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International Security Assistance Force - ISAF
Order of Battle

As of 4 March 2011, NATO's International Security Assistance Force (NATO-ISAF) in Afghanistan aimed to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a haven for terrorists, to help provide security, and to contribute to a better future for the Afghan people. NATO-ISAF, as part of the overall International Community effort and as mandated by the United Nations Security Council, was working to create the conditions whereby the Government of Afghanistan is able to exercise its authority throughout the country. To carry out its mission, ISAF conducted population-centric counterinsurgency operations in partnership with Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and provided support to the Government and International Community in Security Sector Reform, including mentoring, training and operational support to the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police. NATO-ISAF key priorities in Afghanistan were: Protect the Afghan people; Build the capacity of the Afghan Security Forces so they can take lead responsibility for security in their own country; Counter the insurgency; and enable the delivery of stronger governance and development.

By 31 March 2011, the 2010 surge of ISAF forces and civilian personnel, and the ongoing surge of the Afghan National Security Forces had allowed ISAF to get the inputs right in Afghanistan for the first time. As a result, security gains had been made, as had improvements in governance and development. The Taliban's momentum has been halted and much of their tactical infrastructure and popular support removed, although hard fighting was expected through the spring, summer, and fall of 2011. Overall, a sound strategy and sufficient resources were expected to given the coalition sufficient momentum to capitalize on gains through the summer of 2011 and, in July 2011, to begin the process of transitioning security to the Afghan Government. Nonetheless, it was expected that in the months ahead that setbacks as well as successes would be seen. There would be difficult fighting and tough losses as the enemy tried to regain momentum and key areas lost in the previous 6 months.

The bulk of ISAF's forces were spread among 6 regional commands, Regional Command Capital (RC-C), Regional Command East (RC-E), Regional Command North (RC-N), Regional Command South (RC-S), Regional Command South West (RC-SW), and Regional Command West (RC-W). Each command had a designated lead nation. The lead nation for RC-C was Turkey. The lead nation for RC-E, RC-S, and RC-SW was the United States. The lead nation for RC-N was Germany. The lead nation for RC-W was Italy. ISAF also had a separate command for assigned special operations forces. In addition, ISAF ran the NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan (NTM-A), which was commanded by a US General who also served as the commander for the US Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A). ISAF's Joint Command (IJC) was commanded by a US General who also served as the commander of US Forces - Afghanistan (USFOR-A).

As of 4 March 2011, ISAF consisted of approximately 132,203 personnel from 47 nations. International force levels and pledged contributions leveled off during the preceding 6 months. This coalition included contributions from 28 NATO member nations as well as 19 non-NATO member nations. NATO member and non-NATO member nations operated a total of 28 Provincial Reconstruction Teams throughout the country. National caveats for ISAF troops required that coalition partners and international troops operated in a manner consistent with their specific national laws and policies. Regardless of national caveats, all ISAF coalition partners within Afghanistan operated according to the ISAF Rules of Engagement. Despite previously announcing their intention to end their missions in Afghanistan, both Canada and the Netherlands had reconsidered how they can provide a commitment to the ANSF training effort. As of 31 March 2011, Canada was expected to contribute approximately 950 personnel in a non-combat training role following the end of its combat mission in July 2011. The Netherlands had already redeployed 1,600 military personnel, but was expected to contribute approximately 545 more personnel in an Integrated Police Training Mission.

NOTES

1 - Total ISAF and other force numbers potentially include overlapping rotations and other operational fluctuation.

2 - The Air Task Force is headquartered at KAIA, but provides aircraft to dispresed locations throughtout the 5 Regional Commands. Aircraft might not be located at KAIA.

3 - Task Force Red Bulls is headquartered at Bagram Airfield, Parwan Province, but conducts operations in Parwan, Panjshir, Laghman and western Nuristan provinces. In addition to the 3 battalions under its control, the Task Force controls the PRTs in Parwan, Panjshir, and Laghman and Agribusiness Development Teams in Parwan and Panjshir (ADT Kentucky) and Laghman and Nuristan (ADT Kansas).

4 - The locations indicated for these Combat Aviation Brigades represent the locations of the Brigade's headquarters. The units assigned to the brigade are dispersed throughout the areas of Afghanistan where the United States is engaged.

5 - The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade began redeploying to the United States in mid-March 2011.

6 - These US units are detached from the rest of their parent organizations deployed to Afghanistan and attached to Combined Task Force Kandahar, led by the Canadians in RC(S).

7 - Mi-8s with Canada's JTF-A Air Wing were chartered with their crews and ground staff from Sky Link Aviation of Toronto.

8 - Combined Team - Uruzgan is a composite element that includes elements from the United States, Australia, Singapore, the Slovak Republic and New Zealand. It also initially included transitional representation from the Netherlands during their departure in summer 2010.

9 - Though colocated with Combined Team - Uruzgan, the Australian Special Operations Task Group is not subordinate to it and operates at various locations around Afghanistan as part of NATO Special Operations Forces in the region.

10 - Combined Team - Zabul is a composite element that includes elements from the United States and Romania.

11 - Romania's 812th Infantry Battalion returned from Afghanistan on 22 February 2011, but was not immediately replaced. The 2nd "Calugareni" Infantry Battalion held a ceremony for its deployment to Afghanistan on 19 May 2011.

12 - The maneuver components of the Danish battle group are under the operational control of the British Task Force Helmand.

13 - Task Force Raider West is detached from the rest of Task Force Raider, in RC-S.