ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
Page 174 of 440
Appendix A 158 ATP 5-0.2-1 07 December 2020 BREACH ACTIVITIES A-7. This section is derived from ATP 3-90.4/MCWP 3-17.8. A-8. Breaching allows maneuver despite the presence of enemy obstacles that are covered by fire and used to shape engagement areas. It is one of the most difficult combat tasks to perform and is characterized by thorough reconnaissance, detailed planning, extensive preparation and rehearsal, and a massing of combat power. Breaching begins when friendly forces detect an obstacle and being to apply the breaching fundamentals. Breaching ends when battle handover occurs between follow-on forces and the unit conducting the breach. Breaching includes the reduction of minefields, other explosive hazards, and other obstacles. Most breaches are conducted by either a brigade combat team (BCT) or a battalion task force, both of which require significant augmentation. A-9. When a force encounters an obstacle, the commander has two decisions. If friendly forces must react immediately to extricate forces from an untenable position within an obstacle and no other breaching assets are available, or a friendly force is in a minefield receiving effective fires, the commander may decide to immediately bull or force through the minefield as a lesser risk to the force rather than withdraw or reduce the obstacle. The other decision, if time allows, is to conduct a breach. PLANNING FOR BREACH ACTIVITIES A-10. Planning for breach activities follows the military decision making process, but it is important to take in consideration, the breaching types, tenets of breaching when determining how best to breach an obstacle. Breaching Types A-11. There are three general types of breaches: deliberate, hasty, and covert. A deliberate breach is the creation of a lane through a minefield or a clear route through a barrier or fortification, which is systematically planned and carried out. A hasty breach is the creation of lanes through enemy minefields by expedient methods such as blasting with demolitions, pushing rollers or disabled vehicles through the minefields when the time factor does not permit detailed reconnaissance, deliberate breaching, or bypassing the obstacle. A covert breach is the creation of lanes through minefields or other obstacles that is planned and intended to be executed without detection by an adversary. A-12. An in-stride breach is a type of hasty breach used to describe the situation when a subordinate unit is expected to organize for and conduct a hasty breach with its assets without affecting the higher unit’s scheme of maneuver. For example, a BCT conducts an in-stride breach when a subordinate battalion is able to organize for the breach (support, breach, and assault forces) and breach an obstacle without affecting the BCT’s scheme of maneuver. In-stride breaching is generally not used below the company level since a platoon is unable to form effective support, breach, and assault forces. Breaching Tenets A-13. Successful breaches are characterized by integrating the breaching tenets into the planning process. Table A-1 on pages 159–160 lists the tenets and associated planning actions. Tables A-2 and A-3 on page 160 provide initial planning factors for common threat minefields.