On Friday, May 7, 1999 (on day 45 of the air campaign) bombs were dropped on the Chinese embassy in Belgrade by NATO planes. This event caused even more friction between the United States and China — both in the middle of a spy scandal over stolen US knowledge by Chinese spies — well after the campaign ended. Three people were killed and 20 injured.
After the last of 40,000 Serb forces left Kosovo, NATO received confirmation that all troops had withdrawn to beyond the 3-mile "ground safety zone" along the Kosovo border. NATO Secretary General Solana officially terminated Operation Allied Force.
Day 79 - Thursday, June 10, 1999
NATO's air campaign was suspended. See statement by Secretary General Solana.
A total of 399 sorties were flown, with the main emphasis on reconnaissance and air patrol missions. Over the last 24 hours, NATO flew 443 sorties, including 60 strike sorties and 22 SEAD sorties (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense).
Yugoslav army convoys converged on Pristina to begin to withdraw from Kosovo. The UN Security Council authorized a security force to enter Kosovo to restore peace. NATO ceased its air attacks and was expected to terminate the operations formally later, after all Serb troops are outside Kosovo. NATO planes continued to fly over Kosovo without dropping ordnance. The Serbs were given eleven days to pull out.
Milosvic said only 462 soldiers and 114 police had been killed in the fighting. NATO estimates the Yugoslav deaths at 5,000. State-run media said 2,000 civilians were killed.
White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said that as long as Milosevic is in charge "Serbia should not expect reconstruction aid from the United States".
The RNLAF has four levels of maintenance in general:
The first three maintenance levels are comparable to the USAF maintenance levels. In practice, both sets of
terms are used indifferently.
F-16 maintenance is based on so called on-equipment and off-equipment maintenance. By "repair-by-replacement" actual maintenance on the aircraft itself (on-equipment) can be reduced, since the F-16 consists of quickly removable modules that can be replaced on the flight line (hence, the term Line Replaceable Units). Also, most Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) use Self Tests (ST) and Built-In Tests (BIT) to isolate failures. LRUs removed from the aircraft are being repaired at another location (off-equipment), away from the aircraft.
This not only reduces repair time on the aircraft, but also decreases the influence of other shops at other levels of maintenance on the actual aircraft status.
After each flight the pilot reports any malfunction to his debriefer. In the analysis of the problems reported a Fault Reporting manual is used. This manual contains the technical information for each of the systems needed to detect and report a Pilot Detectable Fault. An avionics repair party is sent to the aircraft to fix the problem on the aircraft using the information and the reported fault code of the debriefer and information derived from the Fault Isolating manual. In most cases the reported avionics problem can be solved by replacing one or more Line Replaceable Units, after which the aircraft can return to its operational tasks.
The on-equipment repair team is part of the Organizational or First level of maintenance.
Any avionics Line Replaceable Unit that was removed at the Organizational level will be offered for repair to the Intermediate or Second level maintenance. This level of maintenance is off-equipment maintenance, away from the aircraft. Traditionally, this task was performed by the F-16 Avionics Intermediate Shop (AIS), situated on the air base. Since the F-16 originally operated from four air bases (Leeuwarden, Twenthe, Volkel, and Gilze-Rijen - the latter one no longer in use as an F-16 base), there were initially four F-16 Avionics Intermediate Shops.
In the early 90s the decision was made to alter this maintenance concept. Two of the existing avionics shops (at Leeuwarden and Volkel) were to be decommissioned and two (Gilze-Rijen/Twenthe) were to be centralized on a single location. This was to be achieved around the same time the first Mid-Life Update F-16 aircraft were to be delivered. Together with additional test equipment for the Mid-Life Update F-16 this was to form the Dedicated Off-equipment Workcenter (DOW) as part of the Air Force's Electronic Materiel Depot.
Removed Shop Replaceable Units as well as Line Replaceable Units that can not be repaired at Intermediate level are offered to the Electronic Matériel Depot. Not all SRUs are repaired by the RNLAF Electronic Matériel Depot. In May 1979 the F-16 Avionics Depot Agreement (ADM) was signed between The Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark, controlling the Depot level maintenance for SRUs. Each of the countries — all part of the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) — is responsible for a part of the SRUs:
The advantage of this division is that the cost of all the test equipment is carried by all three countries. The Danish air force also acquired a test facility for electronic components of the SRUs, which makes fault isolation and problem solving more efficient.
In the case an SRU can not be repaired at Depot level, the RNLAF can rely on the industry, which makes up for the Fourth level of maintenance.
