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Central and Latin America Database
Cuban Crisis, 1962: ORBATs and OPLANs
By Matt Wiser & Tom Cooper, with additional details from Thomas M.N.
Sep 1, 2003, 11:46
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USN
USS ENTERPRISE (CVAN-65) with CVG-6 (AF)
- VF-102 Diamondbacks with F-4B Phantom II
- VF-33 Starfighters with F-8C Crusader
- VA-94 Shrikes with A-4C Skyhawk
- VMA-225 with A-4C Skyhawk
- VAH-7 Go-Devils with A-5A Vigilante
- VMCJ-2 with RF-8A Crusader
- VAW-12 (Det. 65) with E-1B Tracker
- VAW-33 (Det.) with EA-1E Skyraider
- HU-2 (Det.) with UH-2B
USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62) with CVG-7 (AG)
- VF-41 Black Aces with F-4B (disembarked to NAS Boca Chica/Key West)
- VF-84 Jolly Rogers with F-8C
- VA-72 Blue Hawks with A-4C
- VA-86 Diamondbacks with A-4C
- VAH-1 with A-5A
- VFP-62 (Det.) Eyes of the Fleet with RF-8A
- VAW-12 (Det. 62) with E-1B
- VAW-33 (Det.) with EA-1E
- HU-2 (Det.) with UH-2A
USS SHANGRI LA (CVS-38) with CVG-10 (AK)
- VF-13 Aggressors with F-6A
- VA-46 Clansmen with A-4C
- VA-106 Gladiators with A-4C
- VA-176 Thunderbolts with A-1H
- VFP-62 (Det.) with RF-8A
- HU-2 with UH-2B
USS ESSEX (CVS-9) with CVSG-60 (AW)
- VA-81 Sunliners with A-4C
- VS-24 Duty Cats with S-2A
- VS-27 (Det. 9) with EA-1E
- HS-9 Sea Griffins with SH-34 H
USS WASP (CVS-18) with CVSG-52 (AS)
- VA-64 with A-4C
- VS-28 Hukkers with S-2A
- VS-31 Top Cats with S-2A
- VAW-33 (Det. 18) with EA-1E
- HS-11 Sub Seekers with SH-34J
USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CVS-39) with CVSG-54 (AT)
- VS-22 Checkmates with S-2A
- VS-32 Yellow Tails with S-2A
- VAW-12 (Det. 39) with E-1B
- HS-11 Sub Seekers with SH-34J
USS RANDOLPH (CVS-15) with CVSG-58 (AV), TG.83.2
- VS-26 with S-2A
- VS-36 with S-2A
- VAW-12 (Det. 16) with E-1B
- HS-7 Shamrocks with SH-34J
- USS Beale, DD-471 (tracked contact C-19)
- USS Bache, DD-479 (tracked contact C-19)
- USS Cony, DD-508 (tracked contact C-19)
USS LEXINGTON (CVA-16) with CVG-? (deployed to replace USS Essex)
- VF-62 Boomerangs
Other USN warships
- USS Blandy, DD-943 (tracked contact C-18)
- USS barry, DD-933 (tracked contact C-19)
In addition, from 21 October 1962 the USN operated following units from ground bases:
- VP-8, P-3A Orions, at NAS Bermuda
- VP-44, P-3A Orions, at NAS Bermuda
- VP-45, P-?, base unknown (probably NAS Leeward Point/Guantanamo Bay), assigned tracking contact C-18 on continuing basis
- VP-56, P-2H Neptune, from NAS Norfolk
- VF-41 Black Aces, F-4Bs, at NAS Boca Chica/Key West
- VF-62 Boomerangs (Note 1), F-8s, at NAS Boca Chica/Key West, then NAS Leeward Point/Guantanamo Bay (Cuba)
- VFP-62, RF-8A, at Cecil Field AFB
Notes:
*1: VF-62 was deployed aboard USS Lexington (CVA-16), slanted to replace USS Essex. USS Lexington had machinery problems and could not sustain a 20kts wind over her bow to launch Crusaders of VF-62. These were offloaded to NAS Leeward Point, at Cuba, and operated from there – being mainly tasked with escort for VFP-62’s RF-8As, which flew reconnaissance sorties from NAS Boca Chica/Key West. As Rich Schoolcraft, former flightdeck troubleshooter with VF-62 remarked, the VFP-62 got the Presidential Citation for its missions – but the VF-62 did not get as much as “well done” for its achievements!
