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COUNTERMINE TACTICS (cont)

Decide to:

• Bypass
• Hasty Breach
• Deliberate Breach

Bypass

Once the task force completes the recon and actions on contact, the Commander decides to bypass or breach. While bypassing is the desirable course of action, think before you bypass. The bypass may lead into a fire sack or away from the weak point in the defense.

Definition (FM 101-5-1): "(Units) maneuvering around an obstacle to maintain the momentum of the advance. Units report previously unreported obstacles to higher HQ."

Hasty Breach

The primary requirement for a hasty breach is sufficient forces to rapidly secure the far side of the obstacle with available fire or dismounted infantry assault. If the far side is secure, a small breach force will do. If the enemy on the far side maintains effective direct or indirect fires on the obstacle, even a large breach force will fail.

Definition (FM 101-5-1): "The breach of an obstacle or obstacles conducted to maintain the momentum of an attack by attempting to breach 'in stride' as units encounter obstacles. It can be conducted by a unit of any size but is best accomplished with the assets of a task force. It will normally be conducted by combat elements."

Deliberate Breach

A deliberate breach takes time. The attacker masses overwhelming fires and conducts a detailed recon. Additional breach forces are available but, ultimately, if the far side is secure, the breach will succeed.

Definition (FM 101-5-1): "Units deliberately breach when it is not possible or necessary to cross an obstacle in stride or after a hasty breach has failed. Detailed planning, preparation, and execution with available resources characterize the deliberate breach."

Bulling through a minefield is not a viable option. Expect to lose two thirds of the force bulling through a minefield. Additionally, bulling through does not breach lanes through most minefields. Follow-on vehicles cannot normally follow exactly on the tracks of the lead vehicles. Elements trapped in a minefield under fire either bull through to the nearest cover or attempt to back out on their own tracks. The first option is normally the best. Staying in a minefield under fire results in death to direct fire.

BREACH STEPS

• SUPPRESS
• OBSCURE
• SECURE
• REDUCE

Suppress

"To bring to bear on the enemy direct/indirect fires, electronic countermeasures or smoke to prevent effective fire on friendly forces." (FM 101-5-1)

To Suppress:

• Counterfire critical to manual breach
• Support forces provide direct fire
• Mass SHORAD at Breach

The enemy forces suppressed normally include:

• the platoon being assaulted
• adjacent/supporting platoon strongpoints
• the battalion mortar battery
• elements of the regimental artillery group

Counterfire

Counterfire is the critical field artillery task during a manual breach, since the breach may take a long time. Without counterfire, manual breaches fail. Task forces must closely coordinate with their brigades since division/corps conducts counterfire.

Mortars suppress if other assets obscure.

Support Force

Support forces provide direct fires normally under the control of the S3.

SHORAD

The probability of a threat aviation attack during a breach is low, but the forces passing through the lane(s) are extremely vulnerable to air attack. Heavy suppression/obscuration make threat aviation attacks less likely. Mass SHORAD, primarily vulcans, to protect the lanes while stingers support the company/teams.

Obscure

"To hamper enemy observation and target acquisition or conceal activities or movement." (FM 101-5-1)

Clever use of terrain or weather is the best obscuration method. Alternately, employ screening smoke between enemy and friendly forces. Don't employ screening smoke on or near the breach site because this:

• creates command/control problems.
• silhouettes the assault force
• identifies the breach site

Units employ obscuration smoke on or near the enemy. It is a means of suppression and is most effective when breaching protective minefields. Don't assume obscuration is totally effective; reinforce it with suppression.

Mortars are a superb means with which to initiate obscuration. Mortars are under task force control. Mortars only have white phosphorus (WP) and this rapidly builds up smoke.

Mortar obscuration consumes enormous quantities of WP, so plan to sustain smoke with other assets:

• chemical smoke platoon
• field artillery
• smoke pots
• vehicle, on board, smoke
• vehicle engine exhaust smoke

When available a chemical smoke platoon is effective if:

• wind/weather is correct
• time is available to build up the smoke screen

Field artillery has both WP and HC (smoke). The latter sustains obscuration a long time while consuming relatively few rounds. Artillery basic loads include few HC rounds, and artillery has numerous other missions. Priority of fires and close prior coordination are prerequisites for dependable artillery smoke. This ensures availability of fires and a prestocked mission load of HC.