In May 1999 -- while the UK was getting more openly in favor of a possible option with ground troops -- Germany and Russia opened a secret back channel to Yugoslav president Milosevic, reported BBC. Swedish financier Peter Castenfelt met in Moscow with Russian security services. His message to Milosevic was that both countries had decided to throw their lot in with Russian president Yeltsin.
A few moments ago I instructed General Wesley Clark to suspend NATO's air operations against Yugoslavia.
I have taken this decision following consultations with the North Atlantic Council and confirmation from SACEUR that the full withdrawal of the Yugoslav security forces from Kosovo has begun.
On June 11, 1999, after Serb forces started withdrawing from Kosovo, NATO put the air strikes on hold. Yugoslavia was given eleven days to pull out. All Yugoslav aircraft and air defense weapons were to be withdrawn at least 15 miles outside Kosovo's borders. Once the Serbs would have have pulled out, the Pentagon estimated it would take at least 24 hours before the first allied troops would enter Kosovo. KFOR would be made up of 50,000 allied troops, initial plans said.
British elite paratroopers were awaiting orders along the border with Macedonia. They would be followed by French and other NATO troops. US Marines and Army soldiers began arriving in northern Macedonia, where thousands of allied forces stood ready to begin their Kosovo mission. Allied troops were expected to move in in a few days.
NATO's Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps — with about 17,000 troops under the command of British Lt Gen Michael Jackson — was expected to move from its headquarters in Skopje, the Macedonian capital, to Pristina, the Kosovo capital. Jackson was appointed as the overall NATO commander in charge. The US had 2,000 marines on their way from Greece to Kosovo. They had 13 light armored vehicles, 15 armored amphibious vehicles, 27 Humvee vehicles armed with TOW anti-tank missiles and artillery. About 1,700 heavily armed US Army soldiers began moving by road from Albania toward the Macedonian border. To their disposal were also eight AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, 14 battle tanks, 14 Bradley armored vehicles, 105mm howitzers, and 32-ton Paladin armored vehicles with 155mm howitzers. Another 200 US soldiers were flown in from Germany. The Russians started training about 700 troops in the Ural Mountains for deployment in Kosovo.
See also the article Operation Allied Force: allied unity.
A buffer zone will protect Kosovo as NATO powers and Russia establish peacekeeping operations there and begin preparations for the return of refugees.
A Russian convoy of trucks and armed vehicles stationed in Bosnia — with hastily drawn KFOR markings on them — headed toward Kosovo, intensifying the debate about Moscow's role in the peacekeeping force. The Russian move caught NATO by surprise, causing confusion and delays.
Russia demanded a zone of its own. NATO rejected this demand, fearing creation of a zone in Kosovo where Serbs might still be able to exercise authority. Russia threatened that if they would not get their own zone, they would work out an agreement directly with the Serbs in Belgrade.
After three days of difficult negotiations, Russia agreed to place about 3,600 of its troops under NATO command as peacekeepers in Kosovo. This also opened the door to an expanded Russian representation in NATO's command structure. It was agreed that Russian representatives would be present at NATO's main headquarters in Brussels, at the headquarters Southern Europe in Napels, and at the headquarters for Kosovo.
Under the deal, the Russians initially had some 3,600 troops and 16 liaison officers. The troops operated in four different zones: the northern part of a sector controlled by US forces, the northwestern part of a sector under German control, a small piece of a French-controlled sector in the north, and a small piece of the British-controlled sector.
Of the troops, 750 were in the vicinity of the Pristina airport. A Russian airfield commander was designated, with NATO in control of air operations. It was agreed the Russians would provide airfield maintenance and other support.
The peacekeepers must secure Kosovo and prepare the way for ethnic Albanian refugees to return home from teeming border camps. More than 850,000 ethnic Albanians were forced from their homes and fled to Albania and Macedonia. An additional 500,000 also were displaced but are believed to remain inside Kosovo.
The difference with the situation in Bosnia, where the Stabilization Force restored peace and helped rebuilding economy is that the United Nations will play a significant role. This was demanded by Yugoslavia and Russia. Under the 1995 Dayton agreement that ended the Bosnian war, the United Nations had no official role.
The UN Security Council will be responsible for the implementation of civil aspects. The High Commissioner for Refugees will be responsible for the refugees and the European Union and World Bank will have key roles in reconstruction. The military and civilian operations in Kosovo are expected to be deployed under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, enable it to act independently of Milosevic's government. A resolution on the matter was expected to be adopted.
US president Clinton warned Serbs that the United States would not help them rebuild from bombing "as long as your nation is ruled by an indicted war criminal."
On Wednesday June 9, 1999, NATO and Yugoslav military leaders signed a pact. A time line was set out for the Serb forces to withdraw and NATO troops to move in.
Details of this process were published by CNN on June 9:
A cease-fire on the ground in Kosovo was to begin immediately.
