Task force
Encyclopedia
A task force is a unit or formation
established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy
, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many non-military organizations now create "task forces" or task groups for temporary activities that might have once been performed by ad hoc committees.
or the commander of a combatant command
, subordinate unified command, or existing JTF. In most situations, the JTF establishing authority will be a combatant commander. JTFs are established on a geographical area or functional basis when the mission has a specific limited objective and does not require overall centralized control of logistics
.
In the US, the National Guard Bureau requires each state to designate a Joint Task Force that is able to mobilize to provide command and control for all assigned state military assets deployed in support of civilian authorities during a stateside incident.
Examples include Joint Task Force Bravo
, Joint Task Force Guantanamo
, Joint Task Force Lebanon
, and Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations
.
' elite special forces
unit. However, it is not temporary but permanent, and does not fit with the US Combined Communication-Electronics Board system (TF 2 remains allocated to the United States). Thus while it is called a Joint Task Force and it does involve personnel from all three services (Army, Navy, and Air Force, therefore "Joint") it is not temporary (therefore not a "Task Force" by the US definition). It is known to have fought in Afghanistan and was part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
.
implies more than one nation. At the start of World War II, the UK
used "Combined" to denote forces composed of more than one service, which is how the Combined Operations term originated. However they soon adopted the U.S. usage, and organizations were named accordingly, for example, the Combined Chiefs of Staff
. Today a Combined Task Force (CTF) is a task force which includes sub-elements of more than one nation.
An example is Combined Task Force 151
.
.
, division
s, or on the smaller scale, squadron
s, and flotilla
s.
Before World War II
ships were collected into divisions derived from the Royal Navy
's "division" of the line of battle
in which one squadron usually remained under the direct command of the Admiral of the Fleet
, one squadron was commanded by a Vice Admiral
, and one by a Rear Admiral
, each of the three squadrons flying different coloured flags, hence the terms flagship
and flag officer
. The flag of the Fleet Admiral's squadron was red, the Vice Admiral's was white and the Rear Admiral's blue. (The names "Vice" (possibly from advanced) and "Rear" might have derived from sailing positions within the line at the moment of engagement
.) In the late 19th century ships were collected in numbered squadrons
, which were assigned to named (such as the Asiatic Fleet) and later numbered fleet
s.
A task force can be assembled using ships from different divisions and squadrons, without requiring a formal and permanent fleet reorganization, and can be easily dissolved following completion of the operational task. The task force concept worked very well, and by the end of World War II about 100 task forces had been created in the U.S. Navy alone.
" while TF is Task Force. Likewise the force is broken down as following: task force, task group, task unit and task element.
In the U.S. Navy each task force was assigned a two-digit number, and this has become a common world-wide practice. The first digit was originally the number of the fleet
, while the second historically differentiated between task forces from the same fleet. It was typically abbreviated, so references like TF 11 are commonly seen. In addition, a task force could be broken into several task groups, identified by decimal points, as in TG 11.2, and finally task units, as in TU 11.2.1. Individual ships are task elements, for example TE 11.2.1.2 would be the second ship in TU 11.2.1.
Some US Navy task forces in World War II:
Also, Task Force 77
was the large Carrier Task Force in the Sea of Japan
during the Korean War.
The U.S. Navy still uses numbered task forces, and the U.S. Department of Defense often forms a joint task force if the force includes units from other services. In naval terms, the multinational Australia
n/US/UK/Canadian/NZ
Combined Communications Electronics Board
mandates through Allied Communications Publication 113 (ACP 113) the present system, which allocated numbers from TF 1 to apparently TF 999. For example, the Royal Navy's Illustrious
battle group
in 2000 for Exercise Linked Seas, subsequently deployed to Operation Palliser
, was Task Group 342.1. The French Navy
is allocated the series TF 470–474, and Task Force 473 has been used recently for an Enduring Freedom task force deployment built around the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91). Task Force 142 is the U.S. Navy's Operational Test and Evaluation Force
.
Note that there is no requirement for uniqueness over time. For instance, there was a TF 76 in World War II, and a different TF 76 during the War in Vietnam, as a part of the Seventh Fleet.
