How long was operation allied force

The Europeans certainly made some important contributions to combat operations. Germany and Italy played an important role in the campaign to suppress enemy air defenses, while the British and French joined the United States in delivering precision-guided munitions. However, the allies generally lacked the level of precision and all-weather capabilities that would allow them to carry out their missions by day and night while ensuring minimum civilian damage.

The United States provided of the aircraft deployed in the allied effort and flew by far the greatest number of sorties. The Europeans also lacked capabilities to deploy personnel and equipment to the field of operations and to sustain them as long as necessary. The United States provided more than 90 percent of aerial refueling aircraft, the bulk of airlift capabilities, and all tactical jamming capabilities. Intra-Alliance politics made Operation Allied Force possible but also resulted in political and operational constraints that imposed limitations on warfare.

The conditions of coalition warfare produced a relatively slow, deliberate air campaign, in contrast to the U. The slower style of campaign was necessary to accommodate the consultative and deliberative functions of the coalition and to secure domestic and international popular support for the operation.

Public support depended in large part on assurances that the risk of civilian casualties and damage was low. To minimize this risk, the Alliance limited the size, pace, targets, and amount of force used in the campaign. Despite years of multinational, cooperative planning within the Alliance, the allies found it difficult to agree on a common approach.

The consensus for action was fragile in the absence of an immediate threat to allied territory or traditional interests. Disputes within the Alliance centered on three issues: whether a "gradualist" approach to the air war would succeed, whether the United States had the right to keep some sensitive information in U. The last issue proved to be particularly contentious, even though none of the NATO members were eager to deploy ground forces.

Ultimately, the discussion surrounding this issue may have helped sustain the consensus to continue the air campaign by reinforcing a shared belief that introducing ground forces would involve even more difficult and unpleasant issues.

Operation Allied Force highlighted some key differences in the perspectives of the United States and the European countries. The U. But many European countries resented the United States for what they considered to be overbearing control that excluded them from many decisions and minimized their involvement in others. In contrast, the United States argued that the NATO Treaty provided adequate justification for the Alliance to act wherever its interests were threatened.

In light of the experience of Operation Allied Force, Alliance members must resolve several important issues to prepare for future coalition operations.

The RAND report discusses key steps that can be taken by the United States and the European countries individually, as well as by the Alliance as a whole, to improve their capabilities for future coalitions. The United States. The United States and especially the U. Air Force should expect to continue playing the role of allied force integrator in future coalition operations.

Because of its military dominance, the United States has considerable leverage in designing military operations. During future campaigns, the United States may find it preferable to forge a consensus for more-vigorous action--even at the cost of some allies' participation.

In the meantime, the United States can encourage allies to improve their military capabilities, particularly in the areas of deployability and sustainability. The United States should advocate that allied air forces emphasize multipurpose capabilities so that they can effectively participate in the full spectrum of operations--whether the coalition is producing overwhelming force or flying a handful of sorties a week.

As media attention focused on the spiraling violence and streams of refugees, pressure mounted for international intervention. The first missiles smashed into infrastructure linked to the Milosevic government. The building was later rebuilt with a meter extension. Air strikes were predicted to bring Milosevic to the negotiating table within a few days, but an outraged public rallied behind Milosevic. Simultaneously, the conflict in Kosovo ramped up as Serb security forces moved through Kosovar villages on a spree of ethnic cleansing.

Six locals, including three children, were killed during the attack. According to NATO, the jet had been targeting the bridge but both missiles struck the train. At least 20 commuters were killed. Sixteen people died amid the rubble. This included the massacre of 40 unarmed civilians in the village of Racak on 15 January.

Renewed international efforts to give new political impetus to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict resulted in the convening of negotiations between the parties to the conflict in London and Paris under international mediation.

These negotiations failed, however, and in March , Serbian military and police forces stepped up the intensity of their operations, moving extra troops and tanks into the region, in a clear breach of agreements reached.

Tens of thousands of people began to flee their homes in the face of this systematic offensive. All diplomatic avenues having been exhausted, NATO launched an air campaign against the Milosevic regime on 24 March On the following day, after confirmation that the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo had begun, NATO announced the suspension of the air campaign.

Get the latest updates. Highlights The imposition of direct rule from Belgrade of a predominantly Albanian province led to tension and waves of violence between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

In , once all diplomatic avenues had failed, NATO launched an air campaign to halt the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Kosovo.