• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Some task forces have successfully utilized a non-doctrinal operations and intelligence (O& net to pass non-critical information which otherwise would have been passed over the task force command net. The successful use of a task force O& net is predicated on effective home station training, the preparation of detailed unit SOPs prior to arrival at the NTC, and a well-trained S2 who facilitates rather than screens the passage of vital information on the O& net.

The establishment and use of an O& net has several advantages:

• It clears the command net for critical information and instructions. If all reports -- scout spot reports, NBC reports, and intelligence updates -- are transmitted over the command net, it rapidly becomes overwhelmed. Critical information may not get through or may be ignored because of the constant traffic.

• The O& net permits TOC personnel to analyze non-critical information from reconnaissance elements before putting it out to the task force. Subsequent redirection of reconnaissance assets to confirm reports may be critical.

Most task force CEOIs, however, do not authorize an O& net. Normally the CEOI authorizes a task force command, admin-log, anti-jamming, and retrans net. The CEOI authorizes command and anti-jamming nets for each company team and internal nets for each platoon. Therefore, if an O& net is established, a frequency must be "borrowed" from one of those the CEOI authorizes.

The S2, S3, and CEO must agree on a candidate frequency, which they nominate to the commander as being the O& frequency (see Table 1, Candidate O& Net Frequencies). The commander then approves or disapproves and selects another frequency, or decides not to have an O& net at all.

The O& net is operational in the offense while the task force is preparing to attack. During this time the S2 and the scouts are seeking all possible information about the enemy disposition.

Prior to the defense, the O& net is again operational when enemy reconnaissance elements are trying to penetrate the task force. The task force intelligence acquisition assets (scouts, GSR, and counterreconnaissance patrols) use the O& net to transmit spot reports to the S2. The S3 can use the net to direct counterreconnaissance assets to locations from which they can destroy enemy patrols.

TOC radios configured as in Table 3 enables the task force to maintain communications on all the sets the task force must operate.

NOTE: The S2 passes operational information from the O& net to S3 personnel. Monitoring the task force command net in the S2 M577 allows the S2 to keep abreast of the situation throughout the task force. If the MTOE does not authorize the S2 three net capability, he can use an An/GRA-39 to monitor the task force command net.

The scout platoon must constantly monitor the task force command net to keep abreast of the tactical situation. If the O& net is different from their internal one, they can still monitor the command net by having the platoon sergeant keep one of his radios on task force command while the platoon leader monitors O& If the platoon leader needs to come up on task force command, the platoon sergeant switches to O&

The elements which periodically operate on the O& net must switch the radio they normally use to monitor the task force command net. While this takes the company team CO or XO off the command net, the company still remains abreast of the task force situation through whichever officer does not switch to the O& net.

There are times when units, especially the scouts, pass information directly on the command net, even if the O& net is operational. One of these times is when the scouts lose communications with the TOC. This situation is usually the result of the scouts and TOC being out of range of one another, or terrain masking. If the scouts cannot talk to the TOC, they should pass their reports directly to either the task force commander, the S3, or one of the forward company teams, who then relays it to the TOC.

Reconnaissance elements pass information directly on the task force command net when it is critical to the operation and no analysis is required. For example, the scouts see the lead elements of the enemy regiment as it launches its attack or locate an undefended bypass to the enemy obstacle system.

Some task forces use their scouts to aid in command and control by keeping them on high ground overlooking the objective during the offense or positioning them on terrain which overlooks avenues into the task force's sector. They will normally speak directly to company team commanders or the task force command group on the command net rather than the O& net.

An O& net clears the task force command net of a great deal of routine or unconfirmed information. To get an O& net permanently included in the task force CEOI, the commander makes the request to the Information Systems Command through the Division COMSEC account holder. This is a lengthy process, so the request must be forwarded as soon as possible after the commander identifies the requirement.

Table of Contents

Maneuver

Aviation