50-636: Operation Askari was a military operation during 1983 in Angola by the South African Defence Force (SADF) during the South African Border War . Operation Askari, launched on 6 December 1983, was the SADF's sixth large-scale cross-border operation into Angola and was intended to disrupt the logistical support and command & control capabilities of People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN)
100-445: A military plan to resolve the situation in the state or actor's favor. Operations may be of a combat or non-combat nature and may be referred to by a code name for the purpose of national security . Military operations are often known for their more generally accepted common usage names than their actual operational objectives . Military operations can be classified by the scale and scope of force employment, and their impact on
150-601: A FAPLA reconnaissance team. On 18 December 1983, a FAPLA company attacked the platoon. Sources differ on the SADF casualties, with nine dead, one missing, one captured to as low as five dead and one captured. A vehicle, weapons, and equipment were seized by the Angolans. South African air assets were moved from their missions in Cuvelai to Caiundo. By the end of hostilities in January, the air and ground attacks had failed to dislodge FAPLA from
200-631: A Joint Monitoring Commission (JMC) to monitor withdrawals and violations of the ceasefire. Talks concluded with an agreement called the Lusaka Accords that detailed the formation and implementation of the JMC which after many weeks of disagreements, finally met on 3 May at N'Giva, Angola. On 12 January 1984 in Moscow, the Soviets however decided to increase military aid to Angola, placing more modern military equipment in
250-454: A PLAN camp and a FAPLA brigade in and around Cuvelai. They moved from Mongua to Cuvelai and the probing of enemy positions began. By 28 December, plans were changed to wrap up Operation Askari by 31 December, which meant Task Force Victor's orders were to attack the PLAN camp a few miles north east of the town that was heavily defended and surrounded by minefields. After the attack began, the task force
300-602: A Soviet-made 9K33 Osa fired by Houthi forces shot down a Saudi Arabian Army Aviation AH-64 Apache in Yemen. Neither Yemen nor Iran had any 9K33 Osa in their armed forces, while known Houthi-operated systems are based on the Soviet-made 2K12 Kub surface-to-air missile system which employs a two-stage rocket engine, and the air-to-air missiles R-73 and R-27T which both have a single-stage rocket engine. The Armenian Air Defense extensively employed 9K33 Osa missile systems during
350-701: A place of refuge during SADF operations. Operation Askari was planned to begin on 9 November 1983 but was postponed for one month because the South African government was conducting talks with African leaders. The operation would instead begin on 9 December with four phases planned: Operation commander - Brigadier Joep Joubert Task Force X-Ray - Commandant Gert van Zyl / Commandant Ep van Lill / Commandant Welgemoed Task Force Victor - Commandant Faan Greyling Task Force Echo-Victor - Commandant Eddie Viljoen Task Force Tango Combat Team Manie Cahama Mulondo Cuvelai Caiundo The objective for
400-525: A significant threat to South African air superiority at shorter ranges. The South African 61 Mechanised Battalion Group captured an intact 9K33 Osa anti-aircraft missile system on 3 October 1987 during the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale . This was the first time that such a system had fallen into possession of non-Warsaw Pact forces, giving Western intelligence agencies an opportunity to examine an important Soviet-bloc weapon system. Iraq fielded Osa systems during
450-427: A single vehicle. All versions of the 9K33 feature all-in-one 9A33 transporter erector launcher and radar (TELAR) vehicles which can detect, track and engage aircraft independently or with the aid of regimental surveillance radars . The six-wheeled transport vehicles BAZ -5937 are fully amphibious and air transportable. The road range is about 500 km. The 1S51M3-2 radar system of the 9K33 Osa TELAR received
500-527: A total of 94 soldiers. The SADF captured vast amounts of Angolan equipment and supplies especially after the capture of the town of Cuvelai. By 5 January 1984, SWAPO's Sam Nujoma requested the UN Secretary General to arrange a ceasefire. With the help of the Americans, this was concluded between Angola and South Africa on 31 January. On 6 February, South Africa'South Foreign Minister Pik Botha proposed
