The All-Weather Reconnaissance and Security Asset: The Cavalry Scout

Summer 2020 All-Weather Reconnaissance and Security Asset: The Cavalry Scout by CPT Nathan Sitterley The scout’s purpose will not be ful filled without making contact with his adversary. In most cases, the scout will accomplish reconnaissance and secu rity (R&S) operations with little to no notice, under the cover of darkness and over challenging terrain. He or she does this to set conditions and enable the brigade combat team (BCT) to de stroy the enemy. This article will enhance the under standing of reconnaissance manage ment and where to apply certain as sets within the commander’s intelli gence-collection plan. Although used differently in infantry, armor and Stryker BCTs, a cavalry or ganization’s main purpose is to paint the picture of the battlefield by an swering questions about the enemy, terrain, infrastructure and societal fac tors. This is the cavalry’s main purpose because it enables commanders at all echelons to make the most informed decision in the shortest amount of time. The journey to understanding the role of a cavalry scout begins with understanding certain capabilities within a cavalry troop in a Stryker BCT (SBCT).

Force structure An SBCT cavalry squadron consists of six cavalry troops. There are three re connaissance cavalry troops, one weapons troop, one forward-support troop and one headquarters troop in the squadron. This article will be lim ited to the discussion of the reconnais sance troop to explain how to incor porate scouts into the brigade’s scheme of information collection. A reconnaissance cavalry troop organ ically has two scout platoons and one mortars section. Each scout platoon consists of six Infantry Carrier Vehicle Variant (ICVV) Strykers that can com fortably fit some 11 personnel, includ ing the driver, gunner, vehicle com mander and eight dismounts. The Strykers are equipped with an M151 Remote Weapon Station (RWS) that can detect heat signatures of up to 10 kilometers, positively identify vehicles at four kilometers and engage hostile forces up to two kilometers with a .50-caliber M2 machinegun or at 1.5 kilometers with an Mk-19 40mm gre nade launcher. Fitted on a Stryker is a Long-Range Ad vance Scout Surveillance System that can observe thermal signatures in multiple contrasts up to 20 kilometers away. It can also pinpoint a 10-digit military grid-reference system grid to allow accurate reporting, thus en abling a more effective and rapid call-for-fire mission. The ICVV Stryker can travel up to about 250 cross-country miles with a top speed of 62 mph. It has an opera tional rate of some 12-72 hours based on usage and can hold about 53 gal lons of JP-8 fuel. The average M1126 Stryker ICVV version can have up to two 1152F Advanced System Figure 1. A team of scouts assigned to Apache Troop, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cav, maneuvers up challenging terrain in snowy conditions as they try to get to their tentative OP location during troop leaders’ training time at Training Area Bravo, Fort Carson, CO. (Photo by CPT Nathan Sitterley)

Summer 2020 Improvement Program radios that are line-of-sight-based and can communi cate up to 10 kilometers away on pow er-amplification mode. In the vehicle-commander station, there is one Joint Capabilities Release communications platform that uses satellite communications, which can send encrypted data and assist the ve hicle commander on digital means of navigation. Cavalry’s main asset The Stryker, no matter how comfort able, is not the Scout’s main weapon system. The scout dismounted on the ground with a radio is a cavalry orga nization’s main asset. Dismounts gen erally carry two radios per a three- to five-Soldier team and about three ra dios in a seven- to eight-Soldier Squad. These radios can potentially range up to 10 kilometers, but they rely heavily on line-of-sight communications and atmospheric conditions. A scout platoon consists of 37 Soldiers, 36 being organic and one is an at tached military-occupation specialty 68W combat medic. For planning con sideration, the troop commander at minimum gives the necessary R&S guidance to include focus, tempo, en gagement, disengagement and dis placement criteria. He or she will then specify the squadron’s priority intelli gence requirements (PIR) and begin to assign tasks to subordinate units. The platoon leader confirms that he or she understands the R&S guidance giv en by the troop commander during a confirmation brief. He or she must brief the latest-time-information-is-of-value (LTIOV) or the duration of the se curity operation within his or her scheme of maneuver to his/her pla toon. This will allow platoon sergeants to co ordinate for more logistical resupply prior to crossing the line of departure or during the operation. A scout orga nization planning factor for self-sus taining logistical supply is three days’ supply or 72 hours. Within our organization, we also have other modified table of organization and equipment assets to assist in an swering the commander’s PIR. Three critical assets that enhance scouts’ abilities will be covered in the article. Optics to be discussed are:

• Command launch units (CLU);