, the British Royal Navy
had devised its own similar system of Forces, which were assigned a letter rather than a number. For example, the force stationed at Gibraltar
was known as Force H
, the force stationed at Malta
was known as Force K
, and the force stationed at Singapore
in December 1941 was known as Force Z
.
During the Falklands War
in 1982 Royal Navy assembled a Task Force to achieve sea and air supremacy
in the Total Exclusion Zone
, before the amphibious forces
arrived. The Argentine Navy
formed three lesser Task Groups (Grupo de Tareas) for pincer movements.
-sized (usually, although there are variations in size) ad hoc unit formed by attaching smaller elements of other units. A company
-sized unit with an armored or mechanized infantry
unit attached is called a company team. A similar unit at the brigade
level is called a brigade combat team
(BCT), and there is also a larger Regimental combat team
(RCT).
In the British Army
and the armies of other Commonwealth countries
, such units are known as battlegroup
s.
.
A taskforce, or more-commonly task force, is a special committee, usually of experts, formed expressly for the purpose of studying a particular problem. The task force usually performs some sort of an audit
to assess the current situation, then draws up a list of all the current problems present and evaluates which ones merit fixing and which ones are actually fixable. The task force would then formulate a set of solutions to the problems and pick the "best" solution to each problem, as determined by some set of standards. For example, a task force set up to eliminate excessive government spending might consider a "best" solution to be one that saves the most money. Normally, the task force then presents its findings and proposed solutions to the institution that called for its formation; it is then up to the institution itself to actually act upon the task force's recommendations.
Military organization
Military organization is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer military capability required by the national defence policy. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation's armed forces...
established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many non-military organizations now create "task forces" or task groups for temporary activities that might have once been performed by ad hoc committees.
Joint Task Force
In U.S. terminology, now widely adopted, including by NATO, the term Joint implies the combination of more than one military service (i.e. some combination of army, naval and/or air forces). Therefore a Joint Task Force (JTF) is a TF which includes more than one service.United States Department of Defense
A joint task force (JTF) is a joint force that is constituted and so designated by a JTF establishing authority. A JTF establishing authority may be the Secretary of DefenseUnited States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
or the commander of a combatant command
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
, subordinate unified command, or existing JTF. In most situations, the JTF establishing authority will be a combatant commander. JTFs are established on a geographical area or functional basis when the mission has a specific limited objective and does not require overall centralized control of logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
.
In the US, the National Guard Bureau requires each state to designate a Joint Task Force that is able to mobilize to provide command and control for all assigned state military assets deployed in support of civilian authorities during a stateside incident.
Examples include Joint Task Force Bravo
Joint Task Force Bravo
Joint Task Force Bravo is one of three Task Forces under United States Southern Command . JTF-B is headquartered at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras , located 10 miles south of the Honduran city of Comayagua.-Mission:JTF-Bravo conducts joint, combined and interagency operations, and supports...
, Joint Task Force Guantanamo
Joint Task Force Guantanamo
Joint Task Force Guantanamo is a U.S. military joint task force based at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba on the southeastern end of the island. JTF-GTMO falls under US Southern Command...
, Joint Task Force Lebanon
Joint Task Force Lebanon
Joint Task Force Lebanon is a U.S. European Command operational unit established in 2006 and assigned responsibility for U.S. military support to the American Embassy in Beirut and to help U.S. Department of State led humanitarian assistance efforts that are providing aid to the people of...
, and Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations
Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations
Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations was a subordinate command of United States Strategic Command whose mission is to: direct the operation and defense of the Global Information Grid across strategic, operational, and tactical boundaries in support of the US Department of Defense's full...
.
Canada
Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2) is the Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
' elite special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit. However, it is not temporary but permanent, and does not fit with the US Combined Communication-Electronics Board system (TF 2 remains allocated to the United States). Thus while it is called a Joint Task Force and it does involve personnel from all three services (Army, Navy, and Air Force, therefore "Joint") it is not temporary (therefore not a "Task Force" by the US definition). It is known to have fought in Afghanistan and was part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
The United Nations Stabilisation Mission In Haiti , also known as MINUSTAH, an acronym of the French translation, is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti that has been in operation since 2004. The mission's military component is led by the Brazilian Army and the force commander is...
.
