The US had developed a three-stage plan to capture Torrijos Airport to the mission: to isolate Objective Bear (the main terminal), to eliminate enemy resistance, and to prevent the Panama Defense Forces (PDF) from interfering with Operation Just Cause.

In addition, to this intelligence failure the PDF's 2nd Company was on alert and was patrolling in and around the airport terminal buildings.

The Rangers began their operations after another group had launched preliminary airstrikes against the Panamanian Defense Forces defending the airfield.

[5] Despite this setback, they managed to secure the airfield with relatively little resistance, though there was some gunfire in the main terminal building.

The prisoners, detainees, and confiscated documents and weapons were turned over to the military police company commander of the 82nd Airborne Division.