8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 1/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 2/41
REPLYTO
ATTENTION OF:
DEPARTMENTOFTHEARMYHEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES ARMY
SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
2929 DESERT STORM DRIVE
FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA 28310
A p r i l 7, 2011
Freedom o f In fo rmat ion Act
Office
Mr. John Greenewald
Dear Mr. Greenewald:
This i s in response to your Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) reques t , U.S. Army Specia l Operat ions Command (USASOC)
Case #11-012(J) . You reques ted a l l documents per ta in ing to
Operat ion Mount Hope I I I . On March 21, 2011, i n an email , you
agreed to accep t a " re leasab le" (redacted) copy of the mater ia l .
A r e leasab le copy of the documents i s enclosed. Information
was withheld under FOIA Exemptions (b ) (1), as Nat iona l Secur i ty
In fo rmat ion ; and Exemptions (b) (3) & (b) (6) , fo r Privacy
reasons.
While you have agreed to accep t a " re leasab le" (redacted) .
copy of the informat ion, you re ta in th e r i g h t to reques t th e
records in t h e i r e n t i r e ty . At t ha t t ime you w i l l be given a
formal den ia l , and you w i l l be advised o f your r i g h t to appeal .
There i s no charge fo r process ing your reques t .
I f you have any ques t ions regard ing t h i s response, please
cont a c t Ms. Mary Bowl i ng, th e FOIA Off ice r , a t (910) 432-9233,
email : [email protected]; or Mr. Ronald Corrado, FOIA Analys t ,
a t (910) 432-2437, email : ronald . r [email protected] l .
Enclosure
S i n c e r : l ~ pbe l l P.
Colone +, U. S . Army
Deputy Ch ie f o f Sta f f , G- 6
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 3/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 4/41
2
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 5/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 6/41
4
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 7/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 8/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 9/41
7
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 10/41
TF 160
ceoUH 60
8
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 11/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 12/41
10
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 13/41
11
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 14/41
L1bya
.'"
OOr
Niger
~ h a d a Sudan
·""
Nlgcna ..,.,.
'C60tral
AfricanRepubllc
12
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 15/41
0 1 .o km
0 0010\
Niger
M
Nigeria
R
MoUQdou
Cameroon
AOZOl R,SIP
Claimed by 11 'ltatus Not >elefm ll
Chad
•AU
* uadiDdum
·Faya largeau
Billinr •
At*me.
Sarh Central•
· African
Republic
114,000 Square
Mi les
Rich in Uranium
and Oil Deposits
13
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 16/41
14
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 17/41
Northern regions
scattered with
abandoned equip
-15
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 18/41
.o
0
150 krn
1boml
Niger
Nigeria
10Benue R
Mao
MoilQdoo.
Cameroon
"Rf!IP
Claimed by .ibya·S t a b J S N o t ~ J { Ouadi
• :aya-LBf968U
d
Biltlne. Sudar•Ati
Sarh•
Abeche•
Central
African
Republic
16
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 19/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 20/41
18
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 21/41
PPC Planning
Feb-Mar 1988
Rehearsals
Apr-May 1988
15
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 22/41
-Ai rcraf t 24358-Op. . ina W o ~ l t l 23,958 !orar: 100 .sq. Ft..
TOTigt: J\ VAIL\.111.&
rRI!SS At.T/i'AT F.llol£11 . UlMIN 31HIIN ro,.T
2000 ft/+30 9 9 ~ 9U: 73¥ -5.2J:
I ?l l l l l l Ft-l·•·?n 1f>F.'ll • QQ:t f l ~ 70';
01!.088 WT
HQV£8WA
P.lllfWI' or DA uEJI:f!r ~ ' l i t r r . : ~ tiV!K-<X
146 000 i2000 ft/+30 C 10 1 73% t;.-lt $2:11
" .. 80' 63'1 K•:tl 91:1
MAX OROII1! WElGirr!Q HOUR
PAl!'/oTorllA HEIGHT J)lJAf, 911o(JI.,1i:
2000 fl:/ +30 c 10 1 50,000 o.:!,Xe-J
• 80 1 49 000 ;;ll JOO
.cJ.UI1l!K
PRE,.MLT/ MAX'f!ANOE MAX.mDUR !113 ERYICOR08SWT :S ;:
?M/'1 4'1-/ I 46. noo__ , ·n JCTJlc: I 7R ra M I Ill .50C ...
