Transcript Offensive Operations and Movement to Contact

Battle Drills
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Enter a Building and
Clear a Room
Battle Drills
Very similar to Standard operating
procedures (SOP’s) which are preestablished unit guidelines. Battle Drills
are an immediate response to enemy
contact that require fire and maneuver in
order to succeed.
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Battle Drills: a collective action rapidly
executed without applying a deliberate
decision-making process, in which a unit
applies fire and maneuver to common
situations of enemy combat – FM 25-101
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Speed
Minimal Leader Commands
Trained Responses to Enemy Actions or Leader
Orders
Sequential Actions: Vital to Success in Combat and
Preserving Combat Power
Standard throughout the Army
Platoon or Smaller Units
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Speed
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Soldiers ability to execute key actions
quickly
Response to enemy contact has to be
automatic
No hesitation on movements
Seconds can mean the difference
between life and death
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Minimal Leader Commands
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Trained responses to enemy actions or
orders
Actions are sequential (conducted in a
specific order)
Standard throughout the Army
Both offensive and defensive
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Trained Responses
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Like reflexes and result from continual
practice
Help build unit strength, cohesion and
aggressiveness
Continually fine tune
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Sequential Actions
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Outlined in FM 7-8
Detailed instructions
Memorize steps
Practicing the sequence
Rehearsing again and again
Don’t think Just DO
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Why are Battle Drills standardized
throughout the Army?
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The survival of your Troops
and preservation of combat
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title style
power
depends
on your units
proficiency at BATTLE
DRILLS
KEY TYPES OF BATTLE DRILLS
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REACT TO CONTACT
BREAK CONTACT
REACT TO AMBUSH
KNOCK OUT A BUNKER
ENTER A BUILDING AND CLEAR A
ROOM
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QUESTIONS
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Squads in the Offense
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The Purpose of Offensive Operations
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Destroy the enemy and his will to fight
Seize terrain
Learn enemy strength and disposition
Deceive, divert, or fix the enemy
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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE
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SURPRISE
CONCENTRATION
TEMPO
AUDACITY
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SURPRISE
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Surprise is crucial
Delays enemy reactions
Shocks enemy Soldiers and Leaders
Confuses enemy Command and Control
Press your advantage before the enemy
knows what's going on
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CONCENTRATION
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The Massing of overwhelming force to
achieve a single purpose
Massing of weapons (squads) and forces
(platoons)
Overwhelm or hold in place (fix)
Both indirect and direct fires
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TEMPO
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Speed or timing of an attack
Control tempo to retain initiative
Destroys enemy before they can react
Prevents regrouping, reorganizing, counter
attack
Squads and platoons support larger force’s
tempo with rapid execution
Maintains momentum not allowing defenders
to recover
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AUDACITY
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Developing bold, innovative plans to achieve
decisive results
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Elements violently apply combat power
(maneuver, firepower, protection & leadership)
Know when and where to take risks
DO NOT hesitate to execute
Inspires soldiers to overcome adversity and
danger
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Offensive Operations
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Movement to Contact
Deliberate attack
Hasty Attack
Raids*
Ambushes*
Reconnaissance and security
operations*
* fall under patrolling missions (chapter III FM 7-8)
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Movement to Contact
Purpose: Gain or regain contact with the
enemy.
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Movement to Contact
Planning Considerations
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Make enemy contact with the smallest element
possible
Prevent detection of elements not in contact until they
are in the assault
Maintain 360-degree security at all times
Report all information quickly and accurately
Maintain contact once it is gained
Generate combat power rapidly upon contact
Fight through at the lowest level possible
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MTC: Infiltration
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Offensive mission normally conducted
by platoons or squads
Purpose is to move into or through
enemy area without fighting through
prepared defenses or being detected
Usually supports next higher mission
or intent; not an end in itself but a
means to an end
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Purposes of Infiltration
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Gather information
Attack enemy positions from the rear
Conduct raids or ambushes in enemy
rear areas
Capture prisoners
Seize key terrain in support of other
operations
Aid a main attack
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Attack
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An offensive action
characterized by violence of
action and fire and maneuver
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Three types of attacks:
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Hasty
Deliberate
Raid
Ambush
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Initiative in the Attack
Seizing and retaining the initiative involves
more then just achieving tactical surprise. It
involves a process of planning and
preparing for combat operations, finding the
enemy first, avoiding detection, fixing the
enemy, locating or creating weakness,
maneuvering to exploit that weakness with
a quick and violent assault
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Hasty Attack
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Conducted with the forces immediately
available to maintain momentum or to take
advantage of the enemy situation
Does not normally allow for extensive
preparation
Could be a React to Contact developed into
a squad attack
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Deliberate Attack
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Carefully planned and coordinated
Time available to perform thorough
reconnaissance
Evaluation of all available intelligence and
relative combat strength
Analysis of various courses of action and other
factors affecting the situation
Generally conducted against a well-organized
defense when a hasty attack is not possible or
has failed
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Attacks during limited visibility
Attacks during limited visibility achieve
surprise, avoid heavy losses, cause panic
in weak and disorganized enemy, exploit
success and maintain momentum, and
keep pressure on the enemy.
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Keys to limited visibility attacks
Planning: same considerations but they require
additional control measures to prevent Fratricide and
keep focus on the objective.
 Recon: key to success; done in daylight to the lowest
level; recon movement routes, positions and OBJ;
Balance need for info vs. detection; maintain
surveillance on OBJ, situation may change from recon
 If no recon available consider using illuminated attack
* A night attack with marginal information of the enemy’s
defense is risky and difficult to conduct
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Questions?
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