• Lightweight Laser-Designator Rangefinder (LLDR); and

• RQ-11 Raven. The CLU can be used to observe or fire a Javelin missile (FGM-148) up to about four kilometers. It has a track ing mechanism that will lock on a heat signature that allows a 90- to 95-per cent hit-to-kill ratio at its maximum ef fective range of 2.5 kilometers. It can penetrate anything from a T-90 tank to a boyevaya mashina pekhoty-3 (Rus sian fighting vehicle). This secondary weapon of choice is the scout pla toon’s key asset when it comes to en countering an armor threat within the commander’s engagement criteria. The PED-1 LLDR is essential for dis mounted operations. It provides scouts the ability to lase targets for an accurate call-for-fire mission using precision or near-precision munitions. It has a Global Positioning System, day sight and thermal that can range up to seven kilometers during the day and three kilometers at night. It weighs about 35 pounds and can fit in a Sol dier’s rucksack. It’s essential for set ting up short- or long-duration obser vation posts (OPs). The final critical asset for a cavalry troop to highlight is the RQ-11 Raven. This unmanned aerial system is crucial for aerial reconnaissance of up to some 10 kilometers with an ideal op erational rate of up to 60 minutes. It has thermal and forward-looking infra red laser capabilities, which can ob serve heat signatures from both vehi cles and individuals at its max ceiling of 500 feet above ground level. (Cau tion: This asset is extremely loud and can not be launched in a wind factor of 30 mph or greater.) This system is re motely controlled from a hand-held ground-control station and can be pro grammed, launched and recovered in a matter of minutes at the troop level. Lethality Lethality is not about having the best weapon system. Lethality encompass es the knowledge on where, when and how to tactically employ the best weapon system against the adversary. The final portion of this article will de scribe how to ensure continuous re connaissance by using reconnais sance-management processes. BCTs require continuous information collection throughout all phases and critical events of the operation. Some of the reconnaissance phases of oper ation include infiltration, counter-re connaissance and transition to Figure 2. PFC Bryan Brereton from Apache Troop, 2-1 Cav, low-crawls with a Javelin missile on his back to get into a hide position during squad live-fire certification at Fort Carson, CO. (Photo by CPT Nathan Sitterley)

Summer 2020 security operations. If not deliberately planned, the enemy can exploit these transitions between phases and iso late reconnaissance units. Commanders must direct information collection throughout all operations. To this end, they should direct task-or ganized cavalry assets to collect re quired information, leading to more informed identification and possible executions of sequels and branch plans. Continuous reconnaissance pro vides commanders at all echelons the ability to confirm or deny enemy courses of action (CoAs), and it pro vides reaction time and maneuver space for levels above as well as for themselves. Reconnaissance management is de signed to provide commanders and platoon leaders the ability to match certain asset capabilities required to gather certain PIRs. PIRs are broken down into sub-tiers. Indicators are used to assist in spotting signs, which lead to finding answers for PIRs. Are assets capable of answering types of specific information requirements? Why are PIRs important? PIRs should drive certain decision points that com manders must make to confirm or cre ate a CoA (reconnaissance push and pull techniques). To support com manders’ decision-making, reconnais sance management can help gain and maintain threat contact as part of a larger defensive or offensive opera tion. There are three types of reconnais sance management: cueing, mixing and redundancy. Cueing is the integra tion of one or more types of recon naissance or surveillance systems to provide information that directs fol low-on collection of more detailed in formation by another system (Field Manual (FM) 3-90-2, Reconnaissance, Security and Tactical Enabling Tasks Vol. 2). These systems may signal oth er ground or air reconnaissance assets to investigate specific areas to con firm, deny or verify information. For example, a dismounted OP may observe a named area of interest (NAI) along a specific or most probable axis of advance, while the Raven observes an avenue of approach for the most dangerous CoA of the enemy at a specific trigger. If the LTIOV has reached its limit and there is no threat contact from the dismounted OP, this will trigger a Raven to be launched to identify whether the enemy is using its most dangerous CoA on its most dan gerous axis of advance. Cueing is based on time, threat, friendly or established triggers. Cueing helps preserve combat power, but it limits maximizing reconnaissance as sets forward at one particular time. Mixing is using two or more different assets to collect against the same in telligence requirement (FM 3-90-2). Employing different systems is always desirable if the situation and available resources permit. This recon management allows multi ple perspectives from different van tage points. This method enhances the probability of collection and tends to provide complete information. Mixing can also help defeat deception at tempts by highlighting discrepancies in information reported by different collection assets. However, this has to be an ongoing process until LTIOV – for example, if one OP with an LLDR and one RWS on a Stryker focused on one NAI from different depths of observa tion. Should the NAI be covered with micro-terrain and vegetation, different elements on the ground can have the opportunity to paint the picture for the commander from different angles. Redundancy is using two or more like assets to collect against the same in telligence requirement (FM 3-90-2). Redundancy increases the chances the reconnaissance element collects the required information and provides depth should one element become compromised. For example, two OPs focused on one NAI can work well. Should an OP need to displace to avoid compromising its location, another OP team can observe that particular NAI. The commander will know exactly the capabilities of the two OPs and the time it generally takes to answer cer tain PIRs. Redundancy maximizes R&S efforts, but it lacks the preservation of combat power. Warfighter and equip ment management must be empha sized when using this management tool. Making contact Someone will have to go forward and make contact. This job falls on the BCTs’ cavalry squadrons. Continuous and focused collection efforts do not mean to employ all available assets at the commander’s leisure. To maintain warfighter management, one must consider the human dimen sion within the all-weather reconnais sance asset. BCTs task and position the right combination of humans, sensors and technical means to capitalize on their impact, allow rapid analysis of in formation, disseminate intelligence and aid decision-making at all appro priate echelons. CPT Nathan Sitterley commands Apache Troop, 2nd Cavalry, 1st SBCT, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO. Pre vious assignments include S-4, Head quarters and Headquarters Troop, 2-1 Cav, 1st SBCT, Fort Carson; command er/senior instructor, Hawk Troop (Apache Troop), 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment (Armor Basic Officer Leader Course, or ABOLC), 316th Cav alry Brigade, Maneuver Center of Ex cellence (MCoE), Fort Benning, GA; tactics officer/instructor/writer, 2-16 Cavalry, ABOLC, 199th Brigade, MCoE, Fort Benning; and platoon leader and executive officer, 3-4 Cavalry, 3rd Infan try Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infan try Division, Schofield Barracks, HI. CPT Sitterley is a graduate of ABOLC, Army Situation-Awareness Training, Army Reconnaissance Course, Maneu ver Captain’s Career Course, Cavalry Leader’s Course, Airborne School, Ma neuver Leader’s Maintenance Course and Pathfinder School. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree in busi ness administration and marketing from Salisbury University. CPT Sitter ley’s awards and honors include the bronze Order of St. George.

