Tactics of IDF operation that stunned whole world

Friday, April 13, 2012 / Posted by Prashant Auti / comments (2)


Nowadays whenever you turn off the pages of newspapers like The Hindu and TOI you will most probably encounter on ‘World’ page the news of Iran-Israel tensions over Iran’s nuclear reactor. The issue is so heated up right now that there’s possibility that Israel may launch pre-emptive attack on Iran’s nuclear reactor bringing the memories of operation opera.This was gist of last post.
So as I promised in the last post I’ll be telling you guys in brief about tactics of Operation opera.
So here it is-

Operation Opera/Babylon


Just to give you the gist of my last post, op opera was tactical mission devised by Israeli intelligence to launch preemptive attack on Osirak nuclear reactor (Iraq) wherein IDF (Israeli defense forces) obliterated reactor and averted future threat of nuclear weapons generation and its subsequent use by Iraq on Israel.

Background

Iraq’s President-cum-dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime was full of unnecessary wars and uncanny dictatorship. This war-mongering authoritarian launched ambitious nuclear programme to support war effort and also to become first arab Islamic country to have nuke armaments to establish political influence on the arab world. He sought help of French scientists in this endeavour who once also helped Israel for the same (Israel, however, have always shown ambiguity regarding having nuke weapons in their arsenal). It was necessary to attack nuclear reactor before it became hot (activated) as such attack won't have long lasting radiation complications and hence human toll.So as soon as Israel got intel that reactor will be activated  soon, they carried out the operation.

Planning

1) Choice of planes
  • By 1980 IAF had A-4N Skyhawk, KFIR C-2, F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon planes.
  • Skyhawk and C-2 were prime air to ground delievary, but they lacked the range to reach Osirak without refueling and also lacked speed for effective egress from target.
  • Third generation fighters like F-15 Eagle and F-16 Falcon were new and available to US and Israel only.
F-15 Eagle- Air superiority to protect other planes in fleet and long range 


F-16 Falcon- Strike fighters for heavily defended targets
  • These jets could fly long distance without ground navigation aid because of inertial navigation system. Also F-16 have under wing fuel tanks.
2) Choice of weapons -
  • Standoff weapons or smart bombs could be futile in case of inclement weather which could obfuscate reactor during bomb deliverance.
  • That's why they used classical non-precision heavy bombs which would accomplish complete destruction of reactor.
3) Meticulous planning -
  • It is said that Israel started planning 4 years before actual attack.
  • Meanwhile they gathered all possible info in the form of detailed maps, navigation routes, weather data, aircraft performance charts, bomb fuse timing, release angle, target area flows and contingency plans.
  • Very few people were having awareness about this operation which thwarted the risk of spilling secrets out and thereby jeopardize the entire operation.
4) Hard practice -
  • Israel is small nation (near about 2 times the size of Pune distict) so they are not habituated for long flights. Also most combat flights (as in six day war etc.) are of less than 1 hour.
  • Practice for descending and ascending for dropping bomb of 1000 Kg was needed. This dive bomb targeting was practiced on Israeli radar dome site in Negev.
  • SO hard practice for long flight and dropping bomb was done for near about 9 months.
5) Delayed fusing of bomb -
  • Delayed fusing was enabled to have enhanced cratering effect against reactor dome and also to protect jets passing over reactor dome just after bombing.
  • Non precision bombs selected were having explosion area of 3400 feet on ground and 2800 feet in air that means any plane below 2800 feet could be destroyed.
  • Safe arming alttitude was 3800 feet but they practiced so ahrd that their apex was at 5000 feet

Execution

  • All planes (six F-15 and eight F-16) were boarded earlier on Etzion Air Base to decrease suspicion. Also pilots stayed together from June 5-7 which increased morale, team spirit and coordination.
"Fleet of planes was launched on 7th June 1981 in diamond formation at the speed of 360 knots (666 km/h) with 30 seconds launch interval and flying at the height of 100 feet to avoid being detected by radar"
  • No radio calls/ radar emissions came from these planes.
  • At predefined location in the region around reactor, F-15 split into two-shape formation, turned on radars and external electronic counter measure pods and climbed to cover F-16 planes. It all happened at Initiation point, where F-16 would make final preparation to strike.
  • Switching on radars and climbing up of F-15 served dual purpose-(a) Protecting F-16 planes and (b) Deception

Route of attack and return
  • Following pic depicts movement of planes for last 20 kilometers from reactor.
Various phases of attack
(1) Initiation point (20 km far from reactor) -Ascending at 1000+ meters height
(2) Further ascending to 2000+ m (3) Diving at 1100km/h to launch bomb
(4) Reascending (5) Ascending to height where AAA & SAM attack would be futile
  • F-16 plane came in two-shape formation now to attack reactor. They dropped 1000kg 'Mk82' bombs over reactor. Each two-ships arrived as the explosion from the last formation subsided. Sixteen 'Mk84' bombs (totaling 14 metric tons) were dropped in less than 2 minutes. All but two hit bulls eye.
  • In-Flight Video Tape Recorder (VTR) and othe means were used to assess reactor destruction. The attack was successful!

