3D-Counterinsurgency Operations (1993-2000)

The 1990s saw a rise in insurgencies and terrorist activities, which were challenging for Cold War-era military forces that were designed for more conventional campaigns like those in Iraq and former Yugoslavia. This collection covers aircraft and weapons used for counterinsurgency operations during my time in service.

HUMANITARIAN MISSIONS
The U.S. conducted evacuations in Sierra Leone (1991, 1997, 2000), Zaire (1991), the Central African Republic (1996), Albania (1997), Cambodia (1997), Congo (1997), Gabon (1997), and Liberia (1998). Helicopters and tactical cargo aircraft used were:
• CH-47D Chinook (US Army)
* CH-46E Sea Knight (US Marine Corps)
* CH-53E Sea Stallion (US Marine Corps)
* SH-53E Sea Stallion (US Navy)
* C-130H Hercules (US Air Force)

OPERATION RESTORE HOPE / GOTHIC SERPENT (1993)
In Somalia, U.S. forces supported a UN humanitarian mission that escalated into violent conflict. The U.S. military, primarily the Marines, was used to secure regions near Mogadishu from warlords. Later, joint U.S. Special Forces were ambushed during a mission to capture warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.
- AH-1W Super Cobra (US Marine Corps)
• AH-1S Cobra (US Army)
• OH-58D Kiowa (US Army)
- MH-6J Little Bird (US Army)
- MH-60L Black Hawk (US Army)
- M1097A2 HMMVW (US Army)

OPERATION INFINITE REACH (1998)
In February 1998, Osama bin Laden issued a fatwa under the World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, calling for the killing of Americans and their allies due to U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, the fragmentation of Iraq, and U.S. support for Israel. In August 1998, al-Qaeda orchestrated simultaneous truck bombings at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. In Nairobi, the blast killed 213 people, including 12 Americans, and wounded around 4,000. The Dar es Salaam attack resulted in 11 deaths and 85 injuries. Bin Laden justified these attacks as retaliation for U.S. actions in Somalia, marking the largest U.S. attack since the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing.

In response, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missile strikes targeting al-Qaeda facilities. These strikes were aimed at a suspected chemical weapons facility in Tanzania and the Zhawar Kili al-Badr training camp in Afghanistan, where bin Laden was believed to be present.

Zhawar Kili al-Badr Camp Attack
• RGM-109D/UGM-109D TLAM-D (US Navy)
* Arleigh Burke-class (US Navy DDG-69)
* Spruance-class (US Navy DD-967)
* Ticonderoga-class (US Navy CG-63/67)
* Los Angeles-class (US Navy SSN-771)

Al-Shifa Pharmaceutical Factory Attack
• RGM-109C TLAM (US Navy)
* Spruance-class (US Navy DD-977/997)

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