550-524: A withdrawal but it turned into a disordered retreat and he was eventually able to regroup his task force. Greyling was ordered to re-attack but he refused without better planning and reconnaissance. Brigadier Joubert made a decision to reinforce Task Force Victor for a final attack on Cuvelai. Task Force X-Ray arrived very tired at Cuvelai on 3 January, to reinforce Task Force Victor, after spending 16 hours marching from Cahama. Commandant van Lill took over command of Task Force Victor from Commandant Greyling for
SECTION 10
#1732855001757600-566: Is able to launch and guide two missiles against one target simultaneously. Kill probability is quoted as 0.35–0.85 for the Osa and 0.55–0.85 for the Osa-AK and Osa-AKM (presumably depending upon target aspect, speed, maneuverability and radar cross section). Reaction time (from target detection to launch) is around 26 seconds. Preparation time for engagements from transit is around 4 minutes and missile reloading takes around 5 minutes. Each battery of four TELARs
650-448: Is designed for use primarily against jet aircraft and helicopters in any weather. The 9M33 missiles are 3.158 m (10.3 ft) long, weigh 126 kg (278 lb) and use command guidance . A backup low-light optical tracking system is available for heavy ECM environments. The latest 9M33M3 missiles have an increased total weight of 170 kg (375 lb) in order to provide extended range coverage and larger warhead. Propulsion
700-473: Is fitted to and above the tracking radar, used to track the target when the main tracking radar is jammed by ECM. A 9K33 battery comprises four 9A33B TELAR vehicles and two 9T217 transloader vehicles on BAZ-5939 chassis with reload missiles and a crane. A reload time of five minutes has been reported per TELAR. In addition to the TELARs, each regiment is assigned a 9V914 radar collimation vehicle (initially on
750-538: Is provided by a dual-thrust solid fuel rocket motor . Both versions feature a missile speed of around Mach 2.4 (peaking at around Mach 3) for a maximum target engagement speed of around Mach 1.4 for the original 9M33 missile and Mach 1.6 for the 9M33M2\M3 missiles. The warhead for 9M33/M2 versions weighs 19 kg (42 lb), increased to 40 kg (88 lb) in the M3 version to improve performance against helicopters. All versions have impact and proximity fuzes. Each TELAR
800-434: Is ultimately the mission that a unit performs that determines the level of war within which it operates. The operational level of war occupies roughly the middle ground between the campaign's strategic focus and the tactics of an engagement. It describes "a distinct intermediate level of war between military strategy , governing war in general, and tactics, involving individual battles". For example, during World War II ,
850-418: Is usually accompanied by two reload vehicles carrying 18 missiles in sets of three, with a crane mounted on the reload vehicles to assist in moving the missiles. When launched, the booster motor burns for two seconds, permitting the radar to gather and control it at very short ranges (about 1.6 km). The sustainer motor burns for 15 seconds, bringing the missile to a top speed of about Mach 2. Once launched,
900-578: The 1982 Lebanon war in which Syrian air defenses were obliterated by a massive air campaign against Syrian SAM sites in the Beqaa valley, the Syrians deployed Osas. An F-4 Phantom in a SEAD mission was shot down on 24 July 1982 by an Osa system. The WSO (back seater), Aharon Katz was killed, while the pilot, Gil Fogel, survived and was held captive by the Syrians for two years. In the late 1980s, Cuba deployed several 9K33 Osa units in southern Angola, which posed
950-579: The 1991 Gulf War . The Russians claimed that it was the most effective system alongside the ZSU-23-4 Shilka at shooting down Tomahawk cruise missiles , with several downings credited to hits from Osa weapons. The system also saw use in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War by both the Georgian and Russian militaries. Libya deployed 9K33 Osa, with some destroyed during the 2011 Libyan Civil War by NATO airstrikes. On 29 November 2019, Russian sources speculated
1000-634: The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . During the opening days of the war, several videos released by the Azerbaijani military showed several Armenian 9K33 Osa and 9K35 Strela-10 vehicles destroyed by Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, with a number of them destroyed in the following weeks when found on the battlefield. Twelve 9K33 Osa missile systems of Armenian Army were destroyed during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by Azerbaijani Bayraktar TB2s. On 4 October 2020, an Azerbaijani Air force Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft
