TACTICAL OPERATIONS

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• TACTICAL OPERATIONS
• Marshall A. McKay
• Captain, Armor

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Purpose

• To introduce SOBC students to the Armys basic
  operational concept of offensive and defensive
  operations.

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Quote...

• The primary reason it is so difficult to
  conduct combat operations against the Americans
  is that they feel no obligation to follow their
  own doctrine
• Unknown German General, W.W.II

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OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS

• Purpose of the Offense
• PRIMARY DESTROY/ KILL the enemy.
• SECONDARY
• To secure key or decisive terrain
• To deprive the enemy of key resources
• To gain information/time
• To deceive or divert the enemy
• To fix (hold) the enemy in position.

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Characteristics of the Offense

• SURPRISE
• CONCENTRATION
• TEMPO
• AUDACITY

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CONSIDERATIONS OF THE OFFENSE

• See the battlefield
• Concentrate overwhelming combat power
• Suppress enemy defensive fires
• Shock, overwhelm and destroy the enemy
• Attack deep into enemy zone to destroy his system
  of defense and reinforcements
• Provide continuous mobile support (cs,css)

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4 FORMS OF TACTICAL OFFENSE

• Movement to contact
• Attack
• Exploitation
• Pursuit

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MOVEMENT TO CONTACT

• Approach March
• Enemy location is relatively certain
• Enemy Forces at a great distance
• Rapid Movement (traveling)
• Meeting Engagement
• Both friendly and enemy forces are moving,
  contact expected/location uncertain.

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TYPES OF ATTACK! TORA! TORA! TORA!

• Hasty Attack (as a result of a mvt to
  contact/mtg engagement)
• Deliberate Attack (fully sync. with all combat
  mult TIME)
• Spoiling Attack (from def. Posture Offensive
  Spirit in Def Ops)
• Raid (specific purpose other than terrain
  commando operation)
• Feint/Demonstration (Diversion operations)
• Counter Attack (usually the reserve, force enemy
  to reveal his main effort.)

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EXPLOITATION

• The attacker extends the destruction of the
  defending force by maintaining offensive
  pressure.
• Compound disorganization, erode will to resist.
• If not Enemy regroups/reorganize

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PURSUIT

• Part of the exploitation phase
• Follows a successful attack you are force
  oriented not terrain oriented.
• Direct, Parallel, Envelop/Dbl Envel.

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FORMS OF MANEUVER

• Frontal Attack
• Envelopment
• Penetration
• Infiltration
• Turning Movement

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Frontal Attack
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Envelopment
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Penetration
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Infiltration
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Turning Movement
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TASK ORGANIZATION

• Temporary grouping based on a situational
  need/Mission
• Includes Combat Support and Service Support
  (Signal)
• Attached, Assigned/Organic, OPCON, etc...

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Task Org. Cont...

• ARMOR HEAVY
• Wide Ranging, Rapid Maneuver
• Abundance of enemy automatic weapons and massed
  indirect fires.
• Strong enemy armor opposition
• Great observation and fields of fire
• Question What is a good OPORD for Tankers?

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Task Org. Cont...

• INFANTRY HEAVY
• Close/detailed terrain (Urban, Mountain, Jungle,
  Swamp)
• Strong Enemy Anti-Tank Defenses/Obstacles
• Mech Heavy, Heavy-Light...

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Task Org. Cont...

• BALANCED
• Enemy Situation Vague
• Movement to Contact
• Equal requirements for Tanks and Infantry
• Or When in doubt...

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DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS

• Purpose The primary purpose of defensive
  operations is to cause the enemy attack to fail.
• Less decisive form of war
• May be stronger than offense
• Only used until strong enough to attack
• Offensive Spirit

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PURPOSE OF THE DEFENSE

• Cause the enemy attack to FAIL!!!
• Gain time
• Concentrate forces elsewhere
• Wear down enemy forces prior to friendly
  offensive operations
• Retain Tactical, Strategic or Political
  Objectives.

