Battalion S-2s: Back to the Basics (cont)
In defensive operations, the scout platoon must be incorporated into the counter-reconnaissance plan, not solely responsible for it. The S-3 is responsible for planning and controlling the subsequent execution of counter-reconnaissance, BUT the S-2 must be an integral part of the entire effort.
The counter-reconnaissance plan requires detailed coordination between the S-2, S-3, the FSO, the scout platoon leader, and any commander supplying troops for the counter-reconnaissance fight.
Keys
to successful counter-reconnaissance planning:
1.
OP positions for scouts:
Techniques:
- remember scouts should only be lookers, not killers.
- use killer teams or Combat Security Outposts (CSOPs) to kill enemy reconnaissance vehicles.
- be certain the scout platoon has the killer force radio frequencies; use the scouts to vector in the killer teams. This is more efficient and effective than trying to do the same through the TOC.
- the S-2 must battle-track to keep tabs on enemy reconnaissance strength, and to discern the enemy reconnaissance plan.
2.
Limited visibility plan:
Techniques:
- use scouts to patrol choke points enemy reconnaissance vehicles would have to pass through; can be overt or covert. EXAMPLES: 1) covert patrols use thermal sight-equipped vehicles either singly or in sections. 2) OPFOR BMPs sometimes conduct overt patrols using searchlight drills to search for BLUFOR reconnaissance vehicles along constricted terrain. This causes the BLUFOR reconnaissance to go to ground.
- OP positions should, as appropriate, be established for maximum visibility conditions, and then adjusted for limited observation range during darkness or other limited visibility conditions.
3.
Illumination plan:
Techniques:
- coordinate the use of illumination prior to the mission with the FSO.
- illumination should be both on call and scheduled. The scheduled firing should be known to friendly elements, but not fired in a predictable pattern the enemy could pick up.
- plan illumination over choke points and likely infiltration routes, with the goal of providing constant illumination within the scout's area of observation.
- coordinate all firings of illumination; scouts, and other friendly elements should never be accidently exposed by friendly illumination.
4.
Reporting plan:
Techniques:
- the scouts and the killer teams must know their locations and their respective responsibilities.
- track enemy reconnaissance contacts until they are destroyed.
- if contact is lost between OPs and killer teams, for example, the TOC (who should have been monitoring) can task other reconnaissance assets to search for and then destroy that enemy reconnaissance element. At a minimum, the enemy must be templated to determine where it will again emerge, or its go-to-ground location plotted.
The overall success or failure of counter-reconnaissance lies in the friendly forces' ability to successfully track enemy movements into the main defensive area, while denying the enemy the ability to observe friendly defensive preparations.
The S-2 can really earn his money during the planning and executing of a deliberate attack. The information provided by the scouts, along with any other gathered intelligence, is critical to the production of sound IPB products. These IPB products become valuable tools used to help select and then fine-tune a maneuver course of action.
The amount of specific, detailed friendly knowledge about the enemy, i.e., location and disposition, is what distinguishes a deliberate attack from a movement to contact. In a deliberate attack, the defending enemy is at once strengthened and weakened by the same condition - his static position. While affording certain protection and conceivably positional advantage, these positions dictate where the enemy will fight, and they can telegraph his intentions.
Unless the defending enemy is certain that his counter-reconnaissance was 100-percent successful, the enemy must assume we know where he is and what he will do. In this context, it only takes a little bit of information, properly interpreted, for an S-2 to be able to template a defensive plan.
Keys
to successful offensive reconnaissance:
1.
Plan
initial
reconnaissance
throughout the zone:
Techniques:
- don't sell yourself on just one enemy course of action.
- plan for reconnaissance assets to observe throughout the zone to cover all probable enemy courses of action.
- adjust your coverage as the overall picture becomes clearer.
- the area you discount may turn out to be where the enemy is planning to defend.
Techniques:
- A correctly placed two-man OP team can provide all the information needed to plan an attack.
- A counter-reconnaissance effort that destroys all the known reconnaissance vehicles may easily overlook one or two dismounted teams.
- OPS must have enough supplies, ammunition, chow, etc., to last for the duration; worst case this planning.
Techniques:
- S-2s need to literally know what a defensive position actually looks like on the ground. S-2s and their section personnel should be given the opportunity at Home Station to help build defensive positions. They should know first-hand how fighting positions are planned, sighted in, and combined with other positions to create a defensive position oriented on an effective engagement area.
- One or two holes dug in can often be enough to template a Bn/TF defensive plan. The same holds true with OPFOR defenses.
- Blade hours are too valuable to be spent digging holes that are only part of a deception.
- Holes dug and more than single-strand wire obstacles should indicate to you that a position is part of a greater enemy defensive template.
Techniques:
- reports
on holes must contain the following:
- orientation
- what is digging the hole
- what is proofing the hole, i.e., Tank, infantry fighting vehicle, etc.
- reports on obstacles must contain the following:
- type
- length
- orientation
- lanes through, or bypasses around
- presence of any overwatch forces
- reports about laager sites must contain the following:
- composition of the force
- any rehearsals being conducted?
EXAMPLE: a laager to the rear of prepared positions could mean a reserve element; movement by that element to various parts of the battlefield and then a return to the laager could show where the reserve expects to be committed.
5.
Templating:
Techniques:
- account for all subelements of the enemy force, i.e., MRCs or teams.
- company-size elements will have semi-independent missions, i.e., Their own battle positions, or a reserve mission; companies are easier to track than platoons, or individual vehicles.
- the enemy is more likely to reposition companies, rather than smaller elements.
Techniques:
- once a decision is made to attack a certain point in the enemy defense, focus reconnaissance assets on that point; exacting detail is required at the planned point of penetration.
- make a large-scale sketch of all enemy vehicles or fighting positions, as well as obstacles in the area.
- keep other reconnaissance eyes on the remainder of the sector; the enemy may reposition forces.
7.
Try to know what you don't know:
Techniques:
- identify gaps in your intelligence picture, and try to fill them by repositioning assets.
- template what you do not, or cannot see in the worst possible light; that's probably exactly what the enemy's doing.
8.
Ask questions:
Techniques:
- assume as little as possible. EXAMPLE: don't assume your scouts can see over the ridge or into the draw - ASK THEM if they can, while there is still time to reposition them to where they CAN SEE.
- ask for updates about new forces, compositions, actions or anything that doesn't make sense.
- the necessary information is out there; the S-2 must ask the right questions to get the information in a form that is useful.
- DO NOT force incoming information to fit your preconceived template of what's right.
- apply common sense; if what's reported makes sense, and could adversely affect your attack, then that's probably what the enemy is doing. Be flexible in your thinking of enemy defensive doctrine.
- The combat battalion S-2 must be the master of assets he can actually control, the Bn/TF Scout Platoon.
- The S-2's responsibility is to give the ground maneuver commander a good feel for what the enemy can and will do; what's in front of him - what he's going to have to fight and kill - in enough detail to allow that commander to plan and execute the mission with the minimum loss of soldiers' lives; any other sophisticated information, such as captured enemy R& graphics, or satellite imagery reports at LD time, is gravy.
- Ground maneuver commanders owe it to their S-2s to state their expectations early on. Be willing to familiarize the new S-2 with basic combat operations - hands on.
- Getting back to these basics will put the combat battalion S-2 in the best position to fulfill his critical Battle Staff responsibilities.
Table
of Contents
Battalion
S-2s: Back to the Basics, Part 1
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