intelligence support activity direct action

The ISA team left Beirut in January 1984. These intelligence gathering methods outline how intelligence is gathered and what is done with it afterwards. "Gray Fox's low-profile eavesdropping planes also fly without military markings. While Delta and DEVGRU focus on direct engagement and specialized combat tactics, the ISA conducts intelligence and espionage operations at a tactical level. With dramatis personae that include the CIA, Delta Force, DEVGRU, the Intelligence Support Activity, Pakistani Commandos, the Taliban, and spies from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI), this story has the makings of a future Brad Thor bestseller. While driving through northern Lebanon, Cowan and his mates suffered several close calls with Syrian roadblocks and patrols. Most ISA trainees are from Army Special Forces, meaning many have skills in CQC, sniping, counter-sniping and general tactical engagements. HUMINT collection cant be done without boots on the ground, so members of the main battalions are likely conducting field operations. (Source). That close-holding of his cards was typical of him. But, it was also clear that some form of operational melding was essential to effectively address operational requirements. Eventually, agents had pinpointed the locations of a number of cartel hideouts and high-value targets, including Pablo. The aim of the operation was to monitor cross-border raids and movements of Sandinista forces and rebels in El Salvador. The mandarins decided they were much too tired and sleepy to unload their car to safekeep all of their sensitive items in the house with them. How do you guys block?, I dont know how you guys operate. ISA would operate under a host of cover names to confuse anyone without the need to know. The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. These are primarily preparation intelligence and tactical/ strategic intelligence for active operations. Operation Anaconda was, by most standards, a very difficult engagement. It was provided with a cover name, Tactical Concept Activity, and would never be acknowledged by the Pentagon. Delta Force | From 5 miles away and 4,575m above the ground, operatives could target insurgents communications via cellphone. Intelligence Support Activity - Role The Activity's primary role is to gather actionable intelligence in order to pave the way for special operations undertook by units such as Delta Force (known as 'operational preparation of the battlespace'). The Department of Defense in 1965 outlined its need to be more involved with collecting intelligence, supported by Robert McNamara. Smith's book lifts the lid of secrecy on the Activity, one of America's least well known Special Ops units. He tasked them to install a clandestine video camera (clandcam) framed such that it would record all the license plates of all vehicles turning down a specifically designated road. Its purpose is unlike many other special operations forces of the US military, not dedicated to direct combat, and more towards secretive and clandestine actions necessary to support other military operations. In short order, Langley provided people, training, and a conduit to its various intelligence and planning aspects. _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-21361708-1']); The mission support teams help actualize the other major goal of supporting other forces in a battlespace. As with any clandestine unit, only so much can be known about any of the JSOC special mission units. LTG Odom acquiesced but took every opportunity to oppose actions engaging his traditional intelligence elements. (amazon.com). RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. (Source) This allowed the forces involved in the surrounding Shahikot Valley to be more informed of enemy movements and positions. One such organization, the Red Brigades, composed of far-left communist-leaning extremists, kidnapped U.S. Brigadier General James Dozier. An investigation by journalist Mark Bowden (author of Blackhawk Down) revealed that in 1989, the Colombian government asked for US help in tracking down Escobar. More technical training on SIGINT, such as transmission and signals interpretation is also a component of the training. Additionally, conceal meant can be a factor in weapon selection too. On December 2, 1993, with help from Centra Spike and a mobile Colombian surveillance team, Escobar's hideout was pinpointed, and Colombian police moved in. Given the nature of their operations and the close work and training they receive alongside other US special operations forces, much of their equipment is likely to mimic that of the special mission units they support and work alongside. Some of ISA's most recent deployments was in 1993 in Somalia. Direct action differs from conventional offensive actions in the level of physical and political risk, operational techniques, and the degree of discriminate and precise use of force to achieve specific objectives."[1]. Special Air Service (SAS) | However, our personal favorite is a toss-up between Cemetery Wind and Gray Fox. HUMINT-related activities at the Department of Defense and Defense Intelligence Agency level, subsequent to the disestablishment of the DHS, included continued issuance of DoD directives or instructions governing elements of HUMINT operations - including those concerning human source validation ( Document 44 ), creation of the since (. The mandarins had inexplicably turned and ran south back to our home base leaving no rear guard for the main body. The Intelligence Support Activitys operations in El Salvador, under Operation Queens Hunter, demonstrated the effectiveness of the newly founded squadrons mastery of SIGINT and cross-departmental cooperation. "Today, the ISA operates under the code name Gray Fox. Unfortunately, the hostages were dispersed throughout the country, and the chance never came for a second attempt, but the seeds were planted for the Intelligence Support Activity. Electronic specialists and SIGINT operators comprised part of the force. If successful, the candidate would then continue training within ISA in such skills as parachuting, survival, weapons and intelligence gathering. Come again, Cantor? I was trying to make him look at me while he repeated that last instruction. We locked the chain back up behind it and returned to base. ISA. Stationed in the fifth floor of the American embassy, and operating from specially outfitted Beechcraft 300 and 350 aircraft, Centra Spike tracked Escobar around the country. The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), frequently shortened to Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), also known at various times as Joint Reconnaissance Evaluation Group (JREG), Mission Support Activity (MSA), Office of Military Support (OMS), Field Operations Group (FOG), Studies and Analysis Activity (SAA), Tactical Its worth noting that Bravo troop was never compromised while conducting espionage against the Assad regime in Syria. The mission criteria were pretty simple: we would fail our mission if we missed reporting the generals car, or if we allowed someone to get around our blocking position and into the ambush site. However, due to the nature of ISAs mission, its operators are rarely likely to carry weapons into the field. Im telling you, they are packed parachutes for you; all you have to do is jump they dont need any training or preparation they can do it all!. (Source). US Navy SEALs | The US military and many of its allies consider DA one of the basic special operations missions. Part of a Delta-DEVGRU task force, ISA provided intelligence on the whereabouts of Bosnian Serb war crimes suspects. All Rights Reserved. The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity ( USAISA ), frequently shortened to Intelligence Support Activity or ISA, and nicknamed The Activity is a United States Army Special Operations unit originally subordinated to the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM). Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Operations Response Team (SORT), " Veritas Omnia Vincula Vincit On the one occasion where he accompanied DSCOPS representatives to the Hill for a closed classified session regarding FOG activities, he voiced his concern regarding management, where the Committee Chairman, in plain, but polite language, told him that the Committee was satisfied with the arrangements. "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in 1981, this unit fought in drug wars and counter-terror operations from the Middle East to South America. It is after all, not a strictly combat-oriented role like its other Tier 1 operators. What does one actually do with such persons? The unit was raised in 1979 as the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), who was created to overthrow the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. So there they were sitting in our Tactical Operations Center in Bosnia waiting to be integrated into our PIFWC hunting operations. With the expansion, the FOG has renamed the ISA and officially established as a unit on January 29th, 1981. A vehicle on time and on target rolled through the barricade. The ISA wasn't popular within JSOC. The exact makeup of ISAs force structure is hard to determine. As the name implies, SIGINT Squadron is responsible for ISAs signals intelligence mission. The unit would be immediately deployed to any country where a terrorist act against the United States had taken place, and would start providing critical intelligence, as well as setting up landing zones and infiltration routes for the counter-terrorist force. An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in 1981, this unit fought in drug wars and counter-terror operations from the Middle East to South America. Their unique abilities are called upon when other special operations forces have not been able to complete their mission due to a gap in intelligence. In 1989, during Operation Just Cause, the American invasion of Panama, ISA proposed to deploy a team of its intelligence agents to track Manuel Noriega, but the offer was declined. })(); Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. "On December 17, 1981, Colonel James Dozier, the highest ranking American army officer in the NATO southern European Command was kidnapped by members of the Red Brigade terrorist faction. ISA was asked to form an Algerian-based plan and a Beirut-based one for rescue. Upon return to the Pentagon, he re-assigned the ACSI POC out of FOG-related issues. Sadly, the team's evaluation did not serve to upgrade American security standards, and a truck bomb exploded from within 40 feet of the embassy entrance later that year. The agents prepared contingency plans for a commando force to enter Beirut clandestinely, and to strike at Hizbollah and Syrian targets. ISA has been known to utlizes signal skimmers to pick up enemy radio transmissions and zero in on their location. Killer Elite This time, the manhunt for Escobar was being led by Col. Hugo Martinez, who did not intend to let Escobar get away, and who operated with ruthless efficiency, aided by Centra Spike's intelligence. Small Wars Journal is published by Small Wars Foundation - a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. I could tell by her skunk-eye that she had a dagger in the pipe ready to launch, so I lightened up. Two task forces of JSOC took part in the search and rescue operations, Delta Force and a detachment of the ISA. This was never forthcoming despite the greatest pressure upon the Agency. Marpat Camo Test |. On the ground, these operatives can use a directional antenna programmed to pick up a specific cellphones signal, even if it was turned off, providing Delta Force with a target building to raid. I delivered the unemotional skinny to the Cantor who neither commented nor looked up from his work. Developed hunt methodology for Albuquerque-based Counter Human Traffic organization DeliverFund llc as an Intelligence Analyst and Network Disruption Team Leader in the Get The Daily Situation. ODSO/FOG overcame much of this through replication of capability generously funded and supported by CIA. By November 1993, the noose was tightening around Escobar, and Centra Spike managed to track him down to a suburb of Medellin called Los Olivos. In line with their proficiency in infiltration, they had an array of passports, credit cards and falsified documents to allow easy movement between territories. "Also in 1982, an ISA team was sent to Sudan to provide protection to Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry and his vice president. The capture was to happen as he would be heading south to the city of Vlasenica. We provided documents for viewing from both the Agency and DOD lawyers supporting the organization and outlining the rationale. Additionally, ISA operates a number of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and these pilots fit somewhere into the puzzle that is ISA. A team of mandarins was tasked with blocking traffic in the same fashion on the south side of the ambush site, then with following the assault force north to provide rearguard to the convoy. Once a member of the ISA passes the initial selection, it trains alongside different intelligence specialists, including members of the CIA. "In late 1981, ISA agents were involved in the attempt to acquire a Soviet T-72 tank, which had obsessed intelligence analysts. During Anaconda, ISA intelligence helped save both the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division at Takur Ghar. This time around, travel through the city was a very dangerous endeavour, with roadblocks everywhere. His elements were being heavily tasked, and a directed intelligence pipeline was established to FOG. Along with reviewing the security and organization again, ISA was also tasked with formulating plans for reprisals against the Syrians who had shot down two US fighters. This page was last edited on 1 April 2008, at 06:57. Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. They skillfully pushed the car down the dirt driveway and out onto the hardball road a-ways where they could hot-wire and start the car without being heard by the slumbering princesses in the safe house. The trials of the ISA in Queens Hunter were not the only time the team was tested in South America. Reconnaissance overflights revealed a possible location where POWs, still believed to be held by the Vietnamese early in the year. The CIA would talk directly to the warlords while the ISA provided SIGINT support and ground security for them. It was the type of mission ISA was designed for, but no agents were sent in. (Source). Covert operations are shrouded in plausible deniability. So where are the pilots? Unfortunately, the police were either heavily corrupted or unwilling to arrest Escobar, and the intelligence went to waste. These operatives have a cover in the commercial sector, typically as an international businessperson.

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