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MCWP 3-17

Engineering Operations

U.S. Marine Corps

To Our Readers

Changes: Readers of this publication are encouraged to submit suggestions and changes thatwill improve it. Recommendations may be sent directly to Commanding General, MarineCorps Combat Development Command, Doctrine Division (C 42), 3300 Russell Road, Suite318A, Quantico, VA 22134-5021 or by fax to 703-784-2917 (DSN 278-2917) or by E-mail [email protected]. Recommendations should include the following information:

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Unless otherwise stated, whenever the masculine or feminine gender is used, both men and women are included.


Table of Contents

Page

Chapter 1. MAGTF Engineering

MAGTF Engineer Staff 1-2Engineer Organizations in the Ground Combat Element 1-3Engineer Organizations in the Aviation Combat Element 1-5Engineer Organizations in the Combat Service Support Element 1-8Specialized Command and Support of Engineer Organizations 1-14

Chapter 2. Engineer Information

Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace 2-1Engineer Battlespace Assessment 2-1Targeting 2-2

Chapter 3. Engineering Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance Missions 3-1Offensive and Defensive Operations 3-2

Chapter 4. Combat Engineering Operations

Barrier, Obstacles, and Mines 4-1Obstacles 4-2Obstacle Planning 4-3Mine Warfare 4-5Mobility 4-8Countermobility 4-11Survivability 4-11Specialized Demolition 4-12Engineers as Infantry 4-13

Chapter 5. General Engineering Operations

Construction Types 5-1New Airfield Construction 5-1Rapid Runway Repair 5-2Bridging Support 5-3Follow-on Breaching and/or Area Clearance 5-3Electrical Support 5-4Bulk Liquid 5-4Explosive Ordnance Disposal 5-4

Chapter 6. Engineer Planning for Operations

Scope of Engineer Operations 6-1Preparing for Engineer Operations 6-1The Engineer’s Role in the Planning Process 6-3Planning Documents 6-4

Engineering Operations—MCWP 3-17

Page

Chapter 7. Operational Situations and Environments

Joint Operations 7-1Maritime Prepositioning Forces Operations 7-1Jungle Operations 7-1Mountain Operations 7-2Cold Weather Operations 7-2Desert Operations 7-3River-Crossing Operations 7-4Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain 7-4Assault on a Fortified Position 7-5Helicopterborne Operations 7-5Amphibious Operations 7-6

Chapter 8. Engineer Implications in Emerging Concepts

Operational Maneuver from the Sea 8-1General Engineering 8-1Ship-to-Objective Maneuver 8-2

Appendices

FASCAM Characteristics A-1Glossary B-1References and Related Publications C-1


Table of Contents

Page

Chapter 1. MAGTF Engineering

MAGTF Engineer Staff 1-2Engineer Organizations in the Ground Combat Element 1-3Engineer Organizations in the Aviation Combat Element 1-5Engineer Organizations in the Combat Service Support Element 1-8Specialized Command and Support of Engineer Organizations 1-14

Chapter 2. Engineer Information

Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace 2-1Engineer Battlespace Assessment 2-1Targeting 2-2

Chapter 3. Engineering Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance Missions 3-1Offensive and Defensive Operations 3-2

Chapter 4. Combat Engineering Operations

Barrier, Obstacles, and Mines 4-1Obstacles 4-2Obstacle Planning 4-3Mine Warfare 4-5Mobility 4-8Countermobility 4-11Survivability 4-11Specialized Demolition 4-12Engineers as Infantry 4-13

Chapter 5. General Engineering Operations

Construction Types 5-1New Airfield Construction 5-1Rapid Runway Repair 5-2Bridging Support 5-3Follow-on Breaching and/or Area Clearance 5-3Electrical Support 5-4Bulk Liquid 5-4Explosive Ordnance Disposal 5-4

Chapter 6. Engineer Planning for Operations

Scope of Engineer Operations 6-1Preparing for Engineer Operations 6-1The Engineer’s Role in the Planning Process 6-3Planning Documents 6-4


Page

Chapter 7. Operational Situations and Environments

Joint Operations 7-1Maritime Prepositioning Forces Operations 7-1Jungle Operations 7-1Mountain Operations 7-2Cold Weather Operations 7-2Desert Operations 7-3River-Crossing Operations 7-4Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain 7-4Assault on a Fortified Position 7-5Helicopterborne Operations 7-5Amphibious Operations 7-6

Chapter 8. Engineer Implications in Emerging Concepts

Operational Maneuver from the Sea 8-1General Engineering 8-1Ship-to-Objective Maneuver 8-2

Appendices

FASCAM Characteristics A-1Glossary B-1References and Related Publications C-1

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVYHeadquarters United States Marine Corps

Washington, D.C. 20380-1775

14 February 2000

FOREWORD

Marine Corps Warfighting Publication (MCWP) 3-17, Engineering Operationsprovides doctrine and supporting tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) for theplanning and execution of engineer support to the MAGTF. This publicationprovides general information on the numerous capabilities engineers bring to thebattle, from planning through to the execution of an operation. Engineers provideone of the most versatile resources a commander has in a MAGTF. They canprovide the means to creatively apply the art and science of tactics in any situationencountered.

This publication reflects the Marine Corps warfighting philosophy and explainshow engineer operations contribute to our ability to wage maneuver warfare. Itprovides guidance for planning and coordinating engineer support and explainsthe unique command and support relationships of engineers. MCWP 3-17 is thelead publication in a series of engineer-related doctrinal publications. As such, itties the specific TTP described in supporting publications with applicableengineer functions. This publication is designed primarily for engineer unitcommanders, their staffs, and anyone involved in engineer planning, but is alsouseful to any commanders and their staffs that work with engineer units.

MCWP 3-17 supersedes FMFM 13, MAGTF Engineer Operations, dated10 February 1992.

Reviewed and approved this date.

BY DIRECTION OF THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS

J.E. RHODESLieutenant General, U.S. Marine Corps

Commanding GeneralMarine Corps Combat Development Command

DISTRIBUTION: 14300004400

Chapter 1

MAGTF Engineering

The role of today’s engineers in Marine air-groundtask force (MAGTF) operations was founded in theneeds and experiences of World War II. Geographicisolation and dispersion of objectives compoundedwith the limits of then existing technology requiredthe ability to improve remote sites in order toeffectively use these locations to prosecute the war.

This new mission requirement for the Marine Corpsmeant creating organic units with the specializedequipment and training needed to support theexisting warfighting mission. This necessity fore n g i n e e r i n g s u p p o r t a l s o l e d t o t h e N a v a lConstruction Force (NCF) becoming integral to someMarine engineering operations. By the end of thewar, engineering had progressed to the level ofp r o v i d i n g w a r f i g h t i n g s k i l l s t h a t a l l o w e dcommanders to modify the battlespace to theiradvantage through the applications of mobility,coun te rmob i l i t y , su rv ivab i l i t y , and gene ra lengineering.

Today, the combat engineer brings both constructive(e.g., building bunkers, providing utilities) anddestructive (e.g., demolition, breaching) supportc a p a b i l i t i e s t o t h e b a t t l e f i e l d . T h i s u n i q u ecombination of diametric capabilities providesknowledge, experience, and skills to commanders atthe operational and tactical levels with which theycan , fo r example , reduce f r ic t ion , fac i l i t a temaneuver, and improve the morale of friendly forcesor create fr ict ion and disorder for the enemy.Examples of these include maintaining roads toreduce maintenance of motor transport assets orprovid ing showers to f ront - l ine combatants .Establishing obstacles or destroying existing roads orbridges can inhibit the enemy’s ability to quicklym a n e u v e r f o r c e s i n t h e a t t a c k o r d e f e n s e .Modifications to the physical battlespace permitscommanders to achieve faster tempo and better focusof military power. Examples of these would be theestablishment of forward arming and refueling points

(FARPs) to reduce turnaround time of aviation assetsor reinforcing an infantry position with obstacles,bunkers, and mines. This allows a commander toshift combat power to another location to support am a i n e f f o r t w h i l e m i n i m i z i n g r i s k b y n o tcompromising security of the remaining forces.

Although current doctrine calls for attacking andexploiting the enemy’s vulnerabilities, factorsoutside of the commander’s control (e.g., time,terrain, weather, the enemy’s actions) can forcecommanders into actions against enemy strengths.Combat engineers earn their title most notablythrough assault breaching of enemy fortifications orby their contribution of firepower in the form ofprovisional infantry support. These capabilities canbe decisive in maintaining momentum in the attackor responding quickly to the enemy’s actions orreactions. In military operations other than war(MOOTW) engineers play a significant role indiverse s i tuat ions such as d isas ter recovery,humanitarian relief, and peacekeeping operations.These are a few examples of when an engineer unitcan bring to bear its unique skills and capabilities tosupport commanders in achieving their mission(s).

MAGTFs normally contain engineer units in each oftheir major subordinate commands. The engineersfound in a MAGTF are engineer staff personnel inthe command element (CE), a combat engineer unitsupporting the ground combat element (GCE), asupport engineering unit supporting the aviationcombat element (ACE), and a support engineeringunit in the combat service support element (CSSE).Task force mission requirements may requireaugmentation of the engineering assets with NCF.See figure 1-1, on page 1-2. As part of missionplanning, a MAGTF commander may elect to task-organize certain capabil i t ies (e .g. , engineers ,artillery, and reconnaissance units) to support theconcept of operations for specific operations ormissions.


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MAGTF ENGINEER STAFF

The MAGTF commander’s staff engineers developengineer policy, guidance, and standards for theengineer effort throughout the battlespace. Thee n g i n e e r s a r e t h e f o c a l p o i n t f o r p l a n n i n g ,monitoring, and coordinating engineer effortssupporting air, ground, and combat service supportoperations and providing engineer assistance to theprincipal staffs. The engineers are responsible fores t imat ing , recommending , and de te rmin ingrequirements and preparing engineer annexes anddetailed plans for publication.

Organization The number of engineers in the MAGTF commandelements will depend upon the mission, structure ofthe MAGTF, and the magnitude of engineer effort.MAGTF tables of organization (T/Os) provide forengineers and wil l l ikely be staffed based onexpected missions. When the MAGTF commandelement is the nucleus of a joint force or combinedheadquarters, the engineer staff can be augmentedwith other U.S. or allied service engineers to providethe necessary personnel and experience required toconduct complex joint force and multinationaloperations. Because engineers are normally locatedin several sections of the headquarters, they can

provide great flexibility in orchestrating diverseengineer operations and allow for the greatestvisibility of engineer capabilities, requirements, andresponsibilities.

FunctionsThe engineers must work closely with other staffsections to integrate engineer considerations andrequirements into a l l phases of planning andexecution. These phases include—

l Intelligence. Throughout the intelligence cycle,the engineers assist the G/S-2 in coordinatingintelligence requirements. The engineersprovide technical assistance in identifying,p r i o r i t i z i n g , a n d v a l i d a t i n g e n g i n e e rintelligence needs and in coordinating thecol lect ion of engineer informat ion (seechapter 2).

l Operations. The engineers monitor thedeployment, employment, and mission statusof MAGTF engineer forces. The engineersf o cus the use of engineer capabili t ies tosupport the concept of operations. It is vitalthat engineers maintain situational awarenessof the maneuver forces’ current and futurecourses of action (COAs) so that existingfacilities (e.g., main supply route (MSR),tunnels, and bridges) do not constrain their

Figure 1-1. MAGTF Engineer Assets.


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proposed actions. During the targeting process,the engineers provide engineer target and riskanalysis to help minimize the destruction offacilities so the damage does not exceed ourab i l i ty to repa i r them for use in fu tureoperations.

l Plans. The engineers work with the planners tomaintain knowledge of future plans and theirimplicat ions for engineer requirements .Engineer planners will identify all potentialeng inee r r equ i r emen t s ( e .g . , mob i l i t y ,countermobility, survivability, topographicsupport, civil-military operations support,f a c i l i t i e s , r e a l e s t a t e , r e a l p r o p e r t ym a i n t e n a n c e , e n g i n e e r i n g s e r v i c e s ,environmental control , and constructionsupport) during the planning process. Chapter3 provides information on potential engineerrequirements.

l Facilities. A real property entity consisting ofone or more of the following: a building, astructure, a utility system, pavement, andunderlying land. (JP 1-02) The engineerscoordinate facility services for the MAGTFand organizations supporting the MAGTF inthe area of operations (AO).