1050-650: The NATO codename Land Roll . It was derived from the naval 'Pop Group' radar system but is smaller as it does not require a stabilisation system. An improved system, the Osa-AKM ( NATO reporting name SA-8B 'Gecko' Mod 1) was first seen in Germany in 1980. It had improvements to the launcher configuration, carrying six missiles in ribbed containers. The system is reported to be of the frequency-agile monopulse type. It consists of an elliptical rotating surveillance antenna mounted on top of
SECTION 20
#17328550017571100-524: The war in Donbas , the Ukrainian Joint Forces reported destruction of an Osa-AKM surface-to-air missile system along with a Zhitel R330Zh automatic jamming system. For the main phase of hostilities starting in spring 2022, and as of 20 September 2023, 15 losses of 9K33s by Russia are documented with photos or video. Of these, 8 were destroyed, 2 were damaged, 1 was abandoned, and 4 were captured by
1150-673: The BAZ-5938 chassis but more often found on the ZiL-131 truck) that assists in the alignment of the TELAR's radar systems, ensuring accurate target tracking and engagement. The 9K33M3 is also able to use wire-guided missiles, presumably for use in an ECM -heavy environment where radio command guidance may not operate properly. Engagement range for early versions is approximately 2–9 km (1.3–5.6 mi) with engagement altitudes of between 50 and 5,000 m (164–16,400 ft). The 9M33M2 "Osa-A" missile extends
1200-529: The FAPLA and PLAN forces into fleeing their areas of control around the town. The ground and air plan was to begin during mid December until mid January, but in reality, special forces teams were already operating, since mid November, around the town and to the north disrupting the enemies logistics route from Chibemba. PLAN headquarters to the west of Cahama was bombed by the SAAF in early December and remaining forces fled to
1250-601: The SADF plan called for action to force FAPLA's 19th Brigade to withdraw from the area and position UNITA troops in their place. During this phase, FAPLA used their own reconnaissance to track the small SADF force and were successful in attacking the South Africans with artillery, forcing the South Africans to withdraw frequently. This forced the SAAF to conduct air missions against this town, drawing away missions that were to be utilised against Cahama and Cuvelai. In one of these attacks on 23 December, an Impala strike aircraft
1300-563: The Ukrainians. On 23 March 2022, following the Russian invasion , The Washington Post reported that the United States was sending additional Osa systems to Ukraine. PPRU-M1 (PPRU-M1-2) is a mobile command center for a mixed grouping of air defense forces, including 9K33 Osa, and Tor missile system , 2K22 Tunguska , 9K35 Strela-10 and 9K38 Igla . In 2019, Poland began modification of
1350-551: The air support was reduced when Task Force Mannie got into trouble in Caiundo. FAPLA, fearing that the combat team positioned north of the town meant a SADF attack towards Chimbemba and Lubango, launched an armoured column of tanks and personnel carriers towards Cahama. The attack by FAPLA T-55 tanks was fought off by the SADF Ratel-90's crews better mobility and training despite being undergunned. A side operation known as Operation Fox
1400-475: The array, operates in H band (6 to 8 GHz) and has a 30 km acquisition range against most targets. The large pulsed J band (14.5 GHz) engagement antenna is mounted below it in the centre of the array and has a maximum tracking range of about 20 km. Mounted on either side of the tracking radar antenna is a small J band parabolic dish antenna to track the missile. Below it is a small circular antenna which emits an I band uplink capture beam to gather
1450-516: The concept applied to use of Soviet Tank Armies . 9K33 Osa The 9K33 Osa ( Russian : 9К33 «Оса» ; English: " wasp "; NATO reporting name SA-8 Gecko ) is a highly mobile, low-altitude, short-range tactical surface-to-air missile system developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and fielded in 1972. Its export version name is Romb . The Osa was the first mobile air defense missile system incorporating its own engagement radars on
1500-427: The country and increasing the radar network across southern Angola so as to reduce the SAAF's operating capability. This would take around fourteen months and would result in plan to attack UNITA in south-eastern Angola. Military operation A military operation ( op ) is the coordinated military actions of a state , or a non-state actor , in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as
