Saudi Arabia (Mission 1): Desert Strike

You are the commander of JCTF (Joint Combined Task Force) WALKER, hastily constructed to conduct precision, covert strikes from Jordan into Saudi Arabia. Word of an Al Qaeda gathering in Western Saudi Arabia has prompted the opening of a new front in the war on terror.

CONPLAN (Contingency Plan) DESERT STRIKE
CENTCOM

1. SITUATION:

A. ENEMY FORCES:

1. Beginning in August, intelligence agencies began to pick up on data suggesting that there would be a gathering of top Al Qaeda leaders somewhere in the CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility). As late as last week, we had only a date, the morning of 11SEP05. Two days ago, leaders were spotted in JORDAN, EGYPT, and YEOMEN, all moving toward SAUDI ARABIA. Late on 8SEP05, we pinpointed the location of the gathering to a mountainous area southeast of AL BI'R, SAUDI ARABIA, in the northwest corner of the country, near the border with JORDAN and ISRAEL. More disturbing, we have learned that the gathering will be guarded by elements of the Royal Saudi Army. We have not been successful in identifying which elements within the Army are supporting this gathering, but we are certain that some members of the Sa'ud royal family will be present. We also have a high degree of confidence that Ossama Bin Laden will be present.

2. Within AO RICHARD, the AO for this operation, Al Qaeda fighters are already positioned at key border crossings into ISRAEL and JORDAN, and the port authority at DUBA. The majority of the 100 man cell operating in RIYADH has been moved to positions along the highway from RIYADH to TABUK. They are located in hide positions with SA-19's and Stinger missiles to protect the movement of leadership convoys to AL B'IR BASE CAMP.

3. In AO MIKE <not shown> vic AMMAN, JORDAN, there are an estimated 15 X 3 man recon teams from the Al Qaeda Jordan Battalion. They are armed only with hand guns and AK-74's and are not expected to engage in direct action. In AO FOCUS <not shown> vic AL MUDAWWARAH, JORDAN, Al Qaeda has manned the border crossing on the SAUDI side of the border with a 20-man fighter team from the Al Qaeda West Saudi Brigade to augment the 10 man border guard from the Royal Saudi Army. AO BEAR should be clear of any Al Qaeda, Royal Saudi Army, or sympathetic enemy combatants. In EA MILLER, there is a high concentration of Al Qaeda fighters, around 50, armed with AK-47's and RPG-7's. There are also about 5 AT-5 teams from the Royal Saudi Army. There is also a company sized element of BTR-60P's (about 9). The Royal Saudi Army has also provided 2-4 SA-9 Gaskins and 2-4 2S6M Tunguska ADA systems. We also expect to see 2-4 SA-19 teams and a battery of 2B11 120mm mortars from the Royal Saudi Army. In EA COORS <not shown>, a company of BTR-60P's will escort a column of 5 Ford Expeditions. They are the last convoy moving into EA MILLER.

4. A gathering of this size, from so many regions of the world is dangerous for Al Qaeda. This event must be interperted to signal an important new initiative. While the date, 11 September, may or may not have been selected to commemorate the attacks in New York, this gathering is almost certainly of more significance. The meeting will almost certainly be brief. We expect it to end before noon on 11SEP05. If attacked, AL BI'R BASE CAMP will almost certainly disperse. There top priority will be the survival of Osamma Bin Laden. They will disperse on several escape routes, headed generally south, to confuse pursuit.

B. FRIENDLY FORCES:

1. Higher Mission. The Department of Defense executes continuous, world-wide, direct and indirect interdiction of Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda-affiliate organizations in order to prevent attacks within the UNITED STATES and destroy the capability of Al Qaeda and Al Quaeda-affiliate organizations to conduct attacks on American interests abroad.

2. To our northwest, EURCOM conducts show of force and force protection operations to deter attacks against American interests in their AOR. To our east, PACCOM conducts engagement and interdiction operations to deter terrorist attacks against American interest in their AOR.

C. WEATHER:

1. Weather in AO RICHARD from 10-11SEP05 will be clear with daytime temperatures around 110 and evening lows of 93.

2. The hours of daylight are as follows. Before morning nautical twilight (BMNT) will begin at 0558. Sunrise will be at 0658. Sunset will be at 1810. Early evening nautical twilight (EENT) will end at 1910. There will be 0% illumination on the evening of 10-11SEP05.

2. MISSION. CENTCOM executes OPERATION DESERT STRIKE (CONPLAN DESERT STRIKE) beginning 060000SEP05 with a hit time of 102000SEP05 (Saudi Local Time) in order to destroy Al Qaeda leadership targets congregating within AO RICHARD and destroy the capability of Al Qaeda to conduct global terrorist activities.

