Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations - Historic Naval Ships ...

Chapter XVmaneuverability. This organizationincludes boat waves, boat groups, andboat flotillas.•• A boat wave consists of the landingcraft or AAVs within a boat group thatcarries the troops, equipment, or cargothat are to be landed simultaneously.•• The boat group is the basicorganization of landing craft. One boatgroup is organized for each surfacelanding force element to be landed asscheduled waves at a designated beach.•• The boat flotilla is an organization oftwo or more boat groups.•• Although LCACs are landing craft,their employment differs slightly fromdisplacement landing craft. Undernormal circumstances, LCACs proceedto and from the beach in formations oftwo or more craft. Timing of LCACoperations will be coordinated withVTOL aircraft and AAV elements tosupport the landing plan. Operationsconducted from 25 nautical miles (nms)offshore or more are usually consideredOTH. Limited operations using one ormore LCAC groups may be conductedfrom as far as 100 nms offshore.However, this distance approaches themaximum capability of the craft andrequires careful planning.3. Controla. The CATF is responsible for overallcontrol of both surface and air ship-toshoremovement. Initially, ship-to-shoremovement, both on the surface and throughthe air, is centrally controlled to permitcoordination of support for LF elements.Later, as circumstances permit, control ofsurface movement is decentralized forefficient and rapid execution. However,Amphibious operations planning must take intoaccount the limitations of landing craft.VTOL aircraft movement remains undercentralized control.b. Control and coordination measuresnecessary for employment of airborneelements of the LF will be established by theCATF in conjunction with the CLF and otherconcerned commanders specified in the orderinitiating the amphibious operation andestablishing directive, if appropriate. TheCATF is also responsible for coordinating andcontrolling the movements of any airborneforces to and within the operational area withappropriate agencies.c. Control Organizations• Control of waves of surface landing craftand amphibious vehicles from thetransport and landing ship areas to theXV-2JP 3-02