OBSTACLES

An obstacle is any natural or man-made obstruction that turns, frees, disrupts, or blocks the movement of a force. The platoon must know how to employ obstacles and how to breach and clear obstacles.

TYPES OF OBSTACLES

There are two types of obstacles--existing and reinforcing.

Existing Obstacles

Existing obstacles are those natural or cultural restrictions to movement that are part of the terrain when battle planning begins.

Existing obstacles include the following:

Steep slopes

Trees

Ravines, gullies, and ditches

Rivers, streams, and canals

Swamps and marshes

Snow

Built-up areas

Reinforcing Obstacles.

Reinforcing obstacles are those specifically constructed, emplaced, or detonated to tic together, strengthen, and extend existing obstacles.

Reinforcing obstacles include

the following.

• Road craters • Abatis• Ditches • Log hurdles• Log cribs • Log posts • Rubble • Wire entanglements

ENEMY OBSTACLES

Platoons bypass and breach enemy obstacles. The decision to bypass or breach is based on the mission, the situation, and the assets available.

Bypassing

Obstacles are bypassed if at all possible. When bypassing an obstacle, the leader reports its type and location to higher head quarters. The leader must be alert for enemy contact when bypassing, because the enemy normally covers the bypass routes by fire.

Breaching.

A breach is the employment of any means available to break through or secure a passage through an enemy obstacle. There are four types of breaches:

In-stride.

Assault

Deliberate

Covert

BREACHING AND CLEARING

OBSTACLES

Leaders must know the techniques used to overcome reinforced obstacles. Some obstacles may not restrict infantry units, but will restrict vehicular movement. The platoon may have to clear obstacles to help vehicles go forward. The platoon may not be able to keep the enemy from knowing that it is going to breach, but may keep the enemy from knowing where and when it will breach.

BREACHING AND CLEARING

OBSTACLES cont.

The platoon breaches different obstacles using different techniques, types of equipment, and explosives. Equipment and explosives may include rocket-propelled line charges, mine detectors, bangalore torpedoes, grappling hooks, direct fire weapons, and hand-emplaced explosives. Platoons breach all obstacles using the same fundamentals (SOSR):

SOSR

Suppress the enemy to allow the breach element to create a breach.

Obscure the breach site from enemy observation.

Secure the breach site, execute the breach, and secure the far side.

Reduce the obstacle to facilitate movement of follow-on forces.

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE OBSTACLE

The gun team move forward to link up with the squad leader of the lead squad.

The platoon leader determines that he can maneuver by indentifying--

The obstacle and enemy positions covering it by fire.

The size of the enemy force engaging the squad. (The number of enemy automatic weapons, the presence of any vehicles, and the employment of indirect fires are indicators of enemy strength.)

A breach point. A covered and concealed route to the

breach point. A support-by-fire position large enough

for a squad reinforced with machine guns

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The platoon leader directs one squad to support the movement of another squad(s) to the breach point. He indicates the support-by-fire position, the route to it, the enemy position to be suppressed, the breach point, and the route that the rest of the platoon will take to it. He also gives instructions for lifting and shifting fires

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE OBSTACLE

The platoon leader designates one squad as the breach squad, and the remaining squad, as the assault squad once the breach has been made. (The assault squad may add its fires to the base-of-fire element. Normally, it follows the covered and conceded route of the breach squad and assaults through immediately after the breach is made

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The designated squad moves to and establishes a base of fire.

The platoon sergeant moves forward to the base-of-fire element with the second machine gun team and assumes control of the element.

On the platoon leader's signal, the base-

of-fire element— Destroys or suppresses enemy crew-

served weapons, first. Obscures the enemy position with smoke

(M203). Sustains suppressive fires at the lowest

possible level.

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The platoon leader designates the breach point and leads the breach and assault squads along the covered and concealed route to it.

The platoon FO calls for and adjusts indirect fires as directed by the platoon leader.

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The breach squad executes actions to breach the obstacle.

The squad leader directs one fire team to support the movement of the other fire team to the breach point.

The squad leader identifies the breach point.

The base-of-fire element continues to provide suppressive fires and isolates the breach point.

The breaching fire team, with the squad leader, move to the breach point using the covered and concealed route

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The squad leader and breaching fire team leader employ smoke grenades to obscure the breach point. The platoon base-of-fire element shifts direct fires away from the breach point and continue to suppress key enemy positions. The platoon FO lifts indirect fires or shifts them beyond the obstacle.