Secure

"To gain possession of the far side of the crossing site and to deploy in a manner which prevents its loss to the enemy." (FM 101-5-1)

To Secure:

• Infantry Assault/Infiltrate
  
• Support Force Destroys
  
• Fire Support Neutralizes

A task force secures the far side with dismounted infantry assault, overwhelming direct fires, or indirect neutralization fires. Infantry may be able to bypass minefields on dismounted infantry approaches where vehicles can't go. During a deliberate breach, dismounted infantry have the time to infiltrate. This allows the infantry to assault and secure the far side. In effect, the assault force secures the far side before the breach. Antipersonnel minefields covered by effective fires may stop the infiltration. Dismounted infantry must be prepared to breach AP minefields without engineer augmentation. Enemy counterattacks also may reoccupy the far side before the task force completes the breach.

The support force secures the far side given overwhelming fire superiority. If the task force isolates one platoon, as much as a ten to one superiority is possible. Cleverly prepared threat strongpoints with individual reverse slope positions or superb camouflage may, however, be impossible to secure with direct fire.

In this case, fire support neutralizes the position with a massive volume of fire. This is only practical versus small isolated targets.

Reduce

To create a clear lane through the minefield, sequentially:

• Reconnoiter to determine the minefield's forward edge

• Clear the lane of mines

• Proof the lane to confirm it is clear of mines

• Mark the entrance, sides, and exit

• Post guides to control traffic and keep the lane open. The guides usually have radios, flags, and pyrotechnics. They are on both the near and far sides of the breach. Have recovery assets nearby to tow out vehicles blocking the lane.

• Treat lanes like a defile. Designate someone to control movement.

Each of these tasks normally requires a platoon due to attrition, additional mineflelds, and the friction of war (Murphy's Law). Even though one platoon can perform several of these tasks, one company/team as a breach force for one lane is a good rule of thumb.

Assault

Obstacle reduction involves the minimum effort to get the assault force through the obstacle. Situation dependent, the lead vehicles may be the means to proof the lane. During the breach, the enemy continues inflicting casualties. Securing the far side is the key. Tasks such as detailed proofing and extensive lane marking are not likely before the assault. As time and the situation permits, follow-on engineers improve the lane.

Most assaults through a reduced lane are like molasses in the winter. There is no momentum.

Position a single leader to rapidly expedite the combined breach and assault force actions. Options include:

• positioning the commander with the assault force
• retaining the S3 with the breach force
• positioning the command group to overmatch both the breach and assault.

Clear

Unit guides remain until relieved or the minefield is cleared of all mines. Follow-on engineers, close behind the lead task force, relieve the task force of responsibility for the minefield. This is primarily a Division/Corps responsibility with Brigade ensuring that follow-on engineers arrive. Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) detachments clear chemical mines.

Lane Requirements

The number of lanes required depends on the situation, but as rules of thumb:

• Have one lane per assault company
• Plan for two attempts per lane required
• Complete the breach with two lanes per teak force
• Four meter initial lane
• Eight meter final lane

More than one assault company/team per lane creates significant problems:

• Exponentially heavier casualties
• Trailing vehicles mired in the lane
• Destroyed or mechanically down vehicles disrupting the assault

Plan for two breaches per lane provide depth (redundancy) versus:

• Enemy fire
• Equipment failure
• Poor execution

Plan each breach at two football fields in depth. This provides:

• for deep minefields
• a buffer on each side of shallow minefields.

In many situations, precisely determining the minefield's forward or rearward edge will be too time consuming under fire. Breaching 90 -100 meters on the enemy and friendly aide of the first mine detonated is a means to rapidly breach when minefield recon is difficult.

A task force needs a minimum of two lanes to cross. In many situations the task force breaches the second lane after the assault force secures the far side. Given sufficient breaching assets and overwhelming fire superiority, a frontal attack with two simultaneous breaches is preferred. The second lane should be more than 300 meters from the first lane. Two widely separated lanes:

• Reduce the pass time for the 200+ vehicles in a task force
• Create a less lucrative target
• Avoid one blocked lane stopping movement
• Preclude one artillery barrage engaging both lanes

The initial lane (four meters) is the minimum width to pass the breach and assault forces. Engineers widen this lane to eight meters as soon as the tactical situation permits. This allows relatively safe and swift passage.

Table of Contents

Countermine Tactics, Part 1

Executive Summary