3. EXECUTION:

A. COMMANDER'S INTENT.

1. Key Tasks. This CONPLAN addresses the use of deadly force in the KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA against both Al Qaeda and sympathetic Royal Saudi Army forces. No evidence of our presence in the Kingdom may be left behind. Munitions used in sector will be either regional or designed to leave no evidence of American presence (such as SIL-JDAM missiles). No munitions may impact outside of the EA's (The only exception is munitions used to destroy targets at XTAI's <not shown>). Targets outside of EA's will NOT be engaged, even if they emerged from the EA.

a. Neutralize Saudi and Al Qaeda border forces at XTAI KNIGHT <not shown>, WARRIOR <not shown>, and FIGHTER <not shown>.

b. JCTF WALKER successfully occupies AO BEAR without being detected by Al Qaeda and sympathetic Royal Saudi Army forces.

c. Successfully insert SF TM 113 into AO JOHN <not shown> without being detected by Al Qaeda and sympathetic Royal Saudi Army forces.

d. JCTF WALKER destroys all Al Qaeda and sympathetic Royal Saudi Army force targets within EA MILLER. No targets escape the EA.

e. SF TM 113 destroys all vehicles and personnel in Al Qaeda and sympathetic Royal Saudi Army convoy moving through EA COORS <not shown>. No targets escape EA.

f. Successfully exfiltrate all CENTCOM forces from AO BEAR and AO JOHN <not shown> back into AO MIKE <not shown> and AO FOCUS <not shown> leaving no conclusive physical evidence of our presence.

2. Endstate. All targets in AO BEAR and AO JOHN <not shown> destroyed, with no targets escaping destruction, no equipment or personnel (destroyed or fully mission capable) in AO RICHARD remaining outside of AO MIKE <not shown> and FOCUS <not shown>.

B. CONCEPT OF THE OPERATION.

1. Maneuver. This operation will be conducted in 4 phases. In the first phase, we will neutralize Saudi and Al Qaeda border forces at XTAI KNIGHT <not shown>, WARRIOR <not shown>, and FIGHTER <not shown>. In phase II, we will move JCTF WALKER to AO BEAR and SF TM 113 to AO JOHN <not shown>, vic AP DRAGON and AP GRIFFIN <not shown>, respectively. In phase III, JCTF WALKER conducts direct attacks against targets in EA MILLER and SF TM 113 attacks targets in EA COORS <not shown>. In phase IV, we will extract all forces back to AO MIKE and AO FOCUS <not shown>.

a. Phase One.

<paragraph omitted>

b. Phase Two.

<paragraph omitted>

c. Phase Three. This phase begins at 102000SEP05, with JCTF WALKER in AP DRAGON and SF TM 113 in AP GRIFFIN <not shown> at 102000SEP05 (no movement outside of AP's by any elements is authorized prior to this time). JCTF WALKER and SF TM 113 occupy AO BEAR and AO JOHN <not shown>, respectively, and attack targets in EA MILLER and EA COORS <not shown>, respectively. No targets must escape the EA's. This phase ends with all targets in EA's destroyed, prior to BMNT at 110558SEP05.

d. Phase Four.

<paragraph omitted>

2. Fires. A / 223 FAR (JORDANIAN, 155mm, SP) is attached to JCTF WALKER for the duration of the operation. A / 227 AVN (US Army) and 2 sorties A-10 from each of the 9th, 10th, and 11th FAW (US Air Force) are also attached to JCTF WALKER for this operation.

3. Tasks to Subordinate Units. See Appendix C for Task Organization.

a. HQ (FWD), CENTCOM.

<paragraph omitted>

b. JCTF WALKER.

1. Occupy AP DRAGON NET 101910SEP05 and NLT 102000SEP05.

2. Occupy AO BEAR NET 102000SEP05.

3. Destroy all targets in EA MILLER NLT 110558SEP05.

c. SF TM 113.

<paragraph omitted>

4. Coordinating instructions.

a. No forces are authorized to cross the INTERNATIONAL BORDER prior to 101910SEP05 (EENT).

b. No forces are authorized to leave AP's prior to 102000SEP05.

c. No fires are authorized beyond the INTERNATIONAL BORDER except within the borders of EA's MILLER and COORS <not shown>. The only exception...<omitted>

e. ALL TARGETS WITHIN EA'S MUST BE DESTROYED PRIOR TO 110558SEP05 (BMNT). No targets may be allowed to escape from EA's.

f. No equipment, or personnel may remain beyond the INTERNATIONAL BORDER beyond 110658SEP05 (sunrise).

g. PIR

<paragraph omitted>

4. SERVICE SUPPORT.

<paragraph omitted>

5. COMMAND AND SIGNAL.

<paragraph omitted>