Real Estate. The engineers are responsible forobtaining property during operations, based on thelaw of land warfare, host nation agreements, or otheragreements. Property is obtained based on MAGTFfacility requirements. Property is seized only when itis imperative to the necessities of war. Priorities forproperty acquisition are established based on the timethe property is needed.

Real Property Maintenance. The engineers managethe leased properties and facilities so they aremaintained according to the conditions of the lease,and that the property meets its functional purpose.

C o n s t r u c t i o n . T h e e n g i n e e r s m o n i t o r t h econstruction efforts of the MAGTF engineer forces,and based on commander’s guidance, formulatesconstruction policies, priorities, and standards.

Environmental ConsiderationsOperations should be planned and conducted withappropriate consideration for their effects on theenvironment in accordance with applicable U.S. andhost nat ion agreements , environmental laws,policies, and regulations. Engineers are responsiblefor coordinating the environmental protection effortin the AO. Engineers assist the MAGTF commander

in coordinating environmental protection efforts inthe AO. Environmental concerns are a part of anyoperation to include policies originating in the U.S.,host nat ions , and a l l ied forces . Specif ica l ly ,engineers may be required to advise commandershow to minimize adverse effects of operational plansor how to resolve existing situations created byfriendly or enemy forces.

Logistics

Engineers manage the bulk storage of fuel and waterthroughout the AO. Additionally, the engineers alsoassist logistics forces in monitoring the inventory andflow of Class IV material and recommend reorderinglevels.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal

Engineers are normally responsible for planning andcoordinating explosive ordnance disposal (EOD)support. These activities include incidence response,area clearance operations, and foreign ordnanceexploitation.

ENGINEER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GROUND COMBAT ELEMENT

The combat engineer battalion (CEB) is the Marinedivision commander’s organic combat engineeringforce. The CEB enhances the momentum and tempoof maneuver units and helps shape the battlespace forthe Marine division. The battalion supports task-organized ground combat elements with combatengineer support to meet mobility, countermobility,and survivability requirements during offensive anddefensive operations.

Mission

The CEB’s mission is to enhance the mobility,countermobility, and survivability of the Marinedivis ion through combat and l imited generaleng ineer ing suppor t . The CEB per forms thefollowing tasks:

l Conduct engineer reconnaissance to supportthe division’s intelligence collection plan.

l Plan, organize, and construct obstacle systems.l Plan, organize, and conduct breaching

operations.l Conduct demolition operations beyond the

ability of other division units.


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l Employ assault bridging and other standardbridging systems when augmented withequipment and trained personnel.

l Provide expedient repair and reinforcement ofexisting bridges.

l Construct expedient short span bridges fromlocal material.

l Construct and maintain limited combat roadsand trails in support of division operations(construction and maintenance requirementsare limited to those that can be performed withorganic equipment and personnel).

l Provide mission essential temporary verticaland horizontal construction.

l Provide provisional infantry.

OrganizationFigure 1-2 illustrates the CEB organization.

Command and ControlThe battalion commander organizes the battalionstaff to enable command and control of the battalionand any engineer reinforcing elements (e.g., supportfrom engineer support battalion). Collection effortsof higher and subordinate units, external agencies,and the battalion’s S-2 are integrated to meet allintelligence requirements. The CEB intelligenceofficer actively participates in the engineer portion ofthe division intelligence collection effort. Thebattalion is capable of self-administration.

FirepowerThe CEB’s organic firepower consists of individualweapons , machine guns , and l ight ant iarmorweapons.

TransportationThe battalion requires motor transport support tomove the battalion as a unit. However, there areadequate ground transportation assets (e.g., medicaland logistic support vehicles including heavy trucks)organic to the battalion to accomplish its primarymission. Most of the battalion’s engineer assetsrequire surface transportation; however, someengineer equipment is helicopter transportable.

Combat Service Support CapabilitiesCombat service support (CSS) capabilities provide—

l Organic supply support. l Organizational (1st and 2d echelon)

m a i n t e n a n c e o n o r g a n i c e q u i p m e n t .Intermediate (3d and 4th echelon) maintenanceis provided by Maintenance Battalion, forceservice support group (FSSG).

l Organic transportation support required toaccomplish its mission.

l Limited general engineering capability. l Routine and limited emergency medical

support to the battalion. l Administrative, postal and chaplain support to

the battalion.

Concept of EmploymentThe CEB organizes to support the engineeringrequirements of the division. The battalion can task-organize elements in support of subordinate units orcan mass to concentrate engineer effort. If groundoperations require decentralized combat engineering,the CEB still supports engineer requirements behindthe forward line of own troops (FLOT).

Figure 1-2. Organization of the CEB.


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For planning and training purposes, each combatengineer company maintains a traditional directsupport relationship with an infantry regiment or aregimental landing team (RLT) and each subordinatecombat engineer platoon regularly supports aninfantry battalion or battalion landing team (BLT).However, in planning for contingencies, a regimentor RLT may require a CEB (-) vice a reinforcedcompany to provide broader scope and greater depthfor tactical mobility and other combat engineeringsupport . Combat engineer uni ts are typical lyreinforced by elements of engineer support andheadquarters and service (H&S) companies toprovide the full spectrum of combat engineersupport. Likewise, engineering support to a BLT canbe increased. The fourth combat engineer companyof the CEB is normally kept in general support of thedivision. Traditional support relationships can bealtered if mission analysis indicates that combatengineer support to other units (e.g., tanks company,assault amphibious vehicle [AAV] company, lightarmored vehicle [LAV] platoon) is more efficient.Mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops andsupport available-time available (METT-T) is alwaysconsidered in task-organizing and attaching combatengineer uni ts to best support the concept ofoperations.

If the requirement for combat engineer supportexceeds the capability of the CEB, engineer supportbattalion (ESB) assets located in the CSSE providereinforcement. The ESB, NCF, U.S. Army, hostnation or other sources can also provide generalengineering support capabilities beyond thoseorganic to the CEB.

The scope of division combat operations may requirereinforced combat engineer companies to directlysupport infantry or other task groups. This directsupport relationship permits efficient control,maximizes productivity, and reduces administrativeand logistical burdens. Direct combat engineersupport of a maneuver company should be for limitedduration and for specific tasks.

Headquarters and Service Company

Mission. The primary mission of the H&S companyis to provide command, control, and administrativesupport for the battalion. This includes the provisionof supply, food services, communications, chaplainservices, and medical support.

Concept of Employment. The H&S companydecentral izes i ts support functions of supply,

communications, medical, chaplain, and messing tothe extent necessary to meet battalion operationalrequirements. The company headquarters directs andcontrols all matters regarding internal administration,logistics, and security of the company.

Combat Engineer Company

Mission. The mission of the combat engineercompany is to enhance the mobility, countermobility,and survivability of the supporting ground combatelement with combat engineering.

Concept of Employment. A combat engineercompany normally operates under the control of theCEB commander when the battalion headquarters isashore . The company may opera te under thecentralized control of the company commander or bein w ide ly d i spe r sed a r ea s w i th t he p l a tooncommanders exercising more direct control of thecompanies assets, and the company commanderac t ing as adv isor to the in fan t ry reg imenta lcommander . Add i t iona l ly , comba t eng inee rcompanies can provide general support to thedivision and other task-organized maneuver units(e.g., light armored reconnaissance, tank, and AAVbattalions).

Engineer Support Company

Mission. The mission of the engineer supportcompany is to provide personnel and equipment ort a s k - o r g a n i z e d h e a v y e q u i p m e n t , u t i l i t i e s ,maintenance, and motor transport support to otherelements of the battalion.

Concept of Employment. The engineer supportcompany provides essential engineering support inthe forward areas and supports all CEB functionalresponsibilities. The company employs specialists, asindividuals or in small units, for a specific mission insupport of the combat engineer companies, however,the company is normally centrally controlled by theCEB commander.

ENGINEER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AVIATION COMBAT ELEMENT

The MAGTF requires responsive support to thel a n d i n g f o r c e ( L F ) d u r i n g a l l p h a s e s o f a namphibious operation and subsequent operationsashore. To support the MAGTF, the ACE must becapable of operating from sea- and shore-based


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airfields. To operate in a variety of forward-basedenvironments requires a full range of aviation groundsupport (AGS) capabilities which are organic to theACE. When an ACE operates from the sea or aforward base, AGS is essential to operations.

To provide AGS to the ACE requires organic task-organized units. In the Marine aircraft wing, theMarine wing support groups (MWSGs) and theirsubord ina te Mar ine wing suppor t squadrons(MWSS) are responsible for providing AGS. Thefollowing functional areas of support comprise AGSand the services provided by the MWSG and/orMWSS. These 13 functional areas are furthercategorized under two main categories: groundservices support and air base services support.

Ground Services SupportGround services support are activities and tasksnecessary to establish and maintain base campoperations associated with an airfield. The followingAGS functions are under ground services support:

l Internal airfield communications.l Construction.l Utilities.l Materials handling equipment.l Motor transport.l Field messing.l Medical services.l Law enforcement services.

Air Base Services SupportAir base services support are activities and tasksnecessary to establish and operate tactical air bases.The following AGS functions are found under the airbase services support:

l Explosive ordnance disposal.l Aircraft rescue and firefighting.l Aircraft recovery services.l Fuel services.l Weather services.

The Marine Wing Support GroupEngineer support is integral to the success of theACE. Ground services and air base operationsrequire extensive engineer support. The MWSG andMWSS engineer section provides engineeringsupport for forward-based air operations.

Mission. The MWSG provides essential AGS to theMarine aircraft wing (MAW) and its components.MWSG engineer assets support airfield operationsand aviation combat elements in both expeditionaryand f ixed-base locat ions. Engineer tasks andfunctions performed by the MWSG are primarilygeneral engineering oriented.

Organization. Four squadrons compose the MWSG.All squadrons routinely operate in direct support ofthe MAW, and are structured to provide AGS for oneairfield and two remote sites. The Personnel SupportDetachment (PSD) provides administrative supportto the MWSG and its squadrons (See figure 1-3).

Figure 1-3. Organization of the MWSG.


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Command and Control. The MWSG normally hasfour support squadrons, two for fixed-wing aircraftand two for rotary wing aircraft. Each squadronprovides direct support to a designated Marine airgroup (MAG).

Firepower. The MWSG’s firepower consists ofindividual weapons for self-defense purposes only.

Mobility. Adequate ground mobility (command,medical, and logistic support vehicles includingheavy trucks) is organic to the MWSG. The MWSGrequires external transportation support to effectdisplacement of the entire unit.

Combat Service Support Capabi l i t ies. CSScapabilities provide—

l Organic supply support.l Organizational (1st and 2d echelon)

m a i n t e n a n c e o n o r g a n i c e q u i p m e n t .Intermediate (3d and limited 4th echelon)maintenance is provided by MaintenanceBattalion, FSSG.


l Organic engineering support required toaccomplish its mission.

l Routine and limited emergency medicalsupport.

l Airfield security and law enforcement services.

Concept of Employment. The MWSG providesessential AGS for the MAW and organizes to provideone or more MWSS’s in support of a designatedfixed-wing and/or rotary wing component of anACE. MWSG maintains decentralized control ofsupport squadron operations, except for squadronscollocated with or near the MWSG headquarters. TheMWSG and its subordinate elements provide a widevariety of AGS of which engineering is only aportion. Since the bulk of the engineering supportrequired is general engineering oriented, the MWSGis ass i s ted by the ESB and the nava l mobi leconstruction battalions (NMCB) as required.

Marine Wing Support Squadron

Mission. The MWSS provides essential AGSsupport to a designated fixed-wing and/or rotarywing component of an ACE and supporting orattached elements of the Marine air control group.

Organization. The MWSS is an integral part of theACE. Both fixed-wing and rotary wing supportsquadrons organize identically with only slightvariations in their authorized tables of equipment andpersonnel. The MWSS, as shown in figure 1-4,consists of a squadron headquarters, executive staff(S-1 through S-4), military police and flight linesecurity department, and equipment maintenancedepartment. The S-3 holds staff cognizance overinternal airfield communications, airfield operations

Figure 1-4. Organization of Marine Wing Support Squadron.


