ATP-3-94-2 HIMARS Deep Operations Download

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1 September 2016 ATP 3-94.2 1-1 Chapter 1 Deep Operations Overview Division and corps commanders conduct deep operations against uncommitted enemy forces to set the conditions for subordinate commanders conducting operations in the close area. This chapter provides an overview of deep operations. First, it summarizes the operational frameworks commanders use to visualize and describe operations. Next, it describes and lists the purposes of deep operations. A discussion of capabilities available to commanders for conducting deep operations follows. This chapter also provides characteristics for effective deep operations. INTRODUCTION 1-1. Depth is the extension of operations in time, space, or purpose and is a tenet of unified land operations. Commanders strike enemy forces throughout their depth preventing the effective employment of reserves, command and control nodes, logistics, and other capabilities not in direct contact with friendly forces. Conducting operations in depth allows commanders to sustain momentum and take advantage of all available resources to attack enemy forces and capabilities simultaneously throughout the area of operation. See ADRP 3-0 for a detailed discussion of the tenants of unified land operations. 1-2. Deep operations extend operations in time, space, and purpose. As a part of a commander’s concept of operations, deep operations include actions to divert, disrupt, delay, or destroy enemy forces and capabilities before they can be used effectively against friendly forces. They involve efforts to prevent or limit uncommitted enemy forces from being employed in a coherent manner. Deep operations involving air and ground maneuver forces in the deep area may be high risk activities. Commanders should carefully consider and balance the potential benefits with the risks associated with deep operations. OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK 1-3. Commanders are responsible for clearly articulating their concept of operations in time, space, purpose, and resources. An established framework and associated vocabulary assist greatly in this task. Commanders are assigned an area of operations (AO) for the conduct of operations. When visualizing how they will organize their AO for operations, commanders determine and consider their area of influence and area of interest. This understanding assists commanders in visualizing the physical arrangement of forces in time and space in the deep, close, and support area framework. Within this area framework, commanders then visualize decisive-shaping-sustaining operations that nest the operation in terms of purpose. Finally, commanders designate the main and supporting efforts to articulate the shifting prioritization of resources throughout the conduct of the operation. AREA OF OPERATIONS 1-4. An area of operations is an operational area defined by the joint force commander for land and maritime forces that should be large enough to accomplish their missions and protect their forces (JP 3-0). AO also refers to areas assigned to Army units by higher headquarters. The Army or land force commander is the supported commander within an AO designated by the joint force commander for land operations. Within their areas of operations, commanders integrate and synchronize the elements of combat power to accomplish tasks, achieve objectives, and obtain the operation’s end state. Responsibilities within an assigned AO include: Terrain management. Information collection.