Beside crews of fighter-bombers, also cruiser and destroyer skippers received their fire zones and some targets. One cruiser and three DDs were off Guantanamo for fire support: they would go into action as soon as FKR-coastal defence missile sites would have been knocked out.
USAF
- 4th TFW, F-105s, at Patrick AFB (from Seymour-Johnson AFB)
- 12th TFW, F-84Fs, at MacDill AFB
- 15th TFW, F-84F, at MacDill AFB
- 27th TFW, F-100s, at MacDill AFB
- 29th TRS, RF-101Cs, at Shaw AFB
- 31st TFW, F-100a, at Homestead AFB (slanted to target San Cristobal MRBM site with 16 F-100s, armed with 500 and 700lb bombs, as well as napalm tanks)
- 354th TFW, F-100s, at McCoy AFB (now Orlando IAP)
- 363rd TRW, RF-101Cs, at MacDill AFB
- 401st TFW, F-100s, at Homestead AFB
- 427th ARFS, KB-50, at McCoy AFB (now Orlando IAP)
- 474th TFW, F-100s, at Homestead AFB
- 479th TFW, F-104C (four squadrons), at Eglin AFB, NAS Boca Chica/Key West
- 622nd ARFS, KB-50, at MacDill AFB
- 4028th SRS/4080th SRW, U-2C/E, at Barkasdale AFB
- 157th FIS, F-104As, at ? (someplace in Florida, from October 1962)
- 319th FIS, F-104A, at Homestead AFB
- 331st FIS, F-104A, from Webb AFB to Miami IAP or Opa-Locka AP
According to unconfirmed reports, the 151st and 197th FIS – both equipped with F-104As – were re-deployed back to CONUS from Ramstein AB, in West Germany, where they were sent in October 1961, during the Berlin Crisis.
- Nike Hercules SAM-Battalion (six Nike Hercules SAM-batteries) from Fort Bliss (Tx.), deployed in Homestead/Miami area
- HAWK SAM-Battalion, deployed in Miami area
- Nike Hercules SAM-site, Card Sound Road
- HAWK SAM-site, MacDill AFB
- HAWK SAM-site, Patrick AFB
- HAWK SAM-site, Homestead AFB
- 4 HAWK SAM-sits, NAS Boca Chica/Key West
The air campaign against Soviet SSMs on Cuba was expected to last at least eight days, perhaps up to 18, if CINCLANT decided so. Up to 1.500 combat sorties were to be flown per day.
US Marines
- MAG 14, F-8s and A-4s, at NAS Boca Chica/Key West
- MAG ?, three squadrons A-4s and one with F-8s, at Leeward Point/Guantanamo Bay
?, Guantanamo Bay
- strenght increased from 400 to 5.700 Marines.
II Marine Amphibious Force, including:
- 2nd Marine Division
- 5th Marine Regimental Landing Team
- 2nd Infantry Division
- Corps level assets from III Corps
- USMC HAWK SAM-site, Guantanamo Bay
US Army
XVIII Airborne Corps
- 82nd Airborne Division
- 101st Airborne Division
- 1st Armoured Divison
- 1st Infantry Division
- 4th Infantry Division
- Corps Troops (including aviation, artillery, engineers, MPs., etc.)
CINCLANT Reserve
- 5th Infantry Division
- Combat Command (Brigade) from 2nd Armoured Division (to be committed only on CINCLANT authority)
CINCLANT OPLAN 316-62
While the Pentagon developed a detailed plan for invasion of Cuba, this was not assigned any code-name, instead keeping its number: CINCLANT OPLAN 316-62.
This plan envisaged the invasion to begin with massive air strikes, which were to target SSM and SAM-sites. On D +1, Soviet FKR-1 anti-ship missile sites would be attacked, and follow-up strikes against SSM and SAM-sites. As soon as these would have been taken out, warships would attack with artillery in order to prepare the ground for invasion. The invasion itself would begin with arrival of SEAL-teams, which were to support the capture of ports of Mariel and Matazanas, disable any demolition charges and seize ships in the harbour to prevent their scuttling. Army Special Forces teams were also to go in and disable radar stations and SAM-sites before the actual strikes would begin.
