Battle Drill 8: Breach of a Mined Wire Obstacle (07-3-D9412)

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CONDITIONS (CUE)

The platoon encounters a mine wire obstacle preventing the company’s movement.

The platoon’s forward movement is stopped by a wire obstacle reinforced with mines that cannot be bypassed.

The enemy engages the platoon from positions on the far side of the obstacle.

This drill begins when the unit’s lead element encounters a mined wire obstacle and the unit leader orders an element to breach the obstacle.

STANDARDS

The platoon breaches the obstacle and moves all personnel and equipment quickly through the breach.

The platoon moves the support element and follow-on forces through the breach and maintains a sufficient fighting force to secure the far side of the breach.

TASK STEPS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES

A platoon’s section/squad executes actions on contact to reduce effective fires from the far side of the obstacle.
The section/squad in contact–

a. Deploys —

(1) Returns fire.

(2) Seeks cover.

(3) Establishes fire superiority.

(4) Establishes local security.

(5) Platoon sergeant repositions other squads to focus supporting fires and increase observation.

b. Reports —

(1) Squad leader reports location of hostile fire to platoon leader from base-of-fire position using the SALUTE format.

(2) Platoon leader sends contact report followed by a size, activity, location, unit, time, and equipment (SALUTE) report to commander.

Evaluate and develop the situation.

a. The platoon leader quickly evaluates the situation with using the SITREPs from the squad in contact and his personal observations.

At a minimum his evaluation should include includes–

(1) Number of enemy weapons or volume of fire.

(2) Presence of vehicles.

(3) Employment of indirect fires.

b. The platoon leader quickly develops the situation by–

(1) Conducts a quick reconnaissance to determine enemy flanks.

(2) Locates mutually supporting positions.

(3) Locates any obstacles that impede the assault or provide some type of cover or concealment.

(4) Determines whether the force is inferior or superior.

(5) Analyzes reports from squad leaders, teams in contact, or adjacent units.

The platoon leader directs the vehicles (if available) and the squad in contact to support the movement of another squad to the breach point.

a. Indicates the route to the base-of-fire position.

b. Indicates the enemy position to be suppressed.

c. Indicates the breach point and the route the rest of the platoon will take.

d. Gives instructions for lifting and shifting fires.

On the platoon leader’s signal, the base-of-fire squad–

a. Destroys or suppresses enemy weapons that are firing effectively against the platoon.

b. Obscures the enemy position with smoke.

c. Continues to maintain fire superiority while conserving ammunition and minimizing forces in contact.

The platoon leader designates one squad as the breach squad and the remaining squad as the assault squad once the breach has been made.

(The assault squad may add its fires to the base-of-fire squad. Normally, it follows the covered and concealed route of the breach squad and assaults through immediately after the breach is made.)

The base-of-fire squad moves to the breach point and establishes a base of fire.
The platoon sergeant moves forward to the base-of-fire squad with the second machine gun and assumes control of the squad.
The platoon leader leads the breach and assault squads along the covered and concealed route.
The platoon FO calls for and adjusts indirect fires as directed by the platoon leader to support the breach and assault.
The breach squad executes actions to breach the obstacle (footpath).

a. The squad leader directs one fire team to support the movement of the other fire team to the breach point.

b. The squad leader designates the breach point.

c. The base-of-fire team continues to provide suppressive fires and to isolate the breach point.
(See Figure D9412-1)

Figure D9412-1. Breach obstacle

d. The breaching fire team, with the squad leader, moves to the breach point using the covered and concealed route.

(1) The squad leader and breaching fire team leader employs smoke grenades to obscure the breach point.

The platoon base-of-fire element shifts direct fires away from the breach point and continues to suppress adjacent enemy positions.

(2) The breaching fire team leader positions himself and the automatic rifleman on one flank of the breach point to provide close-in security.

(3) The grenadier and rifleman (or the antiarmor specialist and automatic rifleman) of the breaching fire team probe for mines and cut the wire obstacle, marking their path as they proceed.

(Bangalore is preferred, if available.)

(4) Once the obstacle is breached, the breaching fire team leader and the automatic rifleman moves to the far side of the obstacle using covered and concealed positions.

They signal the squad leader when they are in position and ready to support.

e. The squad leader signals the base-of-fire team leader to move his fire team up and through the breach.

He then moves through the obstacle and joins the breaching fire team, leaving the grenadier (or antiarmor specialist) and rifleman of the supporting fire team on the near side of the breach to guide the rest of the platoon through.

f. Using the same covered and concealed route as the breaching fire team, the base-of-fire team moves through the breach and to a covered and concealed position on the far side.

The breach squad leader reports the situation to the platoon leader and posts guides at the breach point.
The platoon leader leads the assault squad through the breach in the obstacle and positions it on the far side to support the movement of the remainder of the platoon or to assault the enemy position covering the obstacle.
The breaching squad continues to widen the breach to allow vehicles to pass through.
The platoon leader provides a situation report (SITREP) to the company commander and directs his breaching squad to move through the obstacle.

The platoon leader appoints guides to guide the company through the breach point.

Individual Tasks

Task Id	Task Title
052-192-3060	Conduct a Breach a Minefield
052-193-1013	Neutralize Booby Traps
071-010-0006	Engage Targets with an M249 Machine Gun
071-025-0005	Correct Malfunctions of an M240B Machine Gun
071-025-0007	Engage Targets with an M240B Machine Gun
071-054-0003	Perform Misfire Procedures on an M136 Launcher
071-054-0004	Engage Targets with an M136 Launcher
071-100-0003	Engage Targets with an M4 or M4A1 Carbine
071-100-0008	Correct Malfunctions of an M4 or M4A1 Carbine
071-311-2129	Correct Malfunctions of an M203 Grenade Launcher
071-311-2130	Engage Targets with an M203 Grenade Launcher
071-312-4029	Correct Malfunctions of an M249 Machine Gun
071-325-4407	Employ Hand Grenades
071-326-0501	Move as a Member of a Fire Team
071-326-0502	Move Under Direct Fire
071-326-0503	Move Over, Through, or Around Obstacles (Except Minefields)
071-326-0511	React to Flares
071-326-0512	Estimate Range
071-326-0513	Select Temporary Fighting Positions
071-326-5502	Issue a Fragmentary Order
071-326-5503	Issue a Warning Order
071-326-5605	Control Movement of a Fire Team
071-326-5606	Select an Overwatch Position
071-326-5611	Conduct the Maneuver of a Squad
071-326-5630	Conduct Movement Techniques by a Platoon
071-326-5910	Conduct Movement Techniques by an M2 BFV Dismount Platoon
071-329-1006	Navigate from One Point on the Ground to Another Point While Dismounted
071-331-0820	Analyze Terrain
071-410-0010	Conduct a Leader’s Reconnaissance
071-410-0019	Control Organic Fires
071-420-0005	Conduct the Maneuver of a Platoon

Supporting Products

The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad (FM 3-21.8)