I could tell by her skunk-eye that she had a dagger in the pipe ready to launch, so I lightened up. Good enough, I thought. Law and the killing of a Russian propagandist: Some Q & A BY CHARLIE DUNLAP, J.D. If some elements (especially photos) were originally yours please consider Specwar.info to host for free. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. But what if I dont need signal intercept and intelligence gathering support for my mission?, Look, Geo theyre here, theyre queer, and theyd like so say hello just deal with it because theyre not going away. These intelligence gathering methods outline how intelligence is gathered and what is done with it afterwards. The manhunt was over. Additionally, ISA gathers SIGINT primarily by intercepting enemy communications or sending an agent to physically bug a target. > Role: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), direct action. The direct action element reportedly trains with Delta Force and DEVGRU to maintain their skills. People know ISA mostly for its involvement in Operation Anaconda. Each chapter of the book brings a new chapter of the Activity's operations like Lebanon, where its efforts to rescue US hostages was stymied by its own government or Bosnia where it hunted down war criminals. There was a chain barricade that the Serbian police (MUPs) used to block access to a side road that junctioned with highway M4. Spec Ops Profile: Intelligence Support Activity, Paris Davis, Black Green Beret in Vietnam, Finally Awarded Medal of Honor at White House, Navy SEAL Dies in Parachute Mishap, 4th Training Death in 14 Months, Special Operations Commander Fired After Being Arrested for Alleged Drunk Driving, Hit and Run, 8 Fun Facts About the USO to Celebrate Its Birthday. The simple plan called for pipe-hitters to deploy from the states and set up an ambush at a blind S-curve along the generals route. During the operations training course, candidates are taught infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. The negotiations were going so well that Iraq decided to throw in a Mil Mi-24 Hind D helicopter and a MiG-25 fighter-interceptor. Operation Anaconda highlights how vital of a role the ISA plays in the battlespace. 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Within these battalions, there is a cyber ops teams, technology ops teams and mission support teams. 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'). They also noted the specific funding line and agreed to manage it as a priority classified line absent committee discussion. Intelligence Support Activity - Person of Interest Wiki The web portal tool will maintain a repository of all INSCOM and non -INSCOM 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. ", Sources: US Air Force Pararescue | Both the CSA and the Director understood that each offered something the other did not and that together, a much better response capability could be generateda point that POTUS emphasized through the National Security Council to both. 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. A goodly amount of minutes went by. Task Force Orange: Supporting Delta Force | SOFREP Once they arrived they took pictures of the embassy from every angle, recorded the types of locks on all doors, inside and outside, recorded the number of windows and exits, and created a blueprint of the building. ISA intelligence specialists, K9 units, security experts and demolition experts were sent to the country undercover as military advisers. His elements were being heavily tasked, and a directed intelligence pipeline was established to FOG. Alpha and Charlie troops utilize official cover to collect human intelligence. . The Intelligence Support Activity conducts its operations during and in advance of US military operations. He later commanded both the 1/75th Rangers and the 1st Ranger Training Brigade. During Anaconda, ISA intelligence helped save both the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division at Takur Ghar. Intelligence Support Activity - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. Killer Elite The whole force drove north as planned, putting Kay and me upfront to clear ahead and report back to the assault force. They discovered there was no co-ordination between them, and vital information regarding terrorist attacks was not being shared. Little is known about the organization or its activities, but it is clear that they serve as a. Under the umbrella group of Joint Special Operations Task Force 20, the Intelligence Support Activity helped track down and locate Saddam Hussein. 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. Intelligence Support Activity - Wikipedia While Delta and DEVGRU focus on direct engagement and specialized combat tactics, the ISA conducts intelligence and espionage operations at a tactical level. What is the difference between the Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization programs recently developed vs. previous years? The fleet was comprised of 15 different types of aircraft for a combined total of 40 aircraft, all decked out with SIGINT interception technology. The ISA differs from its brother and sister task forces in that it is not primarily a combat-oriented team, excelling in HUMINT and SIGINT operations that allow it to provide extremely valuable intelligence to other military elements. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. [2] Unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance and direct action roles have merged throughout the decades and are typically performed primarily by the same units. Its worth noting that Bravo troop was never compromised while conducting espionage against the Assad regime in Syria. "Today, the ISA operates under the code name Gray Fox. The emerging problems our Nation faced in the early 1980s with terrorism, airplane hijacking, and hostage taking, created considerable challenges for the government (USG) to resolve. (Dominique Sumner and Peter Tomich). (Source) This indicates that members of the primary four battalions who are combat specialists will have a wide range of skills, and therefore a high range of weapons they utilize. 