URBAN OPERATIONS

 

In July 2022, the Department of the Army and the United States Marine Corps published ATP 3-06/MCTP10B on Urban Operations.  It is a shame that further work could not be completed before publication!

In Paragraph 1-2 it states that "The urban environment comprises three parts: (1) complex manmade physical terrain, (2) population of significant size and density, and (3) supporting infrastructure. JP 3-06 refers to these three parts as the urban triad. Cities are unique for the density of these three features—that density is a key aspect of the inherent complexity of urban operations."

In Paragraph 1-5 it states that "The complex and dynamic interactions and relationships among the key components of people, terrain, and infrastructure create an overlapping and interdependent system of systems that presents unique challenges. A system is a functionally, physically, and/or behaviorally related group of regularly interacting or interdependent elements; that group of elements forming a unified whole (JP 3-0)."  "Understanding the operational variables of political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical terrain, and time (PMESII-PT) is critical to conducting mission analysis and intelligence preparation of the battlefield/battlespace (IPB) within the military decision-making process (MDMP)/Marine Corps planning process (MCPP) and the operations process, and is critical to establishing and maintaining a common operational picture (COP) in an urban area."  "Civil considerations of areas, structures, capabilities, organizations, people, and events (ASCOPE) significantly affect UO."

However, in Paragraph 1-1 two definitions are given!  "The Army defines urban operations as operations across the range of military operations planned and conducted on, or against, objectives on a topographical complex and its adjacent natural terrain, where manmade construction or the density of population are the dominant features. In the Marine Corps, military operations on urbanized terrain (MOUT) are all military actions that are planned and conducted on a topographical complex and its adjacent natural terrain where manmade construction is the dominant feature. It includes combat in cities, which is that portion of military operations on urbanized terrain involving house-to-house and street-by-street fighting in towns and cities."  So, the USMC definition excludes the density of population and both make no mention of infrastructure!

This is unnecessary and undermines the good work elsewhere in the publication.

For your kind consideration, I would appreciate any support with my cancer expenses: https://gofund.me/e5992c63.