IPB

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IPB
INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION of
the BATTLEFIELD
FM 34-130
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IPB Definition
IPB is the process which integrates enemy
doctrine with weather and terrain to provide a
basis for determining and evaluating enemy
capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable
COA. IPB is a systematic and continuous process
of analyzing the threat and environment in a
specific geographic area. It also serves as a
planning basis for the formulation of the units
concept of operations.
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IPB Steps
Define the Battlefield Environment
Describe the Battlefield Effect
Evaluate the Threat
Determine Threat Course of Action
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Define the Battlefield Environment
Identify environmental factors that may influence
available COAs or the commanders
decisions. There are 6 elements that must be
considered . Focus on the relationship between
these elements and AI, AO, and Battle Space
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Elements of Battlefield Environment
1. Characteristics affecting friendly and enemy
COAs/decisions
2. Limits of
AO and Battle Space
Define
the Battlefield 3. Limits of AI 4. Details
required versus time available 5. Data base
available and intelligence gaps 6. Collect intel
and material to conduct IPB
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Area of Operations (AO)
The AO is the geographical area where the
commander has been assigned the responsibility
to conduct operations. Based on METT-T
Air AO is identical, except for height which is
based on acft ceiling height and effective
altitude of AD weapons.
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Battle Space
Battle Space is determined by the maximum
capabilities of a unit to acquire targets and
physically dominate the threat. The
commands battle space includes all of the
AO as well as areas outside the AO. The
evaluation of this area may be as detailed as the
AO if required by the commander, or it
receives the same as AI. Also depends on
the commands ability to acquire and engage
targets using its own assets or those of
other commands on its behalf.
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Area of Interest (AI)
The AI is the geographical area monitored
by the commander and from which information
(intel) is required for planning and
conducting unit operations.
Generally larger than its
AO and battlespace.
Limits of AI include characteristics of the
battlefield environment exerting an influence on
available COAs or command decisions
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Describe the Battlefield Effects
Define the Battlefield Environment
Describe the Battlefield Effect
During this step, one analyzes the battlefield
environment and describes its effects
on threat and friendly COAs.

• terrain
• weather
• light data

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Military Aspects of Terrain
OCOKA
1. Observation and fields of fire 2. Cover and
concealment 3. Obstacles 4. Key Terrain 5.
Avenues of Approach
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Observation and Fields of Fire

• Observation involves the influence of terrain on
  reconnaissance, surveillance, and target
  acquisition capabilities. Fields of fire involve
  the effects of terrain on weapons effectiveness.

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Cover and Concealment

• Concealment is protection from air and ground
  observation. Cover is protection from the
  effects of fire. (IPB determines the concealment
  and cover offered to both friendly and enemy
  forces from both ground and air perspectives.

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Obstacles

• Obstacles are natural and man made terrain
  features that stop, impede, or divert military
  movement. Terrain analysis attempts to identify
  where obstacles to ground and air movement are
  and what effects removing, overcoming, or
  bypassing these obstacles will have on overall
  operations.

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Key Terrain

• Key terrain is any feature or area, of which the
  seizure, or control of, offers a marked tactical
  advantage. eg bridges, fording sites, choke
  points, road junctions. Mission accomplishment
  normally depends on the seizure or control of
  decisive terrain.

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Air and Ground Avenues of Approach

• These are routes by which a force may reach key
  terrain or an objective. Air and ground mobility
  corridors are subsets of air and ground avenues
  of approach. Mobility corridors are areas within
  the avenues of approach which permit movement and
  maneuver.

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Terrain Analysis

• Unrestricted Terrain
• Restricted Terrain
• Severely Restricted Terrain

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Unrestricted Terrain
Terrain free of any restrictions on movement.
Unmarked There is no need to enhance mobility.
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Restricted Terrain

• Terrain hinders movement to some degree.
• Little effort required to improve mobility.
• Unit using the terrain is restricted doctrinally.
• Depicted on the overlay by diagonal green lines.