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division, motor transport operations division, andengineer operations division. The S-4 holds staffcognizance over food services, medical, supply,maintenance, and fiscal divisions.

The engineer operations division of the MWSSorganizes to provide limited combat and generalengineering support to designated components of theACE. Engineers located in the airfield operationsdivision receive, store, and dispense aviation andground fuels from various types of expeditionary fuelsystems.

The engineer operations division is capable of—

l Providing engineer reconnaissance and survey. l Repairing, improving, and maintaining

existing road networks for the ACE. l Constructing and maintaining expedient roads. l Constructing, maintaining, and improving

vertical or short takeoff and landing sites. l Constructing and maintaining mission

essential base camp requirements (temporarybunkers, aircraft revetments, and strongbacks).

l Providing technical and equipment assistancefor erection of pre-engineered buildings.

l Providing utilities support (mobile electricpower, water, potable water production, bathand laundry faci l i t ies , and refr igerat ionservices).

l Developing, improving, and maintainingdrainage systems.

l Providing technical assistance to supportcamouflage requirements.

l Assessing bomb damage and providingminimal rapid runway repair (RRR).

l Providing material handling equipmentservices.

l Providing for EOD.

Command and Control. The squadron commanderperforms command and staff functions necessary forplanning, directing, and supervising assignedmissions. The MWSS operates under the centralizedcontrol of the MWSS commander, however, task-organized units may provide direct support toforward airbases or FARPs.

Firepower. The MWSS’s firepower consists ofindividual weapons and machine guns.

Mobility. Organizational vehicles of the squadronprovide sufficient transportation for command,

control, and routine support activities. The squadronrequires external transportation to displace as a unit.


l Organic ground supply support except forNavy funded equipment that requires supportfrom a designated aviation supply element.

l Organizational (1st and 2d echelon)m a i n t e n a n c e o n o r g a n i c e q u i p m e n t ;intermediate (3d and 4th echelon) maintenanceis provided by maintenance battalion, FSSG.

l Sufficient motor transport equipment toaccomplish its mission.

l Limited general engineering capabilityrequired for the squadron’s mission.

l Routine and limited emergency medicalsupport.

l Service company, H&S battalion, FSSG,provides service support.

Concept of Employment. The MWSS provides allA G S , i n c l u d i n g e n g i n e e r i n g , t o d e s i g n a t e dcomponents of the ACE and simplifies commandrelationships by providing a single commander for allmatters pertaining to AGS.

ENGINEER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT ELEMENT

The multitude of tactical engineer tasks required tosupport air and ground forces far exceed the organicengineer capabilities of the Marine division andwing. Simultaneously, at the operational level of war,the force must be able to move between engagementsand battles within the context of the campaign.Creating operational mobility requires the synergismof the entire MAGTF; its engineers are vital to thateffort. By physically shaping the space between thebattles, engineers enable the force to rapidly move atw i l l — g e n e r a t i n g t e m p o a n d m o m e n t u m .Additionally, operational logistics involves thecreation of a logistical delivery system sufficient tosustain the force throughout the length of thecampaign and the breadth of the theater or area ofoperations. Marine and Navy engineers aid theope ra t iona l l og i s t i c s e f fo r t by c rea t ing andmaintaining the lines of communication and facilitiessuf f ic ien t to suppor t the movement o f thoseresources.


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The Engineer Support BattalionThe ESB exists to provide a combat engineeringcapability for the entire MAGTF. The battalionprovides the initial engineering support necessary tomeet the combat and general engineering, bulkliquid, and utility support requirements of theMAGTF.

Mission. The mission of the ESB is to providecombat engineering and limited general engineering,bulk liquid, and utility support to the MAGTF. TheESB performs the following tasks:

l Combat engineering support.l Standard and nonstandard bridging.l EOD support.l Handling, storing, and dispensing bulk fuel

(Class III and Class III[A]).l Tactical utility support.l Expeditionary vertical and horizontal

construction.

Organization. Figure 1-5 shows the organization ofthe ESB. The Bridging Company may be foundassigned as a Reserve unit vice an active fleet asset.

Command and Control. The staff administers,directs, and supervises operations of the battalion andengineer re inforcing elements . The bat ta l ionnormally operates under the centralized control of thebattalion commander. Engineer companies andplatoons are sometimes attached to combat servicesupport detachments in order to provide directsupport to units throughout the MAGTF.

Firepower. The ESB’s f i repower consis ts ofindividual weapons, machine guns, and l ightantiarmor weapons.

Mobility. Adequate ground transportation to moveessential command and operational elements isorganic to the battalion. External motor transportsupport is required to move all assets (e.g., bulk fuel[Classes III and Class III (A)], bulk water, bridging,and heavy engineer equipment).


l Organic supply support. l Organizational (1st and 2d echelon)

m a i n t e n a n c e o n o r g a n i c e q u i p m e n t ;Intermediate (3d and 4th echelon) maintenancesupport is provided by maintenance battalion,FSSG.


l Limited general engineering support.l Routine and limited emergency medical

support to the battalion. l Administrative, postal, and chaplain support to

the battalion.

Concept of Employment. The ESB providescombat and limited general engineering in generalsupport of the MAGTF. The battalion can provideseparate units to support specific requirements; i.e., acombat engineer company to reinforce the CEB orMWSG. The battalion regains operational control ofal l of i ts committed assets when the FSSG isestablished ashore. Operating under centralizedcontrol, the battalion gives depth to the overallengineering effort by providing the GCE and ACEengineer suppor t tha t exceeds the i r o rgan iccapabilities. The battalion works in concert with theNCF to provide comprehensive engineer support tothe MAGTF.

Figure 1-5. Organization of the Engineer Support Battalion.


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Headquarters and Service Company

Mission. The mission of H&S company is to providecommand and control, administration, and commandsupport functions for the ESB. The H&S companyalso provides EOD support to the MAGTF.

Concept of Employment. The H&S companyprovides the necessary command and control andcommand support functions for the coordination ofbattalion operations. Additionally, it provides EODsupport to the MAGTF by providing EOD personnelto fill T/O requirements or task-organized EODteams to support specialized missions.

Engineer Support Company

Mission. The mission of the engineer supportcompany is to provide direct maintenance support forspecified equipment organic to the battalion, directtransportation and services support to the battalion,and general support and/or reinforcing augmentationto the combat engineer companies of the battalion.The engineer support company is responsible formaintaining and providing—

l Engineer equipment for all units of thebattalion.

l Utility support throughout the MAGTF.

Concept of Employment. The engineer supportcompany provides task-organized elements as part ofa battalion unit that is capable of rendering combatengineering, general engineering, and utilitiescapabilities to the MAGTF.

Combat Engineer Company

Mission. The combat engineer company providescombat engineering and limited general engineeringsupport to the MAGTF.

Concept of Employment. The company normallyoperates under the centralized control of the ESB butcan operate independently when reinforced withequipment and personnel.

Bridge Company

Mission. The mission of the bridge company is toprovide standard bridging and ferrying support toenhance the mobility of the MAGTF.

Concept of Employment. The bridge companyprovides standard prefabricated bridge and ferryassets for the supported unit and limited constructionmanpower. When necessary, combat engineer

companies or o ther labor sources wi th in thesupported organization construct bridges and ferriesfrom bridge company assets.

Bulk Fuel Company

Mission. The mission of the bulk fuel company is toreceipt, store, and provide limited distribution of bulkfuel (Class I I I and Class I I I [A]) to MAGTFelements.

This support includes—

l Distribution to, but not within, air bases duringamphib ious opera t ions and subsequentoperations ashore.

l Distribution of Class III (A) products of therequired type, quality, and purity to supportedair elements.

Concept of Employment. The bulk fuel companyprovides detachments to the MAGTF’s CSSE.During amphibious operations, bulk fuel companyelements are responsible for receiving fuel from linesestablished by the amphibious construction battalionof the naval beach group at the high water mark. Theamount of fuel required and the systems necessary tosupport the requirement determine detachment size.Smaller detachments can use components of theexpeditionary refueling system (e.g., 500-gallonfabric fuel tanks) to establish forward vehiclerefueling points using either ground or helicoptertransportation. Normally, the entire company deploysto support a MEF.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon

Mission. The EOD platoon’s mission is to neutralizehazards associated with unexploded U.S. and foreignordnance and to disseminate technical information onenemy weapons and explosive ordnance material.This includes detection, identification, recovery,evacuation, and disposal of items of unexplodedo r d n a n c e . D i s p o s a l c a n i n c l u d e d i s a r m i n g ,destruction onsite, or removal and destruction offsite. Ordnance types include—

l Conventional.l Improvised.l Nuclear.l Biological.l Chemical.l Weapons situated in such a manner as to

constitute a hazard to personnel, installations,material, or operations that are beyond the


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capabi l i t ies of o ther components of theMAGTF organizations to neutralize.

EOD personnel support the MAGTF by providing—

l Enhanced mobility through ordnance disposal(conventional, improvised, nuclear, biological,and chemical [NBC]).

l Foreign ordnance information and/orintelligence through collection, evaluation, andexploitation.

l U.S. ordnance information and/or intelligencet h r o u g h c o l l e c t i o n , e v a l u a t i o n , a n dexploitation.

l Direct action (DA) role supporting MEU (SOC[special operations capable]) operations.

Concept of Employment . The EOD pla toonprovides task-organized teams to the combat servicesupport element of the MAGTF.

Naval Construction ForceJoint Pub 4-04, Joint Doctrine for Civil EngineeringSupport, describes the basis for NCF support to theFleet Marine Forces stating (see also publicationsMCWP 4-11.5/NWP 4-04.1, Seabee Operations inthe MAGTF):

In addition to, or coincident with, componentmissions specified by the Commander in Chief( C I N C ) , t h e N a v y p r o v i d e s g e n e r a lengineering support to MAGTFs. This supportconsists of NCF units under the operationalcontrol of a MAGTF . These NCF units arenecessary to re inforce and augment theMAGTF’s limited engineering capability.They are integral to the organization of theMAGTF and ensure immediate and effectivedelivery of CSS tasks. [emphasis added]

Terms of ReferenceAlthough an informal and deeply rooted relationshipbetween Marines and Seabees existed since WorldWar II, this relationship had no formal basis until1 May 1987 when the Marine Corps and Navyadopted the terms of reference (TOR). The overallobjective of the TOR is to achieve a coordinatedprogram ensuring the full and effective use of Seabeecapabilities when employed in support of MAGTFoperat ions . An evolving document , the TORprovides a means to address and resolve matters ofmutual concern related to Seabee operations in theMAGTF.

The TOR provides historical background for therelationship between Marines and Seabees and

describes the Seabees’ organizational and functionalcapabilities, to include those Seabee units that wouldnot normally be under the operational control of aMAGTF. It also establishes tactics, techniques, andprocedures aimed at improving the interoperability ofthe Mar ines and Seabees . For de ta i l s on theTOR, NCF organizations, and operations, seeMCWP 4-11.5/NWP 4-04.1, Seabee Operations inthe MAGTF.

Mission. Seabee units reinforce and augment thelimited general engineering capabilities of theMAGTF and broaden the naval civil engineeringspectrum of construction to enhance and sustainMAGTF operations ashore. Along with their generalengineering efforts, Seabees also contribute militaryand amphibious assault construction support andenhance the MAGTF’s capability to provide disasterrelief and forces for civic action operations.

Concept of Operations. As assets of Commander,United States Atlantic Fleet (LANTFLT) andCommander, United States Pacific Fleet (PACFLT),the Seabees consist of active and reserve operationalunits. Most units are under operational control(OPCON) of either Commander, Second NavalConstruction Brigade (COMSECONDNCB) orCommander, Third Naval Construction Brigade(COMTHIRDNCB) which are type commandersreporting directly to the two fleet commanders. Thebackbone of the Seabees is the naval constructionregiments (NCRs) and their highly capable NMCB.There are a lso several o ther types of Seabeeorganizations fulfilling varying roles and missions.Active NMCBs, deploying to four permanentoverseas deployment sites, constitute forwardpresence for the Seabees. An additional four NMCBsare in homeport status at any time, training forupcoming deployments. The bulk of the NCF isreserve units that provide additional and specializedc o n t i n g e n c y e n g i n e e r i n g a n d c o n s t r u c t i o ncapabilities.

