Centra Spike agents operated all around Colombia, as well as neighbouring countries where the cartels influence extended. "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 role is to bridge the gaps when it is simply too dangerous for other agencies to put boots on the ground, and as these gaps change in every operational environment, so too do their responsibilities and activities. But, ISA also sponsored a private rescue mission by Vietnam War veteran Bo Gritz, providing him with thousands of dollars worth of communications equipment, cameras, along with plane tickets and intelligence photos. Highly recommended. While Delta and DEVGRU focus on direct engagement and specialized combat tactics, the ISA conducts intelligence and espionage operations at a tactical level. ISA was asked to form an Algerian-based plan and a Beirut-based one for rescue. The Cantor said nothing. In the 1980s, extremist parties on both sides of the political spectrum plagued Italy. October 16, 2020 They are known by many names: Task Force Orange; the Intelligence Support Activity; The Activity; the Army of Northern Virginia; the Field Operations Group (FOG); the United States Army Intelligence Support Activity, or just shortened to Intelligence Support Activity (USISA). The unit was raised in 1979 as the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), who was created to overthrow the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. A DOD lawyer was assigned to the development planning, and Col Jerry King (MG Vaught's Chief of Staff for the Iran JTF) became the first head of the FOG. 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. Prior to Saddams capture, over 40 members of his family were captured and interrogated to determine his whereabouts with little success. It later took on other roles like SIGINT as battlefield requirements changed over time. 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. (Source). 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. 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. Being highly proficient in the collection of HUMINT and SIGINT has made them a very effective, yet specifically dedicated, intelligence task force. Gray Fox was formed in 1980 in response to the infamous failed rescue attempt of American hostages under Operation Eagle Claw in the Tehran embassy. The unit was raised in 1979 as the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), who was created to overthrow the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Under the guiding hand of JSOC, the ISA operated alongside other JSOC and CIA elements, under the codename Gray Fox. Working alongside SEASPRAY, a specialized aviation unit that would later form a part of Delta Force, the ISA would conduct aerial SIGINT operations to assist the Salvadoran Army against guerrillas. These operatives mirror the function of CIA case officers and even go through CIA training at the Farm in Virginia. That close-holding of his cards was typical of him. The cover of these operatives is typically much harder to develop since it requires a reason to be in and out of the target country on a frequent basis, and to have inauspicious ties to the target country. "Currently, ISA is believed to be under control of JSOC, and published accounts have it organized into administration, training, SIGINT, HUMINT and direct action elements. However, his several interventions and temporary blockage of many initiatives, showed that his primary intent was to arrest the development and contain the capability. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. ISA operatives often work in disguise and undercover. This is especially useful in countries where men and women socializing is frowned upon outside of the family. The US Department of Defense has defined direct action as "Short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operation in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments and which employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, recover, or damage designated targets. A case officer is someone who handles a foreign asset by giving them collection requirements and ensuring their safety. The ISA specializes in gathering human intelligence, signals intelligence and combat. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. (. When the CIA took credit for Centra Spike's work, the Army became furious and a competition was arranged between the two units. Colonel Jerry King retained his position as the head of the group, now 100-strong and headquartered in a nondescript building in Arlington, Virginia. The DCS, G-2 is the Director of the Operational Environment Enterprise (OEE) and author of the Army's approved current Operational Environment (OE). The "Pakistani cook" piece, delivered as Delta boarded the aircraft, was viewed as an implausible source though subsequent inquiry revealed that the crucial info was available much earlier, but intentionally not shared for several reasons. Subsequent, Task Force 121, a collection of special mission units and conventional forces organized a raid on a small farming compound in rural Iraq. Some solid intelligence gleaning prompted the community into action to capture PIFWC Serbian General S. Kladanj on his scheduled move out of Serbia proper into the Republic of Serbia. Featured Book: A vehicle on time and on target rolled through the barricade. and direct action combat. The monitoring of guerilla factions allowed the Salvadoran Army to successfully defend against their attacks. The operation was codenamed Amber Star, and was a joint US-British-French-Dutch effort to apprehend the suspects. This includes Clandestine operations, but not those which are Covert. With it, they had a unit of military spies able to covertly infiltrate a country and provide hands-on, critical intelligence, as well as to raise logistical support for counter-terrorist commandos in case of a crisis. Due to their specialization in intelligence, they can operate as vanguard teams to support another units operations. COL Nightingale is a retired Army Colonel who served two tours in Vietnam with Airborne and Ranger (American and Vietnamese) units. Check, chief! and she yanked the gat our of my hand. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. A key driver for the meeting was the recognition that quality operational intelligence was virtually non-existent. Bravo and Delta troops utilize commercial or non-official cover. (Source), Under the operational codename Centra Spike, the Intelligence Support Activity operated alongside CIA and local police elements to track down Escobar. It has since changed names several times to avoid media publicity, having been alternately known as the Tactical Concept Activity, the Tactical Coordination Detachment, the Tactical Support Team, and the Studies and Analysis Activity (SAA), among other designations. A declassified document provides background information about the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA ), a little known intelligence gathering unit that collects tactical intel for Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and other Special Operations units. The US wanted a team to covertly survey the situation on the ground and provide officials with a survey of the US embassy. It was settled, and Majestic Eagle withdrew from the operation. The Intelligence Support Activity, commonly called "The Activity" . ISA was allegedly co-operating with Task Force Ranger, and was responsible for tracking down Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Adid, through electronic surveillance and Somalian informants. Approval was given for ISA's deployment, and operators flew to Frankfurt, where some stayed in case the airliner, now back in Beirut, flew back to Algiers. Meaning that the government of the country these troops are operating in known that they work for the US government, however they dont necessarily know that theyre a spy. (Source), The failure of Operation Eagle Claw was a turning point for US special operations. To lawyers, this is a distinction with a difference. It was agreed that FOG would be a Joint organization and roles and tasks were developed for eachalways mindful of the Title 10/50 issues. The following article on the Intelligence Support Activity was copied from Specwarnet.net online. Fort Belvoir, North Virginia, United States. They marked secret infiltration routes and bases American forces could use if they were ever sent into the country. All the tools you need to an in-depth Intelligence Support Activity Self-Assessment. Landing zones were established, Lebanese militias contacted for help, and plans formulated for a commando force. The unit is provided with the best equipment money can buy and it is known it maintained a fleet of aircraft at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era by Steven Emerson (amazon.com), " Veritas Omnia Vincula Vincit In Evaluating Immunities before a Special Tribunal for Aggression Against Ukraine, the Type of Tribunal Matters, Chinas Ferry Tale Taiwan Invasion Plan Is A Legal Nightmare, China Maritime Report No. All rights reserved. That night, the mandarin and I stashed our car and cut through an orchard whose northwest corner gave way to the bollards and the chain barricade. While the nerdiest Green Berets and special operators comprise the bulk of ISA, there are also non-traditional operatives who have not passed the selection course. But the poor Cantor had to suffer through the mandarin menace sure enough. When conducting more integrated operations with other parts of the military, the skill of intelligence support comes into play. Operation Anaconda was, by most standards, a very difficult engagement. >Develops and . Through their mastery of SIGINT, the ISA quickly got on the task of intercepting radio and telephone transmissions. The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. Task Force Mandarin [better known as Task Force Orange or the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA)] was a support organization formed to provide signal intercept and intelligence gathering capabilities to Tier One organizations. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. It is after all, not a strictly combat-oriented role like its other Tier 1 operators. The authors note that "All information used in this article has been obtained from publicly available, open source documents." More technical training on SIGINT, such as transmission and signals interpretation is also a component of the training. The training processes of other military groups however grant general insight into the selection and training of the ISA. Case officers also target and recruit potential assets. Officials developed a contingency plan for the new situation: ISA operators were to infiltrate the city and confirm the locations of the hostages, as well as make contact with the Lebanese Christian militia. The examples and perspective in this article, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Joint Publication 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms", United States Army Special Operations Command, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Direct_action_(military)&oldid=1081847487, This page was last edited on 10 April 2022, at 01:40. The OSS was a direct action "group" that was directly involved in sabotage, infiltration, combat and even assassination. As such, the activities and specifics of Gray Fox are not widely made available. And with that our boss, the Cantor, doled out a mission for a two-man team of mandarins. During the period leading up to the engagement, as well as potentially during the infamous Battle of Takur Ghar (aka the Battle of Roberts Ridge), ISA operators conducted aggressive SIGINT operations, intercepting enemy communications and feeding them to allied forces. Clothing worn by locals, even in specific areas. 