INTRODUCTION
GAIN ATTENTION
The role of armor in urban warfare can be significant. Of the 22 urban battles mentioned in MCWP 3-35.3, armor participated in 21. In three quarters of these battles, organic tank support was a central element when special assault teams were employed. Overall, special assault units supported by tanks were more successful than any other type of task organization. Again, the use of tanks in an urban environment can be a great combat multiplier but only when properly protected by infantry.
Tanks in support of infantry act as an “assault gun” that delivers concentrated, sustained fires against enemy held strong points. The Marine experience in Hue City, Vietnam, demonstrated they key role that armor can play when employed as part of a combined arms team. The Marine’s most effective weapons during the battle were the M48A1 Patton tank and the M-50 Ontos. Both were protected by infantry. The M48A1, with its 90mm main gun, was used extensively to reduce fortified positions. The Ontos, an armor protected tracked vehicle with six 106mm recoilless rifles, was very effective against concrete and steel structures. The munitions of these armored systems provided breaches that the infantry could exploit during the attack.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this period of instruction is to familiarize you with the capabilities, limitations, employment and coordination of armor-infantry operations in urban terrain.
INDIVIDUAL TRAINING STANDARDS
MISSION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Ref: MCO 3501.14
M10C.3.13, M10C.3.28, M10C.4.5, M10C.4.6, M10C.4.7, M10C.4.8
M10C.6.8, M2A.10.21, M2A.10.22
TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Without the aid of references and in accordance with MCWP, the student will understand the basic coordination procedures for armor-infantry operations in urban terrain.
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Know the limitations and capabilities of tanks.
2. Know how to direct and control tank fires.
3. Know the various weapons that a tank has available.
4. Understand the protection and coordination requirements for tank-infantry employment.
METHOD AND MEDIA
This period of instruction will be taught through lecture and demonstration.
TESTING
This period of instruction will be evaluated through practical application.
TRANSITION
BODY
1. Marine Armor and MOUT: The powerful, high-velocity cannon mounted on the M1A1 tank provides Marines a key combat multiplier for heavy direct-fire support in urban areas. Although infantry assumes the lead role during urban combat, tanks and infantry act as a close assault team. Tanks move down streets after the infantry has cleared them of any suspected enemy anti-armor positions and in turn, the tanks support the infantry with direct fire. The tank is one of the most effective weapons for heavy fire against structures. The primary role of the tank cannon during urban combat is to provide heavy direct fire against buildings and strong points as identified by the infantry. The wall and fortification breaching effects of the 120mm tank cannon are major assets in an urban combat environment.
2. Employment:
a. When a Marine armored task force is employed in the restricted terrain of an urban area, tank units are task organized down to the section level. Marine tanks support the infantry by:
1) Providing shock and firepower.
2) Isolating objectives with direct fire to prevent enemy withdrawal, reinforcement or counterattack.
3) Neutralizing or suppressing enemy positions with smoke, high explosive (HE) and automatic weapons fire as the infantry closes with and destroys the enemy.
4) Assisting opposed entry of infantry into buildings when the doorways are blocked by debris, obstacles or enemy fire.
5) Smashing through street barricades or reducing barricades by fires.
6) Using fires to reduce enemy strong points in buildings.
7) Obscuring enemy observation using the tank’s on-board smoke generators.
8) Holding cleared portions of the objective by covering avenues of approach.
9) Attacking by fire any other targets designated by the infantry.
10) Establishing roadblocks.
b. Marine Infantry Tasks:
1) Locating targets for engagement by the M1A1.
2) Suppressing and destroying enemy antitank weapons with mortars, automatic weapons and grenades.
3) Providing local security for M1A1s at night and other periods of reduced visibility.
c. M1A1 Employment Considerations:
1) Main gun fire is an effective method of eliminating an enemy sniper or creating a psychological effect that destroys his will to continue.
2) Streets and alleys constitute ready-made fire lanes and firing zones. They can greatly restrict and channel vehicular traffic.
