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Coalition forces

by Richard Tanter — last modified 12-Aug-2007 22:27

Information on United States-led Operation Enduring Freedom and NATO-led forces in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The relationship between the two forces and command structures has changed over time, and many elements remain unclear.

24 May 2007

Government sources

United States

Central Command, United States

U.S. Commitment to Afghanistan, The White House

The U.S. Mission in Afghanistan, Afghanistan Reconstruction Group, U.S. Embassy, Kabul

News Transcripts, Department of Defense, U.S.

Occasional detailed briefings by field officers and commanders.

ISAF/NATO

ISAF Fact Sheet, International Security Assistance Force, NATO, 7 February 2007

Useful concise but detailed summary, updated.

"Mission: Conduct military operations in the assigned area of operations to assist the Government of Afghanistan in the establishment and maintenance of a safe and secure environment with full engagement of Afghan National Security Forces, in order to extend government authority and influence, thereby facilitating Afghanistan’s reconstruction and contributing to regional stability."

"Key Facts:

Commander: General (US) Dan K. McNeill

Current HQ: HQ ISAF X (US lead) from 4 FEB 2007

37 Troop Contributing Nations

ISAF Total Strength: Approx 35,460 (Includes National Contingent Commands)

Remaining US Contingent: Approx 8000 (Operation Enduring Freedom)

ISAF AOR (Afghanistan land mass) 650,000 km (sq)

25 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT)

International Security Assistance Force, NATO

Comprehensive official site.

NATO in Afghanistan, NATO Topics, NATO.

Analysis and commentary

Afghanistan War order of battle, Wikipedia

Comprehensive listing and analysis of US-led coalition and ISAF commands and participating countries. "Units from both the U.S. Army and Marines have deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. NATO-led forces also are playing a larger role in fighting resurgent Taliban in the south of the country. Below is a list of deployed major units, known as the Order of Battle (ORBAT). NATO-led forces also form the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Provincial Reconstruction Teams to facilitate security and reconstruction in Afghanistan."

Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan [OEF-A 5], US Forces Order of Battle, 15 January 2005, GlobalSecurity.org

"This is a "best available" order-of-battle of forces deployed in CENTCOM's part of Central Asia. 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."

Military Operations: Afghanistan, european-defence.co.uk

Comprehensive listing of partcipating countries' contributions. Not about military operations.

International Security Assistance Force, Wikipedia

Comprehensive and regularly updated, covering jurisdiction,structure, command and control participating nations, and timeline of the ISAF development, and with extensive links.

International Security Assistance Force - ISAF 6, GlobalSecurity.0rg

Useful but not frequently updated.

Map of Operation Enduring Freedom Facilities (June 2005), GlobalSecurity.org

Assessing ISAF: A Baseline Study of NATO’s Role in Afghanistan, Cameron Scott, British American Security Information Council, March 2007

Recommendations include:

"Address remaining shortfall in troops and equipment. Those allies who do not contribute these resources should help support the deployment of reinforcements financially.
Abolish caveats that fracture the unity of command and hinder deployment of troops in areas or operations where ISAF command deems their presence necessary. ISAF forces must be available where they are required.
Reduce force-protection measures that place Afghan civilians in danger. Consider establishment of HRW recommended victims-compensationfund or similar scheme to ensure that those who have been victims of violence do not become alienated from the government.
Deploy additional ISAF and ANF units to areas of southern and eastern Afghanistan where the Taliban have challenged government authority.
Emphasize protecting civilians and developing local intelligence networks."

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