Summer 2020 Acronym Quick-Scan ABOLC – Armor Basic Officer Leader Course BCT – brigade combat team CLU – command launch unit CoA –course of action FM – field manual ICVV – Infantry Carrier Vehicle Variant LLDR – Lightweight Laser-Designator Rangefinder LTIOV – latest-time-information-isof-value MCoE – Maneuver Center of Excellence NAI – named area of interest OP – observation post PIR – priority intelligence requirement R&S – reconnaissance and security RWS – Remote Weapon Station SBCT – Stryker brigade combat team For Company- and Platoon-Level Leaders’ Professional Development: Musicians of Mars, Vol. 3: the Cobra Strikes One of the Center for for Army Lessons Learned (CALL)’s recent products (published in Febru ary 2019), it is a series of tactical vignettes in the same vein as Duffer’s Drift and should aid mounted-maneuver leaders in conducting professional development with their junior officers / noncommissioned officers. From the CALL Website: “Musicians of Mars III The Cobra Strikes picks up the tale of ... Task Force Mustang in the af termath of their successful defense (in CALL Handbook 16-12, Musicians of Mars II) of Engage ment Area Blackjack. ... As with Musicians of Mars II, this handbook takes the reader through a fictional scenario where the tactical leaders make decisions, some good and some not so good, that impact subsequent actions. Musicians of Mars III will have its leaders learning and improving as they progress through tactical engagements. This was intentional in the develop ment of this publication and is designed to facilitate tactical discussions at the company and platoon levels.” All three Musicians of Mars publications are available by going to the CALL Website, https:// call.army.mil, and clicking on “Publications.” Direct links are Musicians of Mars III: The Cobra Strikes, https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/publications/19-08.pdf; Musicians of Mars II, https://usacac.army.mil/organizations/mccoe/call/publication/16-1; Musicians of Mars I: A Story of Synchronization for the Company/Team Commander, https://usacac.army. mil/node/2358. The publications are also available to order in hard copy. (Books and ship ping are free to unit address. To order publications, visit https://call2.army.mil/rfp (CAC login required). General questions can be directed to CALL’s Request for Information line at (913)

684-2255 (CALL).)

From foreword: “There is still a tendency in each separate unit … to be a one-handed puncher. By that I mean that the rifleman wants to shoot, the tanker to charge, the artilleryman to fire. … That is not the way to win battles. If the band played a piece first with the piccolo, then with the brass horn, then with the clarinet, and then with the trumpet, there would be a hell of a lot of noise but no music. To get harmony in music, each instrument must support the others. To get har mony in battle, each weapon must support the other. Team play wins. You musicians of Mars … must come into the concert at the proper place at the proper time.” -MG George S. Patton Jr., address to 2nd Armored Division, July 8, 1941