GSG7 Doctrine Directorate
ANA Mobile Strike Force
Tactical Employment Concepts & Capability Development
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Aim:
• To propose a force employment concept and
holistic capability development for the Mobile
Strike Force, in order to ensure a uniform and
complementary approach to:
–
–
–
–
Doctrine
Training
Professional and Cultural Development
Force employment
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Outline:
• Describing capability & fighting power
• Role of the MSF
– Deductions
• Characteristics
– Unique capabilities
•
•
•
•
Limitations
Likely tasks in force employment
Key issues for capability development
Conclusion & Recommendation
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Capability & Fighting Power
• Capability: Defined as the power to do
something.
• Military capability may be described as fighting
power
• Fighting power has three components:
– Moral
– Physical
– Intellectual
• To build a capability, an army must consider all
three components in a complementary fashion
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Capability: Fighting Power Components
Moral Component:
-Fighting spirit
-Morale
Intellectual Component:
Physical Component:
-Training
-Personnel
- Cohesion
- Unique culture
- Equipment
- Organisation
- Doctrine - Professional education
-Identification & perception
-Any military capability should be considered across all three components
-Each component influences the others
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Mobile Strike Force: Background to Concept
Capability Gap Assessment: Jun 2010
• Objective assessment of requirements of ANA in 2014 at 195k.
• Attempt to reconcile ANA aspiration for optimal Fighting Power with a relevant
and sustainable capability.
• Need for a rapidly deployable force to meet objectives and reinforce Corps
Titled: Mobile Strike Force (MSF) in mid-2011.
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Mobile Strike Force: Background to Concept
MSF requirement expressed as:
• Mechanised armoured force with:
- Tactical mobility and capability:
- flexible and responsive to the tactical need
- deliver organic force equivalent to Infantry Kandak
-respond quickly to fix an enemy and allow follow-on forces to gather
for decisive actions
- Operational Flexibility :
Leads to the
conclusion
- mobility to cover large expanses of land to reinforce various Areas
that the
of Responsibility
MSF is to be
a
- employability to achieve a wide variety of tactical objectives &
mechanised
tasks
infantry
force
- Survivability:
-optimal protection against the prevalent threat (infantry based).
- Lethality:
-lethality to overmatch the most likely adversary
-need for dismounting element
- Sustainment. A platform system capable of being sustained solely by the
ANA.
Concept endorsed by ISAF Comd, MinDef and CoGS summer 2010, reaffirmed Dec
2011.
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Employment Concept: Role of the MSF
• To provide a mechanised infantry force capable
of the full range of tactical actions, that is
rapidly deployable at the Kandak level, with
integral firepower and protection, to conduct
independent operations or to reinforce
formation operations.
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Role of the MSF: Deductions
•
•
To provide a mechanised infantry force capable of the full range of tactical actions,
that is rapidly deployable at the Kandak level, with integral firepower and
protection, to conduct independent operations or to reinforce formation
operations.
What it means:
– Mechanised infantry force:
• Sufficient dismounting troops to seize and hold ground
• Trained in infantry tasks
– Full range of tactical actions:
•
•
•
•
Offensive actions (attack, raid, pursuit, etc)
Defensive actions (defence and delay)
Enabling actions (flank protection, reconnaissance, covering forces, convoy escorts)
Stability actions (protect populations, support humanitarian assistance)
– Rapidly deployable:
•
•
High levels of readiness
High levels of maintenance
– Integral firepower and protection:
•
•
Combined arms
Able to accept additional allocations of forces
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Mobile Strike Force. Kandak Taskhil
MSFV Turret: 31
Mk-19 & Mk-48.
Kandak HQ (51)
*Battalion Headquarters (16) and Support Platoon (38)
not represented in organization chart shown.
MSFV GPK: 24
Mk-2.
MSF Kandak Totals 639 (x5) = 3195
MSF Brigade HQ = 266
MSF Ground Forces Total = 3461
MSFV Ambulance: 3
No weapons.
