and out of the region will surely result in mistakes, misidentifications, or ignorance regarding specific units.

Exluding forces deployed in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom, there are probably about 218,000 military personnel in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, including about 775 aircraft of all types. The number of troops deployed in the area fluctuates on a daily basis as new forces surge into the region and some units begin to return to the United States.

Ground Forces in the region include a Patriot missile task force with two batteries deployed in Saudi Arabia and two in Kuwait. Virtually all of 3rd Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division, 4th Infantry Division, 1st Armored Division, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and an element of the 82nd Airborne Division have been deployed to Iraq. There are a significant number of echelon above division support units in the region. It is believed that the total Army presence in the region is nearly 114,000 soldiers. Army equipment figures are based on standard Tables of Organization and Equipment for the units deployed. The number of Army mechanized equipment actually on the ground is thought to be roughly 814 M1 Abrams and 549 M2 Bradleys. There are 250 AH-64 Apache helicopters in the region.

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 23,000 Air Force personnel may be currently stationed in the CENTCOM and EUCOM areas responsible for operations against Iraq, operating a total of about 500 aircraft of all types. It should be noted that tracking personnel numbers for the Air Force is extremely difficult as the actual number of pilots is small compared to support elements. These numbers could be drastically incorrect.

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 Battle Group, with its associated Carrier Air Wing, has approximately 11,000 sailors embarked. As of 02 June 2003 there was one carrier strike group in the area for a total of around 57,000 naval personnel. These units included about 150 helicopters and aircraft. A total of about 449 Vertical Launch System cells are available for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which is roughly three times the average number typically deployed in recent years. Based on estimates of prior deployments, perhaps as many as 250 Tomahawks are actually deployed. The cruise missile force can be augmented significantly within days.

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 the situation.

Recent Developments

CENTCOM

• Task Force 20 has been identified by the news media as a unit involved in a raid on a convoy believed to be transporting senior Iraqi leaders. According to reports TF 20 is comprised of mostly army special forces units and has thus been inserted under SOCENT.
• Significant elements of CENTCOM's command staff have returned to the United States. It is unclear whether there will be a rotation of new soldiers back out to the CENTCOM AOR as senior leadership positions are preparing to change hands.

Army

• According to the Associated Press on June 23, 2003 the 118th Military Police Battalion is deployed in Southwest Asia as is the 281st Combat Communications Group. The
• Elements of the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion are in Iraq according to a Washington Post article on June 20, 2003 that interviewed one of its soldiers.
• The 804th Medical Brigade is in Iraq according to the Washington Post on June 20. It is not clear when the unit arrived or how many soldiers are in country.
• The 202nd Military Intelligence Battalion returned to the United States on June 14, 2003. The unit had been deployed since October.
• The 297th Military Intelligence Battalion also returned on June 14.
• The 66th Military Intelligence Group is currently operating in Iraq. It is not clear how long the unit has been in country or when they arrived in the region.
• The 142nd Engineer Battalion was sent to Iraq in late April with some 630 soldiers.
• Roughly 200 soldiers from the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and 5-52nd ADA Battalion returned to Fort Bliss on June 9 according to the Associated Press on June 9.

Navy

• The Navy confirmed on June 6 that elements of ATF-W was heading home to the United States. It is thought that the USS Bonhomme Richard is carrying 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, and elements of VMFA 211 and 311. The BR is to return to San Diego by late July.
• ATF-E is heading back to the US and is due to return to Norfolk on June 25 & 26, according to a Navy release on June 6, 2003. A Marine Corps release indicates that the Kearsarge was delayed in the Red Sea due to President Bush's trip to the Middle East.

Marine Corps

• There is still some confusion surrounding the table of organization for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, centered around whether it was Task Force Tarawa or simply an element of that unit. Various releases refer to 2nd MEB as both TF Tarawa and as the 2nd Regimental Combat Team.
• Additional information concerning units attached to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. According to a Marine Corps News article on June 24, 2003 reporting on Operation Shining Express elements of 2nd Radio Battalion, 2nd Intelligence Battalion, 8th Communications Battalion, and 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense were deployed with the MEB and are all currently on their way back to the US.
• Marines from the 4th Amphibious Assault Battalion returned on June 8. The unit deployed to the Middle East on February 1.
• Marines from the 8th Tank Battalion returned to the US on May 30. It is thought that only an element of the unit deployed and that they were attached to the 2nd Tank Battalion.

Coast Guard

• The USCGC Dallas, Pea Island, Knight Island, Banbridge Island, and Grand Isle are to arrive in Norfolk on June 11 and have been released from supporting OIF.

United Kingdom

• Two of the minehuners that had deployed to the Persian Gulf region returned to Portsmouth on June 20, 2003.