TLP - NATO Standards Commander Management and Decision Procedure

46
TLP - NATO Standards Commander Management and Decision Procedure

When performing combat missions in the ground forces of the Armed Forces of NATO countries, two main procedures for command and control of troops are applied:

- the military decision making process (MDMP), which is applied at the battalion level and above;



- troop leading procedures (TLP), which is used in subunits at the level of the company and below [23, p. 6-11].

Both procedures apply an established methodology that enables the commander to save time and be an effective leader.

The Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) is a planning methodology that integrates the activities of the commander, headquarters, subordinates, attached and interacting headquarters in order to understand the situation and the combat mission, develop and compare options of warfare (COAs), choose the option of warfare, and development of an operational plan or order for a combat mission [8].

Command and control procedure (TLP) - The order and methods of command used in infantry platoons and squads. These methods are used at all stages of planning and performing tactical operations at the company, platoon and squad level.

In this series of articles, we will consider the second type of procedure, namely: the troop control procedure or TLP: the order of command and control of a unit, combat orders and the sequence of preparing a platoon (squad) for battle. That is, we will analyze the process during which the commander receives an order, draws up an action plan, conducts reconnaissance (reconnaissance), draws up and draws up orders (preliminary and combat), and also prepares and moves the unit for battle.

These topics are directly related to any military operation. Their use takes time. Given sufficient time, commanders can plan and prepare more carefully. If they are pressed for time, they will be guided by pre-practiced actions, combat skills and standard operating procedures.

We with you, unlike most articles that are found on this topic on the Internet, first we will get acquainted with history and the reasons for the emergence of this procedure, as well as a quick look at some of the fundamental points of TLP, such as assessing the situation and information about it, its analysis and "wargaming".

A bit of history


The Troop Leading Process (TLP) used by NATO armies is the brainchild of the US military.

The armies of warring civilizations have always developed theories of the interdependence of operational planning and troop training. This was first documented in the XNUMXth century BC. NS. Chinese military theorist Sun Tzu:

“When drawing up a plan of hostilities, one should delve into the balance of forces, ... one should be guided by the following points - whether the ruler has a path (Tao), whether the commander has abilities, comprehend the peculiarities of heaven and earth, the feasibility of laws and orders, the strength of the army, the training of commanders and soldiers, clarity of awards and punishments ”[14, p. 120].

By "the way" is meant here the way of weighing the forces to achieve victory and leading people through instructions and orders; "Sky" - in the most general sense, it is an account of the weather and time of day, which can affect the course of the operation; “Land” is a consideration of distances, terrain, that, knowing how to use the properties of the terrain, you can take positions that promise death or give life.

In the US Army, this theory turned into an applied plane only in the late 1870s, when the US Army learned from the Prussian military model. The evaluation process emerged from the Prussian army's attempt in the early 1800s to develop a systematic and logical approach to solving military problems. The Prussians believed that a documented systematic procedure was needed, "To develop high leadership skills through training"because the death of Frederick the Great and the subsequent Prussian defeats made them realize how much they depend on the rare possibility of the existence of a true tactical genius [18].


Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871 Napoleon III, who surrendered, talks with Chancellor Bismarck

In the United States, the Prussian system was first adopted at the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth. During the first decade of the twentieth century, the school developed and refined the assessment process as a systematic means by which students had to explain and justify their decisions of tactical problems.

Until that time, no one paid attention to the factors that usually need to be taken into account in the decision-making process. Thus, an assessment of the situation was created, which was first officially documented in 1909 by Captain Roger S. Fitch of Army Headquarters College in his Evaluating Tactical Situations and Writing Field Orders (Fort Leavenworth, KS, US Army Staff College Press, 1909 ).


Colonel Roger S. Fitch pioneered the TLP procedure in the US Army. Photo from rootsweb.com




Cover and first pages of the book "Assessing tactical situations and drawing up field orders"

In 1910, "Appraisal ...." became the official doctrine of the US Army with the publication of excerpts from Captain Fitch's document in the Field Service Rules. The following is a quote from the 1910 Field Service Ordinance:

“To form a suitable combat order, the commander must assess the situation, which will result in a decision on a specific action plan. Then he must actually draw up or voice the orders to be carried out. And only then the decision comes into force. Situation assessment includes careful consideration from the commander's point of view of all the circumstances affecting a specific problem, his knowledge of the situation, all available information about the enemy (strength, position, movements, probable intentions, etc.), conditions affecting his own command (force, position, support troops) and martial law ”[24].

This definition has expanded over the years to reflect its continuous nature, link commander and staff assessments, and outline the necessary steps and categories of factors to be considered.

Assessment of the situation


The first issue of Field Manual FM 101-5 in 1932 stated that assessing a situation should take into account plans open to both the enemy and yourself. However, he recommended a separate analysis of the plans of the enemy and his allies, first deciding which of the possible enemy plans he (the enemy) would accept. And then, using this enemy plan, consider plans that we can implement.

However, the basic definition and purpose of the assessment remained unchanged over time. The main five paragraphs commander's assessments - mission, situation and course of action, analysis, comparison and solution - first appeared in the issue of the FM 101-5 field manual in 1940 [19, p. 90]. These five paragraphs have remained unchanged in all subsequent versions except the 1977 draft.


Five paragraphs of Commander Evaluation from FM 101-5, 1940

The 1940 version contained all the basic elements that have since characterized the use of multiple options in the evaluation process. The formation of actions of a potential enemy and their own lines (courses) of action should have been carried out on stage 2 "Situations and courses of action" based on consideration of factors or facts in a tactical situation.