Combined Task Force
In U.S. terminology, now widely adopted, including by NATO, the term combinedCombined operations
In military use, combined operations , also known as joint operations, or interoperability capability, are either operations conducted by forces of two or more allied nations acting together for the accomplishment of a common strategy, a strategic and operational and sometimes tactical cooperation...
implies more than one nation. At the start of World War II, the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
used "Combined" to denote forces composed of more than one service, which is how the Combined Operations term originated. However they soon adopted the U.S. usage, and organizations were named accordingly, for example, the Combined Chiefs of Staff
Combined Chiefs of Staff
The Combined Chiefs of Staff was the supreme military command for the western Allies during World War II. It was a body constituted from the British Chiefs of Staff Committee and the American Joint Chiefs of Staff....
. Today a Combined Task Force (CTF) is a task force which includes sub-elements of more than one nation.
An example is Combined Task Force 151
Combined Task Force 151
Combined Task Force 151 or CTF-151 or Combined Task Force One Five One is an international naval task force, set up in response to piracy attacks in shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia...
.
Combined Joint Task Force
A Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) is a task force which includes elements of more than one service and elements of more than one nation. Examples include Combined Joint Task Force 76 and Task Force VikingTask Force Viking
Joint Special Operations Task Force – North , also known as Task Force Viking was the command responsible for the northern front during Operation Iraqi Freedom Rotation I...
.
Naval
The concept of a naval task force is as old as navies, but the term came into extensive use originally by the U.S. Navy around the beginning of 1941, as a way to increase operational flexibility. Prior to that time the assembly of ships for naval operations was referred to as fleetsNaval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
, division
Division
-Mathematics:*Division , the inverse of multiplication*Division , digital implementation of mathematical division*Division, in relational algebra-Science:*Cell division, the process in which biological cells multiply...
s, or on the smaller scale, squadron
Squadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
s, and flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
s.
Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ships were collected into divisions derived from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's "division" of the line of battle
Line of battle
In naval warfare, the line of battle is a tactic in which the ships of the fleet form a line end to end. A primitive form had been used by the Portuguese under Vasco Da Gama in 1502 near Malabar against a Muslim fleet.,Maarten Tromp used it in the Action of 18 September 1639 while its first use in...
in which one squadron usually remained under the direct command of the Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet is a military naval officer of the highest rank. In many nations the rank is reserved for wartime or ceremonial appointments...
, one squadron was commanded by a Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
, and one by a Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
, each of the three squadrons flying different coloured flags, hence the terms flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
and flag officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
. The flag of the Fleet Admiral's squadron was red, the Vice Admiral's was white and the Rear Admiral's blue. (The names "Vice" (possibly from advanced) and "Rear" might have derived from sailing positions within the line at the moment of engagement
Engagement (military)
A military engagement is a combat between two forces, neither larger than a division and not smaller than a company, in which each has an assigned or perceived mission...
.) In the late 19th century ships were collected in numbered squadrons
Squadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
, which were assigned to named (such as the Asiatic Fleet) and later numbered fleet
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
s.
A task force can be assembled using ships from different divisions and squadrons, without requiring a formal and permanent fleet reorganization, and can be easily dissolved following completion of the operational task. The task force concept worked very well, and by the end of World War II about 100 task forces had been created in the U.S. Navy alone.
United States Navy
These are temporary call signs designated to particular ship/ships assigned to fulfill certain missions. CTF can be read as "Commander Task Force" or "Carrier Task ForceFast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
" while TF is Task Force. Likewise the force is broken down as following: task force, task group, task unit and task element.
In the U.S. Navy each task force was assigned a two-digit number, and this has become a common world-wide practice. The first digit was originally the number of the fleet
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
, while the second historically differentiated between task forces from the same fleet. It was typically abbreviated, so references like TF 11 are commonly seen. In addition, a task force could be broken into several task groups, identified by decimal points, as in TG 11.2, and finally task units, as in TU 11.2.1. Individual ships are task elements, for example TE 11.2.1.2 would be the second ship in TU 11.2.1.
Some US Navy task forces in World War II:
- Task Force 3Battle off SamarThe Battle off Samar was the centermost action of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history, which took place in the Philippine Sea off Samar Island, in the Philippines on 25 October 1944...
