EMPLOYMENT OF THE ANTIARMOR COMPANY
This chapter discusses the employment of the antiarmor company in mechanized infantry, airborne, and air assault divisions, and in the antiarmor battalions (separate) in the National Guard.
Command and control of the antiarmor company is exercised by the maneuver battalion commander through the company commander. The antiarmor company is the battalion commander's means to influence the battle without having to use tanks or infantry in a primarily antitank role. The antiarmor company frees both tanks and infantry from antitank missions and allows them to be employed to their best advantage. The company commander gives the battalion commander a single point of contact for controlling his massed antiarmor fires.
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a. Task organization involves the distribution of available
assets to accomplish a mission. The task organization
is based on the battalion commander's analysis of the
factors of mission, enemy, terrain, troops and time
available (METT-T), and his selection of a course of
action.
b. The antiarmor company may be task-organized as a result of these considerations. The preferred choice is to leave the company intact under the control of the company commander. There may be some considerations, however, which dictate that one or more of the platoons be task-organized to other companies. This will be on a case-by-case basis. Some options for employing the company are:
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(1) Employ the company as organized without modification
(preferred method).
(2) Attach or place under OPCON one or more platoons to the battalion's rifle companies.
(3) In rare instances, a mix of antiarmor platoons and maneuver platoons can be organized under the antiarmor company headquarters as an ad hoc maneuver unit. Situations that may warrant this are the need for additional flank security or a strong battalion covering force. The antiarmor company has limited support capabilities in terms of mess, supply, and recovery assets. It also has no FIST. Considerations for solving each of these limitations must be made when forming an ad hoc maneuver headquarters (least preferred method).
(4) Elements of the company may be attached to an armor battalion in rare instances. Normally, this will occur only in defensive situations where TOW vehicles and tanks are positioned to bring the most effective combined fires on the enemy.
One of the antiarmor company commander's biggest challenges in employing his company is to decide where to position his platoons on the battlefield. His decision must include an analysis of the terrain, measures to protect his weapons systems, and measures to ensure mutual support of his platoon.
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a. Analyze Terrain. The first consideration in positioning
the TOW system is to exploit every conceivable advantage
offered by the terrain to optimize the armor-killing
capabilities of the TOW in terms of range and accuracy.
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(1) The antiarmor company commander must analyze all
possible armor avenues of approach into the
battalion sector. This analysis should also include
all trafficable areas that provide cover and
concealment, such as woods or draws for the enemy
to use in countering the TOW. This analysis should
be made from the enemy's point of view. For
example, what size force can be deployed and
controlled on the approaches and where are the
positions that can be used for overwatch?
(2) Once the terrain has been analyzed from the enemy's perspective, the company commander then analyzes the terrain to identify potential armor kill zones. He looks at the terrain to select areas along the avenues of approach where the enemy will be most vulnerable to concentrated antiarmor fires. The areas selected will have a significant influence on how the battalion commander will deploy his forces in the defense. Therefore, the antiarmor company commander must be part of the initial estimate process with the battalion commander. The armor kill zones selected by the battalion commander may be forward of the FEBA, or may be within the main battle area. They also serve as a basis for the battalion commander to allocate supporting fires and the placement of obstacles and mines.
(3) The antiarmor company commander selects positions throughout the depth of the battle area from which his platoons will engage the enemy as he moves deeper into the main battle area. The positions selected must allow the TOW systems fields of fire into the kill zones along the avenues of approach. The goal is to be able to mass the company's fires into the kill zones while keeping the TOW systems dispersed in the battle area.
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b. Protect the TOW Systems. To survive and contribute to
the defense, the TOW systems must be positioned where
they are protected from enemy direct fire and indirect
fire and from mounted or dismounted assault.
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(1) The positions must be on terrain that provides
natural or man-made cover and concealment. In the
defense, concealment is the primary means of
surprising the enemy. When the scheme of defense is
concealed, it is difficult for the enemy to
coordinate his fires and the maneuver of his forces
against specific targets. The use of fires from
flanking positions and proper use of the TOW's
standoff are excellent means of providing
protection from enemy fires.
(2) Protection from mounted assaults is gained by positioning the TOW system on terrain that restricts the movement of vehicles. Restricted terrain includes such features as forested areas, marshy ground, steep slopes, or built-up areas. Engineer support may be available to improve fields of fire or to create or improve obstacles.
(3) Defense of the TOW systems from dismounted infantry attack can be achieved by several means. One is to position infantry elements with the antiarmor squads or sections. Another is to position infantry along avenues of approach leading to the TOW positions. A third method is to reposition reserve or uncommitted forces to counter dismounted attacks after they have been discovered.
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c. Provide Mutual Support. Mutual support provides a
degree of protection for weapons and crews by ensuring
complete, continuous coverage of kill zones and avenues
of approach.
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(1) TOWs are employed so that their fires interlock
with the fires of other TOWs and other antiarmor
weapons systems (tanks, Dragons, LAWs).
(2) TOWs are positioned so that their fires can engage enemy armored vehicles assaulting other TOW positions.
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d. Minimize Vulnerability. The antiarmor company commander
takes the following steps to minimize vulnerability to
enemy suppressive fires.
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(1) Avoids positioning platoons on easily targeted
terrain features.
(2) Designates on-order platoon positions throughout the battle area to aid in quickly redeploying platoons once they have been targeted.