For further analysis, it was necessary to retain only those directions of action that could interfere with the fulfillment of your (enemy) mission or would contribute to the fulfillment of your (own) mission. On stage 3 "Analysis" each own line of action had to be "weighed in turn separately" against each enemy line of action.

The figures below show some of the enemy and terrain assessment procedures that are now part of the METT-TC procedure (taken from FM 101-5, 1940).








The 1950 issue added nothing to the 1940 issue in terms of the use of multiple courses of action. But it directly pointed out the universality of the method, arguing that it is applicable to any situation or echelon and can be used by any person.

The 1954 version contains unique procedural content. This charter stated that the commander, visualizing his possible options for action at the second stage, "Excludes from further consideration those that are clearly inferior to others under consideration" [15, p. 8].

This contradicted the 1940 version, which argued that while there might only be one practical course of action in some circumstances, a final decision should not be made until that course of action has been tested for step 3to define its “ramifications” and redefine how it should be done.

In 1960, the process of making military decisions is described for the first time. This formal process places the commander's assessment within the broader context of all command and staff actions required to develop and execute an action plan. The five-paragraph description of the grade does not change. With the possible exception of the 1977 draft, the military decision-making process has become an integral part of all subsequent releases of FM 101-5.

Additional subclause levels were added in the 1968 version when four subclause levels appeared in paragraph 2 "Situation and Procedure" ("Situation and COA" *).

Since 1968, the format has remained largely stable. The table below shows an example comparison of the 1932 and 1984 evaluation formats (with the 1968 addition).


COA is the development and comparison of combat options, the choice of the option of combat

The 1968 edition also added a different, more abstract or general view of proper decision-making. This was to explicitly view solutions on the battlefield in terms of a general problem-solving methodology that consists of:

1) recognition of the problem;

2) collecting the necessary data;

3) development and listing of possible solutions;

4) analysis of possible solutions;

5) choosing the best solution.

The 1968 manual also contained a cautionary note about using valuation procedures that were somewhat similar to those that appeared in 1954. It was stated that the five-paragraph format (see above) was not rigid. The evaluator can move on to the next step without completing the previous one, or take a few small guided tours of the process as part of their overall assessment, revising or adding material as needed. This caveat was repeated in 1972 and 1977, but was dropped from the 1982 and 1984 editions. [15, p. 6].

In the 1982 and 1984 versions, nothing significant was added about the use of multiple variations. Their statements were very similar to those of the 1968 and 1972 editions.

Wargaming - action analysis visualization


The 101 version of FM 5-1932 said nothing about how actions should be analyzed. The 1950 version added nothing to the explanation of the analysis, but for the first time contained an example of a commander's assessment. Here in the analysis paragraph, an “if-then” statement is made for each action plan. The brief statements outlined the effect of terrain and enemy forces on the movement of both home and enemy forces, as well as the time requirements and the relative likelihood of (enemy) breakout. This speaks only of the superficial level of the wargame.

Help. The Prussian military first developed a set of rules for the conduct of war games in 1824. The war game focuses on maneuvering units on the map. She became a tool that helped not only headquarters but also commanders practice and hone their tactical skills by visualizing battles from start to finish.

Wargaming continued to act as a tactics coach until the 1860s, when the Prussians began using the game as a decision-making tool. Prussian commanders studied tactical situations, lined up and moved forces on maps, and then visualized the execution of various COA (Courses of Action - developing and comparing combat options, choosing a combat option) in their heads.

The commanders then chose the best execution option based on the outcome of the war game. In 1870, the Germans amazed the world with their swift victory over the French. As a result, many countries studied the successes of the Germans and adopted German personnel procedures, including the war games. Wargaming soon became the preferred decision-making tool for many European armies between 1871 and 1914. The US Army also borrowed German decision making, but until 1919 could not describe how to use a structured framework for COA analysis.



Wargaming by Vasily Chapaev

The 1954 charter made it clear that the visualization of the commander must take into account the situational factors inferred on step 2 "situation and course of action"to develop and refine the final decision and determine how these factors can best be used. It was noted that this analysis could lead to modification of action plans or to the creation of new ones.

The Analysis paragraph contains a 1-2 page analysis of each course of action. In these analyzes, the course of action is "worked through" by phases that determine the influence of the terrain and the location of enemies on the actions and time required in each phase. And it is also determined in which phase of actions it is necessary to apply the main effort, that is, to complete the main task.

In the Charter for 1968, the term "wargaming" ("war game") was introduced for the first time, and a description of how this can be done and what follows from this was included [21, p. 15]. The war game was to be carried out from the current disposition to the goal to include any action that might be required to achieve the goal.

The analysis of the course of action (war game) determines which COA is carrying out the mission with the lowest possible losses while at the same time placing the forces in the best way in order to preserve the initiative for future operations. This helps the commander:

1) determine how to maximize combat power against the enemy while protecting friendly forces and minimize collateral damage;
2) have as identical vision of the battle as possible;
3) anticipate events on the battlefield;
4) determine the conditions and resources that are needed for success;
5) Determine when and where to use power capabilities.

In other words, wargaming or "war game" is a disciplined process with its own rules and steps that tries to visualize the course of a battle. The process takes into account friendly attitudes, strengths and weaknesses, enemy assets and likely COA, characteristics of the area of ​​operation. It focuses the attention of personnel at each stage of the operation in a logical sequence. It highlights critical tasks and introduces tactical capabilities that are otherwise difficult to implement. War games are the most valuable stage in the analysis and comparison of SOA, and more time should be allocated to them than to any other stage [20, pp. 5–16].


War game or replaying situations is one of the key elements of preparation for any operation.

The war game follows an action-reaction-reaction cycle.

