For a breaching operation, a unit develops a scheme of maneuver specifically designed to cross an obstacle and continue a mission. Maneuver company teams, TFs, and brigades can conduct breaching operations. Normally, a TF executes a breaching operation and the company teams are assigned as support, breach, and assault forces. Units will conduct a breaching operation when
NOTES:
1. See Appendix
D for a breaching scenario and special planning considerations for
breaching operations in restricted terrain .
2. See Appendix
E for information on route clearance operations.
2-1. Units develop plans to conduct a breaching operation using the following military decision-making process (MDMP):
Step 3. COA development.
Step 4. COA analysis (war game).
Step 5. COA comparison.
Step 6. COA approval.
The following paragraphs highlight key portions of the MDMP as it applies to the planning of a breaching operation. For a complete discussion of the MDMP, see FM 101-5 .
2-2. Before receiving a higher HQ order, a unit should receive a series of warning orders (WOs) and available intelligence products. If the products are not issued with the WOs, the higher HQ liaison officer (LO) should locate and deliver the products as soon as they become available. Intelligence products are essential for the unit to begin developing its own intelligence products and to facilitate parallel planning.
2-3. Upon receiving the higher HQ SITEMP, the unit develops standard terrain products using TerraBase II or a similar computer-software program. (For examples of TerraBase products, see FM 5-71-3 .) This set of terrain products is called a terrain-visualization mission folder. (For more information on this subject, see FM 5-105 .) Terrain products that support the planning of a breaching operation should be included in the unit's SOP and may include
2-4. Visible area plots from each of the templated enemy locations help determine if the enemy would select these locations. For example, the enemy would not select a location directly behind a small hill because the hill would prevent the enemy from firing into a kill sack. Additionally, by combining the visible area plots on an overlay, the enemy's ability to mass fires is more easily understood. It also helps select SBF locations, obscuration locations, and sectors of fires and helps determine the breach organization for future operations.
2-5. Visible area plots from potential SBF positions and points of breach assist future planning by allowing the commander to visualize the support and breach forces' ability to suppress the enemy. Multiple plots along the length of an SBF position may be necessary to fully understand the suitability of an SBF position.
2-6. An oblique view of the AO helps the commander better visualize the terrain. A perspective view of intervisibility lines in the AO allows him to visualize how the unit can best use the terrain during a breaching operation. It also provides an idea of how the enemy may use the intervisibility lines when positioning its assets and special munitions.
2-7. Visible area plots from developed NAIs can be used to provide positioning guidance for observation posts (OPs). These products are issued to recon assets who are tasked to provide information on various NAIs.
2-8. When receiving a mission, pay particular attention to the actions the higher HQ takes in support of the breaching operation or its decisions that influence the breaching operation. Responsibilities of the higher HQ include
2-9. During mission analysis, the commander conducts the IPB. A product of the IPB process is the SITEMP. The SITEMP is a graphic depiction of expected threat disposition if it adopts a particular COA. The staff must combine higher HQ intelligence with its knowledge of the enemy to produce a SITEMP with the necessary detail to successfully plan a breaching operation. A SITEMP should include
2-10. Selecting the initial commander's critical-information requirements (CCIR) is a part of mission analysis, and it is crucial to begin planning recon operations that will result in useful intelligence, including OBSTINTEL. Typical CCIR for a breaching operation may include the
2-11. When developing a COA, the commander must remember that the breaching operation is only a portion of the higher HQ operation. The unit must ensure that the end state of the COA supports the higher HQ concept of the operation. As stated in FM 101-5 , one of the criteria that each developed COA must meet is completeness. In a breaching operation, units use detailed reverse planning, develop a plan to achieve the breaching fundamentals, develop clear subunit instructions to develop a complete COA, and begin to synchronize the operation.
2-12. The detailed reverse-planning process, the SITEMP, and the terrain products produced during mission analysis are used to determine the size and composition of support, breach, and assault forces. The reverse-planning process begins with actions on the objective and includes templated enemy obstacles.
2-13. The assault force's task and purpose drive its composition. The assault force's mission is to seize terrain on the farside of the obstacle to prevent the enemy from placing direct fires on created lanes. Consider the following when determining the assault force's size and composition:
2-14. The assault force's size determines the number and location of lanes to be created. The breach force creates and marks lanes through or around obstacles to support the rapid passage of the assault force. An assaulting company team requires a minimum of one lane, and an assaulting TF requires at least two lanes.