Some other interesting insights about attack

  • If you're thinking that there were no anti-aircraft weapons near reactor site then by no stretch of imagination, you're deluded! Iraq had already staged Anti-aircraft Artillery(AAA) and Surface to Air Missiles (SAM) to counteract any untoward incidence as Iran had already attacked the same site, though with least success, during Iran-Iraq War.
  • The actual time of attack, few minutes before sunset,  security personnel went to have tea. So  most of them were not present during attack yielding fighter planes time for safe escape.
  • Also planes were falling short of distance without refueling (the whole attack was supposed to be undertaken in one go only) so technique of "Hot refueling"  was used. Also external fuel tanks were jettisoned at Saudi desert to relieve weight and hence add few extra miles in flight.
  • Planes are supposed to have gone through "Blind corridor" (part of not so intense surveillance) of Saudi desert.
  • Pilots of jet planes supposed to have used Jordanian accent in Saudi area and vice versa and stating they are Jordanian/Saudi patrol plane who had lost path and now going back.
  • Fleet unknowingly passed over the yacht of King Hussein of Jordan, who was vacationing in gulf, Hussein immediately asked military authorities who were baffled as radar didn't show any signal. It is said that Hussein informed Iraqi authorities about suspicious flight activity but message wasn't delivered due to communication error.
Attack was successful with only 11 casualties (10 Iraqi soldiers+ 1 French Scientist; Israel paid compensation to french scientist's family). Next day at 8th June 1981, Israel declared that they've attacked Osirak reactor. Following attack Israel faced condemnation from international community, UN and IAEA. In the aftermath, american forces found evidences of conspirational mindset of Saddam and statements like wiping Israel from the face of the earth during US invasion of Iraq in 2003, while some claim that attack actually infuriated Saddam with even bigger ambition of nuke weapons. This successful (because it stunted development of Iraq's nuclear programme) operation increased reputation of IDF and stun whole world with intricate tactics and outstanding execution.


Disclaimer: Although I've tried my best to compile all possible info in brief, there could be some points missing as original tactics of operation are always Iron-clad.If anybody finds something new or any discrepancy about this topic feel free to comment.


Some references and good reads about this topic-
1) 1981: Israel bombs Baghdad nuclear reactor
2) Factfile: How Osirak was bombed
3) Lessons from Israel's Operation Babylon
4) http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps64974/ocp59.pdf
5) The F-16s passed me at Osirak
6) Osirak: Over the reactor
7) Operation Opera

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What's this 'Mossad' is all about?

Monday, March 26, 2012 / Posted by Prashant Auti / comments (7)


       Few days back I thought that I should start writing the blog post with Ancient Indian history and then go along with the same theme. Then one day I came across the news stating if all diplomatic efforts are kaput, Israel may launch pre-emptive attack on Iran’s nuclear reactor. After reading this news I recalled the 7th June, 1981 incidence of Israel’s similar pre-emptive attack on nuclear reactor of Iraq at Osirak, codenamed ‘Operation Opera’ or ‘Operation Babylon’, which was successful and made attempts of Saddam Hussein (totalitarian of Iraq at that time) to develop weapons of mass destruction futile.In 2007, Israeli Air Force (IAF) carried out similar operation at Syrian nuclear reactor at Deir ez-Zor region, codenamed ‘Operation Orchard’. All these operations were possible only because of intelligence provided by Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel.
Cognizance about current international events are essential for every nation  to develop foreign policies and diplomacy. Also Israel, who is rushing headlong in future with advances in technology, can be an ally to India in  true sense to fight terror, not like illusioned US who purport to help India against terror and in reality pump billion dollars as counter-insurgency aid and coalition support fund in Pakistan government's treasury, which are ultimately  used to support terror activities. So Instead of beginning with history I thought it’s better to start with current affairs first. So this post is about brief history and important operations of Mossad, a topmost intelligence agency in the world.

Mossad -

Mossad emblem
  • Full name- Mossad Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations
  • Established- 13th Dec 1949
  • Headquarter- Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Motto- "Where no counsel is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety."
  • Emblem- Menorah from the temple
Ramifications of Israeli Intelligence
       The Mossad is Israel's secret service organization that collects civilian and military information and is involved in clandestine defense operations outside the country. Mossad was established just year after the birth of the Israel (1948) by its first premier, David Ben Gurion. Recognizing the importance of Intel gathering in the process of national security, David Ben Gurion soon inflated the budget of Mossad tenfold. Throughout the years the Mossad was involved in covert operations, intelligence gathering, rescuing of ‘Jewish Diaspora’ under threat and assassinations of heads and masterminds of terror organizations.
Mossad also provided intel to Israel for Arab-Israeli conflicts in Six day war(1967, where Israel had to face enemies on three different fronts) and Yom kippur war(1973) where Israel  achieved staggering victories. Mossad, who excelled in external security and intelligence, carried out many operations which are today central themes of many books and movies. Many operations of Mossad carried out with collaboration of IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) boggled even CIA, an American Intelligence Agency.