- Task Force 11Task Force 11-World War II:During World War II, Task Force 11 was a United States Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Pacific theater.TF 11 was originally formed around , then her sister ship until she was disabled by a Japanese torpedo in January 1942, then Lexington again for the Battle of the Coral...
- Task Force 16
- Task Force 17
- Task Force 31Task Force 31Task Force 31 was a US Navy task force active with the United States Third Fleet during World War II, and still ready to be activated today with today's Third Fleet...
- Task Force 34
- Task Force 38 of aircraft carrierAircraft carrierAn aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s in the Central PacificPacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World... - Task Force 58 of aircraft carriers in the Central Pacific
- Task Force 61Task Force 61Task Force 61 is a task force of the United States Navy that today denotes what used to be designated the Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group of the United States Sixth Fleet. It is composed of approximately three Amphibious assault ships, but in 2008 is designated the Expeditionary Strike Group...
- Task Force 80
- Task Force 88Task Force 88 (Operation Dragoon)Task Force 88 was the escort carrier force, commanded by Rear-Admiral T H Troubridge, that supported Operation Dragoon, the allied invasion of southern France. It was activated in August 1944, and dispersed on 29 August when the carrier force departed to operate in the Aegean.The TF88 was a mixed...
- Task Force 129 off CherbourgBombardment of CherbourgThe Bombardment of Cherbourg was undertaken by ships of the United States Navy and Royal Navy on June 25, 1944 to support United States Army units engaged in the Battle of Cherbourg. The Allied force attacked the German fortifications near the city and engaged in a duel with coastal batteries...
Also, Task Force 77
Task Force 77
Task Force 77 has been the aircraft carrier battle/strike force of the Seventh Fleet in the United States Navy since the Seventh Fleet was formed....
was the large Carrier Task Force in the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
during the Korean War.
The U.S. Navy still uses numbered task forces, and the U.S. Department of Defense often forms a joint task force if the force includes units from other services. In naval terms, the multinational Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n/US/UK/Canadian/NZ
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Combined Communications Electronics Board
Combined Communications Electronics Board
The Combined Communications Electronics Board is a military communications-electronics organisation established between five nations: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom & United States...
mandates through Allied Communications Publication 113 (ACP 113) the present system, which allocated numbers from TF 1 to apparently TF 999. For example, the Royal Navy's Illustrious
HMS Illustrious (R06)
HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew...
battle group
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
in 2000 for Exercise Linked Seas, subsequently deployed to Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser was a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 under the command of Brigadier David Richards.Initially, its scope was limited to evacuation of non-combatants only....
, was Task Group 342.1. The French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
is allocated the series TF 470–474, and Task Force 473 has been used recently for an Enduring Freedom task force deployment built around the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91). Task Force 142 is the U.S. Navy's Operational Test and Evaluation Force
Operational Test and Evaluation Force
The Operational Test and Evaluation Force serves as independent and objective agency within the United States Navy for the operational testing and evaluation of naval aviation, surface warfare, submarine warfare, C4I, cryptologic, and space systems in support Navy and U.S...
.
Note that there is no requirement for uniqueness over time. For instance, there was a TF 76 in World War II, and a different TF 76 during the War in Vietnam, as a part of the Seventh Fleet.
Royal Navy
Earlier in the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
had devised its own similar system of Forces, which were assigned a letter rather than a number. For example, the force stationed at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
was known as Force H
Force H
Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany....
, the force stationed at Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
was known as Force K
Force K
Force K was the designation for three British Royal Navy task forces during World War II. The first Force K operated from West Africa in 1939. The second and third Force Ks operated from Malta in 1941-1943.-First Force K:...
, and the force stationed at Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in December 1941 was known as Force Z
Force Z
Force Z was an Allied naval detachment consisting of the battleship , the battlecruiser , and four destroyers, , , , and . Initially an aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable was included, but she ran aground in the Caribbean, and was not replaced by HMS Hermes which was regarded as too slow.A renamed...
.
During the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in 1982 Royal Navy assembled a Task Force to achieve sea and air supremacy
Air supremacy
Air supremacy is the complete dominance of the air power of one side's air forces over the other side's, during a military campaign. It is the most favorable state of control of the air...
in the Total Exclusion Zone
Total Exclusion Zone
The Total Exclusion Zone was an area declared by the United Kingdom 30 April 1982 covering a circle of from the centre of the Falkland Islands...
