Highly detailed knowledge of an infiltration location is also key. Its members often use disguises to avoid detection and if they are compromised they can quickly disappear from sight and completely change their appearance. Eliciting information from select sources, The exploitation of documents, media and materials. Funding was to be a joint undertaking. Typically the ISA pulls from the Green Berets due to their prior special operations experience, language skills, and autonomy. US Army intelligence defines HUMINT as including: The sources of this information can come from enemy combatants, including regular armed forces, and civilian sources. In 2003 four troops: A,B,C, and D made up the squadron. US intelligence gathering methods centre around the US intelligence process, composed of the phases Plan, Prepare, Collect, Process, and Produce. (Source) Gray Fox operators and intelligence specialists operated alongside other special operations units, including Delta Force and DEVGRU, as well as other components of the US Army. The specialists, nicknamed 'knob turners' operated sophisticated electronic eavesdropping equipment located in the back cabin of specially-outfitted Seaspray Beechcraft 100 airplanes. My team, me and happy-trigger-fingered Kay-Kay, were to position north of the ambush site, report the approach of the Generals car, then pull our car out onto the highway to block traffic for the hot minute it took the assault force to stop Klandanjs car and scoop him up. (Source), Additionally, the ISA has acted as a pseudo-security element for the CIA. This is how we block. and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. Every modern military relies on intelligence, and the US military is a voracious consumer of intelligence, from both an analytical and functional standpoint. The Cantor sent me out as usual to throw the lock, wait for our operational vehicle to pass, then shut it again. They set up protection for the president and installed a security system. When government officials found out, they were horrified, they seemed to have a rogue agency within its ranks. As with both the establishment of JSOC, TF160/SOAR and Ranger SOF, the task was not easy. The Beechcrafts were made to appear normal from the outside, save for a wingspan six inches longer. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) "Perhaps the least known, and most classified unit within the realm of US special operations is the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), a small, highly trained and capable intelligence unit. "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. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); The JTF was largely dependent upon the CIA to provide the vital confirming HUMINT as to the hostage location. Eventually, agents had pinpointed the locations of a number of cartel hideouts and high-value targets, including Pablo. Though its freelance tendencies were curbed, the ISA continued to operate under different guises through the ill-starred U.S. involvement in Somalia in 1992 and was reportedly active in the hunt for Bosnian Serbs suspected of war crimes. As they soundly slept in the reverie of their grand plan, the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy happened by and found the car unlocked. With the expansion, the FOG has renamed the ISA and officially established as a unit on January 29th, 1981. This time around, travel through the city was a very dangerous endeavour, with roadblocks everywhere. This is a potentially significant compromise. the Cantor lamented in earnest. Talk about close target recce. Thats pretty frickin ballsy. Two people with a lockpick kit and a camera. Gen Meyer demurred on the request, citing the several parts of the world where Army FOG personnel were actively supporting SOF elements, the Agency, and CINC. "The government realized the importance of the FOG. Its budget would be carefully concealed so that it never made a paper trail, and only a dozen officials would know the names and locations of all of ISA's agents and safehouses. When operatives are in less restrictive environments they can often be seen carrying weapons used by locals, most often in the form of AKs. This site uses cookies. ISA members conducted extensive interviews with Special Forces members in the country, Lebanese Army and CIA and embassy officials. 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. *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. 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. 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 cyber operations team extends into other offsets of intelligence gathering, including OSINT, cyber threat intelligence and cyber warfare. Stew Smith and Jeff Nichols discuss the new testosterone to epitestosterone ratio (T/E) used at BUDS to deter use Abigail Spanberger spent almost a decade as a CIA operations officer. The separation did not fit real world requirements which was finally recognized in the aftermath of the failed Iran rescue. The debris revealed a spider hole and as an operator prepared a grenade, Saddam poked his head out of the hole. Why America's Special Forces Are so Unique and Deadly 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. 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It's a Special Mission Unit and conducts highly classified operations. Codename: Gray Fox - Sicarius (. "ISA was divided into branches of signals intelligence (SIGINT) specialists, human intelligence (HUMINT) specialists, and a highly compartmentalized direct action element, the 'shooters'. The unit is organized into several elements. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; 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. 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. (Source), The ISAs selection and training is geared towards intelligence specialisation despite conducting occasional direct engagement. The intelligence gathering part was named "Buckeye" and consisted of CIA, NSA and Torn Victor operatives. The training processes of other military groups however grant general insight into the selection and training of the ISA. 