Operation Unified Defender (SIADD)

Operation Unified Defender is an ongoing NATO operation enforcing a naval arms embargo and a no-fly zone against Syria to prevent government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad from carrying out air attacks on Anti-Assad forces. At a special meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on April 13, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that the operations will continue until the Syrian government agrees to a ceasefire, allow the deloyment of a UN-led peacekeeping force and agree to a political solution to the conflict.

The operation started on April 12, 2012 with a naval arms embargo and a no-fly zone and the air strikes against Syrian Armed Forces led by United States, France, United Kingdom, Italy and Turkey, under NATO command.

The arms embargo is carried out using mainly ships from NATOs Standing Maritime Group 1 and Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 already patrolling the Mediterranean Sea at the time of the resolution, enforced with additional ships, submarines and maritime surveillance aircraft from NATO members. They would "monitor, report and, if needed, interdict vessels suspected of carrying illegal arms or mercenaries".

The military operation, carried out without support from the United Nations Security Council, has been condemned by Russia, China, Iran and Venezuela, all allies of the Syrian government. Other countries in the Middle East have been more conflicted, with some showing support for the operation (mainly the Syrian rebels and Libya) and others protesting the NATO operation.

Command structure
Political direction is provided by the North Atlantic Council to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. The chain of command is from Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Admiral James G. Stavridis (US Navy), to General Necdet Özel (Turkish Army) acting as operational commander. From the operational level, command is further delegated to Admiral Édouard Guillaud (French Navy) for the naval operations and Commander of Allied Air Command Izmir, Lieutenant General Ralph J. Jodice II (US Air Force) for air operations.

Allied Maritime Command

 * Flag of Belgium.svg Belgian Naval Component
 * BNS Narcis, a Tripartite-class minehunter
 * BNS Lobelia, a Tripartite-class minehunter


 * Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgarian Navy
 * BGS Drazki, a Wielingen-class frigate
 * Flag of Canada.svg Royal Canadian Navy
 * HMCS Charlottetown, a Halifax-class frigate
 * 1 × CH-124 Sea King anti-submarine helicopter


 * Flag of France.svg French Navy
 * Landing helicopter dock Tonnerre (L9014)
 * 14 × Aérospatiale Gazelle
 * 4 × Eurocopter Tiger
 * 2 × Eurocopter Puma
 * 2 × Atlantique 2 signals intelligence aircraft based at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy
 * Task Force 473
 * Aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91)
 * 12 × Rafale M fighters
 * 6 × Super-Etendard strike aircraft
 * 2 × E-2C airborne early warning aircraft
 * 2 × Dauphin multipurpose helicopters
 * 2 × Alouette III utility helicopters
 * French Air Force detachment of a Puma and 2 × Caracal transport helicopters
 * Anti-air frigate Jean Bart (D615)
 * Frigate Dupleix (D641)
 * Frigate Aconit (F713)
 * Frigate Chevalier Paul (D621)
 * Frigate Georges Leygues (D640)
 * Frigate Courbet (F712) (Returned to France)
 * Replenishment tanker Meuse (A607)
 * Nuclear attack submarine Améthyste (S605)


 * Flag of Italy.svg Italian Navy
 * NMM Cavour aircraft carrier with
 * 11 × AV-8B Harrier II V/STOL ground-attack aircraft
 * 4 × AW101 Merlin anti-submarine warfare helicopter
 * NMM San Marco, a San Giorgio anphibious transport dock
 * Boarding teams from the San Marco Regiment
 * 2 x NH90 Helicopter
 * 2 x AW101 Merlin anti-submarine warfare helicopter
 * NMM Caio Duilio, an Horizon Class Destroyer
 * NMM Espero, a Maestrale class Frigate
 * NMM Aliseo, a Maestrale class Frigate
 * NMM Etna, an Etna class auxiliary ship


 * Flag of the Netherlands.svg Royal Netherlands Navy
 * HNLMS Haarlem, an Alkmaar-class minehunter