Actions are those events that are triggered by the attacking side (usually an advancing force). Reactions are responses from the other side. Countermeasures are the responses of the first party to the responses of the other party. The game will not be completed until the commander decides that he must use a different SOA to successfully complete the mission.

Comparison of options begins with each commander analyzing and evaluating from his point of view the advantages and disadvantages of each SOA. At the same time, each participant in the game presents his conclusions for the consideration of others.

This method divides the operation into segments, the first of which involves, for example, breaking through the initial positions of the enemy, and the last one - capturing an object. For each segment, the commander first determines the combat power that the enemy can use and, based on this, determines the combat power that he needs to overcome. He decides which of his units he can most logically use and where.

Having done this, he visualizes the movement of his units and the reaction of the enemy. This makes him visualize the need to support the attack, such as fire, smoke, and air support. In doing so, he notes critical areas and incidents, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of his action plan. Starting from the initial segment, he develops the composition of the main and auxiliary attacks and decides what his reserve will be and where it will be located.

In subsequent segments, he considers the effectiveness of a sustaining attack and the possible use or movement of his reserve. After he has achieved the goal, he considers what actions will be required to consolidate. This entire process must be repeated for every course of action against every viable adversary.

The 1972 manual did not significantly change the way wargaming was described.

The emphasis on speed and the more informal and active style of the 1977 Field Manual was reflected in several changes to the presentation of war games. Wargaming is described more as an art than a set of prescribed procedures. Therefore, neither a step-by-step method nor a numbered list of results is described.

The 1982 and 1984 versions reverted to the description of wargaming used in the 1968 and 1972 editions. Almost the same words were used. The only significant difference was the addition of two more steps to the military process: the depletion of friendly and enemy forces in each phase of the operation.

Situation information


Information used in paragraph 2 modern assessment of the "Situation and order of action" always includes consideration of important situational factors and combat power that affect the choice of the course of action.

The release of FM 101-5 in 1932 identified relative combat strength as the main information concern of any commander assessing a situation. This early version listed the components of forces that needed to be compared, namely: location, strength, combat effectiveness (physical condition, morale, and training), composition, materiel (including supplies and equipment), and assistance expected from neighboring troops.

Later, when analyzing the actions of friendly forces and adversaries, proceeding from considerations of relative combat power, it was necessary to take into account the influence of weather, terrain and communication routes [22, pp. 45-46].

The 1940 issue noted that not all factors will be the same or consistently important in all situations. It was required to draw a conclusion from the facts about their importance in a particular situation [19, p. 126]. This concept has been implemented in subsequent releases.

In the 1950 version, the terrain section already took into account all the OAKOC factors that can affect the situation, namely: "Observation and sectors of fire", "Camouflage and cover", "Obstacles", "Key terrain" and "Approach paths" ...


The list of situational factors was expanded in the 1954 edition. The Area of ​​Operations Characteristics now includes additional factors related to the local population: science, technology, materiel and transportation, which may be important under certain circumstances.

The "Relative Combat Strength" section now specifically refers to "recent and present significant enemy activity", which should have included the enemy's knowledge of our situation, its characteristics and weaknesses, as well as the use of a new or modified weapons, technique or tactics. For the first time atomic and chemical-biological weapons were mentioned as factors of relative combat power [15, p. 7].

The 1954 edition mentions for the first time the use of assumptions when the facts are not known. It also stresses the importance of choosing the factors to be used in making a decision.

The 1960 version set a new format paragraph 2a... It looked like this:

(1) Characteristics of the area of ​​operations.
(a) Weather.
(b) Terrain.
(c) Other relevant factors.
(2) Enemy situation.
(3) Own situation.
(4) Relative combat strength.

No further breakdown by these categories is given in the format section. All those non-weather and terrain factors that were mentioned in previous editions (eg, economy, labor, etc.) were now to be discussed in section (c) “Other relevant factors” [15, p. eight].

The composition of the enemy was to include the number, armament and type of organization, while the enemy's strength was to be divided into dowries, reinforcements, air, and equipped with radio communications. The enemy's recent and present activity was no longer subject to further crushing, but the enemy's traits and weaknesses were now a separate factor.

Our vulnerability to an enemy nuclear attack was added to the friendly factors, and the friendly force was to include air and nuclear forces.

"Relative combat strength" was now a separate generalized subsection, which was to include a general comparison, as well as an assessment of the significant strength and vulnerability of the enemy and its own forces. To emphasize the priority of this section, it has been stated that the results of this comparison "May indicate the basic nature and characteristics of a course of action" [25, pp. 143-144].

The 1968 version made very few changes over the 1960 version. The Relative Combat Strength section now clarifies that the main factors to consider are unit maneuverability and fire support, but they can also include deception, mobility, control and coordination, terrain, location, weather conditions, logistics. psychological assistance, security and electronic warfare.

It stated that the factors that must be considered in determining the relative combat power must be determined anew for each operation. The charter warned that the commander should base his comparison on "General impression" and not get bogged down in "detailed study of personnel or weapons on both sides" [26, p. 3].

The section "Situation with the enemy" is not included; he is simply referring to the intelligence assessment. There appears to be a deliberate attempt to present the commander's assessment as a more concise summary of information detailed in other personnel's assessments.

It is in the documents of the 1960s that the eight main stages of the TLP procedure begin to form, which will finally be formed in the statutes of the 80s of the twentieth century:

1 - receiving a task,
2 - issuance of a preliminary order (instruction),
3 - drawing up a preliminary plan, which includes analysis of the situation, terrain and wargame,
4 - start of movement,
5 - conducting reconnaissance,
6 - completion of the plan of operation,
7 - registration and issuance of a combat order,
8 - checking the readiness of the l / s, clarifying some points, conducting trainings.