The phased withdrawal of Yugoslav army, police and other forces with a military capability was expected to begin as early as daybreak June 10, 1999. As an initial test of compliance, the Yugoslavs were given 24 hours to "demonstrably" withdraw from the northern part of the province, closest to the Serbian border.
Within the first 24 hours of the withdrawal, the Yugoslavs must have ended all military flights over Kosovo; turned off air defense systems and radar; and stand down their surface-to-air missile systems.
Within the first 48 hours, the Yugoslavs must have turned over to NATO records showing the placement of land mines, explosive devices, unexploded ordnance and booby traps.
Within the first 72 hours, all Yugoslav anti-aircraft artillery, surface-to-air missiles and aircraft must have been removed from Kosovo.
Within the first six days, Yugoslav forces must have been removed from the southern part of the province along the Albanian and Macedonian borders, allowing for the introduction of international peacekeeping troops.
The Yugoslavs were given 11 days from the signing of the agreement to complete their withdrawal. After completion of the pullout, the Yugoslavs would be allowed to bring in a small force of up to 1,000 troops to guard cultural and religious sites in the province and work on mine clearance. So far, this has not happened yet.
Once NATO was convinced that the Yugoslavs were complying with the initial steps of the agreement, airstrikes were suspended. Following the cessation of bombing, the UN Security Council approved a resolution which sets out the conditions of the peace deal (see: UN resolution1244.).
Once the Security Council resolution was approved, a peacekeeping contingent of 50,000 troops, known as KFOR, began moving into Kosovo, under the command of British Lt. Gen. Michael Jackson.
US troops were assigned to patrol the eastern zone of the province; Britain, the central zone, including the capital, Pristina; France, the western zone; Italy, the northern zone; and Germany, the southern zone.
About 4,000 US troops were part of the initial "enabling" force. This included 1,900 troops from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which were moved from Greece into Macedonia, and 1,700 from an Army task force in Albania.
About 200 Army soldiers from Germany were also be part of the initial force to set up a headquarters for US forces. Eventually, the "enabling" force were replaced by a more permanent US force, including about 7,000 troops from Germany.
Once KFOR leaders were satisfied with the Yugoslav withdrawal, the bombing campaign was officially ended.
The resolution called for an international peacekeeping force with NATO at its core to be deployed to Kosovo for an initial 12 months and indefinitely beyond then unless the Security Council would decide otherwise.
The primary responsibilities for the force in Kosovo was to deter renewed hostilities, demilitarization of the Kosovo Liberation Army -- the rebel group of ethnic Albanians -- and establishment of a secure environment for refugees to return.
The resolution authorized UN member states and international organizations to use "all necessary means" to implement its provisions. This was possible since military operations were deployed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
The resolution authorized the UN to establish an interim civilian administration for Kosovo that would allow for the return of refugees and promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-government for the province within Yugoslavia.
The administration would establish a local police force and oversee the development of provisional democratic institutions, including elections, based on the Rambouillet accords. It would support the economic reconstruction of Kosovo and help with humanitarian and disaster relief.
A special representative of the secretary-general would oversee the civilian administration.
The resolution demanded full cooperation by all governments and the international security force in Kosovo with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was indicted by the tribunal for crimes against humanity in May 1999.
The resolution encouraged governments and international organizations to contribute to the economic and social reconstruction of Kosovo and emphasized the need to convene a donors' conference as soon as possible. It also welcomed work by the European Union and other international organizations to develop a comprehensive approach to the economic development and stabilization of the region affected by the Kosovo crisis.
The resolution demanded an immediate and verifiable end to violence and repression in Kosovo and the withdrawal of all military, police and paramilitary forces from Kosovo according to a rapid time table. It confirmed that a number of Serb military and police personnel will be allowed to return to maintain a presence at key border crossings and cultural sites, to mark and clear minefields and to maintain contacts with the military and civilian missions.
The resolution demanded that the Kosovo Liberation Army and other armed Kosovo Albanian groups end all offensive actions immediately and comply with the requirements for demilitarization which were spelled out by the head of the international military force.
On June 9, 1999, an agreement was signed by British General Michael Jackson on behalf of NATO, and by representatives of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Belgian Air Force operated successfully in the joint Deployable Air Task Force (DATF). It was in turn commanded by the Dutch and the Belgians. DATF was established in 1996.
During Operation Allied Force, the Dutch/Belgian DATF flew 11.6% of the total number of allied fighter missions, with a 95% degree of readiness. The DATF F-16s were mostly used in the swing-role concept, where patrolling aircraft could be used against both air and ground targets. Typically, some 32 missions were flown a day. About 20-30% of the total number of missions was flown at night.