COUNTERMINE EXAMPLE
Until June 1987, NTC threat minefields were 10-15 meters deep with blue, surface laid, tilt rod activated, antitank mines. Now the minefields are 40-60 meters deep with the same blue mines. This change is as close to the actual mixed minefields which Soviets employ that current training mine technology allows.
The following is an example of an ACTUAL attack and breach conducted by a real unit at the NTC. This lesson depicts how not to attack or breach. This attack demonstrates many of the difficulties encountered during an attack/breach. All the actions taken by this unit actually happened but are not necessarily doctrinally correct.
A reader unfamiliar with the NTC challenge may initially ask, "How could anyone make mistakes like this?" THIS ATTACK CLEARLY PORTRAYS THE FRICTION OF WAR. The unit had highly motivated leaders and soldiers who tried their hardest to succeed. This, their first attack, fell short.
Organization
A balanced mech task force with one divisional combat engineer platoon attached.
Situation (Figure 3)
0830 D-2: The task force is reconstituting in an assembly area. The previous mission, a movement to contact, stopped at 0800 D-2 after the task force suffered catastrophic losses (2/3 of its combat power). The task force destroyed the enemy security elements in its sector. Large scale reconstitution will adversely impact the next operation.
Mission
0900 D-2: The brigade ordered the task force to conduct a deliberate night attack, 0001 D Day, to secure objective RED and then prepare to assist the passage of follow-on forces.
Recon
2400 D-2: The scout platoon commenced recon of the objective using a three man dismounted patrol.
0030 D-1: An enemy minefield destroyed the patrol. The task force had previously encountered the minefield during their movement to contact but the patrol was unaware of it.
0600 D-1: The scout platoon discovered the loss of its patrol and informed the TOC (5 1/2 hours after the fact).
0600 D-1: The DTAC forwarded to the Brigade TOC intelligence from radio intercept and imagery which pinpointed enough enemy vehicles to identify the location of each threat platoon.
1500 D-1: The Brigade TOC forwarded this intelligence to the task force (9 hours after receipt).
1900 D-1: The entire scout platoon commenced a mounted night recon to confirm the Brigade intelligence.
2100 D-1: The last scout died to ATGM fire. No information other than contact reached the TOC.
"Pre-Breach" at LD
0900 D-1: The engineer platoon began manually breaching a lane through the minefield which destroyed the recon patrol.
1300 D-1: The engineers completed the breach and marked one passage lane. The platoon leader then radioed the TOC and asked who he should turn the passage lane over to. He wanted the lane to remain open. The TOC tasked the nearest infantry company, disrupting its task organization.
Plan
1600-1700 D-1: OPORD issued (Figure 4). Task force designated no assault, breach, or support force nor anyone to control the breach/assault. The plan essentially ignored any requirement to breach.
Prepare
1700-1800 D-1: The task force conducted a walk through rehearsal including the commanders, platoon leaders, fire support officers, and staff. This clarified much confusion about the order. Additionally, this was the first discovery that A Company's support by fire position was on top of an OPFOR motorized rifle platoon.
1900 D-1: The task force Cdr directed his FSO to prep the motorized rifle platoon with a battalion 15. In effect he requested a neutralization mission.
2000 D-1: The Brigade FSE deleted the battalion 15 without informing the task force.
D-1: The engineer platoon prepared their breaching equipment to include making partial ring mains with C4. The platoon rehearsed the breach to include the 0900-1300 pre-breach.
D-1: The mortar platoon pre-stocked a 1500 round mission load of HE.
D-1: The lead company to which the engineers were attached conducted no rehearsal with the engineers.
Actions On Contact
0005: The enemy's eastern-most motorized rifle platoon decisively engaged and defeated in detail E Company. The ITVs, however, successfully pinned down this platoon throughout the battle.
0015: The lead platoon of the lead company, along with the company command group, bypassed the eastern edge of the initial threat minefield by 10 meters.
0020: The second platoon of the lead company entered the minefield and lost three vehicles to mines along with its fourth vehicle to direct fire. The lead platoon was now under direct fire from the defending motorized rifle platoon.
0025: The engineer platoon moved immediately forward to breach as requested. There was no suppression, obscuration, or security. The third platoon of the lead company provided no guides nor any clear information to the engineers. The platoon entered the minefield and was destroyed by the mines. The engineers, in their haste to move forward, died before identifying the minefield.
Assault
0030-0100 (H to H+1): The task force "bulls through" the minefield losing 40% of its combat power. Due to the massive confusion created by no illumination, heavy enemy fire and mines, the typical vehicle commander was unaware of any minefield until he entered it. The defending motorized rifle platoon was overrun.
0100-0300 (H to H+3): The task force continued the assault. The assault failed due to heavy losses.
0000-0300 (H to H+3): Even with 1500 mortar rounds available for support, the task force did not request a single mission from the mortars.
Reorganization
0300-0600 (H+3 to H+6): Chapparels following the task force in general support entered the minefield and lost two vehicles. No one ever forwarded a minefield report to them.
Conclusion
While this appears to be a complete disaster, the task force was very close to securing the objective and destroying the reinforced motorized rifle company. The intended deliberate night attack became a night movement to contact based on the poor recon. The Ground Surveillance Radar superbly vectored the main body. This maintained the momentum of the attack.
All that separated victory from defeat was timely recon, the requested prep, or an effective hasty breach on contact.
Table
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The
Threat
Countermine
Tactics
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