Click to edit Master title styleBattle Drills

React to Contact Knock Out a Bunker

React to Ambush Break C

ontact

Enter a Building and Clear a Room

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Battle Drills

Very similar to Standard operating procedures (SOP’s) which are pre-established unit guidelines. Battle Drills are an immediate response to enemy contact that require fire and maneuver in order to succeed.

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Battle Drills: a collective action rapidly executed without applying a deliberate decision-making process, in which a unit applies fire and maneuver to common situations of enemy combat – FM 25-101 Speed Minimal Leader Commands Trained Responses to Enemy Actions or Leader

Orders Sequential Actions: Vital to Success in Combat and

Preserving Combat Power Standard throughout the Army Platoon or Smaller Units

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Speed

Soldiers ability to execute key actions quickly

Response to enemy contact has to be automatic

No hesitation on movements Seconds can mean the difference

between life and death

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Minimal Leader Commands

Trained responses to enemy actions or orders

Actions are sequential (conducted in a specific order)

Standard throughout the Army Both offensive and defensive

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Trained Responses

Like reflexes and result from continual practice

Help build unit strength, cohesion and aggressiveness

Continually fine tune

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Sequential Actions

Outlined in FM 7-8 Detailed instructions Memorize steps Practicing the sequence Rehearsing again and again Don’t think Just DO

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Why are Battle Drills standardized throughout the Army?

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The survival of your Troops and preservation of combat

power depends on your units proficiency at BATTLE

DRILLS

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KEY TYPES OF BATTLE DRILLS

REACT TO CONTACT BREAK CONTACT REACT TO AMBUSH KNOCK OUT A BUNKER ENTER A BUILDING AND CLEAR A

ROOM

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QUESTIONS

Click to edit Master title styleSquads in the Offense

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The Purpose of Offensive Operations

Destroy the enemy and his will to fight Seize terrain Learn enemy strength and disposition Deceive, divert, or fix the enemy

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

SURPRISE CONCENTRATION TEMPO AUDACITY

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SURPRISE

Surprise is crucial Delays enemy reactions Shocks enemy Soldiers and Leaders Confuses enemy Command and Control Press your advantage before the enemy

knows what's going on

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CONCENTRATION

The Massing of overwhelming force to achieve a single purpose

Massing of weapons (squads) and forces (platoons)

Overwhelm or hold in place (fix) Both indirect and direct fires

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TEMPO Speed or timing of an attack Control tempo to retain initiative Destroys enemy before they can react Prevents regrouping, reorganizing, counter

attack Squads and platoons support larger force’s

tempo with rapid execution Maintains momentum not allowing defenders

to recover

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AUDACITY Developing bold, innovative plans to achieve

decisive results Elements violently apply combat power

(maneuver, firepower, protection & leadership) Know when and where to take risks DO NOT hesitate to execute Inspires soldiers to overcome adversity and

danger

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Offensive Operations

Movement to Contact Deliberate attack Hasty Attack Raids* Ambushes* Reconnaissance and security

operations* * fall under patrolling missions (chapter III FM 7-8)

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Movement to Contact

Purpose: Gain or regain contact with the

enemy.

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Movement to Contact Planning Considerations

Make enemy contact with the smallest element possible

Prevent detection of elements not in contact until they are in the assault

Maintain 360-degree security at all times Report all information quickly and accurately Maintain contact once it is gained Generate combat power rapidly upon contact Fight through at the lowest level possible

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MTC: Infiltration

Offensive mission normally conducted by platoons or squads

Purpose is to move into or through enemy area without fighting through prepared defenses or being detected

Usually supports next higher mission or intent; not an end in itself but a means to an end

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Gather information Attack enemy positions from the rear Conduct raids or ambushes in enemy rear areas Capture prisoners Seize key terrain in support of other

operations Aid a main attack

Purposes of Infiltration

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An offensive action characterized by violence of action and fire and maneuver

Three types of attacks: Hasty Deliberate Raid Ambush

Attack

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Initiative in the Attack

Seizing and retaining the initiative involves more then just achieving tactical surprise. It involves a process of planning and preparing for combat operations, finding the enemy first, avoiding detection, fixing the enemy, locating or creating weakness, maneuvering to exploit that weakness with a quick and violent assault

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Hasty Attack

Conducted with the forces immediately available to maintain momentum or to take advantage of the enemy situation

Does not normally allow for extensive preparation

Could be a React to Contact developed into a squad attack

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Carefully planned and coordinated Time available to perform thorough

reconnaissance Evaluation of all available intelligence and

relative combat strength Analysis of various courses of action and other

factors affecting the situation Generally conducted against a well-organized

defense when a hasty attack is not possible or has failed

Deliberate Attack

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Attacks during limited visibility achieve surprise, avoid heavy losses, cause panic in weak and disorganized enemy, exploit success and maintain momentum, and keep pressure on the enemy.

Attacks during limited visibility

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Keys to limited visibility attacks Planning: same considerations but they require

additional control measures to prevent Fratricide and keep focus on the objective.

Recon: key to success; done in daylight to the lowest level; recon movement routes, positions and OBJ; Balance need for info vs. detection; maintain surveillance on OBJ, situation may change from recon

If no recon available consider using illuminated attack

* A night attack with marginal information of the enemy’s defense is risky and difficult to conduct

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Questions?