Some of the famous/notable operations of the Mossad –

1) Smuggling of Nikita Khrushchev speech (1956)

Mossad successfully smuggled out copy of speech condemning Joseph Stalin delivered by then USSR premier Nikita Khrushchev.

2) Operation Garibaldi (1960)-

Identification and kidnapping of Nazi fugitive and man who contributed in devising 'Final Solution to the Jewish Question' during Nazi Germany regime, Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was brought Israel to face trial and subsequently hanged in 1962. This was the only civil execution in Israel. Incidence is central theme of 2007 movie, Eichmann.

3) Operation Wrath Of God & Operation Spring of Youth (1972,1973)-

Began as a retaliation to '1972 Munich Olympic Massacre' wherein Palestinian terrorist group 'Black September' slain 13 Israeli athletes. Operation started in an autumn of 1972 at the order of then Israel PM, Golda Meir and supposed to have continued almost 20 years during which all the responsible terrorists were slain by Mossad.
These operations are depicted in 2005 Steven Spielberg movie 'Munich'.

4) Operation Entebbe (1976)-

Air France flight with 248 passengers was hijacked by members of Palestinian terror group and German revolutionary cells. All non-Jewish passengers were released and only Jewish passengers were held hostages. Terrorists demanded release of terrorists from Israels. In accordance with usual 'no capitulation to terrorists' philosophy, Israeli defense forces planned a tactical mission, Operation Thunderbolt, wherein they rescued all but three hostages. I'll write about tactics of Operation Entebbe and Operation Opera in later posts.
       Similar mishap happened with India during Kandahar hijacking of IC 814 flight in 1999. India (as usual) capitulated and released three Islamic militants. One of them was Masood Azhar who was mastermind of an attack on Indian parliament in 2001 killing 7 people (Compare the figures with Israeli rescue mission above with only 3 civilian casualties) and other was Ahmed omar Saeed Shaikh who abducted and slain Daniel Pearl.

5) Operation Opera (1981)-

One of the most difficult operations carried out by Israel (IAF) that stun whole world, even CIA! Eight IAF F-16A planes travelled 1600+ kilometers from military base in Israel to Osirak (Iraq) and destroyed what could have been evil destroying force in middle east. Those planes destroyed nuclear plant on 7th June 1981.
In a similar fashion, Israel launched one more pre-emptive attack on Syrian nuclear plant in 2007, codenamed 'Operation Orchard'.

Why India and Israel can be strong allies-

  • India and Israel face similar sets of problems with respect to terrorism
  • Israel is technologically advanced nation who have always offered India help in fields of Science, Agriculture, Technology etc.
  • Israeli defense which is expert in rescue missions and Intel gathering offered help to India during terror attack on Mumbai on 26th Nov 2008. (India declined help offer fearing International embarrassment)
  • Israel has already helped bloom hi-tech agriculture in the states of Maharashtra, Haryana and now Gujarat.

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Everything evolves from zero

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Posted by Prashant Auti / comments (6)


As they say- “World evolved from zero”. In the same way, every other beginning, every other new activity initiates with zero, with nothingness. Let it be construction of gargantuan pyramids, child’s first step in school or development of advanced algebra- vastness begins with oblivion. Same is the case with my blogging! I’m incepting this blogging thing, to be honest, with a state of mind more or less similar to that of “limbo” dreams of famous Chris Nolan flick, Inception- with vastness and least propensity for coherent thoughts. Just few days back I was befuddled with the design of blog, material to be posted etc. But as Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, has said-
"Journey of a thousand miles must begin with the single step"
That initial push from our side is needed and that’s what happened- I started working on it and finally, well, everything just kept going suavely!

With all those difficulties to express thoughts and expressing it vivid enough, conceivable enough and most importantly thoughtful enough should present a problem and to tackle that I decided to follow ‘interest’. So guys I will be writing on history and International affairs; newsmakers and cause célèbre; and Science and dilettante writing. Special focus will be on some interesting historical and international events. I don’t purport to be omniscient nor do my thoughts are dogmatic. I’m just a regular guy like you who likes to read but with a little bit extra digging! I assure you that it will be captivating and most importantly, original!

So folks, let’s tighten our belts to embark new journey of blogging world! I’m pretty sure I’ll be getting your kind support in this endeavour!


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