(3) Selects positions masked by terrain from which to fight.
(4) Enforces use of camouflage, concealment, and OPSEC.
(5) Plans movement to subsequent positions on covered routes.
(6) Plans to use smoke on and to suppress likely enemy overwatch positions.
e. Identify Disengagement Points. In addition to selecting primary and alternate positions for his platoons, the company commander must also identify disengagement points for his platoons.
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(1) Disengagement points are selected by the commander
so that he knows when to order his platoons to move
to their next positions. The location of the
disengagement point for each platoon will be based
on the Threat and the terrain.
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(a) If the commander wants his platoons to
displace before they are in tank range or BMP
range, then he must determine where the Threat
will be when he orders the platoons to move.
(b) If the terrain is open and unrestricted, the disengagement point will have to be farther out to allow the platoons time to displace. Conversely, if there are existing or reinforcing obstacles in front of the platoon position, the disengagement point can be closer.
(2) The company commander must establish rules for disengagement if communications are lost. For example, the platoon and squad leaders could be told to displace, with or without orders, when the enemy reaches a certain point on the ground.
(3) Disengagement from terrain-masked positions is simplified because units are protected to their front from enemy direct-fire weapons. Under any circumstances, smoke should be used to conceal movement.
(4) The company commander should have his platoons rehearse the disengagement to ensure all squads know where to go and the route to use. Rehearsals also give the soldiers a better understanding of how the battle will be fought.
f. Engage the Enemy from the Flank. Frontal fire must be avoided.- It attracts attention and is therefore deadly. In addition to firing from the flank, the weapon should be sited so that it is in defilade from the enemy's direction. Concealment of the launch signature is also essential, not only from trailing tanks, but also from overwatch forces.
The control of fires against an attacking armored force is of paramount importance, because the antiarmor company forms the backbone of the battalion's defense. See Chapter 3, Section IV, for fire control measures. This section discusses the company commander's role.
4-3. COORDINATION OF COMPANY FIRES
The company commander coordinates the fires of his platoons with other fires as planned by the battalion commander. To do this, he gives his platoon leaders the following:
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a. Platoon Positions on the Battlefield. The company
commander gives each platoon its initial position, and
any subsequent positions, if applicable. The platoon
positions are selected based on the commander's concept
of how he intends to integrate the fires of his
platoons. Initial positions are selected that give the
platoons fields of fire into engagement areas or sectors
of fire assigned by the company commander. Subsequent
positions are picked for the platoons to allow them to
continue to fire into an engagement area if they are
driven off their primary position by enemy actions.
Subsequent positions are also used to reposition
platoons to fire into other engagement areas or
sectors.
b. Primary Sector of Fire. The company commander gives each platoon a sector of fire to cover from its primary position.
c. Secondary Sector of Fire. The company commander assigns platoons secondary sectors of fire to reinforce the fires of another platoon. Fire is shifted to the secondary sector, on order, if there are no targets in the primary sector or to cover another platoon if that platoon is forced to move.
d. Engagement Areas. Engagement areas represent the company commander's primary means of massing the fires of his platoons into one target area. Engagement areas may be divided into sectors of fire by the use of TRPs. (See Chapter 3, Section IV.)
e. Target Reference Points. The company commander designates TRPS to identify targets and distribute the fires of his platoons. Since platoons will be engaging from different directions, compass points (north, south), rather than left or right, are used when giving directions centered on a TRP. (See Chapter 3, Section IV.)
Usually, targets that appear in armor formations will consist of varying types--tanks, APCs, air defense weapons, and artillery. Fires from platoons can be rapidly and effectively distributed by assigning each platoon a particular type of target to engage first. (SeeChapter 3, Section IV.)
4-5. PRINCIPLES OF FIRE CONTROL
Often there is no time to give subordinates detailed instructions. Reliable standard procedures must be established for distributing fires. These procedures and subordinates' initiative must be relied on during the first few minutes of battle. Then, when time permits, fires can be redistributed as needed. The following principles are the basis for fire control procedures.
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a. Cover Targets. Fires from antiarmor weapons should be
distributed so that all targets are covered.
Distribution saves ammunition and increases the number
of kills by antiarmor weapons.
b. Avoid Target Overkill. A unit cannot afford to engage one target with more than one weapon. Strive for one-on-one engagement and one-shot kills.
c. Fire First, Fast. Accuracy is important in battle, but firing accurately and first is most important. When opponents with similar weapon capabilities fight, the side firing first greatly increases its chances of winning. When friendly units see the enemy without being seen, they can choose the best moment to fire. Fire placed in the enemy's area will lessen his effectiveness and give friendly weapons time to adjust. Continue to engage the enemy as rapidly as possible.
d. Destroy the Most-Dangerous Target First. Target danger varies with range, terrain, and type of target. For example, at a range of 600 meters, tanks may be more dangerous than an ATGM. If all targets cannot be engaged, suppress some and destroy the rest.
e. Maintain Basic Loads as Long as Possible. Ammunition is easier to use than to resupply. Without proper fire discipline and coordination, a unit can use its entire basic load in one engagement, and then be ineffective in later encounters. Keep a constant check on the unit's ammunition supply. The ammunition level at which each element must be resupplied should be established by SOP but should be frequent. A unit should not drop below this level except in an emergency or for self-protection.
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