FM 3-34.22 - Army Electronic Publications & Forms - U.S. Army

Appendix C
� Enemy direct-fire systems that cannot be effectively observed and suppressed by the support
force due to the terrain or masking of support force fires by the breach force as it moves forward
to reduce the obstacle.
� Counterattacking or repositioning forces that cannot be engaged by the support force.
C-15. The breach force employs vehicle-mounted smoke systems and smoke pots, if necessary, for
self-defense and to cover lanes while the assault force is passing. Smoke may also be provided by indirectfire
systems. The breach force secures itself from dismounted threat forces that are providing close-in
protection of the obstacle. The breach force also secures the lanes through the tactical obstacles (once they
are created) to allow safe passage of the assault force. The breach force assaults through the point of breach
to the obstacle farside and seizes the reduction area. The breach force is comprised of the following
subordinate elements—
� Security element. The security element is comprised primarily of maneuver forces. It is
normally responsible for providing additional suppression, obscuration, and local security.
� Reduction element. The reduction element is comprised primarily of reduction assets
(mine-clearing blades [MCBs]; MICLICs; armored, vehicle-launched bridges [AVLBs]; ACEs;
dismounted engineers). Assets are allocated based on the number of lanes required (one lane for
each assaulting company or two lanes for a battalion-size TF), terrain, and type of obstacle.
C-16. The breach force must be able to deploy and begin reducing the obstacle as soon as enemy fires
have been suppressed and effective obscuration is achieved. It can expect enemy artillery fires within a
matter of minutes. CFZs should be activated at the point of breach before the commitment of the breach
force. Engineers within the breach force are allocated with the reduction assets necessary to clear mines,
EHs, nonexplosive obstacles, and small gaps. Scouts, engineers, or other reconnaissance assets are also
capable of finding local bypasses or existing lanes in the obstacle system. The commander should plan for
a 50 percent loss of mobility assets in close combat. As a planning factor, one engineer platoon with the
necessary reduction assets should be allocated to create and mark one lane. After the breach force has
reduced the obstacle and passed the assault force through, the breach force may be required to hand over
the lane to follow-on units. At a minimum, the lanes must be marked and their locations and conditions
reported to higher headquarters and follow-on units as prescribed in the unit SOP.
Assault Force
C-17. The primary mission of the assault force is to destroy the enemy and seize terrain on the obstacle
farside to prevent the enemy from placing direct fires on created lanes. The assault force may be tasked to
assist the support force with suppression while the breach force reduces the obstacle. The assault force
must be sufficient in size to seize the POP. Combat power is allocated to the assault force to achieve a
minimum 3:1 ratio on the POP. In a breaching operation, particularly TF and above, the assault force
normally maneuvers as a separate force when attacking through a reduced obstacle. However, breach and
assault assets may maneuver as a single force when conducting lower-level breaching operations
(independent company team conducting an attack). If the obstacle is defended by a small enemy force,
assault and breach force missions may be combined. This simplifies C2 and provides more immediate
combat power for security and suppression. Fire control measures are essential, since support and breach
forces may be firing on the enemy when the assault force is committed. The suppression of over watching
enemy positions must continue and other enemy forces must remain fixed by fires until the enemy has been
destroyed. The assault force must assume control for direct fires on the assault objective as support and
breach force fires are lifted or shifted.
MASSED COMBAT POWER
C-18. Breaching is conducted by rapidly applying concentrated efforts at a point to reduce the obstacle and
penetrate the defense. Massed combat power is directed against the enemy weakness. The location selected
for breaching depends largely on enemy weakness, where its covering fires are minimized. If friendly
forces cannot find a natural weakness, they create one by fixing most of the enemy force and isolating a
small portion of it for attack. Denying the enemy’s ability to mass combat power against the breach is
C-6 FM 3-34.22 11 February 2009