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Atask force (TF) is aunit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by theUnited States Navy,[1] the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part ofNATO terminology. Many non-military organizations now create "task forces" or task groups for temporary activities that might have once been performed byad hoc (designated purpose)committees. In non-military contexts,working groups are sometimes called task forces.
The concept of anaval task force or simply task force is as old asnavies, and prior to that time the assembly of ships for naval operations was referred to asfleets,divisions, or on the smaller scale,squadrons, andflotillas.
BeforeWorld War II, ships were collected intodivisions derived from theRoyal Navy's "division" of theline of battle in which one squadron usually remained under the direct command of theAdmiral of the Fleet, one squadron was commanded by aVice Admiral, and one by aRear Admiral, each flying a differentcommand flag, hence the termsflagship andflag officer. The names "Vice" (second) and "Rear" might have derived from sailing positions within the line at the moment ofengagement. In the late 19th century ships were collected in numberedsquadrons, which were assigned to named (such as theAsiatic Fleet) and later numberedfleets.
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.[citation needed]
In theU.S. Army, a task force is abattalion-sized (usually, although there are variations in size)ad hoc unit formed by attaching smaller elements of other units. Acompany-sized unit with anarmored ormechanized infantry unit attached is called acompany team. A similar unit at thebrigade level is called abrigade combat team (BCT), and there is also a similarRegimental combat team (RCT).
In theBritish Army and the armies of otherCommonwealth countries, such units are traditionally known asbattlegroups.
The1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) was abrigade-sized formation which commandedAustralian andNew Zealand Army units deployed toSouth Vietnam between 1966 and 1972.[2] More recently, Australian task forces have been designated to cover temporary support elements such the battalion-sized force which operated inUrozgan Province, Afghanistan from 2006 to 2013,[3] and theNorthern Territory Emergency Response Task Force.[4]
In government and business, a task force is a temporary group created to deal with a specific issue.[5] It is usually made up of people chosen for their knowledge or experience in the subject.
A task force typically reviews the situation, identifies the main problems, considers possible ways to address them, and reports its findings to the organization that created it. The task force itself does not usually make final decisions.
In business, task forces are often formed to respond to urgent or time-limited problems. These groups are dissolved once their work is finished.
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