 * Flag of Norway.svg Royal Norwegian Navy
 * KNM Fridtjof Nansen, an Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate
 * KNM Roald Amundsen, an Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate


 * Flag of Romania.svg Romanian Navy
 * Regele Ferdinand, a Type 22 frigate


 * Flag of Turkey.svg Turkish Navy
 * TCG Giresun, a G class frigate
 * TCG Gemlik, a G class frigate
 * TCG Yıldırım, a Yavuz-class frigate
 * TCG Yıldıray, a Type 209 submarine
 * TCG Akar, a fleet support ship


 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy
 * HMS Brocklesby (Hunt Class MCMV)
 * HMS Ocean (Landing Platform Helicopter)
 * HMS Albion (Albion class landing platform dock)
 * HMS  HMS Cornwall (Type 42 destroyer)
 * HMS Sutherland (Type 23 frigate)
 * RFA Fort Rosalie (Stores ship)
 * RFA Wave Knight (Tanker)


 * Flag of the United States.svg United States Navy
 * USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), the command ship of the United States Sixth Fleet
 * Carrier Strike Group Eight
 * USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), a Nimitz class aircraft carrier
 * 15 × F/A-18C Hornets of VFA-83 (Strike Fighter Squadron 83)
 * 22 × F/A-18F Super Hornets of VFA-103 (Strike Fighter Squadron 103)
 * 21 × F/A-18C Hornets of VFA-131 (Strike Fighter Squadron 131)
 * 23 × F/A-18F Super Hornets of VFA-143 (Strike Fighter Squadron 143)
 * USS Hué City (CG-66), a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser
 * USS Farragut (DDG-99), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
 * USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
 * USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
 * USS John S. McCain (DDG-52), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
 * USS Laboon (DDG-58), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
 * USS McFaul (DDG-74), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
 * USS Norfolk (SSN-714), a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine
 * USS Charlotte (SSN-766), a second Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine
 * The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, consisting of:
 * USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship
 * USS Ponce (LPD-15), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock
 * Embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit with 400 U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
 * USS Florida (SSGN-728), an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine
 * USNS Kanawha, a Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler
 * USNS Lewis and Clark, a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship
 * USNS Robert E. Peary, a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship
 * Five EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft operating out of NAS Sigonella and Aviano Air Base
 * One EP-3E ELINT aircraft
 * Two P-3C Update 3 maritime surveillance aircraft
 * Two P-3C AIP maritime surveillance aircraft
 * Navy SEALs of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU)

Allied Air Command

 * Flag of NATO.svg NATO
 * E-3 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft


 * Flag of Belgium.svg Belgian Air Component
 * 6 x F-16AM 15MLU fighter aircraft operating from Akritiri Air Base, Cyprus


 * Flag of Canada.svg Royal Canadian Air Force
 * 12 × CF-188 Hornet multirole fighter jets operating from Eskişehir Air Base, Turkey
 * 2 × CC-177 Globemaster strategic transport aircraft
 * 2 × CC-130J Hercules tactical transport aircraft
 * 2 × CC-150 Polaris air-to-air refueling tankers
 * 2 × CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft
 * Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
 * Joint Task Force 2


 * Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Air Force
 * 6 x Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets operating from Eskişehir Air Base, Turkey


 * Flag of Denmark.svg Royal Danish Air Force
 * 6 x F-16AM 15MLU fighter jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 1 x C-130J-30 tactical transport aircraft


 * Flag of France.svg French Air Force
 * 8 × Rafale fighters operating from Malatya Erhaç Air Base, Turkey
 * 8 × Mirage 2000-5 fighters operating from Malatya Erhaç Air Base, Turkey
 * 6 × Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers operating from Malatya Erhaç Air Base, Turkey
 * 2 × Mirage F1CR reconnaissance aircrafts operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 6 × C135 aerial refueling aircraft
 * 1 x E-3F AWACS aircraft operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 1 x C-160G SIGINT electronic surveillance aircraft
 * Commando Parachutiste de l'Air companies 20 and 30 forward deployed to Solenzara Air Base, Corsica


