2014 War Against the Islamic State

CAESAR in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State

French Task Force Wagram used CAESAR 155 mm truck-mounted howitzers from Iraq as coalition artillery fire support against Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria.

Weapon profileCAESAR
SideAnti-ISIS coalition and partner forcesRoleFire SupportLong-Range Strike
CAESAR, 155 mm truck-mounted howitzer, Artillery - 2014 War Against the Islamic State
Image source: French CAESAR Iraq Image

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
French Task Force Wagram operated CAESAR artillery in the coalition campaign against Islamic State forces.

Sources: Task Force Wagram Dissolution

The task force fired French CAESAR guns in support of Operation Roundup at Al Qaim, Iraq, on 16 May 2018.

Sources: DVIDS French Caesars Loading, DVIDS French Caesars Fire Mission

Task Force Wagram supported Syrian Democratic Forces around Hajin during the Middle Euphrates River Valley campaign.

Sources: Task Force Wagram Hajin

By its April 2019 dissolution, Task Force Wagram had conducted more than 2,500 fire missions and had fought from Mosul to Baghouz.

Sources: Task Force Wagram Dissolution

Timeline

CAESAR In 2014 War Against the Islamic State

  1. Task Force Wagram enters coalition fire support

    CJTF-OIR reported that Task Force Wagram had been engaged since 2016 and integrated into the coalition fire-support system.

    Sources: Task Force Wagram Dissolution

  2. CAESAR fire missions at Al Qaim

    DVIDS imagery showed French soldiers assigned to Task Force Wagram loading and firing French CAESAR guns in support of Operation Roundup at Al Qaim, Iraq.

    Sources: DVIDS French Caesars Loading, DVIDS French Caesars Fire Mission

  3. French artillery supports Hajin fighting

    CENTCOM reported that Task Force Wagram supported Syrian Democratic Forces around Hajin and that French artillery helped stop Islamic State attacks in December 2018.

    Sources: Task Force Wagram Hajin

  4. Task Force Wagram dissolves at Al Asad Air Base

    Task Force Wagram held its dissolution ceremony in Iraq after what CJTF-OIR described as more than 2,500 fire missions and the largest external-operation engagement of CAESAR artillery guns.

    Sources: Task Force Wagram Dissolution

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

CAESAR use in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State is documented through official coalition reporting on French Task Force Wagram, the French artillery detachment deployed under Operation Chammal in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve said Task Force Wagram integrated into the coalition fire-support system from 2016 and fought from Mosul to Baghouz. The same account described the deployment as the largest external-operation engagement of CAESAR artillery guns and reported more than 2,500 fire missions.

Sources: Task Force Wagram Dissolution, Task Force Wagram Hajin

Timeline

Task Force Wagram's coalition artillery role began in 2016. DVIDS imagery from 16 May 2018 placed French soldiers assigned to the task force at Al Qaim, Iraq, loading and firing French CAESAR guns during Operation Roundup.

In January 2019, CENTCOM reported that Task Force Wagram was supporting Syrian Democratic Forces ground troops in the Middle Euphrates River Valley and that French artillery helped stop Islamic State attacks around Hajin in December 2018. On 29 April 2019, the task force held its dissolution ceremony at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

Sources: Task Force Wagram Dissolution, Task Force Wagram Hajin, DVIDS French Caesars Loading, DVIDS French Caesars Fire Mission

Narrative

In this conflict, CAESAR served as a coalition ground-fire system rather than as a transferred partner-force weapon. French troops operated the guns from Iraq while supporting Iraqi and Syrian partner-force operations against Islamic State positions.

The best documented employment was Task Force Wagram's fire-support role for Operation Roundup and the Middle Euphrates River Valley campaign. Official reporting describes the detachment as part of the coalition fire-support architecture, supporting Syrian Democratic Forces around Hajin and participating across battles from Mosul to Baghouz before the task force dissolved in April 2019.

The public sources used here establish deployment, operation, firing missions, and fire-support effects, but they do not provide a complete target-by-target firing log or munition inventory for Task Force Wagram.

Sources: Task Force Wagram Dissolution, Task Force Wagram Hajin, DVIDS French Caesars Loading, DVIDS French Caesars Fire Mission

Images

Conflict Context

French CAESAR self-propelled howitzer firing in Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve
A French CAESAR howitzer firing in Iraq during the coalition campaign against Islamic State forces.

Sources: French CAESAR Iraq Image

French soldiers assigned to Task Force Wagram conducting a CAESAR fire mission at Al Qaim, Iraq
French soldiers assigned to Task Force Wagram conduct a CAESAR fire mission in support of Operation Roundup at Al Qaim, Iraq, on 16 May 2018.

Sources: DVIDS French Caesars Fire Mission

Related Weapons by Role

155 mm NATO ammunition, 155 mm NATO-standard artillery ammunition family for 39-, 45-, and 52-caliber howitzers, MunitionsMunitions155 mm NATO ammunition155 mm NATO-standard artillery ammunition family for 39-, 45-, and 52-caliber howitzers155 mm NATO ammunition is a family of separately loaded artillery projectiles, fuzes, primers, and propelling charges built around NATO and JBMoU interoperability standards rather than a single shell. Official records document 155 mm artillery rounds in Ukraine's wartime ammunition supply and in coalition M777A2 fire missions against ISIS, while manufacturer lines show high-explosive, extended-range, training, modular-charge, and specialty projectile examples.
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Sources