QUESTIONS?
OPERATION ANACONDA
Joint Operations Planning Process
$10.59
Monday, December 11, 2017
MLC Class 18-002
Command Structure
CENTCOM General Tommy Franks Commanded from MacDill Air Force Base, FL
Introduction
- Information stopped at the HQ
- No Single Person had the Whole Picture
- No Unified Command Structure
- Created Problems in Planning
UNCLASSIFIED
Task Organization
- Command Structure
- Task Organization
- Joint Planning
- Communication
- Resupply
- Joint Functions
- Unity of Command
Joint Planning
- Initial Planning
- Collect Relevant Information for the Operation
- Analyze the Mission
Resupply
Joint Functions
Communications
- Depleted Supplies
- Lack of Armored Vehicles
(Warfighting Functions)
- Afghan Coalition Partners
- Command and Control of Troops on the Ground
Movement and Maneuver Tasks
Mission Command Challenges
Intelligence Issues
- Joint Doctrine Battle Drills Not Coordinated
- Overlapping Responsibilities and Conflicting Command Relationships
- In Joint Doctrine, SOF as a sand-alone force is not well integrated into the Theater as other conventional forces
- Displaced CENTCOM Headquarters
- Mission Command Structure Not Well Defined
- Difficulty Integrating Conventional and SOF units
- Organic assets were detached out to support other operations
Battle Planning Estimates were Ambiguous
Underestimated Enemy threat:
Size, Location and Ferocity
Reliability of Afghan Forces Overestimated
Underestimation of Required Firepower
Resulted in More Casualties than Expected
Multi-Headed Command Structure
Unity of Command
"...all forces operate under a single commander with the requisite authority to direct all forces employed in pursuit of a common purpose" (JP 3-0)
Summary & Conclusion
Causes Breakdown in Communication
- Special Reconnaissance Team Calls Off Air Strike
- AC-130 CAS fires on friendly forces killing 1 U.S. Soldier and several Afghans
MG Hagenbeck had command of CJTF Mountain, but not the full authority to control all forces in his AO
- Air Support assets from Air Force, Navy and Marines remained under the authority of CFACC
- TF 11, and all of it’s subordinate SOF teams and assigned Army Rangers reported to CENTCOM
- Friendly Afghan forces assigned to support Operation Anaconda were task organized with SOF
- Command Structure
- Task Organization
- Joint Planning
- Communication
- Resupply
- Joint Functions
- Unity of Command