Reconnaissance Operations There are three types of reconnaissance operations: Area, Zone and Route...

Reconnaissance Operations

• There are three types of reconnaissance operations: Area, Zone and Route reconnaissance. Recon patrols provide timely and accurate information on the enemy, terrain, and obstacles/restrictions.

• They confirm the leader’s plan before it is executed. Units on reconnaissance operations collect specific information Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR) or general information Information Requirements (IR) based on the instructions from their higher commander.

a. Area Recon. Task Standards:

(1) The unit determines the PIR and other intelligence requirements specified in the order for the area.

(2) The unit reconnoiters without the enemy learning the strength, location, or intention of the main body.

(3) The unit completes the reconnaissance and reports all information by the time specified in the order.

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Reconnaissance OperationsFundamentals of Reconnaissance

Fundamentals: In order to have a successful area reconnaissance, the platoon leader must apply the fundamentals of reconnaissance to his plan during the conduct of the operation.

a. Gain All Required Information: The parent unit tells the platoon leader (PL) what information is required. This is in the form of PIR (Priority Intelligence Requirements). The platoon’s mission is then tailored to what information is required. During the entire patrol, members must continuously gain and exchange all information acquired. The platoon reports all information it has gathered but cannot consider it’s mission accomplished unless all PIR has been gathered.

Reconnaissance Methods:

• Scouts employ reconnaissance methods that achieve a balance between the acceptable level of risk and the security necessary to ensure mission accomplishment.

• Often this is a tradeoff between speed and security. The faster the reconnaissance, the more risk the scout takes and the less detailed the reconnaissance he conducts.

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• Scouts must use all available resources in the conduct of their mission. A scout’s primary tools for reconnaissance are his five senses; his equipment supplements and complements those senses.

• The following are some examples of what a scout must be able to determine about the enemy through the use of his senses:

(1) Sight. A scout looks for:

-Enemy personnel.

-Enemy vehicles and aircraft.

-Sudden or unusual movement.

-Smoke or dust.

-Engine exhaust fumes.

-Unusual movement of farm or wild animals.

-Activity of the local populace.

-Vehicle tracks.

-Signs or evidence of enemy occupation.

-Recently cut foliage or vegetation.

-Lights, fires, or reflections.

-Muzzle flashes.

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(2) Hearing. A scout listens for:

-Running engines.

-Track sounds.

-Voices.

-Metallic sounds.

-Gunfire sounds (by type of weapon).

-Unusual calm or silence.

-Dismounted movement through brush or woods.

(3) Touch. A scout feels for:

-Warmth of coals.

-Freshness of tracks.

-Age of discarded food or trash.

(4) Smell. A scout smells for:

-Cooking food.

-Vehicle exhaust.

-Burning petroleum,oils, and lubricants (PLO).

-Age of discarded food or trash.

-Human waste.

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b. Avoid Detection by the Enemy: A patrol must not let the enemy know that it is in the objective area. If the enemy knows he is being observed, he may move, change his plans, or increase his security measures. Methods of avoiding detection are:

(1) Minimize movement in the objective area

(Area Recon).

(2) Move no closer to the enemy than necessary.

(3) If possible use long range surveillance devices or night observation devices.

(4) Camouflage, stealth, noise and light discipline.

(5) Minimize radio traffic.

(c) Employ Security Measures: A patrol must be able to break contact and return to the friendly unit with what information it has gathered. If necessary, break contact and continue the mission. Security elements should be emplaced so that they can overwatch the reconnaissance elements, and suppress the enemy so the reconnaissance element can break contact.

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(d) Task Organization: When the platoon leader receives the order, he analyzes his mission to ensure he understands what must be done. Then he task organizes his platoon to the mission.

(1) The element will occupy the ORP as per the security perimeter occupation discussed during formations and order of movement training.

(2) RATELO calls in spare for occupation of ORP.

(3) The leader confirms his location on map while subordinate leaders make necessary perimeter adjustments.

(4) Subordinate leaders report to center of perimeter and the leader gives specific guidance to prepare for actions on the objective. The following, as a minimum, will be accomplished:

(a) Personnel recamouflage.

(b) NODs and BINOs are prepared.

(c) Weapons are on safe with a round in the chamber.

(5) Once the leader receives a report from each subordinate leader informing him that all members going forward on the recon are prepared, the leader will begin inspecting them.

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Reconnaissance Operations(6) One team (R&S team #1, R&S team #2

surveillance team) at a time will come to the leader’s location and be inspected, told where to position their rucksacks, and wait for remaining personnel.

Note: Operating in squad size element greater than 10 men in the squad, two three-man R&S teams will be used for the recon. If there are 10 men or less in the squad, only one three-man R&S team will be used.

(7) Once all personnel have been inspected, the leader will issue the PSG a five-point contingency plan and have him readjust the perimeter after he moves out.

(8) The leader moves to where the recon personnel are waiting and give the signal to begin movement toward the objective. The prescribed movement formation is established as they begin moving toward the objective. (The recon element will move in two wedge formations during daylight). The subordinate leader will be at the apex of wedge #1 with the security personnel from R&S team #1 to the left and the security personnel from R&S team #2 to the right. The leader will be at the apex of the second wedge, with the surveillance team personnel to his left and right.

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Reconnaissance Operations(9) The leader gives the signal to halt when he

reaches an area that he feels will make a suitable release point. It should be out of sight and sound distance from the objective (if possible), but at a minimum out of sight of the objective. It should also possess good rally point characteristics.

(10) The release point should be occupies as prescribed in the OPORD and 360 degree security will be established. The leader must allow all personnel to become familiar with the release point and the surrounding area.