+30 c I - I - I - -u 46,000 lbs. il:!ID.ti!
2000 f t /+30 c DU.AJ, SINGLE 100 m.sC:IUJ'I91llTQ) 67% 99 ,
CRUJ6£ l"llf';L?J.O W 3100 PPll 1930 PPH
AJRSP£!ID UMIT8'OJtOSSWT PAl!'AT oti5A au lOOt> om .tTJID
46,{}(){) 2000/+30 c 134 1CU1S 62 XlJ,.'S
!IR!OL!: E l j g l ~ QI'ERATWI:f!i
Pll.tl'AT OIIOSSWT lAS TQ RBQ'D{IIVAIL IIJ'::"O<"FIJ;:
2000 fL %,000 78 104!1/99X -:.;5
•'I ll ro - - - -I"CForm J848{Rev) CH .. 47D PERFORMANCE PLJiHIII1i'G; C1aiD
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 23/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 24/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 25/41
23
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 26/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 27/41
25
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 28/41
I
j
Lead
Flt Surgeon
PJX2
Chalk 2I I
PJ X2
26
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 29/41
ar au
ltin •
t
..
Am l1rna.rt
27
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 30/41
• I I M ' I Ill 0 I I
28
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 31/41
29
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 32/41
·,
,,
30
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 33/41
31
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 34/41
32
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 35/41
33
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 36/41
34
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 37/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 38/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 39/41
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 40/41
Operation Mount Hope III
Overview:
In June 1988, the 160th Special Operations Group sent two CH-47 Chinook helicopters to Northern Chad
to recover a Russian MI-25 Hind helicopter. An overwhelming success, the 1601h completing the entire
duration of the mission: within 67 hours, which included a 490 nautical mile (nm) night vision goggle (NV G)
flight to the extraction site, hooking up the sling load, and two refuel stops on the return to the forward supportbase (FSB). During the final leg back to the FSB, the pilots survived a massive 3,000-foot sand storm, lasting
22 minutes, reducing visibility to near zero at times, and containing winds up to 40 knots.
Background:
Particularly concerned with reducing Western influences, Libyan leader Muarnmar Al-Qadda:fi forcedthe 1970 U.S. abandonment ofWheelus Field, a U.S. Air Force base near Tripoli. Qaddafi's relationship with
the West significantly declined in 1981 when Libyan fighter planes attacked U.S. forces in the Gulfof Sidra.
As Libya began supporting international terrorist organizations, President Regan placed bans on Libyan oil
imports in 1982 and later ordered air attacks in 1986 in retaliation to a terrorist attack in Germany that killed
two American soldiers.In 1960, Libya's neighboring country, Chad, gained its independence from France and began having
military and political problems. Libya recognized this unrest and saw it as an opportunity to gain land with agreat amount of resources, thus beginning the dispute over the ownership ofAouzou Strip, a I I 4,000 square
mile area located in northern Chad, rich in uranium and oil. In 1987, after fighting for 15 years, the U.S. andFrance assisted Chad in ousting the Libyans, leading to a cease-fire agreement. .
During the 1980s, the U.S had limited access to actual threat systems and was unable to research anddevelop any method of counter measures, making the acquisition of threat systems a bigQ priority. The LibyanChadian war provided a key opportunity to seize these systems after the Libyans abandoned the majority of
their equipment in the Chadian desert at the onset of the cease-fire. One such piece ofequipment was theRussian MI-25 Hind helicopter, which is where operation Mount Hope III begins.
