| Operation Amanda | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theBosnian War | |||||||
 A DanishIFORLeopard 1 tank crushing a decommissioned Serbian recoilless gun in 1996 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Army of Republika Srpska | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1T-55 tankRecoilless anti-tank guns |
| ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 T-55 tank disabled 1 recoilless gun destroyed |
| ||||||
Operation Amanda was aUnited Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) mission conducted byDanish peacekeeping troops, with the aim of recovering an observation post, S01, belonging to 9th mech inf coy Nordbat 2 nearGradačac,Bosnia and Herzegovina, on October 25, 1994.[1]
The outpost had been used as a temporary observation post (OPT) but Nordbat wanted to turn it into a permanent observation post. Following a series ofsniper attacks byBosnian Serb forces, the staff of Nordbat 2 decided it was time to "show the flag". A task force was put together with one mechanised infantry platoon from the Swedish 9th Mechanised Infantry Company and one tank platoon from the Danish tank company. One Swedish mechanised infantry platoon put on high alert status in order to provide recovery and rescue services. There were also units from theJordanian Army with artillery localisation radar and medics with armoured ambulances standing by.
While en route to reoccupying the position, the Danish force, composed of threeLeopard 1 tanks, was fired on by aT-55Bosnian Serb tank.[2] After sustaining slight damage to one of the Leopards, the advancing peacekeeping tanks returned fire, destroying one recoilless rifle and putting the T-55 out of action.[3] The Leopards fired a total of twenty-one 105mm rounds.[1]
The outpost was eventually retaken by UNPROFOR. A statement was issued by the UN about the aftermath of the incident, confirming the fate of the Serb T-55:
The best tank-killing weapon is another tank. In the end, air [support] was not needed.[3]
The UN stressed that "the best tank-killing weapon is another tank. In the end, air [support] was not needed."
The UN stressed that "the best tank-killing weapon is another tank. In the end, air [support] was not needed."
