Operation ALLIED FORCE
Kosovo Order of Battle
In early 1999 a total of as many as 430 aircraft from NATO countries were assigned
responsibilities if called on. However, with the mid-March 1999 transfer of the aircraft
carrier USS Enterprise from the Adriatic Sea to the Persian Gulf, the total number
of aircraft tasked with Kosovo-related operations appears to have declined to fewer than
375 aircraft. This total is rather uncertain, since it does not include other combat
aircraft in-theater assigned to other operations and responsibilities. Additionally, there
are at least 25 tanker aircraft deployed to Moron AB in Spain that supported the transfer
of combat aircraft to Europe, but which do not appear to be directly tasked to support
current operations. Anecdotaly it is suggested that the total Operation ALLIED FORCE air
order of battle totals slightly fewer than 400 aircraft, which is consistent with this
estimate.
This unofficial estimate is not and cannot be authoritative, but
rather it represents a "best guess" assessment based on a variety of official
and unofficial sources, and is subject to continual revision and update.
Fourteen NATO countries are currently contributing to Operation Determined Force. The
countries are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. Depending on which
of the limited air or phased air options is implemented, the sustainment of the operation
would require from 300 to 400 aircraft.
As of 25 January 1999, over 300 were committed to this operation and many of them were
already deployed forward on stand-by at various air bases in Italy and other NATO nations
or on carrier vessels. Oddly enough, the Enterprise departed the Adriatic in
mid-March to join the Vinson on station in the Persian Gulf shortly prior to the
escalation of tensions over Kosovo, leaving no American carrier on station in the Adriatic
to support Operation ALLIED FORCE.
The following table summarizes the currently best available [and clearly incomplete]
information concerning the composition and disposition of these forces. The disposition
and composition of the US forces is probably about as close as current OPSEC limitations
will permit, with the exception of a few squadron assignments has about the right number
of the right types of aircraft at more or less the right locations [though some of
bed-down locations require further clarification, and the number of tankers directly
tasked to Operation ALLIED FORCE remains somewhat uncertain]. The European ORBAT is a bit
less complete, since only about 130 of the publicly reported 170 aircraft are accounted
for [the most notable exception is the apparent absence of British Tornado aircraft, which
participated in DELIBERATE FORCE].
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/ops/kosovo_orbat.htm
Maintained by John Pike
Updated Thursday, March 25, 1999 8:20:30 AM