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 A much more classified component was a solely-US effort codenamed Green Light, focusing specifically on former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic. The Chiefs planning element determined that DOD/Army needed to create a Joint Army-CIA force that would both develop quality intelligence abroad, but also provide site support for direct action operations. Lawyers for both Titles within the respective DOD and CIA bureaucracies, fought to preserve their interpretations of applications, to prevent one department from intruding into the territory of the other. Upon return to the Pentagon, he re-assigned the ACSI POC out of FOG-related issues. Had the force been aware of the actual hostage location and situation, the force could have continued past Desert One and probably succeeded. (Source) Operatives must not look out of placeor easily recognizable. The U.S. Army's Intelligence Support Activity is arguably the most secretive unit out of the five tier one units in the United States Military. Each of these groups achieves different specialised tasks for their assigned mission. The unit has been under command of the US Army but some time after September 11th 2001 command was placed under direct control of the Joint Special Operations Command or JSOC at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States. After a massive effort, including remote viewers from the United States, turned up nothing, a team of ISA signals intelligence specialists was also sent over to Italy to provide any assistance they could, along with sophisticated equipment and specially outfitted helicopters. (Source). But the poor Cantor had to suffer through the mandarin menace sure enough. US intelligence gathering methods centre around the US intelligence process, composed of the phases Plan, Prepare, Collect, Process, and Produce. (Source). Both were doing the same thing in Colombia, except Centra Spike was doing a better job, at a much lower cost. "In 1981, the Central Intelligence Agency, along with a covert helicopter unit, Seaspray, was involved in the secret transport of Lebanese Christian leader Bashir Gemayel back to Beirut after a round of secret talks with the President Ronald Reagan. Before it operated under the name ISA, the group was referred to as the Field Operations Group (FOG). The Elite Within the Elite: A Guide to U.S. Special Forces Failed Clandestine operations, usually result in some form of USG explanation. "During the 1983 American invasion of Grenada, special forces units were plagued by lack of useful and up-to-date intelligence. The ISA is perhaps the most major outlier doctrinally from its other, better known, counterparts within JSOC and SOCOM as a whole. Intelligence Support Activity - SourceWatch Cowan traveled the Lebanese countryside pinpointing the locations of Syrian anti-aircraft emplacements. "Gray Fox's low-profile eavesdropping planes also fly without military markings. The CIA would talk directly to the warlords while the ISA provided SIGINT support and ground security for them. After the rescue attempt, then CSA Shy Meyer, convened a small group of people within Army DCSOPS to address future SOF/CT structure in the aftermath of the failure, and while still under a POTUS mandate, to be prepared to conduct an In-Extremis rescue within 10 days. The US recognized the usefulness of this unit and began surveying embassies across the world. Once inside, Centra Spike agents would plug in laptops into the airplane's power and could simultaneously track four frequencies. Rather than disbanding the unit, it was expanded. Key was the requirement to develop a competent counter resolution force. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); Both Army and the Agency recognized the changed nature of the world and the requirements of the emerging terrorist/hostage issues. ODSO/FOG overcame much of this through replication of capability generously funded and supported by CIA. 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. Small Wars Journal is published by Small Wars Foundation - a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Ironically, the embassy in Iran was on their itinerary, but, history intervened, and it was overrun by a mob who took the larger part of the staff hostage. The SIGINT group of the ISA gathered signal intelligence via aircraft, that was then passed on to NSA analysts. During the 1990's the unit was known as Capacity Gear. Such as procuring equipment, getting funding for operations/training, and human resources functions. This includes Clandestine operations, but not those which are Covert. (Source), The failure of Operation Eagle Claw was a turning point for US special operations. Smith's book lifts the lid of secrecy on the Activity, one of America's least well known Special Ops units. Delta Force | The other half flew to Cyprus to join the rest of the rescue force. The aim of the operation was to monitor cross-border raids and movements of Sandinista forces and rebels in El Salvador. That close-holding of his cards was typical of him. The US wanted a team to covertly survey the situation on the ground and provide officials with a survey of the US embassy. Along with Queens Hunter, ISA was involved in many operations across Central America, in Panama, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. This has been more visible in their operations in Afghanistan, Operation Winter Harvest and Operation Queens Hunter. Intelligence Support Activity > Service branch: Army > Also known as: Gray Fox, ISA, USISA, The Activity . This page was last edited on 1 April 2008, at 06:57. The breakdown of this squadron isnt known either but it likely contains logistical support for the two operational squadrons. The CIA was leading extraordinary rendition operations in Somalia in conjunction with the ISA and the help of local warlords. Now, shes a third-term Virginia congresswoman. There was a task I did for the Cantor routinely and at a moments notice. 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. ". Direct action (military) - Wikipedia We locked the chain back up behind it and returned to base. Tools like radios, computers and lockpicks are much more crucial to the success of its missions. Distinctive Unit Insignia of the US Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), 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). find out more The Joint Special Operations Command and the frequently-renamed Intelligence Support Activity are similar units. (Source), Additionally, the ISA has acted as a pseudo-security element for the CIA. Highly recommended. Here, Ive got it, offered the mandarin with hand extended to my lock pick set. by Michael Smith "The government realized the importance of the FOG. Intelligence Support Activity The Army's most obscure special-ops unit is the roughly 300-strong Intelligence Support Activity, formed in 1981, which has gone by various codenames over the years. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. Access to that road saved a considerable amount of travel time for support for an ongoing mission. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. Boss Cantor seemed satisfied with how the mandarins gathered the necessary hardware for the mission and then marched smartly out the door. ISA would operate under a host of cover names to confuse anyone without the need to know. 