OBSTACLES

1
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.

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TYPES OF OBSTACLES

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

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Existing Obstacles

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

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Existing obstacles include the following

• Steep slopes
• Trees
• Ravines, gullies, and ditches
• Rivers, streams, and canals
• Swamps and marshes
• Snow
• Built-up areas

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Reinforcing Obstacles.

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

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Reinforcing obstacles include the following.

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.)

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.