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The breaching fire team leader positions himself and the automatic rifleman on one flank of the breach point to provide close-in security.

The grenadier and rifleman of the breaching fire team probe for mines, and cut the wire obstacle, marking their path as they proceed. (Bangalore is preferred, if available.)

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

Once the obstacle has been breached, the breaching fire team leader and the automatic rifleman move to the far side of the obstacle and take up covered and concealed positions with the rifleman and grenadier. The team leader signals to the squad leader when they are in position and ready to support.

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The squad leader signals the supporting fire team leader to move his fire team up and through the breach. He then moves through the obstacle and joins the breaching fire team, leaving the grenadier and rifleman of the supporting fire team on the near side of the breach to guide the rest of the platoon through

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

Using the same covered and concealed route as the breaching fire team, the supporting fire team moves through the breach and takes up covered and concealed positions on the far side.

The squad leader reports to the platoon leader and consolidates as needed

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The platoon leader leads the assault squad through the breach in the obstacle and positions them beyond the breach to support the movement of the remainder of the platoon or assaults the enemy position covering the obstacle

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The platoon leader reports the situation to the company commander and directs his base-of-fire element to move up and through the obstacle. The platoon leader leaves guides to guide the company through the breach point

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE

OBSTACLE cont.

The company follows up the success of the platoon as it conducts the breach and continues the assault against the enemy positions

Minefields

The objective of a minefield breach is to clear a path or lane through a mined area for friendly forces to continue their mission. The selection of lane locations should take advantage of cover and concealment, overwatching fires, and the commander's scheme of maneuver. Breaching a minefield where it is first encountered before considering other possible sites is not recommended

Minefields

Suppress the Enemy. The enemy covering the obstacle must be suppressed.

Obscure with Smoke. Smoke is used to obscure the obstacle area and conceal friendly soldiers.

Minefields

Probe and Mark Mines. A footpath or lane is probed and the mines are marked. The preferred way to clear a lane through a minefield is to use a rocket-propelled line charge or bangalore torpedo. The only way to clear a minefield without special equipment is to probe with a pointed nonmetallic object. One squad probes while the platoon (-) overmatches.

Minefields

The squad probing the footpath or lane through the minefield uses two probers--one in front, clearing a lane wide enough to crawl through and one prober clearing 10 meters behind and slightly to one side so that their lanes overlap.

Minefields

Two other soldiers crawl along behind to secure the probers, to carry additional supplies, or to take a prober's job if one becomes a casualty. The probers should be rotated often to keep them from getting fired or careless, or both

Minefields

The probers wear their protective vests, Kevlar helmets, and carry their NBC masks. They roll up their sleeves and remove rings and watches. LBE, rucksacks, weapons, and other metallic equipment are carried by other members of the breach force

Tank Ditches

SOSR is applied in breaching tank ditches. Infantry can reduce tank ditches by bringing down the sides of the ditch with D-handled shovels, helmets, or explosives. An armored combat earth mover, tank with blades, or combat engineer vehicle should be used to reduce the obstacle quickly.

BREACH OF A MINED WIRE OBSTACLE

• TASK: Breach an Obstacle (Infantry Platoon/Squad) (07-3-1027)

• (FM 100-14) (FM 21-60) (FM 24-35) (FM 3-34.2) (FM 7-5 (3-21.9)) (FM 7-7) (FM 7-7J) (FM 7-8) (FM 7-85)

• CONDITION: The platoon is conducting operations as part of a larger force and encounters an obstacle. All necessary personnel and equipment are available. The platoon has indirect fire support available. The platoon has communications with higher, adjacent, and subordinate elements. The platoon has been provided guidance on the rules of engagement (ROE) and or rules of interaction (ROI). Coalition forces and noncombatants may be present in the operational environment. Some iterations of this task should be conducted during limited visibility conditions.

• Some iterations of this task should be performed in MOPP4.

• TASK STANDARD: The platoon reports the obstacle to higher headquarters. The platoon decides to bypass or breach the obstacle based on commander's intent, mission, situation, and assets available. If the decision is to breach, the platoon breaches the obstacle using the fundamentals of suppress, obscure, secure, reduce, and assault (SOSRA). The platoon complies with the ROE and or ROI.