OBJ.
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Severely Restricted Terrain

• Terrain severely hinders or slows movement of
  formations
• unless some effort is made to improve mobility.
• Mobility must be improved by using assets not
  organic to
• the formation or by deviating from doctrinal
  tactics.
• Depicted on the overlay by cross-hatched,
  diagonal

OBJ
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Modified Combined Obstacles Overlay (MCOO)

• Product used to disseminate the results of the AO
  terrain
• analysis. This is the final product, but must
  continually be
• updated.
• Aids the staff in completing their estimate.
• cross-country mobility classifications
• obstacle networks
• defendable terrain
• engagement areas
• key terrain

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Built-up Areas (BUA)

• A BUA is larger than 1 square Km and is
  considered an obstacle.
• They are outlined and cross-hatched in black on
  the overlay.
• One should remember that cities are always
  growing and maps
• may be outdated. Plan for the worst case.

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Rivers and water obstacles
Swamps, lakes, ponds, and canals are outlined
in blue on the overlay using wide solid lines.
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Key Terrain
Key terrain is usually designated by
Obvious color other than yellow or red (purple).
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Obstacles

• Major cultural obstacles such as
• roads
• rail-roads
• embankments
• power lines
• overpasses
• are depicted on the MCOO in black.

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Avenues of Approach

• Enemy avenues of approach are indicated in red.
• Friendly axes of approach are indicated in blue.
• Each avenue of approach indicates the size of the
  enemy
• force it will support.
• - they are based on doctrinal frontages and
  shown
• from at least the FLOT to the final objective,
  and
• prioritized to indicate the most likely
  avenue.
• - As they show the general area through which a
  force can move,
• the boundaries of avenues of approach and axes
  of advance may
• cross Severely Restricted Terrain.

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Mobility Corridors

• Mobility corridors are shown in red (enemy) or
  blue
• (friendly) on the MCOO.
• They indicate areas where a force will be forced
  to
• narrow its frontage due to terrain.
• They are normally labeled with the size of the
  force
• they will doctrinally support.
• The boundaries do not cross Severely Restricted
  Terrain.

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Objectives
Friendly and enemy objectives are shown in
either blue or red on the MCOO. They may be
shown as area objectives or limits of advance.
OBJ SNAKE
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Weather Analysis
The commander integrates weather and terrain
analysis to determine their effect on tactical
operations. Weather and terrain are inseparable
and can have a significant impact (on both enemy
and friendly operations). They are integrated by
the commander to determine their effect on
tactical operations and potential maneuver areas.
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Military Aspects of Weather Analysis
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Evaluate the Threat
Define the Battlefield Environment
Describe the Battlefield Effect
Evaluate the Threat

• When evaluating the threat
• doctrinal templates are produced
• Threat tactics and options are described
• High Value Targets and threat capabilities
• are identified

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Doctrinal Template
The doctrinal template illustrates the
threats normal tactics and deployment when not
constrained by the effects of the battlefield
environment.
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EXAMPLE OF A DOCTRINAL TEMPLATE
MRB()
(-)
MRB
MRB()
RAG
DAG
MRB
MRB()
20-30 KMs
DIV CP
RAG
MRB
MRB()
(-)
(-)
15-20 KMs
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High Value Target (HVT)
HVTs are assets that the threat commander
requires for the successful completion of the
mission. They are depicted on the templates as
HVTs.
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Categories of HVT
There are 13 categories of HVTs 1. C3 11.
Maintenance Units 2. FS 12. Lift
3. Maneuver 13. LOC 4. ADA
5. Engineer 6. RISTA 7.
NBC 8. REC or EW 9. Bulk Fuels 10. Ammunition
Points
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Identify Threat Capabilities

• They take the form of statements.
• They are the broad COAs and supporting operations
  taken
• by the threat to influence the ability of
  friendly units to
• accomplish their mission.
• Example The enemy is capable of providing a
  strong
• defense within 1 hour the enemy can attack with
  success
• the enemy can be reinforced.

