Yugoslavia Conflict

General Inforamtion:

• Ground Forces: 114,000 active-duty soldiers and 1,400 artillery pieces.
• Anti-Aircraft Forces: 100 surface-to-air missiles: a mix of SA-2, SA-3, SA-6, SA-7,
  SA-9, SA-13, SA-14 and SA-16. All of these pose a significant threat to NATO
  airpower. Yugoslavia also has 1,850 air defense artillery pieces. Although not as
  effective as the missiles, these are dangerous to NATO planes.
• Air Forces: 240 combat aircraft, including MiG-21s and MiG-29s, and 48 attack helicopters.
• Mechanized Forces: 1,270 tanks, including T-72s, T-74s, T-55s and M-84s and 825 armored fighting vehicles.
• There are approximately 40,000 Serb troops in and around Kosovo now. These forces are equipped with tanks and APCs.
• Serb forces around the Kosovo border are divided into deployed forces, garrison
  forces, and reserve forces. The deployed forces have about 96 tanks, and the garrison
  forces have around 30 tanks in garrison.
• There is a concentration of Serb troops along the border between Kosovo and
  Macedonia, by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. These forces have been
  building up for several weeks.

• Ground Forces: 114,000 active-duty soldiers and 1,400 artillery pieces.
• Anti-Aircraft Forces: 100 surface-to-air missiles: a mix of SA-2, SA-3, SA-6, SA-7,
  SA-9, SA-13, SA-14 and SA-16. All of these pose a significant threat to NATO airpower.
  Yugoslavia also has 1,850 air defense artillery pieces. Although not as
  effective as the missiles, these are dangerous to NATO planes.
• Air Forces: 240 combat aircraft, including MiG-21s and MiG-29s, and 48 attack helicopters.
• Mechanized Forces: 1,270 tanks, including T-72s, T-74s, T-55s and M-84s and 825 armored fighting vehicles.
• There are approximately 40,000 Serb troops in and around Kosovo now. These forces are equipped with tanks and APCs.
• Serb forces around the Kosovo border are divided into deployed forces, garrison
  forces, and reserve forces. The deployed forces have about 96 tanks, and the garrison
  forces have around 30 tanks in garrison.
• There is a concentration of Serb troops along the border between Kosovo and
  Macedonia, by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. These forces have been
  building up for several weeks.

Some News Clips (For more go to DoD News):
In a News article, President Clinton said "some 60,000 Kosovars have been forced from their homes in the past five weeks. Those refugees join some 200,000 already displaced since fighting exploded last year between Serb forces and separatist ethnic Albanian factions. "We have no quarrel with the people of Yugoslavia, who, for too long, have been isolated in Europe because of the policies of their government," --NATO's Solana

The first wave of NATO Operation Allied Force primarily targeted Yugoslavia's extensive air defense system, according to the Pentagon's top leaders.
"The air defense system in Yugoslavia is very capable and it poses a considerable threat to NATO aircraft involved in the operation," said U.S. Army Gen. Hugh Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Although we have no indication of casualties to U.S. or NATO forces at this point, we're taking all measures to reduce the risk to pilots and air crews. But there is no such thing as a risk free military operation."

Cohen said, "Sea-launched cruise missiles from U.S. and British naval vessels and air-launched cruise missiles from U.S. B-52 bombers began striking military targets throughout Yugoslavia at about 2 p.m. EST"

11 NATO nations are participating in the operation. They are supplying fighters, bombers, tankers, surveillance and other aircraft.

99/03/24 NATO forces struck more than 40 military targets and shot down three Serb fighters during the first wave of air attacks aimed at ending the Kosovo crisis. Allied forces detected, engaged and destroyed at least three MiG-29s, Yugoslavia's most modern and capable fighter. Two U.S. F-15s and a Dutch F-16 claimed the kills.

So far, almost 400 allied aircraft and several war ships have been involved in Operation Allied Force. More than 40,000 NATO troops are in the region, Clark noted. About 30,000 are in Bosnia and 10,000 are in Macedonia. Any threats or moves against these forces by the 100,000-man Serb army would be "a grave mistake," he said.

99/03/28 - U.S. F-117 Stealth fighter went down outside of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

We do not know what caused this plane to crash," spokesman Ken Bacon said at the Pentagon

Pilot rescued

99/03/29 - NATO is tightening the noose around the Serb war machine, NATO spokesman Jamie Shea said. Operation Allied Force is being effective, Shea said.

99/04/12 - WASHINGTON -- A total of 82 more U.S. aircraft will join NATO's Operation Allied Force air campaign against Yugoslavia, DoD officials announced April 10. The air package comprises 24 F-16CJ fighters, four A-10 close air support aircraft, six EA-6B Prowlers, 39 KC-135 tankers, two KC-10 tankers and seven C-130 transports. The addition will bring the total number of U.S. aircraft committed to about 500.

99/04/14 - WASHINGTON -- NATO's top military commander has asked the United States for 300 more aircraft for use in the Operation Allied Force air campaign against Yugoslavia. U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark

99/04/16 - WASHINGTON -- President Clinton signed the executive order April 13 declaring the area around Yugoslavia a combat zone.

Information gathered from http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/urbanwarrior/

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