Preparing for the Operation
After months of negotiating with the c o u n ~ ofChad, the U.S. and Chad agreed to the MI-25 Hindextraction. During this negotiating period, the 160
1 Special Operations Aviation Group (SOAG)at Fort
Campbell, Kentucky, began planning for this mission and when the execution order came, the Night Stalkerswere ready.
In March of 1988, the 160 111 SOAG received a written exercise researching the Chinooks' ability to liftand transport the MI-25 Hind through the hot arid environment. Planners for the 160
111SOAG determined that
the Hind could weigh between 17,000 and 18,000 pounds and still allow for the required fuel loads.They validated these findings by performing a dress rehearsal of the deployment. In April of1988, two
CH-47 Chinooks were loaded on an Air Force C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft at Fort Campbe11. The aircraft,
maintenance personnel, and crews flew to New Mexico, and prepared the Chinooks for the mission. Unlike theactual mission, the rehearsal was conducted under the hours ofdarkness, departing at approximately 6 p.m. andflying a 490 nm route to the target site. The first Chinook lifted the simulated target, six blivets filled withwater, and then both Chinooks returned to the simulated Forward Support Base (FSB), requiring two re-fueling
stops. After successfully completing this test, the 1601h SOAG conducted load testing with a similar airframe,equal in weight to the Hind, and rigged exactly as it would be fitted to the Hind. Again, the pilots accomplishedtheir mission as they lifted the tandem load. An overwhelming success, Mount Hope II demonstrated the CH-47 Chinook's awesome capability of executing long-range, heavy-lift missions.
Mount Hope III.
8/3/2019 Operation Mount Hope III Documents from the Army
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-mount-hope-iii-documents-from-the-army 41/41
Following the May 21, 1988 execution order issuance, several events occurred in rapid succession.
After traveling to Gennany until country clearances could be resolved, an advanced art surve team departed
for the Ndjamena airfield in southern Chad. This team, lead by (b)(3Jt(bl(6)
arrived in Chad almost two weeks prior to the mission. The main body and aircraft then moved via an Arr
Force C ~ 5 Galaxy directly from the United States into Ndjamena where they prepared the Chinooks for the
mission.
Based on the threat analysis, they determined that the movement to the target area would have to occur
tmder darkness and arrive at daybreak. Thus, the flight departed from the airfield at midnight on June 11, 1988.
Without a refuel stop, they flew nearly 500 nm to the target location, the Ouadi Doum airfield in the northern
territories ofChad, where Libyan forces remained situated just north in the Aouzou Strip.
The flight arrived at Ouadi Doum at approximately 5:00a.m. The first chalk landed close to the target
and configured the Hind, while the second chalk hovered over the Hind and sling loaded it. Once the crew
determined the load was stable, the flight departed Ouadi Doum to return to Ndjamena.
This flight differed from the rehearsal in that it was performed during daylight hours, but still proved to
be successful en route to the planned refueling points at Faya Largeau and Mousorro, Chad. Departing from the
latter location, a French foreign legion airfield, they began the most difficult leg of he entire mission.
Approximately 45 minutes outside ofNdjamena, the flight encountered a 3 , 0 0 0 ~ f o o t sand storm. At
times, the flight had to slow to 40 knots to maintain visibility with the ground and each other. Fortunately, just
before reaching the aidield, the pilots cleared the sand storm and raced to Ndjamena. They set the Hind downjust seconds before the sand storm overtook the airfield. After 22 minutes ofbeing sand blasted at Ndjamena,
the storm passed and the crews were able to exit their aircraft, immediately preparing the Chinooks and the
Hind for transport back to the U.S. Within days, both the MI-25 Hind and the CH-47 Chinooks were safely in
the United States, marking it as one of the 1601h Special Operations Aviation Regiment's earliest successes and
the first major operation utilizing the mighty Chinooks.
Author:! . (bJ(3Jt(b)(s). · lis t h ~ (b )(3Jt(b)(6) lofthe Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 160111
Special
Operations Aviation R e g i ~ e n t (Airborne), located at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.