Consolidation and Reorganization
The platoon consolidates and reorganizes as required by the situation and mission. Consolidation is the process of organizing and strengthening a newly captured position so that it can be defended. Reorganization is the actions taken to shift internal resources within a degraded unit to increase its level of combat effectiveness.
BATTLEFIELD OPERATING SYSTEMS PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
The battlefield operating systems (BOS) are a list of seven critical tactical activities that provides a means of reviewing preparation and execution. Synchronization and coordination among the BOS are critical for success.
1.Maneuver. The purpose of maneuver is to close with and destroy the defending enemy. Maneuver requires a base-of-fire element to suppress and/or destroy enemy forces with accurate direct fires and bounding elements to gain positional advantage over the enemy.
2.Fire support. The platoon may be able to employ indirect fires from field artillery or company and/or battalion mortars to isolate part of the enemy defense or to suppress the enemy on the objective.
3.Mobility, countermobility, and survivability. The platoon will likely focus on mobility during offensive operations and may be required to breach obstacles as part of an offensive operation. These obstacles may be protective (employed to assist units in their close-in protection), which the platoon is expected to breach without additional assets. However, tactical obstacles that disrupt, turn, or fix unit formations require engineer assets to breach.
4.Air defense. The platoon leader should address how to react to enemy air attacks if no air defense assets are available or operating within his AO. Unit SOPs should stipulate internal air security measures and active air defense measures.
5.Combat service support. The primary purpose of CSS in the offense is to assist the platoon and company in maintaining momentum during the attack. Key CSS planning considerations for the platoon leader during the offense include a high expenditure of ammunition, an increase in casualties, and how to evacuate the casualties.
6.Intelligence. The generation of knowledge about the enemy is crucial. The platoon leader should be given as much information on the enemy as can be gotten in the time available.
7.Command and control. Command and control refers to the process of directing, coordinating, and controlling a unit to accomplish a mission.
ATTACKS
Platoons and squads conduct an attack as part of the infantry rifle company. An attack requires detailed planning, synchronization, and rehearsals to be successful. The company commander designates and explains platoon objectives with tasks and milestones for his assault, support, and breach elements. To ensure synchronization, all leaders must know the location of their subordinates and adjacent units during the attack. Attacks are characterized as hasty or deliberate. The primary difference between the two is the extent of planning and preparation conducted by the attacking force. Attacks may take the forms of attacks against a stationary enemy force, attacks against a moving enemy force, or terrain-oriented attacks.
Organization for an Attack
In a company attack, the commander usually structures his force into assault, support, and breach elements. Platoon attacks may be similarly structured.
The assault element closes with and captures or destroys the enemy.
The support element provides a base of fire that supports the assault element and breach element when one is used.
The breach element’s usual task is to break the enemy’s line, position, or fortification to facilitate the success of the assault element.
DELIBERATE ATTACK
Platoons and squads conduct deliberate attacks as part of a larger force. The commander may designate separate platoon objectives for his assault, support, and breach elements, resulting in decentralized execution at all levels. The five phases of the deliberate attack are reconnaissance, movement to the objective, isolate the objective, seize a foothold, and exploit.
Reconnaissance
Before a deliberate attack, the platoon and company should gain enemy and friendly information from the battalion reconnaissance platoon; however, this may not always occur. The platoon and company should be prepared to conduct a reconnaissance of the objective to confirm, modify, or deny their tentative plan. If possible, the company should determine the enemy’s size, location, disposition, most vulnerable point, and most probable course of action (COA). The tentative plan may change as a result of the reconnaissance if the platoon or squad discovers that terrain or enemy dispositions are different than determined earlier in the troop-leading procedure, requiring a modification of the attack plan.
Movement to the Objective
The attacking force advances to within assault distance of the enemy position under supporting fires, using a combination of traveling, traveling overwatch, and/or bounding overwatch. Platoons advance to successive positions using available cover and concealment. The company commander may designate SBF positions to protect friendly forces with suppressive direct fires. As the company maneuvers in zone, it employs fires to suppress, neutralize, and obscure the enemy positions.
Assembly Area to the Objective Rally Point. The ORP is where elements of the assault force transition to secure movement techniques in preparation for contact with the enemy. Platoons may maneuver from the ORP to designated SBF positions, assault positions, or breach or bypass sites. Before leaving the AA, the platoon leader should receive an update of the location of forward and adjacent friendly elements. He should also receive updated enemy locations. The platoon moves forward from the AA to the ORP, usually as part of a company formation, along a planned route. The platoon leader should have reconnoitered the route to the ORP (with either a map, scouts, or aircraft).
Objective Rally Point to Assault Position. The platoon’s assault element moves from the ORP to the assault position. If necessary, the platoon leader plots waypoints to coincide with checkpoints along the route. During movement, he ensures the platoon navigates from checkpoint to checkpoint or phase line by using basic land navigation skills supplemented with precision navigation.
Assault Position to the Objective. The assault position is the last covered and concealed (LCC) position before reaching the objective. Ideally, the platoon’s assault element occupies the assault position without the enemy detecting any of the platoon’s elements. Preparations in the assault position may include preparing Bangalores, other breaching equipment, or demolitions; fixing bayonets; lifting or shifting fires; or preparing smoke pots. The platoon may halt in the assault position if necessary to ensure synchronization of friendly forces. Once the assault element moves forward of the assault position, the assault must continue.
Supporting fire from the heavy weapons must continue to suppress the enemy and must be closely controlled to prevent fratricide.
When the assault element moves to the breach point, the base-of-fire leader verifies the assault element is at the right location. The base-of-fire leader is responsible for tracking the assault element as it assaults the objective. The company commander shifts or lifts indirect fire when it endangers the advancing soldiers and coordinates this with the platoons’ assaults. As the fire of the platoons’ support is masked, the platoon leader shifts or lifts it or displaces the weapons squad to a position where continuous fire can be maintained.