1550-475: The enemy positions and frequently retreated when encountering the hidden 23mm AA positions. The SADF artillery was supported by an Alloutte helicopter used in a spotter role, flown by Captain Carl Alberts, who won an Honoris Crux medal when he used his aircraft as bait to identify the 23mm AA gun positions. FAPLA counterattacked with ten T-55 tanks which succeeded in destroying a Ratel and killing six men, but
Operation Askari - Misplaced Pages Continue
1600-484: The joint attack planned for 4 January and had to deal with further "unrest" in the ranks of Victor. Enemy radio intercepts also reported requests for further FAPLA and Cuban reinforcements. Units were rearranged and an attack planned with Victor attacking Cuvelai from the south and X-Ray from the east. On the afternoon of 3 January, the FAPLA positions in and around Cuvelai were attacked by the SADF in two waves. The first wave consisted 10 Impalas and 4 Canberra bombers while
1650-661: The military wing of the South West Africa People's Organisation SWAPO , in order to suppress a large-scale incursion into South West Africa that was planned for the beginning of 1984. The People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA) of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola ( MPLA ), the Angolan governing party, were targeted during this mission as PLAN bases were close to FAPLA bases and had been used as
1700-430: The missile is command-guided for the whole flight, and the warhead is detonated by its proximity fuze or possibly command. The warhead is said to have a lethal radius of 5 m at low altitude against an F-4 Phantom II size target. Produced by the Soviet Union / Russia , the system was exported to many countries, including Cuba , Greece (from the former East Germany ), Poland , Syria , Ecuador and Iraq . During
1750-476: The missile shortly after launch. The final antennas in the array are two small white rectangular ones, one on either side of the array mounted alongside the I band, used for command uplink to the missile. The twin antenna system permits the 'Land Roll' radar to control up to two missiles simultaneously against a single target. Two missiles can be guided on different frequencies to further complicate electronic countermeasures (ECM). The 9Sh33 electro optical tracker
1800-402: The other retreated. Task Force X-Ray then moved south west to Cahama. After an advance by FAPLA infantry and tanks from Mulondo had been stopped by a SAAF air attack, a smaller SADF force called Combat Team Tango, was sent forward with artillery to the area around the town of Mulondo with the same objective that had been achieved with Quiteve. From around 16 December until around 15 January 1984,
1850-423: The ranges to 1.5–10 km (1–6.2 mi) and engagement altitudes to 25–5,000 m (82–16,400 ft). The 9M33M3 missile greatly enhances the altitude engagement envelope to 10–12,000 m (33–42,500 ft), and are able to travel further (about 15 km/9 mi). However, the system is unable to engage targets at longer ranges, due to other factors such as the limitations of the radar tracking of the missiles. The system
1900-472: The remaining FAPLA troops fleeing northwards towards Techamutete. Earlier Combat Team Echo Victor had been tasked to clear PLAN positions north of Cuvelai and south of Techamutete. During this period, against orders, Techamutete was taken by the Echo Victor on 24 December after the town garrison fled but were then told to hold the town. After the final attack on Cuvelai on 3 January 1984, Combat Team Echo Victor
1950-436: The safety of FAPLA defences in the town. The objective was the responsibility of Task Force X-Ray which moved into position on 16 December after leaving the town of Quiteve . Two teams positioned themselves to the east of the town while a third was positioned to the north. Bombing from the air and bombardment from artillery begun immediately on the town's defences. FAPLA artillery returned fire and artillery duels begun. Some of
2000-455: The second wave consisted of Impala strike aircraft.The aim of the bombing raids were to destroy the FAPLA artillery and the anti-aircraft guns that would be used against the SADF armoured personnel carriers. SADF radio intercepts of the FAPLA garrisons reports to Lubango, reported losses of 75% of their artillery. On 4 January, around 8am, the SADF attack began supported by artillery. The Ratel-20 personnel carriers had to cross minefields to reach
2050-529: The tanks were eventually driven off by artillery and finally destroyed by Ratel-90's in the afternoon. Another medal was won one by Lieutenant Alexander Macaskill trying to rescue the five men in the Ratel. Medic Private Matthew Joseph Fisher was also awarded the Honoris Crux for retrieving a mortally wounded rifleman during the advance on Cuvelai. By the late afternoon, most of the enemy positions were in SADF hands with