The 1972 version was the same as the 1968 version, except that all references to the friendly use of biological weapons were removed. The only other change was the addition of “refugees” to the list of “other relevant factors”.

In the 1977 project, special attention was paid to information to determine the relative combat power, considered "The most significant factors in determining the tactics of the action plan" [15, p. 14]. It is interesting to note that in connection with the analysis of actions on stage 3 “Analysis” is the first time the term METT-T is used (METT-T stands for “Mission, Enemy, Terrain, Troops, and Available Time”).

The 1982 edition reverted to the pre-1977 format for describing information factors. The growing amount of information available through improved communications, increased staffing, and automation has now been identified as a problem in the following warning:

“Commanders should avoid the trap of requesting and trying to analyze too much information personally. There is a great risk of being overwhelmed by endless details. The personnel must serve the commander by analyzing the details and communicating important information, conclusions and recommendations as often as necessary to keep abreast of the evolving situation. "

[15, pp. 5–6].


There were no changes in information factors in the 1984 revision from the 1982 revision.

In 1997, the idea of ​​the commander's intentions was introduced and the combination of synthesis and analysis in the MDMP (military decision making process) was introduced.

Little has changed during the assessment process and at the beginning of the XXI century, which is confirmed in the field charters FM 101-5 "Staff organization and operations сontents" and FM 4-01.45 "Tactical convoy ops", which were published in 2005, FM 3- 21.8 (FM 7-8) "The Infantry Rifme Platoon and Squad" for 2007 and FM 6-0 "Commander and Staff organization and operations сontents" for 2015.

So, in FM 6-0 all the same three main types of orders for junior commanders (Warno, Opord, Frago) are described, 8 steps of the unit management procedure are given with their detailed descriptions, in particular on the METT-TS clauses, and attention is also paid to “ wargaming "(step 3 "Development of a preliminary plan"), as one of the necessary and qualitative conditions for the analysis of the correctness of actions [23, pp. 209–216].

Separately, I must say a few words about the Europeans.

The first and, as can be judged, the only work in this direction was the work of the Swiss Hans von Dach "Combat Technique" [4, 5]. For the first time, this manual was published in 1967 as a manual on combined arms combat for the conscripted population of the Swiss Confederation in the framework of the Service for Advanced Training of Troops.

In this tutorial, we will not see a clear description of the TLP procedure that we talked about above.

Here, when describing actions and orders, separate clauses are given that resemble the clauses of the unit control procedure. So, in the first volume in the section "Technique for issuing orders" it is noted that giving an order consists of such items as "Assessment of the situation", "Decision making" and "Order". At the same time, "Assessment of the situation" includes the following sub-items: task, territory, own means, enemy, time, own capabilities [4, p. 142].

All this is similar to the METT-TC procedure step 3 from the TLP (more specifically in the next article).

Terrain analysis is also very similar to the METT-TC procedure in the Terrain sub-item. The author of the manual also draws attention to taking into account the terrain, hidden ways of approach, key areas of the terrain, and the results of the terrain analysis are also entered into a special table with a description of the conclusions: how it threatens us, what opportunities are given to the enemy and what needs to be done to protect ourselves [4 , Pp. 147–148].

We see a similar description of steps in the second volume, where the author gives examples of orders for defense and counterattack [4, pp. 104–110].

It should be noted that command and control procedures are now described not only in the infantry and ranger manuals, but also in the Operational Process (ADP 5-0), the Commander and Staff Officer's Manual (ATTP 5-0.1) and many other manuals. ... The use of the fundamentals of the TLP procedure in almost all guidance documents of the US military department confirms the relationship and dependence between the army design methodology, the military decision-making process and the TLP.

Summing up, I would like to hope that the author managed, at least in a minimal amount, perhaps somewhat incoherently, but to convey to the reader the reasons for the appearance of this procedure and its main stages of development.

In the following articles, we will get acquainted in more detail with the TLP procedure itself, the basic concepts and consider its eight basic steps.

To be continued ...

