A defense operation is an operation to defeat an enemy attack, gain some time, or economize your forces and then develop the conditions to transition to offensive operations or stability operations.
FM 3-90, Offense and Defense, obviously goes further into this, but just like in a previous Doctrine Digest, where we discussed the types of offensive operations, today, we’ll talk about the types of defensive operations.
First, I’m going to leave you with something. Do you know what these acronyms mean: MBA or the FLOT? What do they mean, and can you explain or tie them to defensive operations? I’ll leave you to it.
Types of Defensive Operations
1. Area Defense
This concentrates on denying enemy forces access to designated terrain for a specific time rather than destroying the enemy outright.
Key points:
- Deny the enemy access to designated terrain for a specific time.
- If you receive a task to conduct an area defense, it should specify in the order:
- Designated terrain or
- Specific time
There are variations of the area defense that I’ll let you go to FM 3-90 to find.
Company commanders: For training purposes, you’re probably going to want to focus on topics like engagement area development or how to conduct a counterattack.
2. Mobile Defense
This defensive operation concentrates on destroying or defeating the enemy through a decisive attack by a striking force.
- Usually executed by a division or higher
- Several elements and concepts make up a mobile defense
Key components:
- Striking force – The bulk of combat power, your knockout punch.
- Fixing force – Prevents the enemy from moving from a specific place for a specific time.
- Remember: In area defense, you are defending designated terrain for a specific time.
- But in mobile defense, the fixing force holds the enemy in place.
3. Retrograde
A retrograde is a defensive operation involving organized movement away from the enemy.
Three variations of a retrograde:
- Delay
- Withdrawal
- Retirement
A retrograde can be:
- Forced by enemy actions, or
- Executed voluntarily by a unit
Regardless, the higher echelon headquarters executing the retrograde must approve the operation before it is initiated.
Note:
- The Decision Point Matrix will probably indicate the conditions for a retrograde—keep an eye on that.
- Maybe you can anticipate when it’s coming.
- A retrograde is part of a larger maneuver scheme designed to preserve combat power and regain the initiative in future operations.
Conclusion
So there you have the defensive tasks or types of defensive operations.
For more on the subject of defensive tasks or types of operations, open up FM 3-90 and download your doctrine from armypubs.army.mil.
Born and raised in Bozeman, Montana, he graduated from George State University with an MBA in Actuarial Science. His hobbies include beach volleyball, hiking, fishing, and lifting weights
George is also a certified nutritionist with a passion for health and fitness.