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 DCS, G-2 is the Director of the Operational Environment Enterprise (OEE) and author of the Army's approved current Operational Environment (OE). "In 1983, a five-man ISA unit led by Lt. Col. William Cowan was dispatched to Beirut, Lebanon to deal with the increasing threat to American interests in the area. US Army Special Forces | Once admitted, candidates must pass the operations training course, which teaches infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. The training processes of other military groups however grant general insight into the selection and training of the ISA. 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 ISA's origins are in the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), whose origin in turn is in the 1979 overthrow of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. The intelligence gathering part was named "Buckeye" and consisted of CIA, NSA and Torn Victor operatives. I though not wanting to be the harsh critic at jump street found it rather novice of them the way they got their camera compromised. Russia and Ukraine battle daily in the sky. How to join the intelligence support activity - Quora All the tools you need to an in-depth Intelligence Support Activity Self-Assessment. US Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), also known as ISA, The Activity, GREY FOX and, in recent times, the Mission Support Activity (MSA), is a top secret Army intelligence unit. The exact makeup of ISAs force structure is hard to determine. The mission support teams help actualize the other major goal of supporting other forces in a battlespace. These operatives have a cover in the commercial sector, typically as an international businessperson. Sound Like You? This Intelligence Support Activity All-Inclusive Self-Assessment enables You to be that person. Well, ok we arrived at just around 1630hrs and the mandarin began. Operatives infiltrated internet cafes in Baghdad and conducted flyover operations in aircraft filled with signal interception gear. We provided documents for viewing from both the Agency and DOD lawyers supporting the organization and outlining the rationale. "In 1982, ISA SIGINT specialists took part in Operation Queens Hunter, a Seaspray operation in the skies above El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Original content is published under aCreative Commons Licenseper ourTerms of Use. Delta was finally given the go-ahead and flew to Sicily and Cyprus along with Task Force 160 and Seaspray helicopters, thus ending the need for ISA's help. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; FOG became permanent and renamed ISA on March 3, 1981. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. (Source) Sending agents that not only act, but look like the people of the country they seek to infiltrate makes for an even more effective cover. An ISA agent was secretly infiltrated into Beirut where he provided real-time intelligence on the location of the hostages. These deployments include Operation Winter Harvest, Operation Queens Hunter and their role in Operation Anaconda. It is common for the appearance and demeanour of an agent to be the key to their success as an infiltrator. The unit's missions range from Latin America, fighting communist guerrillas and drugs barons, to Africa, the Middle East and central Asia, tracking down terrorists. He had literally tried to muscle open the lock with tools designed for a sincerely delicate operation. and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. 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'). _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); This is how we block. If successful, the candidate would then continue training within ISA in such skills as parachuting, survival, weapons and intelligence gathering. Due to their specialization in intelligence, they can operate as vanguard teams to support another units operations. "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. Deployed together with a small Delta Force contingent, Centra Spike flew over Colombia in their airplanes and continued to track Escobar. Most ISA trainees are from Army Special Forces, meaning many have skills in CQC, sniping, counter-sniping and general tactical engagements. It was so simple that we didnt even need to create a nursery rhyme to recite to help us remember all the steps. "Also in 1982, an ISA team was sent to Sudan to provide protection to Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry and his vice president. Intelligence Support Activity - SourceWatch 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. Cowan and another ISA agent managed to drive through every sector of Beirut, even the Shiite suburb, a dangerous practice at the time. However, due to the nature of ISAs mission, its operators are rarely likely to carry weapons into the field. 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. PDF National and Joint Intelligence Support - United States Army The second rescue force was not going to be affected by the same problem, and the FOG was established in July of 1980, under the control of Colonel Jerry King. America's Most Elite Special Forces - msn.com These operatives mirror the function of CIA case officers and even go through CIA training at the Farm in Virginia. 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. However, his several interventions and temporary blockage of many initiatives, showed that his primary intent was to arrest the development and contain the capability. "In late 1981, ISA agents were involved in the attempt to acquire a Soviet T-72 tank, which had obsessed intelligence analysts. During the operation, a rivalry developed between Centra Spike, and a CIA intelligence unit named Majestic Eagle. So there they were sitting in our Tactical Operations Center in Bosnia waiting to be integrated into our PIFWC hunting operations. An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. The rapidly deteriorating situation in the country prompted the United States to create a small Special Forces unit with the purpose of surveying the US embassy. Its skills 'perfected during missions over El Salvador,' Centra Spike honed in on Escobar's cellular phone calls and relayed the information back to Colombian police forces. Infiltration relies much less on stealthy engagement, and much more on subtlety and effective tradecraft. In the summer of 1980, FOG agents were infiltrated into Teheran to report back on the hostages' whereabouts, movements of the Iranians, as well as to recruit local agents. In 1979 the need for a dedicated special operations intelligence unit was solidified following the overthrowing of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza.