User:RekonDog/terrestrial reconnaissance

Terrestrial, or ground reconnaissance, is the reconnoitering of areas that are affected in the commander's battlespace. It mostly concerns the terrestrial features, current weather, and hostile forces in the area.

Ground reconnaissance is carried out by a variety of troops from different Arms and Services for different purpose. This type of reconnaissance is related to the need for knowledge of the enemy by different echelons of command. The rank superiority in the military hierarchy is related to the distance from the FEBA (Forward Edge of Battle Area) that the information about the enemy usually needs to come from as the officer seeks to find and understand the decisions and actions of their opposites.

Some military elements tasked with reconnaissance are armed only for self-defence, and rely on stealth to gather information. Others are well-enough armed to also deny information to the enemy by destroying their reconnaissance elements.

Dedicated ground reconnaissance units (known in the US Army as Cavalry) provide both an information gathering and a screening force service to the other Arms and Services engaged in combat. Specialist scout units may operate as far as 25-50km forward of the FEBA.

While almost every frontline military unit is sometimes assigned to do limited patrolling or surveillance of one kind or another, this kind of stealthy scouting far from friendly bases is a particularly dangerous mission. Light cavalry often served this purpose in the past, and modern militaries make this a special forces mission. When the recon team is unfamiliar with the terrain, recruitment of local guides can be very desirable for these kind of missions.

In US practice, combat battalions have reconnaissance or scouting platoons, forces typically of 20-40 men, but sometimes twice that size, that can probe beyond the main line of the unit ^[1]. Brigades and divisions have separate Long Range Surveillance units ^[2], which can go deeper beyond the front line; the structure of such units is changing as the US Army reorganizes into a Brigade combat team model with enhanced reconnaissance. As of 2007 though the Scout specialists were being removed from some US brigades such as the Stryker Brigade Team. Dedicated scouts serving with infantry, tank, artillery, engineer, or logistics units will generally position themselves about 5km in advance of the forward units where possible. Different Arms and Service scouts have different tasks to perform for their higher echelons of command. For example the engineer reconnaissance detachments will try to identify difficult terrain in the path of their formation, and attempt to reduce the time it takes to transit the terrain using specialist engineering equipment such as a pontoon bridge for crossing water obstacles.

Reconnaissance mission are characterized by accordance to the depth of penetration they are required in having an impact, in terms of time, risk coordination, and its support requirements.

• Close - conducted in the area extending forward of the 'forward edge of the battle area' or FEBA) to the 'Fire Support Coordination Line' (or FSCL ).

• Distant - concerned in location, disposition, composition and movement of enemy forces, battle space beyond limits of the fire support coordination line (FSCL). Both the FEBA and FSCL are in the Area of Influence, within the range of friendly artillery.

• Deep - conducted beyond the commander's Area of Influence to the limits of the commander's Area of Interest. Usually directed toward in ascertaining the disposition of enemy reinforcements.

Long-range reconnaissance, also called Long Range Surveillance (LRS), is defined as in small groups, in uniform, moderately far behind the enemy lines. While LRS units may direct air or artillery strikes against enemy positions, they strive to be unobserved, and have only self-defense, not DA, capability. They may use unorthodox means of entry, such as swimming in from a submarine or specialized parachuting techniques (e.g., HAHO and HALO, High-Altitude High-Opening and High-Altitude Low-Opening, respectively). These troops may operate 100km forward of FEBA. Units designated to carry out this role include: LRSU^[3] (US Army); 4/73 Sphinx Special Observation Battery^[4] and the Honourable Artillery Company^[5](UK Army); and Fernspähkompanie German Army.

Dialogue: A map recon is preliminary to an air or ground recon. Potential OPAREAs and routes to them are selected.

Advantages: This method is very fast and allows unsuitable routes to be eliminated. Also, likely ambush sites, rendezvous points, checkpoints and other pertinent locations can be identified.

Disadvantages: Actual terrain features may have changed, especially vegetation and the presence of manmade features. Obviously, a map with the most current publication date should be used.

Specific routes and terrain that the enemy could use for movement and communications, to include roads, railways and waterways. Route Reconnaissance is also employed for friendly forces.

Terrain or enemy activity with a prescribed, specific area (towns, ridges, forest, and structures).

Total breadth area of a battlefield depending on the adversaries' force, terrain and weather pertaining to the zone. Such parameters are established by determining the intelligence value available.

Tasked in focusing on a specific enemy organization or target; its locations and possible movement, shadowing the enemy, moving and stopping when the enemy does, observing and reporting all information that deems pertinent to the MEF Commander. Some military elements tasked with reconnaissance are armed only for self-defence, and rely on stealth to gather information. Others are well-enough armed to also deny information to the enemy by destroying their reconnaissance elements.

FLOT

• Forward Line of Own Trooops

FEBA

• Forward Edge Battle Area

FSCL

• Fire Support Coordination Line

SALT

• size, activity, location, and time

SALUTE

• size, activity, location, unit, time, equipment

SAM-DOC

• strength, armament, movement, deployment, organization, communications

METT-T

• mission, enemy, terrain, troops available, time available