Naval Construction RegimentThe NCR consists of two or more NMCBs and a CEoperating in a specific geographic area or operatingin support of a specific military operation. The NCRis the command and con t ro l e l ement fo r a l lsubordinate Seabee units assigned to support a MEF-sized MAGTF.

Mission. The mission of the CE is to developconstruction plans, assign construction projects toNMCBs , and d i r ec t r ed i s t r i bu t ion o f un i t s ’


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equipment and materials. The CE has a planning,estimating, and engineering capability above theNMCB’s.

Organization. Figure 1-6 i l lustrates the NCRorganization.

Combat Service Support Capabilities. Combatservice support capabilities provide—

l Organic supply support. The MAGTF G/S-4coordinates procurement of Class IV materialsfor tasked projects undertaken by subordinateSeabee units.

l Organizational and intermediate (first throughfourth echelon) maintenance on engineerorganizational equipment. Organizational( s e c o n d e c h e l o n ) m a i n t e n a n c e o fcommunications equipment and assignedweapons, less optical equipment.

l Organic transportation support to accomplishassigned missions. However, addi t ionalsupport is required to displace as an entire unit.

l Construction engineering only.l Self-adminis t ra t ion, l imi ted organic

disbursing, postal, security, legal, civil affairs,graves registration, and information systemssupport.

l Food services support to itself only.

CSS has no capability for organic medical or dentalcapabilities, it is dependent on collocated MEF and/or NMCB medical and dental assets.

Concept of Employment. The NCR CE is task-organized and equipped for employment as anassigned force in support of MEF-sized operations

when two or more NMCBs, operating in a specificarea, are supporting the MEF. The NCR CE structureprovides air- or surface-deployable elements insupport of a specific military operation.

Generally, the NCR CE can—

l Conduct operations in all climate extremes.l Maintain an organic table of allowance (TOA)

capable of sustaining operations planned orenvisioned under contingency or general warconditions for 60 days without resupply,except that Class I material is limited to 5 days,Class III is limited to 3 days, and Class V islimited to 15 days. Organic Class IV is limitedto those materials required to construct thecommand element’s base camp. Resupply pastthe time frames noted is the responsibility ofthe supported MAGTF.

l Perform its mission using basic individualprotective measures in a chemical, biological,a n d r a d i o l o g i c a l ( C B R ) - c o n t a m i n a t e denvironment for 30 days.

Depending on the unit size and scope of the NCFsupport, an NCR (or NMCB) may be assignedOPCON to the FSSG or designated as a separatemajor subordinate command (MSC) by the MAGTFor MEF commander.

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion The mission of the NMCB is to provide responsivemilitary construction support to Navy, Marine Corps,and other forces in military operations; to constructand maintain base facilities; to repair battle damagedfacilities and to conduct limited defensive operationsas required by the circumstances of the deploymentsituation. It can also accomplish disaster control andrecovery efforts when required. Specifically, theNMCB—

l Performs tactical construction including pre-engineered buildings, bunkers, and towers;horizontal construction including unpavedroads and expeditionary airfields for fixed- androtary wing aircraft consisting of mat runwaysand taxiways, helicopter landing areas, parkingaprons, revetments, and FARPs; contingencystaging facilities such as ammunition supplypoints (ASPs); power generation and waterpurification systems; beach improvements,beach exits, helicopter pads, and minor roadsand camps; installation of standard bridging(e.g., medium girder bridges [MGBs]) and

Figure 1-6. Observation of the Naval Construction Regiment.


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non-standard bridging; and maintenance,repair, and construction of MSRs.

l Performs base construction, to includep r e - engineered bui ldings, concrete andmasonry buildings, and steel and concrete non-standard bridging; horizontal constructionincluding asphalt roads, asphalt and concreterunways, and paved storage, s taging, orparking areas; and base power plant, sewageand water systems, water purification anddesalination systems, and wire communicationsystems.

l Performs construction engineering includingsurveying and drafting; materials testing; andplanning, estimating, and designing for localexpedient projects.

l Performs specialized construction includingwell-drilling operations and other operations oflimited scope (e.g., batch plant, quarry, rockcrusher, dredging, block plant, sawmill, andpile driving operations).

l Conducts war damage repair (WDR) and RRRoperations to include repairs to base camputility systems; Petroleum, oils, and lubricants(POL) and bulk liquid distribution and storagesystems; and communications facilities.

The NMCB normally functions as an integral unit.The NMCB generally consists of a headquarterscompany, one equipment company, one shop and

u t i l i t i e s company , and two to th ree gene ra lconstruction companies. See figure 1-7.

Combat service support capabilities provide—

l Organic supply support. Procurement of ClassIV materials for tasked projects is coordinatedwith the supported MAGTF G/S-4.

l Organizational and intermediate (first throughfourth echelon) maintenance for engineerorganic equipment and for naval constructionfor a support unit (NCFSU) augmentationequipment, as well as organizational (secondechelon) maintenance of communicationsequipment and assigned weapons, less opticalequipment.

l Organic transportation equipment toaccomplish assigned missions and tasks.

l Construction engineering l Routine and limited organic emergency

medical and dental support . Has l imitedancillary capability (e.g., laboratory and Xray).

l Self-administration, organic ship services,disbursing, postal, legal, chaplain, and gravesregistration services support. The NMCB iscapable of providing food services support toitself and collocated NCF units.

The NMCB can function as an integral unit of theNCR or operate as a separate unit. The NMCB can

Figure 1-7. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion.


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provide task-organized detachments, up to 50 percentof its organizational size, to address specific supportrequirements. Nearly 85 percent of each NMCB candeploy as an a i r echelon v ia s t ra tegic a i r l i f t(approximately 87 C-141, 44 C-17, or 30 C-5equivalent lifts), with the remaining 15 percent(known as the sea echelon) following via sealift.Additionally, the NMCB—

l Conducts operations in climate extremesranging from cold weather to tropical or desertenvironments.

l Maintains an organic TOA capable ofsustaining construction operations planned orenvisioned under contingency or general warconditions for 60 days without resupply,except that Class I material is limited to 5 days,Class III is limited to 3 days, and Class V islimited to 15 days. Class IV is limited to thosematerials required to construct the NMCB’sbase camp. Resupply past the time framesnoted is the responsibility of the supportedMAGTF’s G-4, to be coordinated through thecognizant NCR’s command element if theN M C B i s t a s k - o r g a n i z e d i n a n a v a lconstruction regiment.

l Conducts construction operations in aMOOTW environment and in unsecured andisolated locations without protection of thesupported MAGTF.

SPECIALIZED COMMAND AND SUPPORT OF ENGINEER ORGANIZATIONS

The concept of task organization dictates that themission parameters drive the decision on the bestway to organize MAGTF elements to support them i s s i o n . A n u m b e r o f c o m b a t a n d s u p p o r torganizations have proven effective in facilitatingtimely and adaptive engineer support. Two of thoseorganizations, engineer groups and liaisons, can havea great impact on small- and large-scale engineeroperations.

Engineer GroupsAn engineer group is a large, task-organized unit ofcombat support and CSS units from available MarineCorps, NCF, and engineer attachments from otherU.S. military forces and host nation assets. The groupsupports a specific operation and disbands at the endof the operation. The establishment of an engineergroup to support operations requiring extensivee n g i n e e r s u p p o r t c a n p r o v i d e t h e M A G T Fcommander with better visibility of infrastructurerequirements and development and greater flexibilitymanaging scarce engineer resources.

LiaisonLiaison is not a specific command and controlstructure in normal MAGTF organizations, but itprovides advantages to the commander that wouldnot otherwise exist. Liaison is the contact maintainedbetween military force elements to provide mutualunderstanding and unity of purpose and action.Liaison between maneuver forces and engineer unitsensures identification of operational requirementsand aids in resource management. Formal andinformal contact between staffs and commands athigher, lower, adjacent, supporting, and supportedcommand levels is essential to the planning andexecution of military operations. Engineer staffs andcommands should develop temporary and permanentliaison elements to facilitate engineer planning andeffective communications.

The introduction of allied, host nation, and non-government engineer assets in the AO may requirethe use of liaison staffs. This enables the MAGTFcommander to better understand and use all engineersupport available in the AO. Political constraints,command structure, statutory restrictions, or othercircumstances may prevent the MAGTF commanderfrom exercising direct command over non-MAGTFassets. Liaison provides a means for commanders toefficiently coordinate and plan the use of these otherassets while the existing command structure fulfillsthe commander’s request for support. Liaison staffsare an organizational structure, not under directcommand, that monitor the MAGTF’s interest.

Chapter 2

Engineer Information

Engineer information is the result of organizing,collating, comparing, processing, analyzing, andfiltering raw data requested by or provided byengineer units. It is then related to specific militaryactivities and used by commanders in planningmilitary operations and construction. Engineerinformation is comprehensive—it covers fields andlevels of MAGTF engineering activity. It is also apart of geospatial intelligence. Engineer informationincludes, but is not limited to—

l Terrain, encompassing the location, identity,and physica l descr ip t ion of na tura l andmanmade features.

l Research, design, and employment ofmaterials; techniques corresponding to thatmaterial; and techniques of interest and use toengineers.

l Order of battle of engineer units and similarinformation on civilian organizations capableof performing engineer missions.

INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION OF THE BATTLESPACE

Intelligence preparation of the battlespace (IPB) is asystematic and continuous approach to analyzing theenemy, weather, and terrain in a specific geographicarea. IPB uses enemy doctrinal norms and orders ofbattle to template enemy forces. It also attempts toant icipate their capabi l i t ies and predict theirintentions. Engineers must understand the G/S-2doctrinal and situation template to analyze threatcapabilities and the order of battle. The situationtemplate becomes the foundation for the G/S-2 andengineer coordination. For example, obstacleintelligence and templating are developed in concertwith the G/S-2’s templating of a motorized riflebattalion’s defense. The engineer G/S-2 will use thesituation template to further develop intelligencer e q u i r e m e n t s ( I R s ) , p r i o r i t y i n t e l l i g e n c erequirements (PIRs), and named areas of interest(NAIs) to support the event template and thecollection plan. The engineer will ensure obstacleinte l l igence col lec t ion is in tegrated in to thecollection plan.

The IPB consists of the following three elements:

l Modified combined obstacle overlay.l Enemy mission and capabilities.l Friendly capabilities.

ENGINEER BATTLESPACE ASSESSMENT

The engineer battlespace assessment (EBA) isdeveloped in conjunction with the IPB, and focuseson engineer-specific intelligence. The engineerdevelops facts and assumptions and supports the IPBprocess by analyzing the terrain and weather andassess ing the i r impac t on mi l i t a ry eng inee roperations.

The engineer will analyze the terrain using thefollowing five military aspects of terrain:

l Key terrain. l Observation and fields of fire.l Cover and concealment. l Obstacles.l Avenues of approach (AA).

Terrain analysis reduces the uncertainties regardingthe effects of natural and manmade terrain onfriendly and enemy operations.

Modified Combined Obstacle Overlay Analyzing the military aspects of the terrain isaccomplished primarily through preparing themodified combined obstacle overlay (MCOO)deve loped by the G/S-2 wi th the engineer ’sassistance. The MCOO graphically identifies AAs,cross-country mobility classifications, mobilitycorridors, and existing and future obstacle systems. Aslope overlay can determine trafficability andintervisibility for intelligence collection, targetacquisition, weapons capabilities, and obstacleintegration. These products will be used for COAdevelopment and analysis.

Enemy Mission and CapabilitiesThe second component of the EBA is to analyze thethreat engineer mission and capabilities. The firststep is to understand the enemy’s mission and


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consider its doctrinal use of engineers. The engineerstaff uses the G/S-2’s doctrinal and situation templateto develop the threat engineer order of battle. Theengineer staff officer will further assess the enemy’smobi l i ty , countermobi l i ty , and survivabi l i tycapabilities and template the enemy’s engineereffort. In coordination with the G/S-2, engineers willrecommend IR and/or PIRs, attempt to augment thereconnaissance effort, and monitor the collectioneffort to confirm or deny the situation template.

