Historical Study Of Distributed Operations

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Historical Study Of Distributed Operations

• Operation Vigilant ResolveFallujah, Iraq

4 APR 2004 9 APR 2004
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Overview of Distributed Operations

• Taking Dispersion to another level
• Present a less defined target to the enemy
• Operations in smaller units
• More autonomous small units
• Leadership and decision making at lower levels

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Why study Fallujah?

• Operation Vigilant Resolve is
• one of the closest real life
• examples of U.S. Marines
• conducting distributed-like
• operations.

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Why study Fallujah?

• Patrols conducted by squad sized units
• Units dispersed all around Fallujah
• Squad Leaders taking more control of situations
• Varying patrol routes and times, trying to
  present ambiguous targets to the enemy
• Relying on fire support

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Operation Vigilant ResolveFallujah, Iraq
Overview of Combat Model

• 4 APR 2004 9 APR 2004

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• Designing the
• Fallujah Model

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Designing the Combat Model
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Designing the Combat Model
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Designing the Combat Model
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Designing the Combat Model
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Designing the Combat Model

• Each blue agent represents a fire team with an
  M16,M203, and an M249
• Blue agents typically operated in squad-sized
  units (3 agents)

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Designing the Combat Model

• Red agents were designed to blend in with the
  local population, giving them a first shot
  advantage.
• Move in teams of 3-4
• Carry AK47s and RPGs

Before and After Engaging
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Fallujah TimelineDay One (Step 0-720)

• Marines push into city with Tanks and Helos

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Fallujah TimelineDay One (Step 0-720)

• Marines attack a mosque in NW corner.

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Fallujah TimelineThroughout (Step 0-3600)

• Insurgents fire from towers of Central Mosque as
  Marine snipers patrol SE perimeter

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Fallujah TimelineDay Two (Step 720-1440)

• Heavy fighting in NW neighborhood
• AC130 called in for support

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Fallujah TimelineDay Three (Step 1440-2160)

• Gunfight at train station

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Fallujah TimelineDay Three (Step 1440-2160)

• Fighting in the South

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Fallujah TimelineDay Three (Step 1440-2160)

• Small skirmishes along Marine Defensive positions
  on the Northern Perimeter

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Fallujah TimelineDay Four (Step 2160-2880)

• Gun battle between 200 Marines and 800 insurgents
  in NW.
• Fire support
• called in.

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Fallujah TimelineDay Five (Step 2880-3600)

• Building to building raids with fire support

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Fallujah TimelineDay Five (Step 2880-3600)

• Insurgents try to run road blocks

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Fallujah TimelineDay Five (Step 2880-3600)

• More skirmishes on Northern perimeter

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Stealth and Red Kills
Blue Stealth doesnt effect Red Kills Red Stealth
greatly reduces Red Kills Huge decrease in number
of Red Kills at 90 Red Stealth
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Stealth and Blue Killed
Blue Stealth significantly reduces blue kills Red
Stealth significantly increases blue kills
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Red Force Size
Increasing size of red force leads to much
greater rate of increase in Red Casualties than
in Blue Casualties
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Communications Accuracy

• Communications Accuracy has little effect

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Communications Latency

• Comms Latency has even less effect

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Lessons Learned

• Impact of Red Stealth emphasizes the value of
  having first-shot advantage. It is possible that
  we could use DO to attain a similar advantage or
  to take that advantage away from our enemies.

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Lessons Learned

• In a very distributed force (the red force)
  throwing more numbers at the enemy doesnt result
  in a significant advantage. This is an argument
  for DO at the squad level (smaller units).