Fundamentals of Reconnaissance & Security

An engagement in which a unit is considered fully committed and cannot maneuver or extricate itself. In the absence of outside assistance, the action must be fought to a conclusion and either won or lost with the forces at hand.

Decisive Engagement

Recon leaders should provide recommendations based on the developing situation. This allows CDRs to reallocate forces as necessary.

Develop the situation rapidly

After operations, the unit maintains contact with the enemy to enable the squadron to exploit success or initiate planning for a subsequent operation.

Ensure continuous reconnaissance

Before operations, the unit answers Information Requirements (IR) and provides information to facilitate selection of a COA.

Ensure continuous reconnaissance

During operations, the unit provides information on enemy composition and disposition and reports this information to the commander.

Ensure continuous reconnaissance

The unit conducts reconnaissance before, during, and after operations.

Ensure continuous reconnaissance

1. Retain freedom of maneuver 2. Report all information rapidly and accurately 3. Ensure continuous reconnaissance 4. Develop the situation rapidly 5. Do not keep reconnaissance assets in reserve 6. Orient on reconnaissance objective 7. Gain & maintain enemy contact

Fundamentals of Reconnaissance

Continuous contact with the reconnaissance objective and/or enemy/threat is critical to effective information collection. Once unit assets make contact, they must maintain it until ordered to break contact or until handover to another observer has occurred.

Gain and maintain threat contact

Last Time Information is of Value

LTIOV

A geospatial area or systems node or link against which information that will satisfy a specific information requirement can be collected. Named areas of interest are usually selected to capture indications of adversary courses of action, but also may be related to conditions of the operational environment. (ADRP 1-02)

Named Area of Interest (NAI)

As the squadron conducts operations across the AO, the platoon focuses the reconnaissance effort on a specific objective.

Orient on the reconnaissance objective

1. Retain freedom of maneuver 2. Report all information rapidly and accurately 3. Ensure continuous reconnaissance 4. Develop the situation rapidly 5. Do not keep reconnaissance assets in reserve 6. Orient on reconnaissance objective 7. Gain & maintain enemy contact

R-REDDOG

A terrain feature, geographical area, enemy force, adversary, or other mission or operational variable, such as specific civil considerations, about which the commander wants to obtain additional information.

Reconnaissance Objective

The commander's common operational picture lacks detail about the enemy and terrain. Time is limited and several COAs have been developed. Reconnaissance assets are sent forward to develop more detail and assist in selecting the best COA. _________________ focuses on collecting enemy information that is critical in formulating a future plan.

Reconnaissance Pull

determines which routes are suitable for maneuver, where the enemy is strong and weak, and where gaps exist, thus pulling the main body forward and along the path of least resistance.

Reconnaissance Pull

Detail about the enemy and terrain are clear and a COA has been selected. Time is available. Reconnaissance assets are sent forward to confirm and validate the assumptions that may impact the operation. __________________ focuses on collecting enemy information to confirm a selected COA. This emphasizes development of a detailed plan which focuses on evolving maneuver.

Reconnaissance Push

Reconnaissance that refines the common operational picture, enabling the commander to finalize the plan and support shaping and decisive operations.

Reconnaissance Push

1. reconnaissance pull 2. reconnaissance push

Reconnaissance Techniques

focus: threat or terrain tempo: rapid & forceful / stealthy & deliberate

Reconnaissance guidance

Because combat information is extremely time-sensitive and loses relevance quickly, the unit reports the information it collects with accuracy and timeliness. (LTIOV) The Battlefield develops quickly, therefore all reports are time sensitive. They quickly lose relevance.

Report all information rapidly and accurately

The squadron commander and staff use information obtained by the troop to develop the plan for employing the squadron and to select subsequent COAs. The Information Reported is going to drive the operation.

Report all information rapidly and accurately

Decisively engaged recon elements lack the flexibility to develop situations that higher headquarters needs from them.

Retain freedom of maneuver

Leaders in the unit and squadron must anticipate tactical developments, constantly analyze and refine COAs, and execute reconnaissance that answers Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR). Leaders should avoid decisive contact and maintain the freedom of maneuver while conducting reconnaissance operations.

