Operation Crescent Wind

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Operation Crescent Wind
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Date7 October 2001 – 17 December 2001
Location
Afghanistan
Result US-UK victory
Belligerents
 United States
 United Kingdom		 Afghanistan Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Commanders and leaders
United StatesTommy Franks
United StatesCharles F. Wald		 AfghanistanMuhammad Omar
Units involved

United States Air Force

United States Navy

 Royal Navy

Royal Air Force
Casualties and losses
3 killed (friendly fire) 6,000+ killed total from Oct–Nov. 2001 (including casualties from the ground war)[1]
3,100–3,600 civilian deaths[2]

Operation Crescent Wind was the codename for the American and British air campaign over Afghanistan in October and November 2001. The bombing campaign was aided by British special forces troops on the ground to provide targeting information for airstrikes. The campaign significantly weakened the Taliban, paving the way for offensives by the Northern Alliance to take place in November which quickly overran Taliban-controlled regions of Afghanistan.

Opening strikes

The initial strikes were launched from

GBU-31 JDAMs. After delivering their ordnance, the B-2s turned back to receive a final refueling over the Indian Ocean before landing at Andersen Air Force Base. At this point the crews were swapped with the replacement crews who flew the B-2s back to Whiteman in Missouri. It took 30 hours of flying just to reach targets in Afghanistan, with the original crews flying 44 hours and 20 minutes total at the longest, and the aircraft operating for 70 hours in total. The operation remains the longest combat bombing sortie in history.[3]

Initial targets included

Su-22s airborne, though there was less concern about these as traditional interceptors as there was about them eventually being loaded with explosives and used to suicide bomb American encampments.[4]

The opening night's B-2 strike was followed by ten

MANPAD SAM fire, Taliban aircraft never left the ground, and virtually the entirety of their air force was destroyed in the first night.[9]

A few hours after the initial strikes, the USS Carl Vinson was joined by the USS Enterprise with more F-14As of VF-41 and EA-6Bs of VAQ-141 from CVW-8.[5] and later by HMS Trafalgar and HMS Triumph, who launched cruise missiles along with the Vinson and Enterprise.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Afghanistan News Center – "Over 6,000 killed, Taliban still prepared to fight"".
  2. ^ "Select a file and format for downloading". Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  3. Air Force Magazine. 33–37.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link
    )
  4. ^
    ISBN 9780833040534
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 9781782006732
    .
  6. ^ Lambeth, pp. 78-80
  7. ISBN 9781574889536
    .
  8. ISBN 9780833044327
    .
  9. ^ Lambeth, p.84

External links

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