Sources:
1. Introduction to the organization of hostilities // Typical basic curriculum for training command personnel in the system of special military education. - Office of the Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces Academy. Station Forces Kingston, Ontario, K7K 7B4 1000-1 (SSO DEO). - September 21, 2011
2. Development of combat missions // FM 7-93 operations of deep reconnaissance units. - Headquarters of the Ministry of the Army. Washington, 1995.
3. Command, Control, and Troop-Leading Procedures. Chapter 5 // FM 3-21.8. The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad. - Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC, 2007.
4. Hans von Dach. Combat technique. The basics. Volume 1. Part 1 / Translation from it. Ekaterina Kotyuk. - Lviv: Astrolabe Publishing House, 2017. - P. 142–153.
5. Hans von Dach. Combat technique. The basics. Volume 1. Part 2 / Translation from it. Ekaterina Kotyuk. - Lviv: Astrolabe Publishing House, 2017. - P. 104–110.
6. Special forces tactics in Afghanistan. Preparing for the exit // Special Forces of the GRU: Essays on history. In 4 books. Book. 3. Afghanistan 1979-1989. - M .: "SPSL", 2009. - S. 611-626.
7. Center for Combat Training of NATO Allied Air Forces // Foreign Military Review. 2014, No. 6. - P. 59–67.
8. CHAPTER 2. Combat command and order of command of troops // FM 3-21.91 (FM 7-91). - Army Headquarters. - Washington DC, 2002
9. Polishchuk L. I., Klimovich A. K. et al. The process of making a decision on the conduct of hostilities in the ground forces of the armed forces of NATO countries / L. I. Polishchuk, A. K. Klimovich // Armament and Military Equipment. - 2018. - No. 4. - P. 3.
10. Polishchuk L.I., Klimovich O.K., Bogutskiy S.M. Algorithm of operation of command and control bodies in the ground forces of the armed forces of NATO countries when deciding on the conduct of hostilities / L. I. Polishchuk, A. K. Klimovich, S. M. Bogutskiy // Collection of scientific works. - Odessa: Military Academy. - 2018. - No. 2 (10). - S. 161.
11. Sadovskiy MS Problems of implementation of NATO standards in the functioning of the Armed Forces of Ukraine / MS Sadovskiy // Control systems, navigation and communication. - 2016. - No. 1 (37). - S. 38–42.
12. Chapter 2. Operations. Section I. Command and control // FM 7–8. Infantry rifle platoon and squad. - Washington, DC: Headquarters Department of the ARMY. - April 22, 1992.
13. Sun - Tzu // Chinese military strategy / Comp., Per. and comments. V.V. Malyavin. - M .: OOO "AST Publishing House", 2004. - 432 p.
14. Rex R. Michel. Historical Development of the Estimate of the Situation. - Alexandria, Virginia: US Army Research Institute0 for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. - October 1990.
15. Runov V. Afghan war. Combat operations / Valentin Runov. - M .: Yauza, 2008 .-- 432 p.
16. Textbook of the US Army Ranger. SH 21-76. - Fort Benning, Georgia: Ranger Training Brigade. - January 2000
17. Prussian army of the era of German unification. - http://militera.lib.ru/science/svechin2b/04.html
18. FM 101-5. Staff officers' Field Manual. The staff and combat orders. - Washington: War Department. - August, 1940.
19. Staff organization and operations contents. - Washington, DC: Headquarters Department of the Army. - May 31, 1997.
20. Major Walter E. Kretchik. The Manual Wargaming Process: Does our Current Methodology Give Us The Optimum Solution? - Kansas, Fort Leavenworth: A School of Advanced Military Studies United States Army Command and General Staff College. - December, 1991.
21. Staff officers' field manual. Part ONE. - Washington: United States government printing office. - September, 1932.
22. FM 6-0. Mission Command: Command and control of Army Forces. - Washington, DC: Headquarters Department of the Army. - August, 2003.
23. Obsolete Military Regulations // Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: US Army Command and General Staff College. - https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection.
24. FM 101-5. Army Staff Officers Field Manual. Staff Organization and Procedure. - Washington, DC: Headquarters Department of the Army. - July, 1960
25. FM 101-5. Staff Officers Field Manual. Staff Organization and Procedure. - Washington, DC: Headquarters Department of the Army. - June, 1968.
26. Prohibited methods and means of conducting hostilities // On the approval of the Instruction on the procedure for the implementation of the norms of international humanitarian law in the Armed Forces. - https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0704-17#Text.
27. Training essays on peacekeeping operations with possible solutions: Textbook. manual / Responsible for the release Alexander Bokov. - K .: PKF "Lyubava". - 1998 .-- 80 p.
46 comments
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  1. -5
    19 November 2021 18: 14
    The author, and for whom is this all?
    1. +3
      19 November 2021 18: 26
      The author, and for whom is this all?

      It is necessary always and from everything to extract grains of valuable information. In this case, the amers have something to take valuable in this regard. Our visualization of actions is being worked out at the headquarters level, at best, and it must be carried out at the platoon level as well.
      Here it is well shown how they have:

      ideally, you really need a large holographic display (not a layout), with a real map of the area and a change in the situation over time (the realities of the 21st century).
      Something like this holographic tactical table:

      Because as practice shows, not everyone understands the order clearly by ear.
      1. -8
        19 November 2021 19: 47
        In this case, the amers have something to take valuable in this regard.

        Absolutely not! And their trouble is that they are preparing their troops for action according to a template, and if something is violated, then everyone has arrived. Our advantage is the ability to make decisions on our own in case of a change in the situation. As for the layout of the terrain, this is still nothing when the regiment commander sets the task to the battalion commander. And that's all, in the division the task is set on the map, there have been attempts to make mock-ups, but to no avail, there is too much information and it can quickly change. Well, the company commander can still set a task in general, it will still be clarified during the battle. And the platoon in general controls the platoon exclusively from the situation, performing, of course, the assigned task. And the holographic tactical tables are from the Avatar, and if the electricity is turned off, then in general ... For the entire time of service, the terrain model could not have been done at all, with a map it was more accurate and simpler.
        1. 0
          19 November 2021 20: 13

          There are already holographic tables
        2. +7
          19 November 2021 20: 20
          And their trouble is that they are preparing their troops for action according to a template, and if something is violated, then everyone has arrived.
          Did you serve in the US Armed Forces?
          1. -8
            19 November 2021 21: 19
            Did you serve in the US Armed Forces?

            Why are you interested in?
        3. 0
          20 November 2021 10: 39
          Our advantage is the ability to make decisions on our own in case of a change in the situation.

          laughed for a long time ... it was under Suvorov and by the end of the Second World War, and then it was long and stubbornly emasculated
        4. 0
          20 November 2021 19: 02
          Quote: AlexGa
          Absolutely not!
          Yes. This is a document like our GOSTs: if you make documentation in accordance with GOST, then you can't make a completely crappy document (unless you make special efforts for this). So it is here: filling out the papers, the commander willy-nilly thinks about the points about which he writes.
          1. +1
            20 November 2021 19: 38
            You are wrong. Probably you mean the so-called formalized documents, which are developed according to the Timetable of urgent reports, but so these are accounting documents. There are points that are reflected in the Order, but in the end "the Charter is not a dogma, but a guide to action" and commanders of various levels have a lot of freedom. For the Americans, things are more complicated.
            1. -3
              20 November 2021 21: 16
              The charter is not a dogma, but a guide to action
              - some kind of nonsense, if the charter is a guide to action, then you need to do only as it is written in the charter, that is, according to templates, that is, the charter is a dogma, and you also reproach the American military for this.
              Americans are getting harder

              Apparently it is much simpler, all experience is comprehended, compressed and collected in logical chains, that is, fully analyzed. If you have not mastered this does not mean that it is difficult, it means that you are missing something.
              Throw in mediocre. Does the Kremlin know about advanced training courses at all? This is not a group with aunts in classmates ...
      2. +2
        19 November 2021 22: 20
        Quote: lucul
        Because as practice shows, not everyone understands the order clearly by ear.