In the defense, the engineer templates the enemy’s—

l Mobility capabilities and locations.l Use of scatterable mine (SCATMINE) and

other mines.l Engineers in the reconnaissance effort.l High-value targets (HVT) (e.g., bridging and

breaching assets).

In the offense, the engineer templates the enemy’s—

l Tactical and protective obstacle effort andreinforcing fires.

l Use of SCATMINE and other mines.l Survivability and fortification effort.

Friendly CapabilitiesFr iendly capabi l i t i es a re based on ava i lab lemanpower, equipment, resources, and training.Specific friendly considerations include relationshipbetween survivability and countermobility (e.g.,construct antitank ditch versus construct hull defiladepositions versus construct turret defilade positions).The engineer staff uses the information developed inthe miss ion ana lys is to produce the f r iendlycapabilities analysis. While task-organizing theengineer organizations, the engineer staff considersthe possibil i ty of addit ional support from themaneuver force and the higher-ranking engineer.Engineers must also consider the availability ofcritical resources. After determining the total assetsavailable, the engineer staff uses planning factors orknown unit work rates to determine the friendlycapabilities.

The engineer staff officer combines the analysis ofthe terrain and the enemy and friendly capabilities toform facts and assumptions about—

l Enemy engineer effort and the most probableenemy COA.

l Critical friendly and enemy tactical events.

l Enemy vulnerabilities.l Potential effect of these factors on the mission.

The facts-and-assumptions process is lengthy, andthe engineer staff must focus on the informationrequired by the maneuver commander and thecommander’s staff to make decisions. The EBA is acontinuous process. Each time new information iscollected, the engineer must evaluate the impact and/or effect on the mission and refine the facts andassumptions as necessary.

TARGETING

The purpose of targeting is to attack vulnerableenemy installations, units, or equipment that bestsupport the mission’s accomplishment. The targetingeffor t is focused on the commander’s intent .Targeting is “The process of selecting targets andmatching the appropriate response to them, takingaccount of operational requirements and capabilities.The analysis of enemy situations relative to thecommander’s mission, objectives, and capabilities atthe commander’s disposal, to identify and nominatespecific vulnerabilities that, if exploited, willaccomplish the commander’s purpose throughdelaying, disrupting, disabling, or destroying enemyforces or resources critical to the enemy. See alsojoint targeting coordination board.” (JP 1-02)

The engineer’s role in the targeting process isanalyzing facility targets and providing targetinginformation on obstacle plans to the fire supportcoordinator (FSC). Target analysis examinespotential targets to determine military importance,priority of attack, and weapon effects required toobtain a desired level of damage. The engineer staffmust analyze the loss or damage to terrain, facilities,and infrastructure and their effect on the mobility,survivability, and sustainability of the force. If thefacility or infrastructure is only targeted for damage,the engineer staff needs to determine the level ofdestruction the target can withstand yet be repairablewith organic engineer capabilities for friendly use.

The engineer s taf f must provide the FSC thefollowing information on obstacles for inclusion inthe target list:

l Location.l Altitude.


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l Description (type of obstacle andconstruction).

l Vulnerability.l Recovery time (estimated time for the enemy

to repair obstacle).

l Accessibility (location of the obstacles to otherterrain or cultural features that may limit thedirection or angle of attack).

l Importance.

(reverse blank)

Chapter 3

Engineering Reconnaissance

Engineer reconnaissance collects data that providesengineers within a MAGTF information on terrain,hydrographics, meteorological, and infrastructure(e.g. , built-up areas, transportation networks,utilities, existing natural or manmade obstacles)necessary to support the commanders with theirplanning for ongoing or future operations. Engineerreconnaissance is vi tal to successful MAGTFoperations. The following are the fundamentals ofengineer reconnaissance:

l Orient on the location or movement of theobjectives relative to engineers.

l Discover gaps and other weaknesses in enemydispositions.

l Confirm trafficability and other terraincharacteristics.

l Report all information accurately.l Avoid decisive engagement.l Develop situation and rapidly—

n Deploy.n Reconnoiter.n Take a course of action.n Report.n Egress.

RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS

The reconnaissance mission relates not only to thee n g i n e e r m o b i l i t y m i s s i o n b u t a l s o t ocountermobility, survivability, and general engineermissions. See MCRP 3-17A/FM 5-34, EngineerField Data, and MCRP 3-17B, Engineer Forms andReports , for the appropriate forms to support thefollowing missions.

Route Reconnaissance

Route reconnaissance obtains information aboutenemy obstacles (including NBC contamination),route conditions, and critical terrain features along aspecif ic route . The techniques are less t ime-consuming and are performed more rapidly thanother types of reconnaissance. Imagery, maps, andintelligence studies identify likely beach, landingzone, or inland exits and movement routes.

Zone ReconnaissanceZone reconnaissance is used when the enemy’slocation is in doubt or if it is desired to locate suitableroutes or determine conditions of cross-countrytrafficability. It obtains detailed information aboutroutes, obstacles, key terrain, and enemy activity in azone established by definite lateral boundaries.

Area ReconnaissanceArea reconnaissance obtains detailed informationabout all routes, obstacles, and enemy forces withinany clearly defined area. Details can include size andlayout of towns; types, densities, and locations ofwoods; or possible fording sites of water obstacles. Itis the most time-consuming of the three types ofreconnaissance. Types of area reconnaissanceinclude—

Water Reconnaissance. Initially, the landing forceb r i n g s p o t a b l e w a t e r a s h o r e . E n g i n e e rreconnaissance locates and develops additional watersources ashore. Ground engineer reconnaissanceconfirms sources previously determined by aerialphotos, maps, and intelligence studies.

Engineer Material Reconnaissance. Engineerreconnaissance locates sources of lumber, timbers,standing timber, gravel, rock, sand, and other localconstruction materials. It may also locate enemyengineer construction equipment and/or facilitiessuch as parts stores, asphalt or concrete batch plants,and heavy machinery.

Airf ie ld Si te Reconnaissance. Air f ie ld s i teselection begins prior to friendly forces going ashore.This can be accomplished by studying maps, photos,and products from other imagery and intelligencesources and flying over the site. Because micro-terrain can severely affect airfield operations, finalselection is not done until physical reconnaissanceconfirms the utility of the landing sites designatedprior to the assault and quantifies upgrade and/orrepair requirements.

Reconnaissance ConsiderationsAn important consideration in all reconnaissanceact ivi t ies is the impact of large quanti t ies ofunexploded ordnance. The EOD support in the


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MAGTF should be involved in evaluating the impacto f t h i s o n a n y m i s s i o n . R e c o n n a i s s a n c econsiderations for missions also include—

l Mobility—n Route reconnaissance. Enemy obstacle

barrier reconnaissance.n Bypasses identification.

l Countermobility—n Barrier Planning.n Target and/or obstacle folders and target

analysis.

l Survivability—n Friendly forces emplacement.

l General Engineering—n Utility assets location.n Water points location.n Local construct ion mater ia ls

identification.n Existing facilities location.

OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS

Engineer reconnaissance in the offense should beplaced far enough forward of the maneuver elementsperform proper route and obstacle reconnaissance.This must be done in order to return information tothe rear in a timely manner. Engineer reconnaissanceshould have the capability to—

l Provide a detailed report of all existing andreinforcing obstacles along the maneuver

element’s axis of attack. The reports shouldinclude estimates for breaching.

l Provide information on routes along the axis ofadvance that may influence the commander’splan such as vulnerabilities and critical chokepoints.

l Provide information on water, electric, fuel,and other engineer resources.

l Locate bypasses far enough in advance of thel e a d e l e m e n t t o p r e v e n t s l o w i n g t h emomentum of the maneuver element’s attack.

l Provide information about the countermobilitycapability of the enemy.

The major use of the engineer reconnaissance in thedefense is to provide information for the obstacleand/or barr ier plan. This information may beobtained forward of the forward edge of the battlearea (FEBA), to the rear of the FEBA, or to theflanks. Specific requirements in the defense are—

l Detailed information on choke points.l Detailed demolition estimates for the creation

of obstacles.l Resources for obstacle construction.l Routes in support of a retrograde or lateral

movement.l Route reconnaissance on likely avenues of

approach for the enemy.l Enemy’s breaching capability.l Obstacle emplacement in the enemy’s rear

capability.l Close lanes in obstacles during delay and/or

defend operations.

Chapter 4

Combat Engineering Operations

“Every successful military operation is directed toward a clearly defined, decisive,and attainable objective. The ultimate military objective is to defeat the enemy’s forcesor destroy his will to fight.”

—MCWP 3-1, Ground Combat Operations

Combat engineering is an integral part of theMAGTF’s ability to maneuver. Combat engineersenhance the force’s momentum by physicallyshaping the battlespace to make the most efficientuse of the space and time necessary to generate massand speed while denying the enemy unencumberedmaneuver. By improving the battlespace, combatengineers accelerate the concentration of combatpower, increasing the velocity and tempo of the forcenecessary to exploit critical enemy vulnerabilities.By reinforcing the natural restr ic t ions of thebattlespace, combat engineers limit the enemy’sabili ty to generate tempo and velocity. Theselimitations increase the enemy’s reaction time andphysically and psychologically degrade his will tofight.

BARRIER, OBSTACLES, AND MINES

“Employment of barriers, obstacles, and minewarfare can, in concert with other capabilities,enhance a commander’s ability to mass combatpower, sustain the force, conduct offensive ordefensive operations, achieve surprise, and use keyterrain, airfields, or sea routes. A commander mustconsider both friendly and enemy employment ofthese capabilities in preparing plans and conductingoperations.” (JP 3-15, Joint Doctrine for Barriers,Obstacles, and Mine Warfare) Barriers, obstacles,and mines have a significant impact on operations.C o m m a n d e r s m u s t c o n s t a n t l y c o n s i d e r t h eadvantages and disadvantages of their employmentand countering them during planning and execution.

Barriers, obstacles, and mines—

l Inflict significant equipment and psychologicaldamage and personnel casualties on the enemywith minimal risk to friendly forces.

l Extend, strengthen, and deepen other defensiveand offensive measures to support the conceptof operations.

l Immobilize the enemy until barriers, obstacles,or minefields are bypassed, breached, orcleared.

l Exploit geographic features.l Free forces for other employment.l Create uncertainty for the enemy commander.

Disadvantages of barriers, obstacles, and minesinclude—

l Amount of time, material, equipment, andtransportation that their creation and removalcan consume. Creation and removal will bemanpower-intensive and hazardous.

l Bypassability, breachability, or clearability.l Unintended casualties to friendly forces and

noncombatants, as well as limited friendlymobility.

l Defensive minefields must be rendered safefollowing their operational usefulness. (JP3-15, Joint Doctrine for Barriers, Obstacles,and Mine Warfare )

Rules of Engagement

Rules of engagement (ROE) are mission-orientedand action-specific directive guidance that authorizeand delineate the circumstances and limitations of theuse of force. ROE are published by the geographiccombatant commander based on guidance from theNational Command Authorities. MCRP 5-12.1A/FM27-10, The Law of Land Warfare, and JP 3-15p r o v i d e d e t a i l s o n t h e r u l e s g o v e r n i n g t h eemployment of barriers, obstacles, and mines.Commanders should address the authority to emplacebarriers, obstacles, and mines in operation plan(OPLAN) development and when determining post-hostility ROE.


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Planning ConsiderationsTo achieve the maximum effect from a barrier,obstacle, or minefield—

l Form barriers, obstacles, and minefieldsaround an exis t ing terrain feature (e .g . ,mountain chain or a strait) or a manmadestructure (e.g., air base, canal, highway, orbridge).

l Cover them with observation and fire. Fieldsnot covered by observation and fire are rarelyeffective.

l Analyze the friendly and enemy forces’ abilityto maneuver on land and sea or to conducteffective air operations.

Offensive considerations include—

l Enhancing and protecting the friendly force’sability to maneuver.

l Preventing enemy reinforcement orcounterattack.

l Facilitating economy of force.l Providing security.l Degrading enemy air and naval capabilities.l Fixating on the enemy.

