ANCHOR GUARD

After Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait on 2 August 1990, NATO Airborne Early Warning aircraft deployed to Konya, Turkey, to monitor the crisis and provide coverage of southeastern Turkey in case of an Iraqi attack during the first Gulf Crisis/War.

Operation Anchor Guard was the first and most demanding ‘real world’ test of the E-3A Component’s mission capability. In 1990 the Gulf crisis brought the world into a serious military confrontation, and on 9 August 1990 Operation Anchor Guard launched its first mission. Squadron One was the first to head south to one of the Component’s Forward Operating Bases. For the next eight months, those bases were ‘invaded’ by a much larger than a normal number of people to support and maintain equipment and to prepare and operate the aircraft.

The Gulf Crisis was characterized by massive media coverage and at that time the Public Information Office (PIO) received numerous phone calls from local citizens as well as local news agencies asking, “What are you doing in the Gulf area?” The question was relevant since the Gulf area is beyond NATO’s boundaries. But Turkey, which has a common border with Iraq, could have been threatened, and NATO, therefore, increased its surveillance in this area by deploying the E-3A. The Component’s mission was strictly to observe and not to become actively involved.

Operation Anchor Guard was a huge challenge for the dedicated crews deployed to the Southern Region. They were deployed for 12-14 days, back home for 4-5 days and then deployed again. They flew almost every day, with flights of ten and twelve hours being the norm. There were also many other, often less well-known offices back at the E-3A Component were involved in ensuring that the primary mission of flying was accomplished. They performed tasks such as monetary exchange into Turkish Lira, taking care of hotel accommodation, making arrangements for cleaning and linen exchange, procuring fruit and vegetables, preparing flight meals, and much more. Every task was a prime example showing that each and every person at the E-3A Component is a necessary part of the overall team effort.

Operation Anchor Guard came to an end on the afternoon of 16 March 1991, as the last of three E-3As with Squadron One aircrews returned home. Between 9 August 1990 and 16 March 1991 the Component flew a total of 1129 missions and 8581.8 hours in support of Anchor Guard.
The TCA, too, played a key role in Anchor Guard, being described as the Component’s ‘work-horse’. Since the acquisition of the TCAs in 1988 the Component had become more independent, and for Anchor Guard the TCAs were immediately available, meeting transport requests day and night seven days a week.

The total number of passengers from the Component, NAEWFC, FOB/L and SHAPE during Operation Anchor Guard amounted to 5527 people, and the overall weight of cargo came to approximately 450 tons. The TCA flew more than 640 hours on 192 flights for Anchor Guard alone.