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Determine Threat COA
Define the Battlefield Environment
Describe the Battlefield Effect
Evaluate the Threat
Determine Threat Course of Action
Identify and develop likely COAs that will
influence the friendly mission
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Identify Threat COAs

• COAs that threat doctrine indicates appropriate
  to the
• current situation
• COAs which could significantly influence your
• commands mission
• COAs indicated by recent activities and events

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Criteria for COAs
1. Suitability 2. Feasibility 3. Acceptability 4.
Uniqueness 5. Consistency with doctrine
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Prioritize Each COA
1. Identify COA strengths and weaknesses, centers
of gravity, and decisive points. 2.
Evaluate using the 5 criteria. 3. Compare them
with each other. 4. Keep surprise in mind when
evaluating COAs. 5. Analyze threat activity for
indications that a COA has already been
adopted.
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COA Three Parts
Situational Template
Description of List of HVTs the COA
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Situational Templates
The situational template graphically illustrates
how the enemy might deviate from doctrinal
dispositions to account for battlefield environmen
t effects.
Situational Template
Description of List of HVTs the COA
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Time Phase Lines
Time Phase Lines (TPLs) are developed to evaluate
time and
space factors using threat movement.
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Describe the COA
Situational Template
The COA description is used to support
staff wargaming and to develop the event
template. It can range from a narrative descripti
on to a detailed synchronization matrix.
Description of List of HVTs the COA
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Named Area of Interest (NAI) and indicator
A point, route, or area where you expect key
events to occur. An indicator is an activity
which reveals the enemys selected COA.
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NAI GRAPHICS
NAI 6
AREA NAI POINT NAI ROUTE OF AIR APPROACH NAI
3
4
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Event Template
Depicts where and when to collect the information
which will indicate which COA the threat has
adopted.
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EXAMPLE OF EVENT TEMPLATE
SIT TEMP 1
SIT TEMP 2
CONSOLIDATED TEMPLATES
1
12
2
12
NAI 1
NAI 4
EVENT TEMPLATE
NAI 2
NAI 3
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Event Matrix
Supports the event template by providing details
on the type and time of activity in each NAI.
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EXAMPLE OF EVENT MATRIX
NO EARLIER NO LATER THAN THAN
NAI NO.
INDICATOR
NAI 1
H-7
H-2
Engineer preparation of artillery positions
NAI 1
H-2
Artillery occupies firing positions
H-30 MIN
NAI 1
H-1
H-15 MIN
Artillery commences preparatory fires
NAI 2
H-2
H-1.5
Combat recon patrol conducts route recon
NAI 2
H-1.5
H-30 MIN
Rifle company () in march formation
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Decision Support Template (DST)
Relates the detail of the event template to
decision points that are significant to the
commander.
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Target Area of Interest (TAI)
Points are areas along an avenue of approach or
mobility corridor where interdiction of an enemy
force by fire maneuver, or jamming will deny the
enemy this particular COA.
TRP 6969
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TAI Graphics
Area TAI Point TAI
3
3
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Decision Point (DP)
DPs identify events, areas, and points on the
battlefield where tactical decisions are
required, and when these decisions must be made.
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ADA Considerations in AO
Air defense operations focuses on three
dimensional. Encompasses smaller areas (No Fire
Areas).
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ADA Considerations of AI
The ADA AI includes airspace adjacent to the
ADA AO and extends into enemy airspace. Often
consists of scattered points rather than a
contiguous area.
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ADA AI Factors

• Location of TBM
• Location of FARPs
• Location of threat airfields
• Location of aids to navigation
• Range, altitude, and capabilities of threat
  aircraft
• Range, capabilities, and flight profiles of TBM

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ADA Battlefield Effect Considerations

• Probable target installation or areas
• Likely Air Avenues of Approach (AAA)
• Likely DZs or LZs
• Likely standoff attack orbits
• LOS from proposed ADA weapon locations

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Air Avenue of Approach
- Aerial sensors, attack aircraft and airmobile
forces. - Direct as possible to minimize risk and
maximize payload. - Terrain influences routes.
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Air Threat COA to Consider

• Locations of FARPs
• Likely timing of air strikes /assault operations
• Targets and objectives
• Likely corridors and AAAs
• Strike package composition
• Flight profiles and spacing
• Likely threat SEAD operations
• Threat COAs that might require movement of
  friendly ADA assets

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ADA Threat

• Unmanned Aerodynamic Vehicle (UAV)
• Cruise missile and TBM
• Fixed Wing Aircraft
• Rotary Wing Aircraft
• Airborne and air assault forces

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Other Threat Factors

• Flight Operation Tactics
• Ordnance types and availability
• Ordnance delivery techniques (standoff ranges)
• Release speeds and altitudes
• Guidance systems
• Technical capabilities of aircraft

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