Defensive considerations include—

l Directing toward degrading the enemy’sability to maneuver.

l Integrating systems of barriers, obstacles,minefields, and fires.

l Identifying reinforcing obstacles andminefields early.

l Identifying assets to restore the integrity of abarrier, obstacle, or minefield if breached bythe enemy.

l Creating massive obstacles in land operations.

OBSTACLES

Obstacles are any physical objects that impede themobility of a force.

Categories of Obstacles

Existing Obstacles. Existing obstacles are obstaclesthat are present on the battlefield as inherent aspectsof the terrain. The two types of existing obstacles arenatural and cultural. Natural obstacles are terrainfeatures, such as rivers, forests, or mountains.

Cultural obstacles are manmade terrain features, suchas towns, canals, railroad embankments, or buildings.

Reinforcing Obstacles. Reinforcing obstacles areobstacles specifically constructed, emplaced, ordetonated by military forces. The categories ofreinforcing obstacles are—

l Tactical. The primary purposes of tacticalobstacles are to restrict enemy maneuver andmult ip ly the effects and capabi l i t ies offirepower.

l Protective. Hasty or Temporary obstaclescreated next to positions to protect defendingforces.

l Deliberate. More permanent obstacles createdat strong points or fixed sites.

l Phony Obstacles. Units may also use phonyobstacles that give the appearance of actualobstacles but require only minimal resources toemplace.

Obstacle Effects

Tactical obstacles and fires manipulate the enemy ina way that supports the commander’s intent andscheme of maneuver. The intended effect that thecommander wants the obstacles and fires to have onthe enemy is called the obstacle effect. Obstacleeffects—

l Drive integration. l Focus subordinates’ fires.l Focus obstacle effort. l Multiply the effects of firepower.

Obstacle effects occur because of fires and obstacles,not just obstacles alone. All tactical obstaclesproduce one of the following obstacle effects (seefig. 4-1):

Disrupt—focuses fire planning and obstacle effort tocause the enemy to break up formation and tempo,interrupt t imetable , commit breaching assetsprematurely, and piecemeal the attack.

Turn—integrates fire planning and obstacle effort todivert an enemy formation.

Fix—focuses fire planning and obstacle effort toslow an attacker within a specified area, normally anengagement area.

Block—integrates fire planning and obstacle effort tostop an attacker along a specific AA or prevent himfrom passing through an engagement area.


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OBSTACLE PLANNING

Commanders and staffs consider the use of obstacleswhen planning offensive and defensive operations.During the decis ionmaking process , obstaclep lann ing i s incorpora ted to ensure obs tac leintegration effectiveness and that the obstacle plan isflexible enough to allow changes during the phasesof the operat ion. Obstacle p lanning requiresintegrating information from the staff and includes—

l Intelligence— n AA (friendly and enemy). n Enemy combat power. n Location of enemy forces (location and

formation). n Enemy objectives, main effort, and options.

n NAI and/or target areas of interest (TAI)and/or decision points (DPs).

n Enemy vulnerabilities and enemy DPs.n Enemy breaching capabilities. n Time in the battle zone that friendly and/or

enemy forces will be active.

l Logistics—n Type and quantity of material available.n Location of the material. n Where the material is required. n Distance from current location to required

location. n Transportation assets available to move the

material. n Schedule for moving the material.n Availability of personnel.n Availability of construction equipment.

Figure 4-1. Obstacle Effects.


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l Fire Support—n Total fire-support capability (such as

batteries, battalions, attack helicopters, orfixed-wing sorties).

n Family of scatterable mines (FASCAM)capable assets (artillery- or air-delivered;priority of fires, and deployment authority).

l Engineers—n Terrain analysis. n Enemy engineer mission and mobility and/

or survivability capabilities. n Friendly mobility and/or survivability

capabilities.

Obstacle-Control MeasuresObstacle-control measures are used to ensure thatsubordinates emplace obstacles that support thehigher commander’s scheme of maneuver and that donot interfere with future operations. Obstacle controlmeasures are groups, belts, and zones (see fig. 4-2).

Obstacle Groups. Obstacle groups are two or moreobstacles grouped to provide a specific obstacleeffect. For example, three obstacles are planned toturn the enemy into the battalion’s AO. While eachobstacle could have a different effect such as fix,turn, disrupt, or block, the overall effect would turnthe enemy into a kill zone.

Obstacle Belts . Obstacle belts are a collection ofobstacle groups that provide a specific effect. In thesame way that obstacle groups use individualobstacles to achieve a desired effect, a series ofgroups are used to disrupt, turn, fix, or block theenemy on a larger scale. Belts are also a controlmeasure for the regimental commanders to constraintactical obstacle employment. They plan obstacleb e l t s w i t h i n a s s i g n e d A O t o g r a n t o b s t a c l eemplacement authority to their major subordinateunits to achieve a specific effect and/or outcome.Obstacle belts also focus obstacles in support of theregiment’s scheme of maneuver and ensure thatobstacles do not interfere with the maneuver ofhigher headquarters (HQ).

Obstacle Zones. Obstacle zones are used in theinfantry division plan and are composed of a group ofobstacle belts. Divisions plan obstacle zones basedon regimental AO and ensure they do not impedefuture operations.

Situational ObstaclesSituational obstacles are obstacles that units plan andpossibly prepare before starting an operation;however, do not execute unless specific criteria aremet. The commander can use situational obstacles toattack an enemy vulnerability, exploit success,separate follow-on enemy forces, or provide flankprotection. Unlike directed or reserve obstacles, a

Figure 4-2. Obstacle Groups, Belts, and Zones.


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situational obstacle may be executed. Normally, unitsplan several situational obstacles that rely on thesame assets for emplacement. This allows thecommander to shift scarce assets to the locationwhere he needs them the most. When planning,preparing, and executing situational obstacles,commanders and staffs—

l Identify the need and prioritize.

l Plan for appropriate resources.

l Integrate the obstacle with friendly fires.

l Plan the obstacle.

l Identify obstacle execution triggers.

l Withhold execution of the obstacle until it isneeded.

MINE WARFARE

Note: The United States (U.S.) military does NOTemploy non-self destructing antipersonnel landmines (NSDAPLs). All instruction and training onthe employment of NSDAPLs by the U.S. will stop.However, it is understood that allies of the U.S. aswell as other nations of the world continue to usethese weapons. Therefore, it is imperative thatUSMC engineers understand the mechanics andstandard layout of minefields containing NSDAPLs.It is also imperative that USMC engineers continueto train to breach and clear ALL types of mines.

Land mines are a unique weapon system in thebattlespace. They are inexpensive, easy to use, and ascomplex or simple as the user needs. Mines can beemployed miles ahead of the FLOT to disrupt, fix,turn, or block the momentum of the enemy withoutendangering friendly forces. Land mines can silentlyreinforce ground forces deceptively creating surfacesthat appear as gaps, or be hidden in streams and surfto deny the transit of the shallow water areas.Psychologically, mines can unnerve a force creatinguncertainty, low morale, and even an unwillingnessto fight. Most importantly, they are used by friendlyand enemy forces.

Combat engineers are responsible for employing orcountering the use of this weapon in support ofoffensive and defensive operat ions. Detai ledplanning and coordination are required with all levelsof command to ensure the use and location of themines supports the operation.

Conventional Mine Categories

Standard land mines consist of a small amount ofh i g h e x p l o s i v e s c o n t a i n e d i n a m e t a l l i c o rnonmetallic casing, fitted with a fuze and/or a firingdevice for actuation by enemy vehicles or personnel.

Antipersonnel Mines. Antipersonnel mines consistof a small amount of high explosives in a container,fitted with a detonating fuze arranged for actuationby pressure, release of pressure by pulling on atripwire, or release of tension.

Antitank Mines. Antitank mines consist of a chargeof high explosives in a metallic or nonmetallic case.Antitank mines require a pressure of 290 to 500pounds to actuate a detonation. There are a variety ofantitank mine fuzing systems (e.g., pressure, tilt-rodassembly, magnetic influence).

Chemical Mines. Chemical mines are antipersonnelmines with target contact or command-detonatedfuses. They are filled with a persistent chemicalagent (nerve agent or blister agent). National policy,as announced by the theater commander, will governthe use of chemical mines in the joint operating areaor amphibious operation area. When authorized, theyare normal ly used in defense and re t rogradeoperations, and mixed with high explosive mines toform a combined high explosive chemical minefield.Adding chemical mines to existing high explosiveminefields is done by laying additional strips ofchemical mines in a random pattern, or by addinghigh explosive-chemical strips to the front or rear ofexisting fields. Chemical mines may be included intactical, interdiction or point minefields, but not inprotective minefields. When an integrated highexplosive-chemical minefield is laid, it discouragesthe use of explosive rapid mine clearing devices. Useof such devices creates a chemical hazard in the area.High explosive mines reduce the speed of enemyforces crossing the minefield. Speed is furtherreduced by forcing the enemy to use protectiveclothing and masks.

Anti-helicopter Mines. Anti-helicopter mines(AHM) have been prefabricated using explosivesconfigured to direct projectile material (nails, metalscrap, rocks, etc.) toward airborne targets. First usedin Vietnam, they were actuated by the rotor wash ofdescending helicopters into potential landing zones.AHM systems currently under development will useacoustic sensors and have a range more than 200meters. Antitank mines may also have their tilt rods


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fitted with a small parachute that will catch the rotorwash and activate the mine.

Family of Scatterable Mines. FASCAM type minesare air, artillery, mechanical or hand emplaced. Theycan be either antipersonnel or antitank mines. TheU.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps allemploy a variety of FASCAM systems. Three of themost common FASCAM systems employed by theU.S. Marine Corps are described in appendix A.

Purpose of Minefields

In land warfare, a minefield is an area of groundcontaining mines laid with or without a pattern.They are the most effective means of reinforcing theterrain to stop, slow, or channelize the enemy intoareas where he can be killed. Mines and minefieldscan and should be emplaced where and whenever thetactical situation dictates. Additional information onthe employment of mines and minefields can beo b t a i n e d i n F M 2 0 - 3 2 , M i n e / C o u n t e r m i n eOperations , and FM 90-13-1, Combined ArmsBreaching Operations.

Classification of Minefields

Minefields are classified according to their tacticalpurpose.

Hasty Protective Minefield. Used as a part of aunit’s defensive perimeter to give close-in protectionand warning, a hasty protective minefield is usuallyemplaced by squad-sized units. It is laid on shortnotice, for a l imited t ime, and mines must bedetectable. If time permits, the mines should beburied or camouflaged, but they can be laid on top ofthe ground in a random pattern. No antihandlingdevices are used. The mines are employed outsidehand grenade range, but within small arms range. AMinefield Record Form (DA Form 1355, March 87)is prepared and held as a record at the company level.Copies are forwarded to the approving (normallybattalion-level) headquarters. Several Marinesshould know the exact location of each mine. Asauthorized by the GCE, a battalion commander cannormal ly approve the emplacement o f has typrotective minefields.

Del iberate Protect ive Minef ie ld . This typeminefield is used to protect static installations such asairfields, ammunition depots, etc. The mines arenormally emplaced by engineers in standard patternsand remain so for an extended time. The minefield isusually fenced, marked, and covered by fire and

observation. FASCAM type mines will not normallybe used in deliberate protective minefields.

Point Minefield. Point minefields are used todisorganize enemy forces and hinder enemy use ofkey areas. They are of irregular size and shape andinclude all types of antitank and antipersonnel mines,as well as antihandling devices. They are used toreinforce obstacles or rapidly block an enemy AA.Marine infantry personnel may be required toprovide security and/or assist engineers in theinstallation of a point minefield to expedite itscons t ruc t i on . FASCAM mines may be u sedexclusively or in conjunction with standard mines toconstruct, reseed, close breached lanes or augment apoint minefield.

Interdict ion Minefield. These minefields areemplaced by special operations forces in enemy-heldareas. They are designed to kill, disorganize, anddisrupt lines of communications and degrade theefficiency of command and control facilities. Combatengineers assist in the planning and execution oft a c t i c a l o p e r a t i o n s e m p l o y i n g i n t e r d i c t i o nminefields. FASCAM type mines may be usedexclusively or in conjunction with conventionalmines to construct an interdiction minefield.