 * Flag of Italy.svg Italian Air Force
 * 4 x Tornado ECR SEAD fighter jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 4 x Tornado IDS fighter jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 4 x Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 6 x AMX Ghibli fighter jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 1 x Boeing KC 767 aerial refueling aircraft operating from Souda Air Base, Crete


 * Flag of Jordan.svg Royal Jordanian Air Force
 * 6 x F-16 MLU fighter jets operating from Amman Air Base, Jordan


 * Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait Air Force
 * 6 x F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets operating from Tabuk Air Base, Saudi Arabia


 * Flag of Libya.svg Libyan Air Force
 * 6 x MiG-23BN fighter jets operating from Amman Air Base, Jordan


 * Flag of the Netherlands.svg Royal Netherlands Air Force
 * 6 x F-16AM 15MLU fighter jets operating from Konya Air Base, Turkey


 * Flag of Norway.svg Royal Norwegian Air Force
 * 12 x F-16AM 15MLU fighter jets operating from Konya Air Base, Turkey
 * 1 x C-130J-30 tactical transport aircraft supporting the Norwegian forces.


 * Flag of Poland.svg Poland Air Force
 * 6 x F-16 Jastrząb fighter jets operating from Malatya Erhaç Air Base, Turkey


 * Flag of Qatar.svg Emiri Air Force
 * 6 x Mirage 2000-5EDA fighters jets operating from Tabuk Air Base, Saudi Arabia
 * 2 x C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft


 * Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Royal Saudi Air Force
 * 12 x Boeing F-15S Strike Eagle fighter jets operating from Tabuk Air Base, Saudi Arabia
 * 12 x Panavia Tornado IDS ground attack aircraft operating from Tabuk Air Base, Saudi Arabia
 * 1 x Boeing KE-3A tanker aircraft


 * Flag of Sweden.svg Royal Swedish Air Force
 * 10 JAS 39C Gripen fighter jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
 * 1 x Lockheed Tp-84T C-130 Hercules configured as aerial tanker
 * 1 x Saab 340 AEW&C


 * Flag of Turkey.svg Turkish Air Force
 * 10 x F-16C Fighting Falcon multirole fighters operating from Eskişehir Air Base, Turkey
 * 15 x F-16C Fighting Falcon multirole fighters operating from Konya Air Base, Turkey
 * 15 x F-16C Fighting Falcon multirole fighters operating from Malatya Erhaç Air Base, Turkey
 * 1 x KC-135 Stratotanker aerial tanker


 * Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates Air Force
 * 6 x F-16E/F Block 60 Falcon fighter jets operating from Amman Air Base, Jordan
 * 6 x Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jets operating from Amman Air Base, Jordan


 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Air Force
 * 18 x Panavia Tornado GR4A operating from Akritiri Air Base, Cyprus
 * 10 x Eurofighter Typhoons operating from Eskişehir Air Base, Turkey
 * 2 x VC-10 tanker aircraft
 * 4 x Agusta Westland Apache attached from the Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)
 * 3 x E3D Sentry surveillance aircraft


 * Flag of the United States.svg United States Air Force
 * 3 × B-2 Spirit stealth bombers operating from Whiteman AFB
 * 26 × F-15E Strike Eagle strike fighters operating from Konya Air Base, Turkey
 * 38 × F-16C Fighting Falcon multirole fighters operating from Malatya Erhaç Air Base, Turkey
 * 14 × A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft of the 81st Fighter Squadron operating from Akritiri Air Base, Cyprus
 * 2 x HH-60 Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters from RAF Lakenheath operating from USS Ponce (LPD-15).
 * EC-130H electronic warfare (communications jamming) aircraft
 * EC-130J psychological operations aircraft
 * Lockheed AC-130 Aerial Gunship
 * Global Hawk unmanned aerial surveillance vehicle
 * Lockheed U-2S Reconnaissance aircraft
 * MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)