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AREAS OF THE DEFENSE

• DEEP BATTLE AREA
• MAIN BATTLE AREA
• REAR AREA
• or CLOSE-DEEP-REAR OPERATIONS

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DEEP BATTLE AREA

• Disrupt enemy movement in depth/C3
• Destroy High Value targets
• Command and Control
• ADA
• Artillery
• Logistics
• Other (tanks? Cdr sets target priority)

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MAIN BATTLE AREA

• Fights the decisive battle to defeat enemy
• Security Fight to include recon assets
• Defend in Depth
• Reserves in the MBA
• Block/Destroy Penetrations
• Re-establish the the def. Position
• Regain the initiative

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REAR AREA

• Forward limit is the BDE rear Boundary
• Area which supply and maintenance is projected
  forward
• Location of admin and communication centers
• Oh by the wayPRIMARY TARGET for ENEMY SOF
  FORCES!

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CHARACTERISTICS DEFENSIVE PATTERNS

• Two types of Defenses
• MOBILE Defense Force Oriented
• AREA Defense Terrain Oriented

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Defensive Patterns Cont...

• Mobile Defense
• Orients on enemy forces
• Mobility gt to enemy forces!
• Defend with minimum force
• Fire and Maneuver (hammer/anvil)
• Max. Cbt. Power with striking force

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Defensive Patterns Cont...

• Area Defense
• Traditional defense, fixed
• Deny enemy access to designated terrain for a
  specified time
• Mutual supporting positions in depth, max force
  with interlocking fires
• Smaller reserves
• Defender has the advantage (why?)

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Considerations of the Defense

• Understand the enemy
• See the battlefield
• Exploit the advantages of the Defender
• Concentrate Cbt. Power at Critical Time and
  Place!
• Fight at Combined Arms Team

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Characteristics of the Defense

• Preparation
• Disruption
• Concentration
• Flexibility
• Security

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Battle Position
CO
XO
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Sector
PL/FEBA
PL
PL
PL
EA
EA
X
EA
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Strongpoint
03
02
01
06
04
05
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Advantages of the Defender

• Review
• Knows ground (Realistic?)
• Occupies it first
• Gains strength as time passes (interior lines)
• Massed on best terrain

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Retrograde Operations

• Planned move away from enemy forces
• Delay Time for Space (cav) Gain time for
  friendly forces to re-establish the defense.
• Withdrawal to assume new mission
• Retirement Admin Move (no contact)

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METT-T C

• Mission
• Enemy Forces
• Terrain and Weather
• Troop Available
• Time
• Civilians on the battlefield

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COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS
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ASSIGNED
Placement is relatively permanent and
organization controls and administers the units
or personnel actions.
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ATTACHED
A unit is bound temporarily to a command other
that its own. Attached implies full
responsibility for logistics, administration,
training and operations. Matters relating to the
transfer and promotion of personnel will normally
be retained by the command the unit is assigned
to.
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OPERATIONAL CONTROL (OPCON)
Places a unit under a commander or staff officer
for assignment of tasks and designation of
objectives. It does not imply responsibility for
administration, combat service support,
discipline, internal organization or training.
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SUPPORT RELATIONSHIPS

• DIRECT SUPPORT
• GENERAL SUPPORT
• REINFORCING
• GENERAL SUPPORT-REINFORCING

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DIRECT SUPPORT (DS)
A UNIT WHICH SUPPORTS A SPECIFIC ELEMENT OF THE
FORCE. ex. Signal BN opcon SEN Tm to BDE HQ
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GENERAL SUPPORT
A unit with a mission provides support for the
force as a whole. It supports the entire force
and is not committed to any specific element of
the force. ex. FA BN prepared to support DIV
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REINFORCING (R)
A unit with a reinforcing mission augments the
coverage of another unit. Both units are
committed to a specific element of the
force. ex. 1x FA BN reinforces another FA
BN moved and ordered by Div HQ
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GENERAL SUPPORT-REINFORCING
A unit with a GS-R mission primarily provides
support for the forces as a whole. Secondarily,
it also augments the coverage of another
supporting unit. GS-R units are not committed to
any specific element of the force. \ Ex. FA BN
GS-R to a Division
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QUESTIONS?
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CONCLUSION

• It is important you understand the concepts of
  offensive and defensive operations so that you
  have the basic knowledge to plan, prepare and
  execute the Signal Support to the Maneuver gods!