3) During MOUT, Marine armor works best in platoons or sections of two M1A1s. In extreme cases M1A1s can work individually, but this is not the recommended method.
4) At least one infantry squad should remain with each tank to provide local security.
5) A hastily rigged external TA-1 phone is an excellent means of communication between the infantry and the vehicle commander. Alternate methods include the use of hand and arm signals or SINCGARS radios.
6) The M1A1 should HE ammunition to create holes in the walls of buildings for the infantry to use as an entrance.
7) The M1A1 should use HE ammunition against barricades. HE will demolish steeples, chimneys and other tall structures that are likely positions for enemy artillery forward observers. The use of this technique is dependent on the rules of engagement (ROE). In operations other than war, minimizing collateral damage may be a priority.
8) Crew members should always be on alert for bunkers and pill boxes in houses along streets and alleys.
9) M1A1s should avoid stopping or moving slowly near non secured buildings.
10) M1A1s should mount the fording kit exhaust plenum pipe attachment to allow the infantry to safely approach the rear of the tank.
11) All bridges must be checked for mines and explosive charges and for its weight bearing capacity before crossing with the M1A1.
12) M1A1s should stay near buildings held by friendly troops. Crew members should watch for signals from the infantry inside the buildings and on the tank’s flanks.
13) M1A1 crew members should always keep their personal weapons close at hand in preparation of potential close-in combat.
14) When possible, M1A1s should destroy enemy strong points with main gun fire. One technique is to fire armor-piercing ammunition to penetrate the reinforced wall of a building then follow with high-explosive antitank (HEAT) rounds to kill or neutralize the enemy. M1A1s should fire first into the ground floor to drive the enemy into the basement or to higher floors. Marine infantry will clear the basement and the M1A1s will elevate the main gun to destroy the enemy on higher floors.
15) However, M1A1s are at a disadvantage because the main guns cannot depress or elevate sufficiently to fire into basement and upper floors at close range.
16) Every M1A1 has Pioneer Gear consisting of a large shovel, pick axe, sledge hammer and a regular axe. These tools could be beneficial to the Marine infantry for a variety of urban operational tasks.
3. Limitations:
a. Sniper threat: Tank commanders, if not buttoned up, are a priority target for enemy snipers. Once buttoned up, the tank crew has very restricted visibility. When visibility is reduced, the tank is extremely vulnerable to enemy antitank fire. Additionally, urban terrain severely restricts the tank’s ability to maneuver. This is why it is imperative that infantry provide security for the tank. A general rule of thumb is that the buildings must be clear of enemy threat 500 meters to the front and flanks of the tank. The average range of most antitank weapons is 500 meters.
b. Obscuration: Smoke, buildings, rubble and other obscurants will restrict the tanks field of view.
c. Minimum range: Because of the short engagement ranges within an urban area, it will be difficult for the tank to traverse and engage fleeting targets.
d. Traverse restrictions: Due to the length of the main gun, the turret will not rotate if a solid object is encountered - walls, posts, etc.
e. Limited fields of fire: Buildings, rubble and other obstacles may severely restrict the tanks direct fire capabilities.
f. Elevation restrictions: The gun can only elevate plus 20 degrees and minus 9 degrees. Some examples of standoff distances for attacking a building using HEAT tank rounds are as follows:
1) Ground floor: Eight feet.
2) Third floor: 75 feet.
3) 18th floor: 430 feet.
g. Danger zones: The tank has a muzzle over pressure zone that friendly forces must stay clear of. Additionally, the SABOT discards three or four petals after firing. These petals will kill or wound Marines within the danger zone. This danger zone extends 1,000 meters along gun line and 70 meters on either side of the barrel.