2-15. Lane requirements and the type of obstacle drive the amount and type of reduction assets task-organized to the breach force. As stated in Chapter 1 , the commander should plan for the loss of about 50 percent of his reduction assets during a breaching operation. To ensure that the breach force is adequately resourced, the initial allocation of assets is continually reviewed as additional intelligence information (including OBSTINTEL) is received.
2-16. The enemy's ability to interfere with obstacle reduction determines the size and composition of the security element in the breach force. The security element's size and composition within the breach force can also be determined through the
2-17. Detailed terrain analysis and the enemy's expected size, disposition, and composition determine the enemy's ability to mass fires at the point of breach. That ability, in turn, determines the amount of suppression that is required and the support force's size and composition. Expected losses that the support force will incur from the line of departure (LD) to the SBF position due to maintenance and enemy air, chemical, and artillery attacks should be considered. Additionally, analyzing the enemy's equipment type, range, and lethality can indicate the expected losses that the support force will incur while in an SBF position.
2-18. When developing COAs for a breaching operation, consider the following:
2-19. Each element within the breach organization must completely understand which tasks it is responsible for in breaching operations. Additionally, each COA should identify which force is the main effort throughout the breaching operation. For example, the COA should define when the main effort shifts from the support force to the assault force. The following are the different types of forces and their tasks and responsibilities:
2-20. The assault force's mission is unique. It must reduce the enemy's protective obstacles, assault the enemy's position, and secure terrain that is essential to the passage of follow-on forces. The assault-force commander must thoroughly understand the higher HQ scheme of maneuver. The following information is particularly important:
2-21. Typically, the enemy emplaces protective obstacles 50 to 500 meters in front of its positions and between its forward platoons and companies. These obstacles are designed to prevent a mounted assault and to fix or break up a dismounted assault. Close-in obstacles may be a combination of wire, AP and AT mines, fortifications, and entrenchments. All obstacles are covered by direct fire. Mines may be surface-laid or buried and well-camouflaged. Mines can be deployed with AHDs that are command-detonated or trip-wire-activated.
2-22. The assault force commander considers the following breaching fundamentals when developing his plan:
2-23. When planning a breaching operation, war gaming is critical to refine the COA, including
2-24. The commitment of the breach force is a critical decision point that must be included in the DST. The commander must thoroughly analyze what criteria must be met before the breach force begins obstacle reduction. Commitment criteria elements may include the following:
NOTE: A plan must exist on how information will be gathered to verify the commitment criteria.
2-25. Once war gaming is complete, a COA has been refined, and a final task organization has been determined, a C 2 system can be planned to support the operation. To conduct a successful breaching operation, an effective C 2 system must be established. Specifically, each force in the breaching organization (support, breach, and assault) must understand who is in charge, especially within support and breach forces.
2-26. The support force may be comprised of more than one element. For example, in a TF breaching operation, the support force may be comprised of two company teams. Due to the importance of the support force's role and its size, it may be best to have the TF commander/S3 be the support force commander. He is responsible for coordinating the actions of both company teams and determining when the conditions have been met for the breach force's commitment. This allows each company commander to concentrate on directing his unit while under the overall control of an experienced leader.
2-27. The breach force, with its two subordinate elements (security and reduction), must have a well-understood C 2 system in place. There are many ways to establish C 2 of the breach force, and the method used may depend on the
2-28. The following are possible C 2 structures within the breach force for a TF breaching operation:
2-29. Another C 2 issue that must be resolved during COA analysis is traffic control through lanes created in an obstacle system. Figure 2-1 shows an example of the graphic control measures that may be established to facilitate the efficient movement of forces through an obstacle system. In this example, traffic-control post (TCP) 8 is located at the far-recognition marker. These control measures can be initially established by the higher HQ but need to be refined as the unit conducting the breaching operation develops its scheme of maneuver. Table 2-1 lists the responsibilities for creating lanes and controlling traffic through an obstacle system when a TF breaching operation is being conducted.
