The subject of this paper is the command and control process used during the planning and execution of the Iran hostage rescue mission (Operation DESERT CLAW). The purpose is not to fix blame for its failure, but to analyze the operation and discuss the command and control issues involved. This paper looks at command and control from the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of the mission. It does not discuss the command, control, and communications as a system, but only command and control as a process. The primary findings of the paper are that violations of the principles of command and control occurred at the national level and impacted on the command and control process at the other levels. The paper concludes that command and control principles at each level of command are just as important for special operations as conventional operations.


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    Title :

    Command and Control: The Achilles Heel of the Iran Hostage Rescue Mission


    Contributors:
    G. P. Gass (author)

    Publication date :

    1992


    Size :

    37 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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