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Appendix D

RANGER REGIMENT

The ranger regiment's mission is to plan and conduct special operations in support of US policies and objectives. These operations can be conducted independently or in coordination with operations of conventional forces; however, they differ from conventional operations in degree of risk, operational techniques, and modes of employment.

The ranger regiment is specifically trained, equipped, and configured to rapidly deploy and conduct special operations worldwide. The regiment--

a. Deploys rapidly to conduct special operations in all types of terrain and weather.

b. Establishes a credible American presence in any area of the world.

c. Conducts or supports a forced entry with other joint and Army special operations assets.

d. Infiltrates and exfiltrates an area of operations by land (on foot or with specially configured vehicles), sea, or air.

e. Conducts direct-action operations to seize, destroy, or inflict damage on a specific high-value target, or to destroy, capture, or recover designated personnel or equipment.

f. Employs ranger terminal guidance teams (RTGT) for surgical strikes against high-value targets.

g. Employs regimental reconnaissance teams for short-duration, tactical reconnaissances.

h. Assumes operational control, for limited periods, of other US Army infantry battalions/special operations forces.

i. Provides the Army component command and control headquarters, and the Army SOTF (ARSOTF) with a JSOTF for limited periods of time.

j. Provides C2 for two separate and distinct ranger task forces conducting separate operations in multiple theaters at the same time.

k. Conducts limited light infantry operations.

l. Conducts operations in a constrained environment under restrictive rules of engagement.

The ranger force--

a. Limits its capabilities against armored/motorized units in open terrain. Ranger units are equipped with medium, man-portable antiarmor/antipersonnel capabilities.

b. Limits its tactical transport capabilities.

c. Uses its man-portable air defense capabilities.

d. Requires mission support from other military services and nonmilitary agencies, when operating in the joint arena, to include but not limited to air, sea, and land strategic transport and for theater specific mission requirements.

e. Requires strategic level intelligence support, when considered in the context of the wide range of range missions and the need for real-time intelligence.

f. Requires prudent mission assignment since the Army personnel replacement system cannot rapidly reconstitute the ranger force.

g. Requires support for all foreign language requirements if operating in the combined and or coalition environments.

h. Limits its organic indirect fire support capability that consist of lightweight, man-portable systems It is dependent upon Army, Air Force, Navy, and SOF assets for additional fire support.

Command and control of ranger forces is normally retained at a level where the unit's unique capabilities can be employed on a worldwide or theater basis. The strategic focus of potential targets suggests that ranger units are normally employed no lower than corps level. Based on METT-T, the controlling headquarters could be a regional CINC's special operations command, a joint task force headquarters, or a contingency corps headquarters. Peacetime C2 of the regiment is exercised by the United States Army Special Operations Command, which is the Army component of US SOCOM. When deployed, command and control of the ranger regiment and its battalions are specified by the theater or joint commander exercising operational C2. Additional information on the C2 capabilities of the ranger regiment are as follows:

a. The regimental headquarters could be deployed as the Army component command of a JTF or, with minimal augmentation, be designated as a joint special operations task force.

b. The ranger regimental headquarters is capable of commanding and controlling three to five battalions, which can include ranger, conventional, and special operation forces, as well as other special operations forces.

c. The regimental headquarters can provide two command and control teams for extended periods to conduct operations at the same time in multiple theaters.

d. When only one ranger battalion is employed, the regimental headquarters normally provides a C2 liaison cell with a communications package to the higher headquarters. This ranger cell provides representation on the higher staff, operations interface, logistics interface, fire support planning/coordination, intelligence analysis/dissemination, and communication between higher headquarters and the ranger battalion.

OCONUS deployments of the ranger force requires logistical support capable of outloading up to three ranger battalions and a regimental headquarters from three different home stations, on short notice. The support that is provided will be as deployable as the ranger force. This support is capable of deploying with, or ahead of, the ranger force to establish a REMAB in CONUS or ISB in OCONUS.

a. When the ranger force deploys OCONUS, it requires support for the entire regiment and its augmentation at a basic requirement REMAB for a minimum of 15 days. This includes site construction supply of Class I, II, III, IV, V, VIII, and IX, water and services, area security, construction and security of rehearsal sites, and DS maintenance.

b. The logistical support establishes liaison with a theater Army component. Maintenance required above the DS level will be provided by the component with a theater Army special operations support command to effect logistical support from the theater Army component.

c. The ranger force requires the following logistical support from USASOC support units and theater Army assets:

The ranger units have limited detection and identification devices and capabilities. Additional capabilities, if required, must be provided by the controlling headquarters.

Ranger organizations depend upon the controlling headquarters for all aviation requirements/assets. Army special operations aviation may deploy as part of the ranger task force.