, before the amphibious forces
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
arrived. The Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
formed three lesser Task Groups (Grupo de Tareas) for pincer movements.
Army
In the U.S. Army, a task force is a battalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
-sized (usually, although there are variations in size) ad hoc unit formed by attaching smaller elements of other units. A company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
-sized unit with an armored or mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
unit attached is called a company team. A similar unit at the brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
level is called a brigade combat team
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
(BCT), and there is also a larger Regimental combat team
Regimental combat team
A regimental combat team was a provisional major infantry unit of the United States Army during the World War II and the Korean War, and of the U.S. Marine Corps to the present day...
(RCT).
In the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and the armies of other Commonwealth countries
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, such units are known as battlegroup
Battlegroup (army)
A battlegroup , or task force in modern military theory, is the basic building block of an army's fighting force. A battlegroup is formed around an infantry battalion or armoured regiment, which is usually commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
s.
Government
In government or business a task force is temporary organization created to solve a particular problem. It is considered to be a more formal ad-hoc committeeCommittee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
.
A taskforce, or more-commonly task force, is a special committee, usually of experts, formed expressly for the purpose of studying a particular problem. The task force usually performs some sort of an audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
to assess the current situation, then draws up a list of all the current problems present and evaluates which ones merit fixing and which ones are actually fixable. The task force would then formulate a set of solutions to the problems and pick the "best" solution to each problem, as determined by some set of standards. For example, a task force set up to eliminate excessive government spending might consider a "best" solution to be one that saves the most money. Normally, the task force then presents its findings and proposed solutions to the institution that called for its formation; it is then up to the institution itself to actually act upon the task force's recommendations.
Task forces in popular culture
- In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Officially announced on February 11, 2009, the game was released worldwide on...
, some of the main characters are from an elite, multinational task force called Task Force 141 which is composed of Americans, British, Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders. Their main opponent is RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
under control from extreme nationalists. In the direct sequal, Modern Warfare 3Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, with Raven Software having assisted in development...
, the Task Force is disavowed after the events of the previous game; however, they still remain active in an attempt to end the now-ensuing World War IIIWorld War IIIWorld War III denotes a successor to World War II that would be on a global scale, with common speculation that it would be likely nuclear and devastating in nature....
.
- In the TV series Hawaii Five-OHawaii Five-OHawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,...
, Steven "Steve" McGarrett created the so-called "Five-O Task Force" which was group of state policeState policeState police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
based in HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, hence Hawaii Five-O
See also
- Some task forces have a creative name, e.g. after their commander, such as DunsterforceDunsterforceEstablished in 1917, Dunsterforce was an Allied military mission of under 1,000 Australian, New Zealand, British, and Canadian troops , accompanied by armoured cars, deployed from Hamadan some 350 km across Qajar Persia. It was named after its commander General Lionel Dunsterville...
. - Task Force TarawaTask Force TarawaTask Force Tarawa was the name given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They were a Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanded by Brigadier General Richard F...
, the name given the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the 2003 invasion of Iraq2003 invasion of IraqThe 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
Operation Iraqi Freedom. They were a Marine Air-Ground Task ForceMarine Air-Ground Task ForceThe Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
commanded by Brigadier General Richard Natonski, attached to the I Marine Expeditionary Force. - Task Force LeatherneckTask Force LeatherneckTask Force Leatherneck or MEB-Afghanistan is a a Marine Air-Ground Task Force currently operating in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The name was originally given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during its 2009-10 for Operation Enduring Freedom as part of Regional Command South...
is the name given the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during their 2009 operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. They are a Marine Air-Ground Task ForceMarine Air-Ground Task ForceThe Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
commanded by Brigadier General Larry Nicholson, assigned to work under the International Security Assistance ForceInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
.
Further reading
- Timothy M. Bonds, Myron Hura, Thomas-Durrell Young, 'Enhancing Army Joint Force Headquarters Capabilities,' Santa MonicaSanta MônicaSanta Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, CA; RAND Corporation, 2010 - includes list of joint task forces