Section I
DOCTRINAL OVERVIEW
Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) is a systematic, continuous process of analyzing the threat and the environment. IPB supports staff estimates and the decisionmaking process. It helps commanders apply and maximize their combat power at the critical point in time and space on the battlefield. The doctrinal principles of IPB are sound and can be applied to all situations at all levels. However, the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) of applying IPB may vary according to the mission, enemy, terrain, troops, and time available (METT-T) situation.
The doctrinal principles of IPB call for:
- Evaluating the battlefield's effects on friendly and threat operations.
Determining the threat's possible COAs and arranging them in order of probability of adoption.
Identifying key threat assets for each COA (high value targets (HVTs)) and where they will appear on the battlefield (target area of interest (TAIs)).
Identifying the activities, or lack of, and the locations where they will occur that will assist in identifying which COA the threat adopts.
IPB accomplishes the following:
Identifies facts and assumptions about the battlefield environment and the threat. This enables staff planning and the development of friendly COAs.
Provides the basis for intelligence direction and synchronization that supports the command's chosen COA.
Contributes to complete staff synchronization and the successful completion of several other staff processes.
The four IPB steps are:
1. Define the battlefield environment.
Identify characteristics of the environment.
Establish battle space.
Identify gaps.
Evaluate existing data base.
2. Describe battlefield effects.
-
Analyze battlefield environment.
- Terrain
analysis - Evaluate the military aspects of the battlefield's terrain to determine
its effects. Use the key word OCOKA.
Consider
all factors when analyzing terrain, but focus on the relevant ones. S2s must
explain the significance and purpose of key terrain. What does it do for the
owner? Maybe it's the confluence for all major enemy avenues, or a defile as
the only exit to the enemy's objective. S2s should also address decisive terrain,
if applicable.
- O - Observations and fields of fire
- C - Cover and concealment
- O - Obstacles
- K - Key terrain
- A - Avenues of approach
- Weather analysis - analyze military aspects of weather (i.e., visibility, winds, precipitation, cloud cover, temperature and humidity). Ensure both direct and indirect effects are covered.
- Analysis of other characteristics - analyze all aspects of the environment that effect friendly or threat COAs not already incorporated into the terrain and weather analysis (i.e., logistics infrastructure, population demographics, economics, and politics). This is very important when analyzing the battlefield as it relates to a low intensity conflict (LIC) or operations other than war (OOTW) environment. For instance, population demographics will probably reveal more than a standard Modified Combined Obstacle Overlay (MCOO).
- O - Observations and fields of fire
- Terrain
analysis - Evaluate the military aspects of the battlefield's terrain to determine
its effects. Use the key word OCOKA.
Consider
all factors when analyzing terrain, but focus on the relevant ones. S2s must
explain the significance and purpose of key terrain. What does it do for the
owner? Maybe it's the confluence for all major enemy avenues, or a defile as
the only exit to the enemy's objective. S2s should also address decisive terrain,
if applicable.
- Describe the effects on friendly and enemy capabilities and COAs.
3. Evaluate the threat. Update or create threat models - Depicts how threat forces prefer to conduct operations under ideal conditions. Ideally, this should be done before deployment.
- Convert threat doctrine into doctrinal template
Describe the threat's tactics and options
Identify high value targets
Identify threat capabilities
4. Determine threat courses of action.
- Identify likely objectives and desired endstate for threat command one level above your own. As you identify likely objectives at each level of command, repeat the process for the next subordinate level, working down to two levels below you. In some cases, on a low- intensity battlefield for instance, S2s must go lower than that. Experience at the JRTC indicates that battalion S2s must clearly explain to company commanders and battalion staff officers the mission and intent of elements as small as two- to three-man teams, when those teams play a significant role on the battlefield. Examples of such teams may be sniper teams seeking to delay defensive preparations; small teams reseeding minefields to disrupt logistical operations; and insurgent teams conducting reconnaissance and direct action missions to prepare the battlefield for attack by larger forces. In each case, the teams have a mission which can significantly affect the task force's success, and they, therefore, merit analysis and mention by the S2.
- Identify a full set of COAs available. Each threat COA should meet the following criteria: suitability, feasibility, acceptability, uniqueness, and consistency with doctrine. In most cases, the staff is not going to have time to develop COAs for all possible enemy actions. The S2 should focus the tactical decisionmaking process through situational templates that identify, as a minimum, the enemy's most likely and most dangerous courses of action.
- Evaluate and prioritize each COA. Identify strengths, weaknesses, center of gravity, and decisive points and compare to other COAs. Most forces will select the COA that takes advantages of the battlefield environment with the greatest number of advantages while reducing risk.
- Develop each COA in detail. Develop each COA based on METT-T. Each COA must cover: what (type of operation), when (time action will begin), where (sector, zone, axis of attack, avenue of approach and objectives), how (method by which the threat will employ his assets) and why (objective or end state desired). Each COA consists of a Situation Template, description of tactics and options and list of HVTs. Situational templates should show all enemy combat multipliers, for example, air defense artillery, chemical, artillery, aviation, and engineer.
- Identify collection requirements. Design your collection strategy to assist you in deciding what COA the enemy is opting to use. The collection strategy must support the commander's intent. The collection plan should concentrate on the differences between the named areas of interest (NAIs) and indicators of each COA. This helps the S2 use his limited collection assets to provide the most critical information. The NAIs, indicators, and time-phase lines (TPLs) form the basis of the event template, the guide for collection and R& planning. The event template tells the S2 where to collect information and what indicators to look for to confirm or deny the situation template.
The key item to remember about the IPB process is that it is a continuous process. It is not a one-time effort. The staff must constantly analyze all events that occur and update IPB as necessary. If this is not done, the commander and staff develop and select a friendly COA that is based on bad assumptions.
Foreword
Section
II: IPB and the Decisionmaking Process
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