(11) The leader will then issue the surveillance team a five-point contingency plan. He will also issue the senior man remaining in the release point a five-point contingency plan.

(12) The leader will then take the surveillance team and subordinate leader forward to pinpoint the objective, establish a limit of advance, and emplace the surveillance team. The surveillance team is positioned with one man facing the objective, and one man facing back in the direction of the release point.

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(13) After the leader gets a preliminary look at the objective (along with the subordinate leader) and they establish a limit of advance and pick tentative vantage points, they will return to the release point.

(14) The leader will then confirm his plan with the subordinate leader. He will issue his subordinate leader a five-point contingency plan.

(15) The two R&S teams then move out to begin the reconnaissance of the objective area. The clover leaf method will be the method used for the reconnaissance. Prior to beginning the recon, each R&S team will check with surveillance by moving within visibility of the men facing toward the release point and gets a thumbs up if no significant changes have occurred on the objective, or a thumbs down if there has been significant change. In the event of a thumbs down, the squad leader will move forward to the vicinity of the surveillance position to determine what is taking place. He may have to adjust the original plan if necessary.

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(16) In the event that the R&S team leaders get thumbs up, they will move around the objective gathering information. They should:

(a) Avoid parallel in the objective site.

(b) Maintain extreme stealth.

(c) Not cross the limit of advance.

(d) Maximize the use of available cover and concealment.

(17) During the conduct of the recon, each R&S team will return to the release point when any of the following occur:

(a) They have gathered all the PIR.

(b) They have reached the limit of advance.

(c) The allocated time to conduct the recon has elapsed.

(d) Contact has been made.

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(18) At the release point, the leader will compare what he has gathered with what the subordinate leader gathered and determine if he has met the PIR requirements.

Note: If the leader determines that he has not gathered sufficient information to meet the PIR requirements, or if the information he and the subordinate leader gathered differs drastically, he may have to send his R&S teams back up to the objective site. Before doing this, he will issue new five-point contingency plans all around and may even have to return to the ORP to alert the PSG of the change. Once everyone has been informed of the change in plan, the R&S team leaders will flip-flop. The leader will take the subordinate leader’s original security men and recon around the site of the objective the subordinate originally reconned. The subordinate leader will do likewise with the leader’s security men.

(19) Once PIR requirements have been met, the leader will move with one other man toward the surveillance position and, once within site of the man facing back toward the release point, will signal them to withdraw from their position to the release point.

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(20) The recon element will then depart the release point using the same formation and return to the ORP.

(21) The recon element will halt outside the ORP and the PSG will call in one team at a time to secure their rucksacks and move back to their original positions on the perimeter.

(22) The PSG and squad leaders will also ensure that any mission essential equipment is accounted for and packed away (and properly tied down).

(23) The leader will make a decision on whether to conduct dissemination in the ORP or whether to move a safe distance away and then disseminate his information. If he elects to move a safe distance away, he will move out using the appropriate movement technique and formation, occupy a security perimeter as described earlier, and disseminate information.

(24) To disseminate, the leader has the RATELO draw a sketch of the objective site based on his (the leader’s) sketch.

(25) The leader will then relieve the R&S team #2 leader from his position of the perimeter. The subordinate leader will then go to the RATELO, look at the sketch he has made, and add any additional information he may have discovered while on the recon.

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Once complete, the subordinate leader will then go relieve the leader.

(26) The leader will then go to the perimeter and relieve the subordinate team leader that was facing the objective. This man will report to the RATELO and repeat they actions of the subordinate leader. He will then return to his perimeter position and relieve the leader.

(27) The leader will then check the final product and have the RATELO make three copies.

(28) Once the RATELO is finished all the copies of the objective site, the leader will have all the subordinate leaders report to his position. He will give a copy of the sketch to each of the subordinate leader, and brief them on the sketch. He will then give the subordinate leaders a specific amount of time to brief all their personnel on the sketch.

(29) The subordinate leaders will move to each man’s position on the perimeter and brief them on the objective sketch. While this is taking place, the leader will spot check behind the subordinate leaders to ensure they are putting out the correct information. When the subordinate leaders have briefed all their personnel, they will report to the leader.

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(30) The leader, subordinate leaders, and RATELO will each secure a copy of the sketch in their upper left breast pocket.

(31) Once dissemination is complete, the leader will have the RATELO call in the spare for mission complete (and for leaving the ORP if dissemination was conducted there) and has the subordinate leaders alert their personnel that they are going to move out.

(32) If contact is made:

(a) Moving to the release point: The recon element will attempt to break contact and return to the ORP, secure rucksacks, and quickly move out of the area. Once they have moved a safe distance away, the leader will inform higher HQs of the situation and take further instructions from them.

(b) While emplacing surveillance: These individuals will withdraw through the release point to the ORP and follow the same procedures above.

(c) While conducting the recon: All personnel will fire a full magazine at the objective site. Surveillance will fire a LAW on the biggest weapon on the objective. All elements will move off the objective and move to the release point. The senior man will quickly account for all personnel and return to the ORP.

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Once in the ORP, the procedures as outlined in (1) above will be followed.

b. Zone Recon. Task Standards:

(1) The platoon determines all PIR and other intelligence requirements specified in the order for its assigned zone.

(2) The platoon reconnoiters without the enemy learning the strength, location, or intentions of the main element.

(3) The platoon completes the reconnaissance and reports all information by the time specified in the order.

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Reconnaissance Operations There are three types of reconnaissance operations: Area, Zone and Route...

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