HQ Coy (10)
Maint Pl (35)
3 Rifle Coys (13x3=39)
Med Pl (47)
Weapons Coy (13)
Recce Pl (28)
Platoon 1 (34x3=102)
Engr Pl (18)
Mor Pl (33)
AT Pl (21)
Platoon 2 (34x3=102) Platoon 3 (34x3=102)
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Unique Characteristics:
• Mobility:
– Tactical mobility: Off road and high speed on roads
– Operational mobility:
• Can reinforce any area within the nation
• Can reinforce operational level objectives at short notice
• Can shift operational level main effort at short notice
• Protection:
– Against mines, IEDs and small arms fire
– Troops for dismount and close protection of vehicles in close terrain
• Firepower:
– Mix of anti-personnel (.50 cal & grenade launcher) and light anti-armour
– Allows “attack-by-fire” tasks for suppression to fix enemy forces
• Integral fire support, mobility support and CSS:
– Mortars, anti-armour, reconnaissance & engineers are integral
– CSS including medical is integral
• Flexibility:
– Combination of mounted and dismounted tasks and tactics
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Specific Limitations & Deductions:
• Fewer dismounting troops:
– Only 2.5 sections in each platoon
– Option to place rockets and grenadiers under Pl Sgt as a fire support
detachment
– Platoon formations may adopt:
• More narrow frontages
• Attack in echelon to ensure depth
– Vehicles may be considered integral to the section for intimate support to the
section.
• High levels of CSS requirements: maintenance and fuel:
– Require detailed planning for sustainment and more time in preparation
– Well-rehearsed support echelon system
– A specific mindset for the importance of maintenance across all ranks
• Vulnerable in close terrain:
– Require intimate protection from dismounts in close terrain (eg, urban areas)
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Employment Concept: Likely Missions & Tasks
• Given the characteristics, capabilities and role of the
MSF, the most suitable tasks are along the lines of:
– Offensive:
• Destroy, Seize, Neutralise, Clear, Contain, Reconnaissance-in-Force
• Break-in force against deliberate defensive positions
• Break-out of encircled forces, Deception attacks
– Defensive:
• Defence and delay missions
• Suitable for both mobile defence and a reserve for area defence
• Block, Fix, Retain
– Enabling:
• Flank protection, reconnaissance, covering force battles
• Convoy escort
– Stability:
• Protection of populations (until relieved by other forces)
• Delivery of humanitarian aide
• Check points, movement control, etc
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Key Issues for MSF Capability Development:
Moral Component:
- Unique identification within the ANA
-Rapid reaction force fighting spirit
- Mindset of the importance of
maintenance as a point of pride & collective
responsibility
Physical Component:
Intellectual Component:
-Training with a primarily mechanised
infantry focus
-Secondary role in mounted tasks
-Enforced maintenance routines
-Training in crew maintenance
-Training with Corps that will be reinforced
-Recommendations for training and taskhil
amendments
- Doctrine specific to the MSF and its
conduct of tactical operations:
-Exploitation of capabilities
-Mitigation of limitations
-Include special considerations
-Briefings and education in command and
staff courses
-Mindset of faster decision making
-Command post & cloth model exercises
-Priority for lessons learned teams
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Conclusion:
• Mobile Strike Force provides a robust, flexible and
rapid-reaction force for the ANA
• Applicable across the range of tactical tasks
• Significant advantages in several areas:
– Mobility
– Firepower
– Flexibility in employment
• Significant challenges
• The development of the capability should address all
the components: moral; physical; and, intellectual
• Recommendation:
– GSG7 Doctrine issue a MSF concept paper to schools and
formations to guide training and employment and to support
future doctrine and training improvement
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Back-Up Slides
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MSF. What: MSFV Variants
APC- OGPK
Max Crew – 2; Pax – 8. Mk-2.
APC- Turret
Max Crew – 3; Pax – 4. Mk-19 & Mk-48.
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Ambulance
Max Crew – 3; Ambulatory – 2; Sitting – 2.
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Current Taskhil:
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