4. Capabilities: As mentioned earlier, tank can provide devastating firepower against fortified buildings and strong points. The characteristics of the M1A1 that give the tank this capability are as follows”
a. Weapons and Targeting:
1) 120mm main gun
2) .50 caliber machine gun
3) Two 7.62 M240G
4) Laser range finder
5) Thermal imaging system – this can be an excellent tool for providing supported infantry an enhanced surveillance capability during low light or reduced visibility conditions.
b. Munitions:
1) HEAT – chemical energy round – this round will render approximately a 10 to 12 inch hole against a standard building wall and produce some fragmentation effects. Good round to use against light armor targets and fortifications but has decreased accuracy beyond 2,000 meters.
2) SABOT – kinetic energy round – this round is intended to penetrate armor and will not produce a large amount of fragmentation when firing against a building. It will produce small holes and travel through the building. Good around against armor, high hit-kill ratio, depleted uranium round can contaminate the area with radioactive dust.
3) MPAT – multipurpose round – this round has a selectable fuse for use against air or ground targets. The ground fuse has similar effects as the HEAT round does. The air version explodes when the proximity fuse detects an object and causes an air burst in the vicinity of the target. It is primarily used against slow moving air targets. The proximity air burst can be used to fire into a building to produce a massive fragmentation.
5. Tank-Infantry Coordination:
Tanks never fight alone. Open terrain such as deserts, plains and flat countryside is conducive to the employment of massed armor formations. In such terrain, mechanized infantry supports the forward movement of these armored formations by providing local security, retaining key terrain, clearing dug-in enemy positions and enhancing armor direct fire with organic small arms and antitank fires. Conversely, restrictive terrain such as urban areas increases the vulnerability of armor units. In this type of terrain, it is more advantageous for tanks to take a supporting role in the forward movement of the infantry. Armor provides close-in direct fire support against hard and soft targets that could slow the infantry’s advance. Regardless of the terrain, infantry, Marine infantry and armor units fight as part of a combined arms team to maximize their respective capabilities and to minimize their limitations. When infantry and armor move together in any operation, the infantry moves using one of three methods: dismounted, truck mounted or assault amphibian vehicle (AAV) mounted.
6. Task Organization:
When an armor unit is task organized to support the infantry, the unit they create is referred to as Team Tank or Team Mech. The majority of Team Tank’s units are armor and the majority of Team Mech’s are infantry. For example, a tank battalion is designated to support a mounted infantry battalion. The tank battalion cross attaches one company to the infantry battalion. Furthermore, a tank platoon may be detached to support an infantry company and that infantry company will attach an infantry platoon to the tank company. This is the most common type of cross attachment task organization that creates Team Tank and Team Mech.
Within a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF), armor platoons normally perform one of several missions: as the primary maneuver element (main effort), in a direct fire support role when the infantry is the primary maneuver element, or part of the MAGTF reserve (often with a reactive role in anti-armor defense (AAD). The MAGTF Commander bases this decision on how to use his armor based on METT-T. Additionally, it must be noted that in some situations the armor platoon may also be used as a separate platoon or it may be attached to one of the infantry companies for direct support)
The platoon is the lowest level at which the armor leader is trained to interact with a controlling headquarters. The platoon leader acts as the armor force advisor to the infantry battalion commander.
7. Liaison:
Armor-infantry operations demand effective coordination between the tank platoon and the supported infantry unit. The tank platoon leader’s first responsibility is to have a thorough tactical and technical knowledge of the platoon’s capabilities and limitations. Based on this knowledge, he works with the infantry commander and the infantry battalion’s operations officer (S3) to formulate plans to support the infantry. Together, they base their plans to make maximum use of the tank’s lethal firepower, enhanced target acquisition capabilities (including night sights), and effective armor protection. The most common limitations they must overcome while formulating these plans are the tank’s relative lack of mobility and the need for close-in security in an urban environment.