Phony Minefield. A phony minefield is an area ofground used to simulate a live minefield and deceivethe enemy. Phony minefields can supplement ore x t e n d l i v e m i n e f i e l d s a n d a r e u s e d w h e nconstruct ion t ime, effort , or material for l iveminefields is limited. Marine infantry personnel maybe required to provide securi ty and/or ass is tengineers in the installation of a phony minefield toexpedite its construction.

Minefield InstallationEngineer organizations are currently only capable ofinstalling minefields by hand emplacement. Theexact location, size, type, fuzing, and antitamperingdevices on each mine should be accurately recorded.This information is extremely useful if the fieldrequires future maintenance. Normally, a minefield isconsidered effective if 60 percent of the minesemplaced are still functional. Although slow, time-consuming, and a significant logistic burden, thehand emplaced minefield offers one major advantageto maneuver warfare over other mechanical, artillery,or air delivered systems (e.g., FASCAM). Lanes canbe constructed and accurately identified, thuseliminating the minefield as an obstacle to theM A G T F c o m m a n d e r y e t m a i n t a i n i n g i t s


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e f f e c t i v e n e s s a s a n o b s t a c l e t o t h e e n e m y .Minefields, regardless of how they are constructed,are obstacles used by the commander to shape thebattlefield.

Marking of MinefieldsWhen enemy minefields are discovered in any area tothe rear of positions along the forward edge of thebattle area (FEBA), an immediate spot report will beinitiated and, time permitting, the discovering unitwill attempt to mark the outer boundary of the minedarea. The following guidelines govern the marking ofstandard minefields.

Minefields to the Rear of Positions Along theFEBA. At the time of laying, the minefield must becompletely fenced on all sides with two strands ofbarbed wire or concertina. To avoid indicating theexact boundary of the field, the fence does not followthe minefield trace exactly. The fence is not less than15 meters from the nearest mine. The top strand ofbarbed wire fence is about waist-high, the lowerstrand about ankle-high. Standard mine markingsigns spaced approximately 10 to 50 meters apart,depending upon terrain, are hung on the upper strandwith the word “Mines” facing away from the field.As an alternative to barbed wire fencing, concertinawire may be used. The distance between lanemarkers and marking signs is determined by terrainand visibility conditions. Minefield lanes in rearareas are fenced on both sides, and the fences arelinked with the minefield perimeter fencing atentrances and exits. In addition, lane entrances andexits, as well as the passage itself, are marked withsigns to indicate the safe and dangerous sides. Indarkness or poor vis ibi l i ty , lane markers areilluminated. In non-English speaking areas, signs inthe native language must also be erected. It may benecessary to post guards at lane entrances to preventfriendly personnel from entering dangerous areas.Additionally, large animals and/or animal herds mayrequire modified or additional fencing to preventtheir entry into mined areas.

Minefields Forward of Positions Along the FEBA.Minefields forward of positions along the FEBA areusually fenced on the friendly side and/or the flanksas necessary to protect friendly troops. Theseminefields may also be completely enclosed toinfluence the enemy to bypass the field. Lanes inforward areas are marked inconspicuously becauseuse of standard methods would expose lane locationsto the enemy. Suggested methods of lane markinginclude placing wire, tape, or closely spaced objects

on the ground on each side of the lane, with an easilyidentifiable lane entrance made by markers such aspickets wrapped with tape or piles of stones. Alllanes in standard minefields should be registeredartillery targets to allow mine re-seeding withFASCAM systems to prevent entry.

Minef ie lds in Enemy Terr i tory . Minef ie ldsestablished within enemy territory are reported butnot marked.

Reporting and Recording Minefields

Reporting and recording minefields are essentialsteps in mine warfare. The following reporting andrecording criteria govern mine warfare conducted bythe MAGTF. Forms for minefield reports can befound in MCRP 3-17B, Engineer Forms andReports.

A minefield report is a verbal, electronic or writtencommunicat ion concerning mining act ivi t ies ,friendly or enemy. The exact format of the report isspecif ied within the MAGTF operat ion order(OPORD). These reports are submitted by theemplacing unit commander through operationalchannels to the operations officer (G/S-3) of theauthorizing headquarters or command element. Thatheadquarters integrates the reports with terrainintelligence and disseminates them with tacticalintelligence. The reports will be sent by the fastest,most secure means available. The following reportsare used to convey mine warfare information:

Report of Intention. The report of intention servesas notification to a unit’s higher headquarters that theunit intends to emplace a minefield. The report ofintention doubles as a request when initiated at levelsb e l o w t h o s e w i t h e m p l a c e m e n t a u t h o r i t y .Conventional minefields that are part of an OPLANapproved by the authorizing commander do notrequire a report of intention; that the minefields areincluded within such a plan implies an intention tolay. Minefields not authorized in an OPLAN requirea separate report of intention. The report includesdata regarding the tactical purpose of the minefield,the estimated number and type of mines to beemplaced, the location, and the proposed start andcompletion times.

Report of Initiation. The report of initiation is amandatory report that informs higher headquartersthat emplacement has begun, and the area is nolonger safe for friendly movement and maneuver. Itshould specify the time emplacement began and


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identify the location and target number of theminefield.

Report of Completion. The report of completion isusually an oral report to the authorizing commanderthat the minefield is complete and functional.

Report of Change. The report of change is madeimmediately upon any change or alteration made in apreviously reported minefield and is sent to the nexthigher commander. It is then sent through channelsto the headquarters that keeps the written minefieldrecord.

Additional Reports

Progress Report. During the emplacing process, thecommander may require periodic reports on theamount of work completed.

Report of Transfer . The responsibi l i ty for aminefield is transferred from one commander toanother in a report of transfer. This report is signedby both the relieved and relieving commanders andincludes a certificate stating that the relievingcommander was shown or otherwise informed of allmines within the commander’s zone of action orsector of defense. The report states that the relievingcommander assumes full responsibility for thosemines. The report of transfer is sent to the next highercommander who has authority over both relieved andrelieving commanders.

FASCAM Minefield Report and Record. Since thelocat ions of individual scat terable mines areunknown, the reporting of the minefield is based onthe aiming point or points. For example, a remotean t i - a rmor mine sys t em (RAAMS) o r Ga to rminefield would be recorded based on the targetlocation (the grid coordinates given to the firingbattery). The size of the minefield would depend onthe number of rounds fired (ordnance delivered), thenumber of aim points, and the angle of fire. Artillery-and air-delivered minefields are recorded by plottingthem on a map based on the aim point(s) and a safetyzone area specified in the scatterable minefield reportand record prepared by the delivering unit. Tofacilitate the reporting and recording of scatterableminefields, a simple uniform procedure is used. Thisprocedure combines the report and the record intoone document—the Scatterable Minefield Report andRecord—applicable for all FASCAM deliverysystems.

FASCAM Warning. Along with the scatterableminefield report and record, a separate report of the

scatterable minefield warning (SCATMINEWARN)is used to notify affected units that scatterable mineswill be employed. The SCATMINEWARN report isdesigned to give units that may be affected by theemployment of scatterable mines the necessarywarning to plan and execute their operations. Theinformation in the report is kept to a minimum toensure rapid dissemination. The report is sent byvoice, digital, or hard copy means, either prior to orimmediately after the mines have been emplaced.

MOBILITY

Mobility is a quality or capability of military forcesthat permits them to move in time and space whileretaining their ability to fulfill their primary mission.A commander must be able to mass forces quickly ata chosen place and time to accomplish the assignedmission. The commander must be able to achievesuper io r t empo th rough a re la t ive ly qu ickero b s e r v a t i o n , o r i e n t a t i o n , d e c i s i o n , a c t i o n(OODA) loop than the enemy. Mobility is critical toachieving this situation and maintaining it forextended periods of time over great distances.

Functional AreasMobility operations are intended to maintain thisfreedom of both tactical maneuver and operationalmovement through five functional areas which are—

l Countermine activities—the detection,neutralization (by breach or bypass), marking,and proofing of mined areas.

l Counter Obstacles—the employment of tacticsand equipment to breach or bypass andultimately reduce obstacles other than mines.

l Gap-crossing—fills gaps in terrain in order toallow passage of personnel and equipment.

l Combat Roads and Trails—expedientpreparation or repair of routes of travel forboth personnel and equipment.

l Forward aviation combat engineering (FACE)is the preparation or repair of expedientlanding zones, FARPS, landing strips, or otheraviation support sites in the forward combatarea.

Countermine OperationsCountermine operations are all efforts taken tocounte r an enemy mine e f for t . Counte rmineoperations are difficult because detection systems areimperfect and mine neutralization systems are only


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partially effective. Normally, countermine operationsusing explosive systems will be conducted underenemy observation and fire. Countermine operationsinclude—

l Mine detection.l Reconnaissance for enemy minefields.

l Breaching.

l Prevention of enemy mine operations.

Detection of Mines

Visual. Visual detection of mines is a reliable andincreasingly effective method of locating minefields.The increasing proliferation of FASCAM type minesproduces a high percentage of surface laid evidence.FASCAM mines can be recognized from a combatvehicle from a distance of up to 20 meters givennormal ground vegetation. Visual detection andrecognition of mines should be emphasized duringMAGTF employment. The following indicatorssuggest the presence of FASCAM mines:

l Dust clouds in the terrain without the presenceof veh ic les o r equ ipment movement o rrecognizable shell explosions (clouds of dustare created by impact of scatterable mines).

l Small parachutes in the air or spotted blowingon the ground.

l Breaks in an area with otherwise uniformvegetation.

l Mines or dispensing debris (casings,parachutes, etc.) hanging in trees and inunderbrush.

l Approaching or departing aircraft (fixed- orrotary wing) in association with any of theindicators.

Auditory. Listening for evidence of FASCAM typemine systems during their employment is a viablemethod. When artillery or multiple-launched rocketsystems project their ordnance overhead and theimpact report cannot be heard, the use of FASCAMmines may be suspected.

Probing. Probing is the method of detecting minesby penetrating the ground with an instrument such asa non-metallic or wooden mine probe. Metal objectssuch as a bayonet or stiff wire are not recommended.When the mines are armed with pressure-only typefuzing, probing is the safest way to locate mines.Modern fuzing systems that employ magnetic,

acoustic and/or seismic sensors cannot be safelylocated by the probing method.

Electronic Detection

Hand-held Systems. The Marine Corps currentlyemploys the PSS-12 mine de tec tor to loca teelectronically mines below the surface (soil orwater). It is a hand-held, battery-powered system.

Vehicular -mounted Systems and Ai rcraf t -mounte d Systems. They are currently underdevelopment. Systems that identify potential minesfrom a distance and in some cases, prematurelydetonate them before they can endanger a vehicle.Although not yet fielded, these countermine systemshave great potential for defeating the mine threat.

Reconnaissance for Enemy MinefieldsAfter detection, the characteristics and limitation ofenemy barriers, obstacles, and minefields must bed e t e r m i n e d u s i n g b o t h g r o u n d a n d a e r i a lr e c o n n a i s s a n c e a n d r e m o t e i m a g e r y .Reconnaissance must—

l Locate enemy barrier, mine, and obstaclelocations.

l Identify and locate enemy fire support. l Identify remaining enemy employment

capabilities. l Locate enemy breaching assets.

If possible, it is important to determine the types ofmines used and their physical characteristics, i.e.,dimensions and material from which manufactured.This can aid the planning of how to clear theminefield.

Breaching OperationsEnemy obstacles that disrupt, fix, turn, or block theforce can affect the timing and force of the operation.Most obstacles can and will be observed by theenemy and protected with fires; they should bebypassed i f poss ib le . For those tha t must bebreached, constant coordination and integration of allelements of the MAGTF is vital for success. Combatengineers are the key to the orchestration of theoperation and are responsible for employing thetact ics and techniques necessary to penetrateobstacles in the path of the force.

Breaching operations are some of the most complexof modern war fa re , bu t a re no t an end un tothemselves. They exist as only a part of the maneuverforces operation that is focused on the objective.


