Operation Hooper
Encyclopedia
Operation Hooper was a military operation
by the South African Defence Force
(SADF) during the South African Border War
. This operation forms part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale
.
Directly following on from Operation Modular
, Operation Hooper's task was to inflict as much damage as possible on the retreating FAPLA forces by supporting UNITA
's drive towards the town of Cuito Cuanavale
as well as clearing the area east of the town, between the Cautir and Chambinga rivers, of all FAPLA forces.
The main battles fought during this operation were:
At this point Operation Hooper was considered to be over and Operation Packer
to have begun.
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
by the South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
(SADF) during the South African Border War
South African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
. This operation forms part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale
Battle of Cuito Cuanavale
The Battle of Cuito Cuanavale in 1987/88 was an important episode in the Angolan Civil War . Between 9 September and 7 October 1987, the Angolan Army , in an attempt to finally subdue the Angolan insurgent movement UNITA in south-eastern Angola, was decisively repelled in a series of battles at the...
.
Directly following on from Operation Modular
Operation Modular
Operation Modular was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War. It formed part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale....
, Operation Hooper's task was to inflict as much damage as possible on the retreating FAPLA forces by supporting UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
's drive towards the town of Cuito Cuanavale
Cuito Cuanavale
Cuito Cuanavale is a town and municipality in Cuando Cubango province in Angola. The names Kuito Kuanavale or Kwito Kwanavale are sometimes used, although this is a mutation of the original Portuguese name....
as well as clearing the area east of the town, between the Cautir and Chambinga rivers, of all FAPLA forces.
The main battles fought during this operation were:
- 13 January 1988 - When South African forces attacked FAPLA's 21st Brigade, who subsequently retreated to safety west of the Cuito River. During this battle more than 250 FAPLA soldiers were killed and large quantities of arms were captured or destroyed, including fourteen main battle tankMain battle tankA main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
s. - 14 February 1988 - When South African forces attacked FAPLA's 59th Brigade. During this battle more than 230 FAPLA soldiers were killed and nine T-55T-55The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
tanks destroyed. - 25 February 1988 - When South African and UNITA forces attacked FAPLA's 25th Brigade south of the Tumpo River, about 25 km east of Cuito CuanavaleCuito CuanavaleCuito Cuanavale is a town and municipality in Cuando Cubango province in Angola. The names Kuito Kuanavale or Kwito Kwanavale are sometimes used, although this is a mutation of the original Portuguese name....
. Despite encountering an extensive anti-tank mineAnti-tank mineAn anti-tank mine, , is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles....
field, which stopped the tank-supported South African/UNITA attack with the loss of two Olifant tanksCenturion tankThe Centurion, introduced in 1945, was the primary British main battle tank of the post-World War II period. It was a successful tank design, with upgrades, for many decades...
, the intense artilleryArtilleryOriginally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
bombardments and infantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
assaults inflicted heavy casualties on FAPLA. Although some FAPLA forces remained in the Tumpo River area the combined South Africa/UNITA force had succeeded in capturing the tactical highground in the area, Chambinga heights, which dominates Cuito Cuanavale and its nearby territory.
At this point Operation Hooper was considered to be over and Operation Packer
Operation Packer
Operation Packer was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. This operation forms part of what became known as the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale....
to have begun.
See also
- 32 Battalion (South Africa)
- Operation ModularOperation ModularOperation Modular was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War. It formed part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale....
- Operation PackerOperation PackerOperation Packer was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. This operation forms part of what became known as the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale....
- Angolan Civil WarAngolan Civil WarThe Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
/ South African Border WarSouth African Border WarThe South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's... - List of operations of the South African Border War