SQUAD TACTICS- AMBUSH

AMBUSH An ambush is a surprise attack from a concealed position on a moving or temporarily halted target. Anti-armor ambushes are established when the mission is to destroy enemy armored or mechanized forces. Slide 2 of 30

ELEMENTS OF AN AMBUSH Assault Support Security Slide 3 of 30

AMBUSH CLASSIFICATIONS Category Hasty Deliberate Type Point Area Formation Linear L- shape Slide 4 of 30

CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING AN AMBUSH Route ORP Leader’s recon of objectives Indirect fires and obstacles Occupation of ambush site Initiate ambush Actions on Objective Withdrawal Slide 5 of 30

LEADER’S RECON OF OBJECTIVE Issue five point contingency plan Identify Objective Identify kill zone / center of the kill zone Special Teams Locations LOA Fires Collection Points Release Point

LEADER’S RECON OF OBJECTIVE Establish special teams location and sectors of fire Security Support Assault Surveillance Determine limit of advance (LOA) Determine release point (RP) Determine collection points Enemy prisoners of war (EPW) Casualty collection point (CCP) Demolition (demo) Slide 7 of 30

INDIRECT FIRES AND OBSTACLES Plan indirect fires to destroy enemy in kill zone Cover dead space Isolate objective from escape or reinforcement (left, right, and far side) Screen movement off objective Tie in kill zone with impassable terrain (OAKOC) Place mines to cover dead space or likely escape and counterattack routes Slide 8 of 30

OCCUPATION OF AMBUSH SITE Travel from ORP to RP Security halt at RP Emplace left and right flank security Emplace support team Emplace assault team Emplace mines and obstacles PL must have visual center of kill zone PL positions for direct control of most casualty producing weapon If no claymores, PL must co-locate machine gun with PL in order for PL to give MG order to fire Slide 9 of 30

INITIATE AMBUSH Left and Right Flank Security Give Early Warning to PL (SALUTE) Number of enemy and traveling technique Movement formation and speed Location of key leaders Distance from front to rear of enemy formation Location of enemies most casualty producing weapons

INITIATE AMBUSH PL CAN NOT delegate task of initiating ambush PL initiates ambush with the most casualty producing weapon initiate when the majority of the enemy is in the center of the kill zone Shift and lift fires signal to assault through kill zone Assault team assaults through kill zone to LOA Assault element reports LOA to PL Consolidate and reorganize Team leaders submit LACE report report to PL PL consolidates reports, submits LACE, and SALUTE to higher command Slide 11 of 30

ACTIONS ON OBJECTIVE PL Calls for Special Teams EPW Team Aid and Litter Team Demo Team Slide 12 of 30

WITHDRAWAL Demo is prepared PL signals for assault elements to withdraw PL signals for support team to withdraw PL gives “fire in the hole” signal Demo team ignites charges & departs with PL The APL is at the RP counting squad members through the RP, squad members form a hasty perimeter with EPWs and casualties in the center and await PL’s order to move to ORP While en route to ORP, PL calls for preplanned indirect fires (if available) to cover his withdrawal Patrol remains in ORP only long enough to collect and disseminate CCIR among all patrol members Slide 13 of 30

Squad Ambush Technique 1 Slide 14 of 30

Squad Ambush Technique 2 Slide 15 of 30

LIMITATIONS TO SQUAD AMBUSH 9-Soldier squad limits ambush techniques and options Squad size limits ability to deploy 2-Soldier security teams out on flanks and to rear (leaves 3 Soldiers to conduct ambush) Number of organic squad radios limits ability to displace support and security elements Slide 16 of 30

QUESTIONS??? Slide 17 of 30