Transcript Themes and Types of Amphibious Operations

Themes and Types of
Amphibious Operations
Amphibious Warfare
Naval Science 312
What is an Amphibious Operation?
“An amphibious operation is a military operation
launched from the sea by an amphibious force,
embarked in ships or craft with the primary
purpose of introducing a landing force (LF)
ashore to accomplish the assigned mission.”
- Joint Publication 3-02
Strengths and Capabilities
of Amphibious Warfare
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Strategic mobility and flexibility
Strike at a point of choosing
Projection of power ashore
Forcible entry
Limitations
of Amphibious Warfare
• Initially vulnerable
• Natural Hazards
– Environmental Conditions
• Sea
• Terrain
• Climate
• Complexity
Themes of Amphibious
Operations
Problems of the Tadpole
• Limited and temporary ability
for:
– a naval force to project
influence over land.
– a ground force to project
influence over the sea.
• Transformation
– Vulnerable time for the landing
force
– Reduce vulnerability with a
rapid build up of combat power
ashore.
The landing itself is rarely the
key problem
• Most attackers have
succeeded getting
ashore.
• Defenders are rarely
able to cover an
entire shoreline
• Objective of
amphibious planners
to choose a landing
site of minimal
resistance.
The problems of command
• Amphibious Operations
incorporate:
– Naval Warfare, with
– Land Warfare
• The complexity of each
type of warfare today
necessitates a separate
commander for each.
– Commander Amphibious
Task Force (CATF)
– Commander Landing Force
(CLF)
The amphibious invasion is a means
to an end, not an end to itself
• The landing is a prerequisite for accomplishing a
subsequent ground mission.
• The ground mission should drive the amphibious
planning (not vice versa).
– Historical examples of planners becoming so
concerned with getting ashore, that they give little or
no thought to what to do when they got there.
– Roanoke Island in 1862 and Fort Fisher in 1864
The influence of terrain and geography
• Only certain portions of the
world’s coastlines are
assailable by amphibious
forces.
– Dictates if and where a
landing can be made
– Influences the attacker’s &
defender’s plans
• Has spurred the
development of some
specialized amphibious
equipment
The amphibious operation as a
form of envelopment
• Maneuver
– Turning the enemy’s flank by sea to gain an
advantageous position.
• Flexibility
– “Amphibious flexibility is the greatest strategic asset
that a sea power possesses.”
-B.H. Liddell, Marines and Strategy, p. 31
• Strategic Envelopment (i.e. Gallipoli)
• Operational Envelopment (i.e. Inchon)
The inherent chaotic and decentralized nature of
landings
• Amphibious Operations
by nature:
– Have many moving parts
– Have inherent friction
– Are a small unit action
• Direct control limited to
each landing craft
• Small unit leadership and
initiative are imperative to
success.
• Higher level commanders
can’t assume control of the
land fight until landing
forces begin to organize
ashore.
The development of amphibious
technology and techniques
• Amphibious
operations are
specialized and
complex.
• Requires specialized
amphibious:
– Equipment
• Vehicles, landing craft,
defensive obstacles
– Tactics and
Techniques
• Naval Gun Fire Support
Themes of Amphibious Operations
• Problems of the
Tadpole
• The landing itself is
rarely the key problem
• The problems of
command
• The amphibious
invasion is a means to
an end, not an end to
itself
• The influence of terrain
and geography
• The amphibious operation
as a form of envelopment
• The inherent chaotic and
decentralized nature of
landings
• The development of
amphibious technology
and techniques
Five Types of Amphibious
Operations
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Amphibious Assault
Amphibious Demonstration
Amphibious Withdrawal
Amphibious Raid
Other Amphibious Operations
DRAWO == DRAWD
Amphibious Assault
“…an attack launched from the sea by naval and
landing forces embarked in ships or craft
involving a landing on a hostile shore”
- Joint Publication 1-02
• Purpose
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Prosecute further combat operations
Obtain a site for an advance naval or air base
Deny the use of an area or facility to the enemy.
Fix enemy forces or attention.
• May be an opposed or unopposed landing
Amphibious Demonstration
• Deceive the enemy with a show of force
• A form of deception
• Cause the enemy to react or commit
forces without actually landing
• Example: 4th MEB in Desert Storm
Amphibious Withdrawal
• Withdraw forces from a hostile shore for
tactical or operational reasons.
• May be an opposed or unopposed
withdrawal.
• Example: Inchon
Amphibious Raid
• An amphibious assault with a planned
withdrawal
• Typically short in duration with the intent
on inflicting damage, securing
information/intelligence, creating a
diversion, or capturing/rescuing individuals
or materials.
• Example: MEU(SOC)
Other Amphibious Operations
• Using the capabilities of an amphibious
force for military operations other than war
(MOOTW)
– Non-combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO)
– Foreign Humanitarian Assistance (FHA)
PHASES
of an Amphibious Operation
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Planning
Embarkation
Rehearsals
Movement
Action
PERMA
QUESTIONS?
Know phases, types and themes.
Think about in terms and application of MCDP1.