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2-30. Intelligence collection continues throughout preparations for a breaching operation. As intelligence reports are received, the SITEMP and the ISR plan are updated and revised. Intelligence reports are also used to refine the task organization of support, breach, and assault forces and the scheme of maneuver, including proposed points of breach and target grids for smoke and suppressive fires. Updated intelligence information is also used during combined-arms rehearsals.
2-31. A unit meticulously plans, manages, and controls breaching rehearsals. (For more information on breaching rehearsals, see Chapter 4 of this manual or FM 101-5 .) Time is allocated to each unit to perform combined-arms rehearsals. A rehearsal site should reflect the actual obstacle system in as much detail as possible. Friendly forces choose terrain similar to the operational area and construct a practice obstacle system based on OBSTINTEL. At a minimum, rehearsals should include a leader and key personnel walk-through and individual rehearsals by support, breach, and assault forces. As time permits, conduct as many full-scale rehearsals as possible. When possible, friendly forces rehearse the operation under the same conditions expected during the actual mission, including battle-space obscuration and darkness.
2-32. When a force commander rehearses a breaching operation, he also rehearses several contingency plans. The contingencies should include possible enemy counterattacks and attacks by enemy indirect-fire systems (artillery, rockets, attack helicopters, and other air assets). This also includes the enemy's use of NBC munitions. If updates become available after the last possible rehearsal, immediately pass the information to the affected elements.
2-33. Each element of the breaching organization must accomplish its assigned tasks for a breaching operation to be successful. Additionally, the entire force must be flexible when responding to changes in the plan. Examples of changes are
2-34. All units must continually update the commander during mission execution. A critical phase of a breaching operation is the movement of the support force from the LD to its SBF positions. The support force must be prepared to maneuver to its SBF positions. Additionally, the support force must plan for the enemy's use of SCATMINEs along its axis of advance, which may require it to conduct a breaching operation.
2-35. After the support force has occupied its SBF positions and the commitment criteria of the breach force has been met (achieved necessary suppression and obscuration), the breaching commander should order the breach force to move forward to a specific point (6- or 8-digit grid) on the battle space to begin reduction. As the breach-force commander maneuvers his force to the point of breach, he must always remain cognizant of his relationship to the support force to ensure that he does not unnecessarily mask their fires.
2-36. Actions by the assault force at an assault position may include
2-37. The breach force commander should lead with his security element to allow it to establish nearside security before the reduction element arrives at the obstacle. As the security element occupies its position, the reduction-element commander should conduct a recon to acquire obstacle information and quickly confirm/refine his scheme of reduction. As the reduction-element commander brings his element forward, he should report the exact location where the obstacle will be reduced and the estimated time to reduce/proof and mark the obstacle. At the same time, the breach-force commander must assess the effectiveness of the suppression and determine if and how he will augment the support force's fires.
2-38. As the reduction continues, the support- and breach-force commanders must update their commander with the current status. Specifically, the support-force commander must update on his ammunition status and the strength of his unit. The breach-force commander must update on the progress of the reduction effort and the effectiveness of obscuration and suppression. The breach-force commander should verify who the assault force will be and where the assault force will come from so that he can assist in their passage.
2-39. As the reduction effort nears completion, the breach-force commander should report the grid coordinates of the far-recognition marker so that the assault force can begin movement to that location. When reduction is complete, the breach-force commander must
2-40. The breach-force commander establishes farside local security and assists in the assault force's passage. Once the lanes have been reported/signaled as being open for traffic, the assault force passes through the lanes to destroy forces that can bring direct fires on created lanes. To accomplish this mission, the assault force may have to reduce enemy protective obstacles.
2-41. The obstacle system continues to be a choke point and danger area even after the assault force has passed through created lanes. Additional lanes are constructed to speed the follow-on forces' passage, and lanes are monitored to ensure that they remain clear. Reduction assets need to be maintained near the points of breach in case a scatterable minefield is emplaced by the obstacle. The lane-marking pattern is upgraded to intermediate. There are many ways this can be accomplished. The higher HQ
2-42. The lanes are widened to allow two-lane traffic through obstacles, and they are marked with the full lane-marking pattern. Deliberate marking and fencing systems are installed, and military police (MP) establish necessary traffic control. Eventually, follow-on engineer forces clear obstacles and eliminate the choke point.