Besides understanding the capabilities and limitations of his tanks, the armor platoon leader must understand the capabilities and limitations of the infantry he is supporting. He must realize that infantry moves more slowly than tanks over certain types of terrain, but at the same time the infantry can use the urban terrain extremely well to gain a positional advantage over the enemy. Terrain has a direct impact on survivability for the infantryman. The tank platoon leader must also ensure that the infantry understands that the considerations for positioning and controlling the tank’s crew-served direct fire weapons are the same as those for the infantry’s crew-served and antitank weapons. Additionally, he must be able to anticipate the effects of his weapon systems on both enemy and friendly forces. For example, SABOT ammunition cannot be fired over the heads or on the flanks of unprotected infantry due to the danger created by the discarding of SABOT petals and the concussion of the main gun.
8. Operational Considerations when Supporting Dismounted Infantry:
a. Command and Control: The tank platoon leader and platoon sergeant maintain communications with the controlling infantry battalion headquarters. When attached at lower levels, the platoon leader or platoon sergeant gains and maintains contact with the infantry company commander and communicates with infantry platoon leaders on the company net. Individual tanks and dismounted infantry communicate with each other using one of the following techniques:
1) Visual signals – either prescribed by SOP or coordinated during the linkup.
2) Wire – M1A1 crewmen can route WD-1 wire from the AM-1780 through the loader’s hatch or vision block and attach it to a field phone on the back of the tank. WD-1 wire can also be run on a more permanent basis by starting the run through the engine compartment then through the hull/subturret floor and then attaching it to the turret’s intercom system via the driver’s communications box.
3) Hand held radios – Infantry squad radios or other short-range hand-held radios can be distributed during the linkup to provide a reliable means of communications between the infantry and tank commanders. These radios allow the infantry to better utilize the terrain in providing close-in protection. For example, the infantry can watch for enemy elements and communicate at the same time without being next to the tank. This also limits the infantry’s exposure to enemy fires directed against the tank.
4) FM radio – the infantry platoon leader can contact the supporting tank via the tank platoon frequency. This method is fast, reliable and does not require the addition or shifting of communication assets.
b. Intelligence: The tank platoon leader must obtain intelligence and related information from the infantry battalion’s intelligence officer (S-2) on enemy capabilities (especially anti-armor capabilities). He should focus not only on direct fire capabilities, but also on the enemy’s mines, artillery and mortars. Terrain analysis is also very important and the tank platoon leader must work closely with the S-2 to determine the urban area’s trafficability as well as examine the effects of weather, obstacles and limited visibility on the speed and mobility of armored vehicles. Following a detailed analysis, tank commanders and section leaders should conduct a ground reconnaissance of the area of operations. This reconnaissance aids in the effective positioning of weapons systems and confirms whether the tanks will need to employ ground guides who are knowledgeable of the terrain.
c. Maneuver: When operating with the infantry, the tank platoon commander may execute missions “pure” (either on his own or as part of the tank company). In such a situation, the platoon executes reserve or reaction force missions, attacks separate objectives, or supports the advance of the infantry with close-in direct fires. Either the tanks or infantry may lead depending on METT-T. In situations where the infantry leads, the tank platoon can be employed in one of three ways:
1) Stationary at the infantry battalion or company command post (CP) until called forward.
2) Follow and support the infantry, staying close enough to provide direct fire support when requested.
3) Perform overwatch for the forward movement of the infantry.
When operating with tanks infantrymen will conduct tactical movement until they identify an enemy force that halts their progress. They then deploy into a position that allows for suppression of enemy antitank fires using direct and indirect fires. They then request tank support to destroy the enemy unit they are facing. At the linkup point, the tank platoon commander or section leader dismounts and coordinates the following with the infantry unit leader.
a) Enemy disposition
b) Friendly disposition
c) The tentative maneuver plan
d) Any additional tactical information not already covered in the operations order (OPORD) or maneuver plan. This includes the use of guides, control of direct and indirect fires, close-in protection for the tanks, and communications and signal information.
d. Control Measures: Combat in urban areas requires control measures with which all Marines must be familiar. These control measures include the following:
1) Boundaries – in dense urban areas, units should place boundaries along one side of the street to provide easy and definite identification. In areas where observation and movement are less restricted, these boundaries may be placed along alleys or within blocks so that one unit’s zone includes both sides of the street.