Retain freedom of maneuver

all weather route that with reasonable maintenance is passable throughout the year.

X route

limited all weather route that with reasonable maintenance is passable throughout the year.

Y route

fair weather route passable only when the weather is good

Z route

task conducted to protect friendly forces, installations, routes, and actions within a specific area.

area security

A clear and concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the desired military end state that supports mission command, provides focus to the staff, and helps subordinate and supporting commanders act to achieve the commander's desired results without further orders, even when the operation does not unfold as planned. (ADRP 1-02, p. 20)

commanders intent

security operation whose primary task is to protect the main body by fighting to gain time while also observing and reporting information and preventing enemy ground observation of and direct fire against the main body. Unlike a screening or guard force, however, the __________force is a self-contained element capable of operating independently of the main body. A __________ force, or portions of it, will often become decisively engaged with enemy forces; therefore, the _______________ force must have substantial combat power to engage the enemy and still accomplish its mission.

cover

integration of one or more types of reconnaissance or surveillance systems to provide information that directs follow-on collection of more detailed information by another system. These systems may trigger other ground and air reconnaissance assets to investigate specific areas to confirm and amplify information.

cueing

entails slow, detailed, broad-based operations where the platoon may accomplish several tasks.

deliberate

opposite of stealthy, and involves mounted tasks conducted at a faster pace.

forceful

1. maintain enemy contact 2. orient on the force, area or facility to be protected 3. provide reaction time & maneuver space 4. provide early & accurate warning 5. perform continuous reconnaissance

fundamentals of security

form of security operations whose primary task is to protect the main body by fighting to gain time while also observing and reporting information and preventing enemy ground observation of and direct fire against the main body. must contain sufficient combat power to fix, defeat, or cause withdrawal of enemy combat forces before they can engage the protected force.

guard

If the enemy situation is vague, or the enemy is known to be in the AO, and the intent is not to make contact with the enemy prior to occupying the screen, the troop ______________ to get to the screen line.

infiltration

:Any locality, or area, the seizure or retention of which affords a marked advantage to either combatant. In natural terrain dominated by restrictive terrain features, high ground can be key terrain because it dominates an area with good observation and fields of fire. In an open or arid environment, a draw or wadi can be key terrain because it offers good cover and concealment. (ATP 2-01.3 p. 46)

key terrain

low-level security tasks conducted near a unit to prevent surprise by the enemy.

local security

entails two or more different assets collecting against the same IR.

mixing

1. zone reconnaissance 2. infiltration 3. tactical road march 4. movement to contact

movement to occupy screen

focuses on collecting a few key pieces of information required by the troop commander.

rapid

is a mission undertaken to obtain, by visual observation or other detection methods, information about the activities and resources of an enemy or adversary, or to secure data concerning the meteorological, hydro-graphical, or geographic characteristics of a particular area

reconnaissance

1. cueing 2. mixing 3. redundancy

reconnaissance management

1. mounted 2. dismounted 3. aerial 4. sensory

reconnaissance methods

1. zone 2. area 3. route 4. in force 5. special

reconnaissance mission

1. fan 2. box 3. converging routes 4. successive sectors

reconnaissance procedures

is two or more like assets collecting against the same IR.

redundancy

X or Y or Z

route types

Provides early warning to the main body as it impedes and harasses the enemy with direct and indirect fires.

screen

focus: threat or terrain tempo: short or long duration

security guidance

1. screen 2. extended screens 3. screen in depth 4. guard (stationary flank or moving flank or rear) 5. cover (defensive or offensive) 6. area security 7. local security

security missions

Occurs when the platoon conducts a methodical, time-consuming mission that minimizes chance enemy contact. It is usually conducted dismounted, and stealth is strongly emphasized.

stealthy

If there is an accurate picture of the enemy situation or time is short, the troop may conduct a __________________ to an RP behind the templated screen and deploy from there to the screen line.

tactical road march

1. stealthy & deliberate 2. rapid and forceful

tempo

the relative speed and rhythm of military operations over time with respect to the enemy

tempo

If the situation is vague or more information is required on the terrain between the protected force and the screen line and time is available, the troop conducts a _________ reconnaissance to the designated screen line.

zone reconnaissance