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. The debris revealed a spider hole and as an operator prepared a grenade, Saddam poked his head out of the hole. When hostages were taken in the Tehran embassy in 1980, it became clear that FOG needed to become a larger group with more resources. This extra length concealed the main eavesdropping antennas, while others could be lowered from the belly while in flight. The ISA comprises 5 primary elements: administration, training, SIGINT, HUMINT and direct action. Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. The situation quickly worsened, until officials in the US embassy were in genuine concern for their lives, so much that the ambassador cabled for immediate help. Little is known about the organization or its activities, but it is clear that they serve as a. They also have direct action elements within their battalions, alongside specialists in HUMINT and SIGINT. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. 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),[citation needed]Mission Support Activity (MSA), Office of Military Support (OMS), Field Operations Group (FOG), Studies and Analysis Activity (SAA), Like many special operations groups, their active arsenal is not likely a small rigid loadout, it is a range of various weapons that are available to suit the units needs. find out more Based on photos of ISA operatives and reasonable assumption, they are most likely to carry: For a unit like ISA, firearms are not its primary weapons. The breakdown of this squadron isnt known either but it likely contains logistical support for the two operational squadrons. Once inside, Centra Spike agents would plug in laptops into the airplane's power and could simultaneously track four frequencies. The JTF was largely dependent upon the CIA to provide the vital confirming HUMINT as to the hostage location. Deployed together with a small Delta Force contingent, Centra Spike flew over Colombia in their airplanes and continued to track Escobar. Killing Pablo by Mark Bowden US News & World Report 7/6/98 - "Hunting war criminals: The first account of secret U.S. missions in Bosnia" by Richard J. Newman, https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Intelligence_Support_Activity&oldid=305336, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. This time around, travel through the city was a very dangerous endeavour, with roadblocks everywhere. There's a lot of fascinating special operation history in the Netflix thriller "Lou," but going into details would reveal Jason McCarthy of goruck.com and Stew Smith discuss his journey to, through, and after Army Special Forces and being Copyright 2023 Military.com. The raid was cancelled over fears that the French and Italians tipped Karadzic off. Delta troop is tasked with countries that are a softer target for infiltration such as the Philippines or Morocco. US Army intelligence defines HUMINT as including: The sources of this information can come from enemy combatants, including regular armed forces, and civilian sources. It is common for the appearance and demeanour of an agent to be the key to their success as an infiltrator. Covert operations are shrouded in plausible deniability. It was late in the evening after a long day and long drive for the mandarins, who finally stopped to stay the night in one of the many safe houses we had scattered throughout the country. No unit is quite as secretive as the Intelligence Support Activity. According to The Secret War by William M. Arkin, published in the Los Angeles Times on October 27, 2002, "The Army created a highly compartmentalized organization that could collect clandestine intelligence independent of the rest of the U.S. intelligence community and follow through with covert military action. Now, shes a third-term Virginia congresswoman. It is known that the unit has changed its codename over . Are you one of them? The aim of the operation was to monitor cross-border raids and movements of Sandinista forces and rebels in El Salvador. 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. This site uses cookies. This intelligence then triangulated the possible location of Dozier. The unit conducts close survelliance with cameras, even going as far as covertly entering terrorists safe houses and planting hidden cameras. 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). Sound Like You? PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. ". The trials of the ISA in Queens Hunter were not the only time the team was tested in South America. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. Special Boat Service (SBS) |, Camouflage patterns: The operation, code-named Great Falcon, made a deal with the Iraqi government for a T-72, in exchange for 175mm cannons. 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