2) Objectives – these should be specific and limited. Choosing major intersection, principal buildings or other readily identifiable physical features improves control. Numbering buildings along the route of attack simplifies assignment. As the unit moves forward through an area, unit leaders should designate the near side of the street as the objective. If the far side is chosen, the unit will have to secure buildings on both sides. Units must promptly report the seizure of objectives.
3) Frontages, formation and zones of action – in an urban environment attacking units normally operate within relatively narrow zones of action. The frontages depend on the enemy’s strength, the size of the buildings, and the anticipated resistance. Normally, a MAGTF with a battalion as the ground combat element (GCE) has a frontage of three to six blocks and its companies one to two blocks. Frontages and zones of action influence the employment of M1A1s. M1A1s should be well forward to add momentum to the attack, exploit success and to repel counterattacks. Even when positioned well forward they must be prepared to protect the battalion’s flanks and rear.
4) Phase lines (PLs) – PLs increase control by regulating the advance of attacking forces. They also indicate where the command passes from one phase of the assault to another. PLs are less restrictive than objectives. They encourage the rapid exploitation of success without halting. Principle streets, rivers and trolley or railroad lines can make easily distinguishable PLs.
5) Checkpoints and contact points – street corners, buildings, railway crossings, bridges and other easily identifiable urban terrain features can be assigned as checkpoints and contact points. Both improve the reporting of unit locations. The commander or leader can use them as specific points where he desires to make physical contact with another unit.
9. Target Indication Technique:
a. Contact Tank Commander: If radios are down, an easy method to communicate between the tank commander and the infantry is top run communications wire out the back of the tank and hook a field phone to it. As mentioned earlier, the tank must have his fording kit base on to deflect the tank exhaust away from Marines to the rear. This also allows the infantry to use the tank as cover. The tank should be directed into position by using some type of mark or flag. Otherwise, the tank may accidentally move past the infantry and expose itself to enemy antitank fire.
b. Orient the Tank Commander:
1) Reference point – this method utilizes an easily recognizable point like a church tower and uses a clock system to talk the tank gunner onto the target. Once the gunner has identified the correct target, the infantry will use the standard building identification method explained in an earlier lesson. For example -The target is a particular window in a particular building:
Infantry: “From the church tower, five o’clock, 200 meters, white two story building”.
Tank: “Identified”.
Infantry: “Blue-2-2.”
Tank: “Identified.”
2) Tank main gun method – the tank is talked onto target using the turret to guide the gunner with the following commands:
a) on
b) quarter right
c) half right
d) right
e) quarter left
f) half left
g) left
An example is:
Infantry: “Turn half left, Blue-2-2”
Tank: “Identified”
3) Mark – the use of smoke, tracer rounds, laser pointer, or other marking devices on the target can be very useful in enabling the tank good target acquisition.
4) Whenever possible the following information should be relayed to the tank commander:
a) Target description – short and simple – commander will respond “identified”
b) Estimate range to target
c) Effect on target – suppress or destroy
d. Objective (optional)
e. Fire command
f. Corrections if necessary
QUESTIONS:
SUMMARY:
The MOUT Homepage Hot Links:
Draft MCWP 3-12 Chapter 8: MOUT
Draft MCWP 3-12 Marine Tank Employment
The British Army FIBUA Course - Armour Day (Tank Operations in Urban Terrain)
USMC Factfiles (Images and Data on LAV, AAV and M1A1)
Russian-manufactured Armored Vehicle Vulnerability in Urban Combat: The Chechnya Experience (FMSO)
The Story of the Rocket Propelled Greande (FMSO)
The Future of Armored Warfare (Ralph Peters - Parameters)
It Takes a Village for Urban Combat.....and Fort Knox is Getting One (Armor Magazine)
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