        This is true! Someone remembers better by ear, someone visually, and someone else's muscle memory is the first to work. Therefore, it is often advised - to watch, listen and record!
        1. +1
          20 November 2021 19: 04
          Quote: Saxahorse
          Someone remembers better by ear, someone visually, and someone else's muscle memory is the first to work.

          Basically, there are three types of people: audials, visuals and kinesthetics. Audials are those who perceive information by ear, visuals perceive with eyes, and kinesthetics with skin and body. So, kinesthetics are just dofig. Too many people do not get it in the face yet, do not understand anything.
        2. -1
          20 November 2021 21: 22
          In fact, everyone remembers visually much better. If you carefully looked at the map, or even better, the volumetric layout, then remembering both the landscape and the list of actions is much easier. Considering that almost always the chests of drawers and platoon lumps never know the surrounding area by heart, and the order received contains a huge number of tasks, goals and wishes, it is very difficult to remember and analyze this information and issue your orders for a person, even of an average mind. It's another matter when, even in the process of study, they have hammered into your head, created specifically for structuring and optimizing the management process, logical chains and methods, then this activity becomes noticeably more effective
          1. +1
            20 November 2021 22: 03
            Quote: English tarantass
            In fact, everyone remembers visually much better.

            More specifically, most people remember better visually. However, the rule - to watch, listen, record is also not an accident. Remember the students, it is unrealistic to read their scribbles in the notes, but they themselves, looking at their scribbles, immediately remember what exactly the professor was saying. laughing
      3. 0
        14 December 2021 11: 19
        What is valuable to take from them? The commander is taught about making a decision in the first year at the department of general tactics. If you do not go deep even into the combat manuals. Exactly the same crap, only a side view. but there is no prophet in his own country ...
      4. 0
        17 January 2022 19: 59
        maps have long been invented both paper and electronic. if this does not help to assimilate the information, then the question arises of how a stupid person became a commander.
        1. -4
          18 January 2022 19: 12
          maps have long been invented both paper and electronic. if this does not help to assimilate the information, then the question arises of how a stupid person became a commander.

          You don't understand the point.
          Here, for example, you need to solve a mathematical equation (using Arabic numerals), it seems to be simple, but if you translate the same equation into Roman numerals and try to solve it, it will be much more difficult. The brain will first have to shift the information into a familiar format (Arabic numerals), and then decide.
          So here, the fewer crutches that interfere with perceiving information, the easier it is for the brain to perceive it.
          1. 0
            18 January 2022 20: 51
            you don’t understand this - exactly what is shown, especially the 3d model as in kenoshka - this is a crutch. maps have been used for hundreds of years and they are used precisely because they are as convenient and informative as possible. I just remember very well from the university the problems of ordinary people in descriptive geometry - therefore, no XNUMXd models and so on are not subject to the midbrain - especially the military one. ordinary maps indicating heights are ideal, and if he is also golden from training, and officers from the university study using the same correct maps, then only real ones can have problems - the average commander or sergeant will perfectly navigate using the map.
            The whole point of the symbols on the map is so that a person with any way of the brain and any associative pictures of his mind can read and understand what is written on the map - the elements on the map are the same for all elements (which have a clear definition), and in the cockpit everyone formats them according to own software and speed of the brain. And when artists from God (and not from the Institute of Mapping) interfere in the compilation of maps, or some other handicrafts, then the convenience and information content of the maps drops significantly.
            You just don't understand the basics of how the brain works - it works according to the installed software, but software is laid in training and university. And when the sergeants and officers see the map provided to them, then they have no problems with its comprehension (except) - because they learned this.
            The fact that you are trying to push me here about associative memory and everything connected with it is useful at preschool age for the development of memory)) but no more.
            1. -1
              18 January 2022 20: 59
              then only real ones can have problems - the average commander or sergeant will orient himself perfectly using the map.

              So it's about the fact that information should reach every soldier. For this, a three-dimensional model is made. )))
              How did Izmail take Suvorov? He built a layout, and made the soldiers clearly understand what was required of them - and Ishmael fell. If he had stormed him without chewing information, then the assault would have failed.
              1. 0
                18 January 2022 21: 06
                now you understand the level of development of the NATO command staff if they use centuries-old technologies in a kind of professional army? Where to understand the cards, and even draw them up, are the direct duties of sergeants and officers? This is a banal primitivization and degradation of military education. Similar things can now be found everywhere in education, both with them and with us.
    2. +3
      19 November 2021 19: 11
      The author, and for whom is this all?

      For a narrow circle of those who are "in the subject", but also for those who have mastered the text smile
      I figured it out for myself:
      The author presented the evolution of American thought in this area of ​​"to whom where when how and what".
      Preparing a platoon / company commander capable of completing the "entire list" is not a trivial task. One by 10 or 20 ... And of them it is good to climb the stairs if every second ...
      To drive everyone and everything into the framework of one procedure can sometimes backfire. I don't know if they are taught improvisation there.
      1. -6
        19 November 2021 19: 49
        The author presented the evolution of American thought in this area of ​​"to whom where when how and what".

