ATP-3-94-2 HIMARS Deep Operations Download
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Deep Operations Overview 1 September 2016 ATP 3-94.2 1-5 power away from its primary objective to address multi-directional threats. Deep operations targeting vehicles or infrastructure such as bridges, roads, and railways, may also divert enemy engineering and personnel resources to the tasks of repairing and recovering damaged equipment, facilities and lines of communications (LOCs). Diversions prevent enemy forces and their support resources from being employed as the enemy commander intends. DISRUPT 1-20. Deep operations supporting disruption will interfere with or inhibit the enemy commander’s employment of forces, capabilities, or systems by upsetting the operational tempo, flow of information, or interaction of the enemy forces and their supporting systems. In place of a cohesive enemy effort, disruption can produce confusion, fear, and piecemeal resistance. Therefore, disrupting the enemy enables the commander to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative and maintain freedom of action. For example, a commander may conduct a deep operation to disrupt the enemy’s fire-support system in order to allow subordinate commanders the freedom to maneuver and mass forces against the enemy in the close area without being engaged by the enemy’s indirect-fire weapons. In this case, commanders may attack enemy forward observers, fire-direction centers, artillery systems, rocket systems, or ammunition stores. Other viable targets for disruption include reconnaissance and surveillance assets, command and control facilities, communication networks, logistics support nodes, transportation systems, and reserve forces. Degradation or destruction of any of these assets can disrupt (as well as delay) enemy operations. DELAY 1-21. Deep operations can delay the time of arrival of enemy forces or capabilities or alter the ability of the enemy to project forces or capabilities. When deep operations delay the enemy, friendly forces gain time to continue preparation activities in the close area. The commander may use the additional time to reconstitute, reinforce, resupply, or maneuver forces as necessary to set the conditions required for success in the close fight. If a deep operation to delay enemy forces occurs too early or is not sufficiently sustained, the enemy may have time to recover and respond before friendly forces are able to complete preparations. For a delay to have a meaningful impact, it must enhance the effects of planned close operations. DESTROY 1-22. Actions geared toward destruction will damage the structure, function, or condition of a target so that it cannot perform as intended or be restored to a usable condition. The destruction of enemy combat forces, support elements, or resources is the most direct form of deep operations. This level of deep operations may not always require follow up missions. Destroying transportation systems is usually not an end in itself but contributes to the delay, diversion, and disruption of enemy forces and materiel. It may force the enemy to use alternate less efficient routes or disperse critical assets. The enemy may also have to divert engineering resources from other tasks to prepare alternate routes in anticipation of possible attacks. However, it could produce unintended or undesirable effects For example, destruction of key enemy transportation infrastructure in and around friendly AOs could inhibit friendly freedom of action and hinder subsequent friendly operations. Commanders must be mindful that destruction is a resource intensive effort and as such, both time and resupply must be factored into any operations where destruction of enemy assets is the goal. DEEP OPERATIONS CAPABILITIES 1-23. Corps and division commanders can employ a wide range of organic lethal and nonlethal capabilities to conduct deep operations. These capabilities include artillery strikes, aviation attacks, airborne and air assault operations, raids, reconnaissance in force, information operations, and cyber electromagnetic activities. Additionally, commanders may coordinate for assets from other unified action partners to support deep operations through strategic reconnaissance or lethal and nonlethal engagements. Commanders may use these capabilities individually or in combination to create the desired effect. Deep operations may assume high levels of risk when air or ground maneuver forces are employed. Therefore, the commander and staff must clearly understand the purpose and objectives of deep operations. They must also have knowledge of the capabilities of the friendly and enemy units and the experience and training to appreciate or justify the