Then the 82nd Airborne was to jump at San Antonio de Los Banos AB and Jose Marti IAP; 101st Airborne was to jump at NAS Mariel and Baraoca IAP, capture these airports and the nearby port of Mariel. The 1st Armoured Division was to land one of its brigades at a time from 15 available LSTs, arriving from Miami (the whole division would need approximately 30 hours to be landed in Cuba); 1st Infantry Division would be flown in to captured airfields. 1st Armoured would then clear Pinar De Rio, with 101st Airborne, and then push east to link up with the 82nd Airborne before moving on Havana, which would be isolated, but not seized. The 5th Regimental Landing Team was to land near Santiago de Cuba and act as decoy for fixing Soviet and Cuban forces in eastern Cuba. 2nd Marine Division was to land at Varadero Beach and push inlands towards the port of Matanzas. Its follow-up, the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division and corps troops of the III Corps, including the 4th Infantry Division if needed, would be deployed either east or west, depending on what would be needed. Once a linkup between XVIII Airborne Corps and II MAF would have been established, the eastern part of Cuba would be mopped up.
CINCLANT expected organized resistance to end within 18 days of the actual landings, while expecting at least 1.000 US casualties a day for the first 15 days of invasion. Two National Guard Divisions were to be called up for occupation duty once organised resistance would end.
Fort Benning, in Georgia, was to house Soviet POWs brought in from Cuba.
Soviet Nuclear Weapons
- 6 Model 407N free-fall bombs for Il-28 bombers
- 12 Model 901A4 warheads for R-13 SSMs
- 80 warheads for FKR-1 Meteor cruise missiles
(List according to "The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces, 1945-2000", by Steven Zaloga)
V-VS
Note: all Soviet aircraft wore full FAR markings.
- 134, 11 Il-14s, at San Antonio AB
- ? BAP, 48 Il-28s, at Holguin and San Julian (never activated: most – including six A-wired examples were still crated as of late October; a number of Il-28s were Hungarian Air Force machines, sent back to Russia for maintenance, but shipped from there to Cuba; some of the Il-28s probably belonged to an unknown “Mine-Torpedo Regiment” of the Soviet Naval Aviation)
- 213 IAP, MiG-21F-13, at Santa Clara AB
- 234 IAP; MiG-21PF, at San Antonio AB
- 437 , Mi-4, at Mariel AB
? Air-Defence Division, including:
- SA-2 site No.1 San Antonio AB
? Coastal Defence Division, including:
- 561 Frontal Cruise Missile Rgt., FKR-1 AShMs based in the Mariel zone (west of Havanna)
- 584 Frontal Cruise Missile Rgt. FKR-1 AShMs based in the Mayari Arriba (near Guantanamo)
(These two units established at least seven FKR-sites on the mainland Cuba, and one at the Isle of Pines. Their sites were semi-protected, in revetments, but their radars were in the open.).
Soviet Army
- 74th MRR, Luna/FROG-4, at Artemisa
- 106th MRR; at Holguin
- 134th MRR, Luna/FROG-4, at Manauga
- 146th MRR, Luna/FROG-4, at Santa Clara
Except the 106th MRR, all units were equipped with nuclear warheads. The release authority was pre-delegated, but this decision was revoked on 22 October, after which all Soviet nuclear weapons on Cuba were put under control of Moscow.
Soviets expected that the US garrison in Guantanamo Bay was reinforced to 18.000, with the entire 2nd Marine Division being deployed there.
Soviet Navy
- B-4 (possible ident.: C-21), Foxtrot-class, skipper: Rurik Ketov
- B-36 (ident.: C-26), Foxtrot-class, skipper: Aleksei Dubivko
- B-59 (ident.: C-19), Foxtrot-class, skipper: Valentin Savitsky
- B-75, Zulu-class, skipper: Nikolai Natnenkov
- B-88 (unknown if detected), Foxtrot-class, skipper: ? (patrol area: Pearl Harbour)
- B-130 (ident.: C-18); Foxtrot-class (hull No. 945), skipper: Nikolai Shumkov
Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria
Note: most of the following units were in the process of establishment and training. Soviet MiGs were flying in full FAR markings.
- ? Escuadron de Caza, MiG-15bis/MiG-15UTI, at San Antonio de los Banos AB and Santa Clara AB
- ? Escuadron de Caza, MiG-15bis/MiG-15UTI, at Camaguey AB and Holguin AB
- ? Escuadron de Caza, MiG-19P, at San Antonio AB
- ? Escuadron de ReconocimientoMiG-15bis/MiG-15Rbis, at Ciudad Libertad AB
- ? Escuadron de Enlace, Let L-60, at Ciudad Libertad AB
- ? Escuadron de Transporte, Il-14, at San Antonio AB
- ? Escuadron de Helicopteros, Mi-1/Mi-4, at Baracoa and Ciudad Libertad
© Copyright 2002-3 by ACIG.org
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