        What evolution, so are the successes. That in the 70s in Vietnam, in the 2000s in Afghanistan.
        1. +3
          19 November 2021 20: 23
          Afghanistan - 1979, Chechnya -1994 ...
        2. -3
          20 November 2021 21: 36
          What's in the 70s in Vietnam
          it was impossible to sink Soviet ships with help, and bomb real targets, and not fields and forests because of the risk of getting a nuclear war.
          2000s in Afghanistan

          "The Americans pulled the pin out of the grenade and threw it into the crowd, and the crowd laughs at them, they say they didn't hold it."
      2. +2
        20 November 2021 21: 33
        To drive everyone and everything into the framework of one procedure can sometimes backfire. I don't know if they are taught improvisation there.

        Not really, this is just a logical analysis of the activities of lower-level commanders. It's just that what used to be called "the art of war" and was obtained only from personal experience or piece by piece from the stories of others, then at one point this process was analyzed, collected completely, structured and created a "list of things to think about." If earlier Sun Tzu wrote down in a book that, in a smart way, you first need to count enemies, count your own, look at the area and then think about what to do with it, now there is a similar book, only compiled much wider, fuller and based on all the available experience.
        There is only one template here: the procedure for collecting information and analyzing it, and then there is a slightly different discipline, consisting of a list of possible actions for certain situations. Any more or less intelligent person undergoes such a procedure, as it was almost said in the article - the adaptation of a general logical methodology to military affairs
  2. +1
    19 November 2021 18: 18
    Will robots fight under such protocols?
    "And machines rose from the ashes of nuclear fire, and a war went on to destroy mankind."
  3. +3
    19 November 2021 18: 23
    Apparently this is part of the author's dissertation, it is very tedious and long to read, if you respect the reader, publish a brief analysis of the article, and not its entirety
    1. 0
      20 November 2021 21: 38
      The person has already pulled out only the necessary paragraphs to be shorter. He already did a very great job, and you ask to edit at the suggestion.
  4. +4
    19 November 2021 19: 38
    Even at the level of the regiment, calculating situations, wargaming, and so on is possible only in trench warfare.
    The decision should be made almost as soon as the assessment of the enemy troops has ended, and possibly even during reconnaissance in force. The battalion commander already has mortars, anti-tank systems, a bunch of infantry fighting vehicles / armored personnel carriers with babakhs, possibly tanks. Any targets detected must be destroyed before they call for artillery support / aircraft.
    Operational, tactical, strategic planning must be mandatory. But at the platoon-company level, this is simply impossible. Because the platoon commander does not have the soldiers and capabilities to conduct a hazard assessment. There is no way to plan traffic routes with 100% reliability.
    Platoon company should be on reflexes. I met the enemy, in the collision, I estimated the strength, and either bounced back or asked for support.
    With the development of means of destruction, when already at the level of the regiment / brigade there are 152mm artillery, tanks, ATGMs, 122 mortars / hosts, it is possible to concentrate as much artillery in the necessary directions as the USSR had during the assault on the Seelow Heights. The whole question is in targeting.
    Now it will not be the commander's ability to correctly conduct wargaming, but the ability to give out the exact coordinates of the target in real time. And the ability to destroy it in the shortest possible time. The infantry is only cleaning up the remnants.
    1. 0
      20 November 2021 00: 46
      Here, IMHO, is such a trick.
      All this wargaming and the procedure from assessment to giving the order, correct in all respects, takes a lot of time.
      And you have it. Because you already had an advantage over the enemy before joining the real DB. And everyone knows it. And your fighters, including the enemy.
      And there is a kind of virtual opportunity to soak a bunch of "damn Charlie" with little blood.
      The current "Charlie" turned out to be surprisingly persistent and inventive, and something so simple when everyone does what he is supposed to according to the instructions. It doesn't work like that.
      Wargaming is good and even useful. But on the spot, everything goes wrong as usual.
      Therefore, improvisation always decides.
      There are no Napoleons in the states. And thank God!

      The author continues, interesting.
      But a lot of unnecessary text.
    2. 0
      17 January 2022 20: 05
      So it is, the lower the level of the controlled link (company-platoon), the more freedom of action - because, as a matter of fact, he has no resources for any actions - everyone is lowered from above.
  5. -3
    19 November 2021 19: 42
    And did all this help them in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan?
    1. -2
      20 November 2021 11: 34
      In general, the opponents of the Americans have always washed themselves in blood at the end of the day.
      1. 0
        20 November 2021 21: 45
        In fact. Wherever the American military visited, they were followed by poverty, population decline, falling into the abyss of the economy and turning into a raw material appendage of the world capitalist system where the Americans are the largest and most powerful eater.
  6. -2
    19 November 2021 19: 59
    The story of the appearance is not very interesting, I barely finished reading this tedious thing. We are waiting for the next part, I wonder how it looks today and how it is applied.
  7. +1
    19 November 2021 21: 01
    (2) Enemy situation.
    (3) Own situation.

    Author, have you ever held a BU SV or the like ???
    I’m even afraid to ask about what they have discovered and read ...

    Here it is well shown how they have

    Good that?
    Classes on the terrain model?
    Thank you.
    Neighing :)

    To be continued

    Well, if you use military terminology, it will probably be readable for specialists, and not for "effective managers."