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The goal of breaching operations is the continueduninterrupted momentum of ground forces to theobjective. They should be planned and executed insupport of the ground forces’ needs to ensure actionsat the objective are supported by actions at thebreach. Breaching operations require the constantapplication of the fundamentals of ground combatand the concentrated uses of supporting arms.Fundamentals of breaching operations have evolvedin concert with the fundamentals of ground combatand provide a logical and time-proven set of rules.These fundamentals are—

l Suppress the enemy to maneuver and fire. l Obscure the enemy’s ability to observe the

operation.l Provide security for the breach force. l Reduce the obstacle.l Reconstitute.

Prevention of Enemy Mine Operations

The most effective means of countering a mine threati s to prevent the lay ing of mines . Proac t ivecountermine opera t ions des t roy enemy minemanufacturing and storage facilities or mine-layingcapabilities before the mines are laid. Planners mustconsider enemy storage and mine product ionfacilities and assets for inclusion on the target lists.

Counter-Obstacle Operations

Many issues encountered in countermine operationsa p p l y t o n o n - m i n e o b s t a c l e s . E n g i n e e rreconnaissance should detect the presence of enemyobstacles and determine their type(s) and provide thenecessary information to plan appropriate breachingor by-pass plans developed to negate their impact onthe scheme of maneuver.

Another important consideration to be gained fromreconnaissance is to anticipate when and where theenemy may employ obstacles that could impede theMAGTF’s operations. It is prudent to incorporateplans to deny the enemy the opportunity to establisheffective obstacles whenever possible. Achievingthis goal can be accomplished by—

l Occupying the area before the enemy canexploit it.

l Preplanning artillery and close-air support todeny or harass enemy units attempting toestablish obstacles.

l Looking for or creating alternative routes forthe MAGTF’s units.

l Using engineering knowledge of obstacles tocreate contingency plans for breaching orbypassing to allow quick neutralization of theobstacles, if established by the enemy.

Gap-Crossing OperationsCombat engineers can aid gap crossing throughemployment of their heavy equipment to modify theexisting gap or through the use of expedient bridging(e.g., rope bridges, small nonstandardard bridgingusing local materials). However, CEBs do notpossess organic standard bridging equipment. If theplan calls for this type of gap-crossing asset or thesituation arises unexpectedly they will need supportfrom the engineer support battalion. See additionalinformation in chapter 5.

Combat Roads and TrailsThe ability to move personnel and equipment isessential to maneuver warfare. This ability providesthe commander with the means to increase tempo,increase speed, and concentrate mass at crucial timesand places. The construction and maintenance oftrails and roads are normally considered generalengineering tasks and are therefore performed byengineering support units. However, areas at or nearthe FLOT or time constrictions may require theforward combat engineer units to perform thesefunctions in an expedient manner or for shortdurat ions of t ime unt i l support engineers areavailable.

The two most likely scenarios that would involve thisrequirement would be by-pass operations or tosupport FACE operations. It is important for theengineer commander and staff to only perform thisfunction in support of the maneuver plan. Theyshould not allow engineering assets to be dissipatedand thus unable to perform their primary role ofsupporting the MAGTF commanders operationalscheme of maneuver.

Engineers should always strive to take full advantageof existing infrastructure and natural terrain featureswhen constructing combat trails and roads.

Forward Aviation Combat EngineeringEngineers acquired a mission in the battlespace tosupport aviation assets with the advent of airpowerand i ts associated support requirements. This


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frontline support will normally take the form ofcreating expeditionary landing zones for helicoptersand vertical and/or short taking off and landingaircraft or parachute drop zones for personnel,equipment, or supplies. Engineers should alwaysstrive to take full advantage of existing infrastructureand natural terrain features when constructingexpeditionary landing and/or drop zones. Airpower isimportant to the MAGTF’s maneuver warfare andthe use of expeditionary landing and/or drop zonescan increase the speed and tempo of operations bydecreasing turn-around time for aircraft (e.g., FARPsites), decrease travel from rear areas to the forwardcombat area of personnel, equipment, and supplies,or decrease response times of close-air supportmission.

COUNTERMOBILITY

Countermobility is the physical shaping of thebattlespace to alter the scheme of maneuver of theenemy. Countermobility operations block, fix, turn,or disrupt the enemy giving the MAGTF commanderopportunities to exploit enemy vulnerabilities orreact effectively to enemy actions.

When planning countermobility obstacles, it isimportant to understand the commander’s intent,timetable, and scheme of maneuver. Along withavailable manpower, equipment, and materials, theseultimately determine what is feasible to support theOPLAN. Two key actions in obstacle plans are—

l Avoid obstacle plans that require so muchmaterials and manpower they can not beemplaced in a timely manner to provide usefulsupport to the MAGTF’s maneuver plan, i.e.,the maneuver elements bypass the obstaclefield before it is completed, and the engineerunits lose pace with the combat elements.

l Do not impede friendly forces later in theoperation with friendly obstacles.

The engineering staff must consider these in theoperational plan and ensure the commander is awareof these issues. What is used to impede the enemymay also impede friendly forces in another phase ofthe operation.

Rarely does the engineer unit have sufficient time,materials, personnel, or equipment to emplace the‘perfect’ obstacle plan. Engineers must be creative intheir operat ions. The adage “. . . a good planimplemented in a timely manner is better than a

perfect plan implemented too late” is especially truefor engineers.

Another consideration is that nonengineer units mayneed to augment the engineer unit with security andpersonnel in order to execute countermobilityoperations. The MAGTF commander and variousunit commanders must be aware of this supportrequirement in planning operations.

SURVIVABILITY

Survivability is the ability of personnel, equipment,and facilities to continue to operate within the widerange of conditions faced in a hostile environment. Itincludes a l l aspects of protect ing personnel ,weapons, and supplies. In order for the MAGTF tosurvive, it must be able to reduce exposure to threatacquisition, targeting, and engagement. Engineers u p p o r t t a s k s s u c h a s c o n s t r u c t i o n o f f i e l df o r t i f i c a t i o n s ( h a r d e n i n g o f c o m m a n d ,communication and combat train locations, weaponsystem fir ing posit ions, and infantry fightingpositions) are critical to this effort.

Field Fortifications

(DOD, NATO) “An emplacement or shelter of atemporary nature which can be constructed withreasonable facility, by units requiring no more thanm i n o r e n g i n e e r s u p e r v i s o r y a n d e q u i p m e n tparticipation.” (JP 1-02) Engineers construct fightingpositions for combat vehicles, direct fire weaponssystems, artillery, and air defense. Field fortificationsprovide a degree of protection from the effects ofenemy weapons systems and a more stable weaponsplatform from which to sustain accurate volumes offire. They sustain confidence in a Marine’s ability tofight effectively where they otherwise could notsurvive.

Strong Point (DOD, NATO) “A key point in a defensive position,usually strongly fortified and heavily armed withautomatic weapons, around which other positions aregrouped for its protection.” (JP 1-02) Strong pointsare heavily fortified battle positions that cannot beoverrun quickly or bypassed easily by enemy forces.They consist of an integrated series of well-protectedfighting positions connected by covered routes andreinforced with extensive protective obstacles. Theyare designed to withstand artillery fire, air strikes,and both mounted and dismounted assaults. The


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e n e m y c a n r e d u c e t h e m o n l y b y e x p e n d i n gsignificant time, personnel, and equipment assets inthe application of overwhelming force.

SPECIALIZED DEMOLITION

Combat engineers and EOD Marines are capable ofexecuting demolition work of a constructive anddestructive nature. Demolition missions requiring theuse of formulas or calculated quantities of explosiveswith specific placement to produce the desired effectare normally performed by engineers. These tasksinclude placing hand explosives near heavy weapons,destroying cave systems; facilities; and equipment,and improving mobi l i ty in urban te r ra in anddesignated or reserve targets. Engineers are assignedthose tasks that require greater control in execution,more precision in effect, and are generally larger inscale and more technical in scope.

The MAGTF’s EOD team(s) have special izeddemolition skills. They are specifically trained to useexplosives and do so more often than combatengineers. The EOD team can help economizedemolition materials and assist in the explosivestraining of combat engineers. Engineers should usethe EOD team’s practical knowledge for ideas andsolutions regarding the commander’s mission.

Explosives

Standard Military Explosives. Military explosivesprocured through the supply system meet certainmilitary specifications that make them less sensitiveto the effects of a combat environment than theircommercial (nonstandard) equivalents. They aresafer to handle and are designed for the commontasks encountered in combat.

C o m m e r c i a l ( N o n s t a n d a r d ) E x p l o s i v e s .Commercially available explosives and combustiblesare available worldwide and may be encountered andemployed by the MAGTF. The greatest deficiency inthe use of commercial or expedient explosives isthe i r unknown exp los ive power . Accura te lyevaluating their explosive power is difficult thusmaking their effect unpredictable . Wheneverpossible, standard military explosives should bee m p l o y e d t o s u p p o r t M A G T F d e m o l i t i o nrequirements. Reserved targets should only usestandard military explosives.

Explosive Configurations and Techniques

Economy of Effort. Economy of effort is extremelyimportant to the employment of explosives. Bymodifying the size and/or shape of explosives, avariety of special effects can be produced that havemilitary significance. The diamond charge and theshape charge are examples of militarily effectivedemoli t ion using the minimum of explosives,accomplished by modifying the configuration of thecharge.

Explosive Effect. Evaluating explosive power andeffect against a given material allows the engineer touse the correct type and quantity of explosive at thecritical points necessary to produce the desiredeffect. The result is that only the minimum requiredexplosive is used to complete the task. Additionalinformation on calculating explosives in a fieldenvironment can be found in MCRP 3-17A/FM 5-34,Engineer Field Data.

Demol i t ion Re in forc ing Obstac les . T h e s eobstacles are created by the detonation of explosives.Demolition obstacles include structures like road andrail bridges, airfields, and the denial of structuressuch as seaports, offshore oil rigs, and other facilitiesand material. There are two types of demolitionreinforcing obstacles:

Designated Targets. Maneuver force commandersdesignate targets for demolition to support theirs c h e m e o f m a n e u v e r o r f i r e s u p p o r t p l a n s .Designated targets are identified and destroyedthrough hasty or deliberate planning. Although notcritical to the commander’s mission, designatedtargets can be destroyed more efficiently throughselection of the appropriate demolition, accuratecalculation of explosives, and positive chargeplacement to obtain the desired effect. Infantrypersonnel create or remove individual obstacles, andengineers create or remove obstacle systems. Thedifference is the degree of complexity in planningand execution required.

Reserved Targets. Reserved targets are critical tothe commander’s tactical plan and are specificallycontrolled at a command level (MAGTF CE/GCE)a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e c o m m a n d e r s c o n c e p t o foperations. They are normally astride high-speedavenues of approach or control-significant staticenergy sources (dams, reservoirs, and earthenoverhangs over mountain passes). Reserved targetsare usual ly cons t ruc ted by engineers in safe


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conditions (charges calculated and placed waiting tobe armed). To ensure proper execution, a targetfolder (obstacle folder) is prepared. Personnel remainat the target site to guard, arm, and execute the targeton order.

Supported units guard and execute most reservedtargets within their zone of action or sector ofdefense. Securing the target site and executing thetarget do not normally require engineer skills.Depleting engineer resources through security andfiring responsibilities at every obstacle location isusually counterproductive to the MAGTF engineereffort. An engineer firing party will remain withcertain key targets as designated by the authorizingcommander. Engineer firing parties should be usedfor targets that—

l Represent an advance force objective forenemy forces.

l Are exposed to enemy fires before detonation,thus possibly requiring repair or replacementof demolition or firing circuits.

l Use special demolition (atomic demolitionmunitions, gas enhanced explosives, etc.) andcomplex firing systems.

Obstacle FoldersThe obstacle folder is normally only employed whentime permits the consolidation of all pertinentinformation required to destroy a target. As aminimum, it will contain the following four parts:

l Detailed target location.l Explosives and supporting equipment location.l Preparing and firing orders.l Demolition report.

Appropriate standardization agreements may governthe control of reserved targets and require additionalinformation with the obstacle folders.

ENGINEERS AS INFANTRY

Engineer organizations have, throughout history,been required to f i l l the role of infantry as asecondary mission. The CEB is a well-armed andwell-equipped organization capable of executinglight infantry tasks in conjunction with other combatunits. The only significant organizational deficiencyis the lack of organic fire control personnel andcommunications equipment. Augmentation in thisarea would produce a credible and flexible lightinfantry organization.

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