Operation Askari - Misplaced Pages Continue
2100-632: The towns defenses. The captured black member of the SWATF was exchanged on 23 May 1984 for 30 Angolans and 1 Cuban. Both sides took casualties. On the Angolan side, FAPLA casualties were 426 killed and 3 captured, PLAN lost 45 killed and 11 captured, while the Cubans lost 5 killed and 1 captured. SADF casualties were 21 killed in action while 4 died accidentally. 65 SADF men were wounded in action with another 18 wounded accidentally with 11 wounded in vehicle accidents for
2150-484: The towns of Quiteve and Mulondo was to conduct a probe of the towns defence's by ground forces, attacking it with artillery and aircraft, in doing so intimidating the FAPLA forces into fleeing the town. Task Force X-Ray left Xangongo on 11 December with its first target at Quiteve taken on 12 December without much fighting as FAPLA had fled the town. Two FAPLA tanks had been dispatched south from Mulondo towards Quiteve but were attacked by SAAF Mirages destroying one, while
2200-423: The wider conflict. The scope of military operations can be: Parallel to and reflecting this framework for operations are organized elements within the armed forces which prepare for and conduct operations at various levels of war . While there is a general correlation between the size of units , the area within which they operate, and the scope of mission they perform, the correlation is not absolute. In fact, it
2250-651: Was conducted to capture a SA-8 battery south west of Cahama. Making use of air and ground forces, the objective was to drive the battery away from the towns defence's to a better position for SADF ground and special forces to capture it intact. The plan failed and by 31 December a political decision had been made, brought about by international pressure, to end this part of Operation Askari. FAPLA's 2nd Brigade had maintained their nerve and stayed in place. Task Force X-Ray then moved north east to Cuvelai to assist Task Force Victor. Task Force Victor, consisting mostly of citizen force soldiers, were tasked with probing and attacking
2300-582: Was counterattacked by FAPLA tanks from Cuvelai that had come to PLAN's defence. The attack was stopped by Eland-90s and artillery by a task force ill-equipped with antitank weapons. The enemy remained in place and the task force was then tasked to attack Cuvelai from the northeast. This attack went ahead in bad weather, flooded rivers, into prepared enemy minefields and against positions manned by 23mm AA guns backed by tanks. There were also problems in leadership by some junior SADF officers and refusal to follow orders by some soldiers. Commandant Greyling finally ordered
2350-583: Was shot down by Armenian forces, probably by a 9K33 Osa while targeting Armenian positions in Fuzuli. The pilot, Colonel Zaur Nudiraliyev , died in the crash. Azerbaijani officials acknowledged the loss in December 2020, with the 9K33 Osa vehicle possibly using passive detection and shoot and scoot tactics to survive the Azerbaijani suppression of air defenses (SEAD) missions. Both Russia and Ukraine have 9K33 Osa systems in their inventory. On 30 March 2019, during
2400-479: Was struck and damaged by a SA-9 surface-to-air missile but safely returned to its base at Ongiva . The plan to take Mulondo failed and by the early January, a political decision had been made to end this part of Operation Askari. FAPLA's 19th Brigade maintained their nerve and stayed in place. The objective for the town of Cahama was again to conduct a probe of the towns defence's by ground forces, attacking it by artillery and by aircraft, in doing so intimidating
2450-407: Was to deceive the enemy as to where the real SADF attack would be coming from. Manie's target was the town of Caiundo . Combat Team Manie advanced from Rundu towards Caiundo where it began to probe the towns defences hoping, as was the plan, to frighten the FAPLA troops of the 53rd Brigade into fleeing the town. During one of these probes, a SADF platoon, who got too close the town, was discovered by
2500-726: Was used as a stopper group against enemy forces fleeing that town. The retreating enemy forces from Cuvelai fled towards the town on 5 January only to be attacked by 32 Battalion. An anti-tank team was then detached from Combat Team Tango to support Echo Victor who had destroyed a fleeing T-54 tank, but they arrived late due to logistical issues. Operations continue in the Techamutete region, with all units, barr 32 Battalion, back at bases in SWA/Namibia by 13–15 January. Small SADF units remained in Calueque, N'Giva and Xangongo. Combat Team Manie's role
#756243