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. Featured Book: However, through OSINT collection we know that there are three primary squadrons: Sometimes referred to as HUMINT or Ground squadron, Operations Squadron functions as ISAs HUMINT collection squadron. Part of a Delta-DEVGRU task force, ISA provided intelligence on the whereabouts of Bosnian Serb war crimes suspects. The fleet was comprised of 15 different types of aircraft for a combined total of 40 aircraft, all decked out with SIGINT interception technology. Units in Sarajevo tracked Karadzic electronically, while other agents were on the ground in Pale, Karadzic's home. 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. ISA has been known to utlizes signal skimmers to pick up enemy radio transmissions and zero in on their location. 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. Me, I dont like to be on the delivery end of harsh criticism; however, I do find that whole situation with the mandarins to be just ever so slightly south of sensational, and fairly fundamentally novice! 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 Key to the concept was that there would be a single in-house element (FOG) that either side could use e.g. "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. _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.specwar.info']); They marked secret infiltration routes and bases American forces could use if they were ever sent into the country. During these operations, the ISA operated alongside other combat groups, providing them with signals intelligence support and field intelligence, including HUMINT. The mission support teams help actualize the other major goal of supporting other forces in a battlespace. Intelligence Support Activity A Complete Guide - 2020 Edition Small Wars Journal is published by Small Wars Foundation - a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. See Intelligence Collection Directive (ICD) 112, . Prior to Saddams capture, over 40 members of his family were captured and interrogated to determine his whereabouts with little success. Once a member of the ISA passes the initial selection, it trains alongside different intelligence specialists, including members of the CIA. "Apparently, ISA's direct action element was also put on alert during the hijacking of the Italian cruise ship, Achille Lauro. The ISA's HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. PDF National and Joint Intelligence Support - United States Army The US recognized the usefulness of this unit and began surveying embassies across the world. This is especially useful in countries where men and women socializing is frowned upon outside of the family. Know a SEAL from a Night Stalker: a breakdown of US Special - SOFREP In line with their proficiency in infiltration, they had an array of passports, credit cards and falsified documents to allow easy movement between territories. As an ancillary, but crucial action during this period, LTC Bruce Mauldin and I, with the CSAs concurrence and support, visited the Hill and had several closed-door sessions with appropriate committee Chairs and Ranking Members regarding the unit's establishment, roles and missions, and funding lines. 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. 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 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. 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. G-2 - U.S. Army Training Doctrine and Command Operationally, the ISA is a dedicated intelligence group, doing the intelligence leg work for special operations groups. Two task forces of JSOC took part in the search and rescue operations, Delta Force and a detachment of the ISA. Its worth noting that Bravo troop was never compromised while conducting espionage against the Assad regime in Syria. 160th SOAR | A goodly amount of minutes went by. All Rights Reserved. The next morning arrived, but the moping mandarins came empty-handed: Ok, give me a rundown on the entire operation starting from when you arrived at the install site.. Subsequent, Task Force 121, a collection of special mission units and conventional forces organized a raid on a small farming compound in rural Iraq. geo sends. Each of these groups achieves different specialised tasks for their assigned mission. They began forming their own plan for storming the airplane and liberating the hostages. US Army Special Forces | 25: More Chinese Ferry Tales: China's Use of Civilian Shipping in Military Activities, 2021-2022, Hospital Ships: A Vital Asset for SOUTHCOM and South American Navies, The Goshen Massacre and the Specter of Cartel Spillover Into the US, Dangerous Alliances: Russias Strategic Inroads in Latin America, Year Ahead Emerging Technologies and the Collection of Battlefield Evidence, How Does Matter Matter In International Conflict and Security? It was a body of men and women first sent to Japan to study Ninjitzu, then on to Chinas Shao Lin Temple to study Kung Fu, then finally to Iran to study the ways of the Immortals under the former King of the Persian Empire, Xerxes the Great. Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. Nowadays the ISA focuses on the preparation of the battlespace for military operations across the globe. ISA intelligence specialists, K9 units, security experts and demolition experts were sent to the country undercover as military advisers. But the poor Cantor had to suffer through the mandarin menace sure enough. (Source). "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. ISA operatives are highly skilled in the various arts of HUMINT gathering including: (Source). The operation was codenamed Amber Star, and was a joint US-British-French-Dutch effort to apprehend the suspects. Fort Belvoir, North Virginia, United States. HUMINT collection cant be done without boots on the ground, so members of the main battalions are likely conducting field operations. Landing zones were established, Lebanese militias contacted for help, and plans formulated for a commando force. But it had no effect on me or what I was doing not for now at least. action is "necessary to support identifiable foreign policy objectives of the United States, and is ISA operators were said to be so skilled that they could tell whether a tank needed a tune-up from background noise of transmissions. As such, the activities and specifics of Gray Fox are not widely made available. non-covert action intelligence activityoften a collection programto be of such sensitivity that 1 Oral notifications shall be followed by a written notification. How do you guys block?, I dont know how you guys operate. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) INSCOM's functional brigades and groups may provide general support, general support reinforcing, or direct sup-port to theaters through intelligence reach, or they may be The ISA has gone by many name: Intelligence Support Activity or Mission Support Activity, and nicknamed The Activity, Task Force Orange . In addition to covert operations, it provides the war on terrorism with the kind of so-called 'close-in' signals monitoring -- including the interception of cell phone conversations -- that helped bring down Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. The authors note that "All information used in this article has been obtained from publicly available, open source documents." 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. Additionally, ISA operates a number of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and these pilots fit somewhere into the puzzle that is ISA. When Escobar surrendered in 1991, Centra Spike was pulled out, only to return a year later, when Escobar escaped from his comfortable prison. He commanded airborne battalions in both the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division. 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. Alpha and Charlie troops utilize official cover to collect human intelligence. (Source). The support provided can come in a range of different forms. (Source). So there they were sitting in our Tactical Operations Center in Bosnia waiting to be integrated into our PIFWC hunting operations. The CIA proved unable to provide the critical intelligence Delta Force needed, such as the number of guards, the type of weapons they were using and what kinds of locks were on the doors. > Role: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), direct action. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. 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. Nonetheless, it is known that these operators have shown their indispensable worth to both the intelligence and SOF communities in matters of national security, supporting Delta and SEAL Team Six operations by hitting the ground first to prep the environment: gathering actionable intelligence, pathfinding, and performing a broad range of operational support. Since incorporating under JSOC in 2003, Gray Fox has expanded into direct action and hostage rescue, showing that they may be the most diversely equipped, trained and adaptable Special Missions Unit in the SOF community. This extra length concealed the main eavesdropping antennas, while others could be lowered from the belly while in flight. 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. Understanding all the following is necessary for successful infiltration: (Source). Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. Upon return to the Pentagon, he re-assigned the ACSI POC out of FOG-related issues. Intelligence Support Activity > Service branch: Army > Also known as: Gray Fox, ISA, USISA, The Activity . Bravo troop tackles the extremely difficult target countries like Syria which had a sophisticated counterintelligence network. (Source) Once the safe house was located, using a mixture of SIGINT, GEOINT and HUMINT, a raid was initiated. [2] Unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance and direct action roles have merged throughout the decades and are typically performed primarily by the same units. Deployed together with a small Delta Force contingent, Centra Spike flew over Colombia in their airplanes and continued to track Escobar. The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. (Source). Years before its actual formation, the need for the ISA, or an operational entity like it, was already being examined. "In 1984, political instability swept through the Seychelles, a group of islands off the coast of Africa. 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. INSCOM's functional brigades and groups may provide general support, general support reinforcing, or direct sup-port to theaters through intelligence reach, or they may be "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in . (Source), The failure of Operation Eagle Claw was a turning point for US special operations. "In May 1982, Deputy Secretary of Defense Frank Charles Carlucci III called the ISA 'uncoordinated and uncontrolled.' An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. 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), Geo, take a mandarin with you, the Cantor directed without looking at me. FOG became permanent and renamed ISA on March 3, 1981. The FOG was able to clandestinely enter Tehran and gather the required intelligence. To this point, the CIA and the DOD followed separate independent paths as defined by statutes contained in Title 10 (DOD authorities) and Title 50 (Intelligence agency authorities). The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: The Activity is thought to made up of around 300 operators and is under the command of JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command). 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. The US military and many of its allies consider DA one of the basic special operations missions. Operatives infiltrated internet cafes in Baghdad and conducted flyover operations in aircraft filled with signal interception gear.