    And once again I am convinced.
    GOOGL-TRANSLATOR-EVIL !!!
    1. -2
      19 November 2021 21: 22
      Yes, damn it, generally speaking about nothing, only time wasted on reading.
  8. 0
    20 November 2021 00: 30
    A detailed description makes sense when it is possible to simulate the battle. But here there is a danger of unreliability of the model of the forces and means of the enemy, and the morale of their troops and the enemy's troops.
  9. +4
    20 November 2021 02: 13
    Honestly, I remembered one business training for middle and top managers, and how the girl-trainer was talking about the advantages and wonderful results of brainstorming in front of designers and designers who sometimes had forty years of practical work experience and scientific work on the topic of TRIZ.
    I do not mean that all of us here are geniuses, and they are fools, or that the system presented in the article is bad. Moreover, I believe that this kind of information is extremely useful in terms of understanding the enemy's way of thinking, his strengths and weaknesses, and developing methods to counter him. It's just that in this case, judging by the article, only one approach to decision-making is formalized and adopted as a standard, which implies the presence of more or less complete information and the necessary margin of time, which does not take into account the dynamics of obtaining information and the development of events, as well as the possibility of false or incorrect information. In addition, in the case of war games, it has long been successfully used in our country under the name of the command-staff war game. But this is just one of the possible tools, which has both pros and cons, and its own field of application.
    In general, the topic is necessary, and the publication of subsequent articles will be very useful. But even more useful, of course, would be a detailed analysis of the scope and factors affecting the effectiveness of such techniques.
  10. 0
    20 November 2021 14: 15
    It was smooth on paper ... or on display.
    You can't foresee everything, and you can successfully fight according to the template only against the Papuans.
    Not a single major war has yet been won in strict accordance with the Field Manual.
    What do you really need?
    1. Transferring the center of making tactical decisions to the lower levels, up to the platoon and squad. Do not wait for "pointers" from the command, but act promptly, proceeding from the given situation.
    2. Use the principles of dynamic programming when developing operations.
    3. Make the most of the network management principles between the branches of the armed forces. A motorized rifle company commander must have direct access to the commanders of assault aviation, for example. There may not be time for coordination with superiors.
    The wars of the future will be won not by those with more firepower, but by those who can act most quickly. Speed ​​will be more important than strength.
  11. +2
    20 November 2021 21: 08
    the reasons for the appearance of this procedure and its main stages of development

    In short, a natural process. The emergence of a full-fledged scientific approach to the preparation and work of the team. And the main stages of development can be clearly traced through the years of reprints, they correspond to all major wars and operations of the Americans and Israelis with a delay of several years.
  12. 0
    20 November 2021 21: 27
    Liked: "The power of the devotees ...". Someone needs to be betrayed to begin with.
  13. +1
    23 November 2021 08: 48
    Dear Author, allow me a few grumpy remarks.
    1. The language of translation is as heavy as a deck. It is not much different from mechanical.
    2. At the beginning of the text, it was about the consideration of the management (TLP) of a platoon (squad). I ask you to explain, then, what does the abundant appeal to such a form of training as "war / headquarters game", that is, Wargaming, have to do with this?
    Military (headquarters, tactical, operational, strategic) game - the level of military educational institutions and higher command bodies, during which participants can be in the role of commanders / chiefs, not related to their position. It was this meaning that the Prussians put into the concept of "Game".
    Who can a sergeant, a squad leader, play, other than himself?
    3. Putting something more in the head of the separated "Joe" than a couple of pages from the corresponding FM - doom the matter to failure, for it has been proven:
    -the more complex the system, the greater the likelihood of failure;
    -the educational level of the population does not tend to grow, rather the opposite ...
  14. +1
    23 November 2021 15: 56
    Only now I managed to read the article. But I will add a few words, because the processes of preparation and decision-making described in it were also used in the automated control system by the troops of the front of all types and all levels (from company to frontline) developed by our NPO Agat in the period from the late 60s to the early 90s. within the framework of the unified ACCS "Maneuver". There is no way to describe this system in the commentary, but some common features with American systems implementing the procedures described by the author can be mentioned. In particular, in the Maneuver system, simulation modeling of combat operations was implemented using data about the enemy and its forces coming to the command post of the automated command and control system from subordinates and neighboring launchers, as well as from intelligence agencies of higher headquarters and attached technical reconnaissance equipment. On the basis of these data, the complexes of command and control automation tools created a dynamic simulation model that made it possible to evaluate the options for decisions on the implementation of the combat zone proposed by the commanders of different levels and choose the optimal or close to such option from the proposed options. All information, both real and obtained as a result of modeling, was displayed on large screens, assessed by the commander, who made a decision which option from the proposed to approve. Further, the process of forming decisions for subordinate units began, documenting them, classifying them and sending them to subordinate units through the appropriate data transmission channels. That is, instead of the term "wargaming", the term combat simulation was used. The most difficult was the process of modeling the database in the control subsystems of air defense units operating in real time. But even this problem was managed poorly and poorly. You can talk about this for a long time and tediously, but why, if the collapse of the Union ruined both the Maneuver system and the ideas that were put into it
    1. 0
      17 January 2022 20: 16
      decision-making and management automation systems still have not gone away. bipeds with their cockpits will still not be able to process all the information about the battlefield in any way, especially the permanently incoming one), that is, all solutions will always be outdated. And the machine can do all this promptly and just as promptly give permission to the subordinates for this or that maneuver. the two-legged will essentially pull the trigger and nothing more - something like how modern strike UAVs like Reaper work - it finds targets in a given area, classifies them and gives the operator a proposal to attack the highest priority ones - the operator only presses the trigger. The on-board computers of hawks, air defense systems, etc., also work.
  15. 0
    20 November 2023 18: 32
    Hello author! Very well written article. I liked it very much. If possible, answer the question. When performing combat missions in the air defense forces of the Armed Forces of NATO countries, how is the air enemy assessed? And who conducts it? I'm interested for educational purposes!