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

Appendix D
ROUTE CLEARANCE
D-6. In land operations, route clearance is the detection, identification, marking, neutralization,
destruction, and removal of EHs and other obstacles along a defined route to allow a military operation to
continue with reduced risk (see FM 3-34.210). It is a combined arms operation that is usually preceded by,
but can include, a reconnaissance of the route to be cleared. It can be conducted to open a route for the
necessary traffic or on a recurring basis to minimize the risk along selected routes. Unlike a combined arms
breach, the clearing operation aims to completely eliminate or neutralize mines (or in an ISR role), EHs, or
other obstacles along the route. Also unlike a breach, route clearance is typically not conducted under fire.
However, a task-organized route clearance team is prepared to employ the fundamentals of SOSRA at any
point along the targeted route. While these actions may not be executed during route clearance they are
planned. Planning for route clearance operations is performed in the same way as it is for breaching
operations. The clearance team must be prepared to execute SOSRA fundamentals as necessary.
PHASES
D-7. The commander determines which routes or route sections must be cleared and establishes priorities
for the routes within his AO. The staff analyzes the threat of obstacles, EHs, and ambushes on or along
those routes, developing a SITEMP to establish what “normal” looks like along the route. The SITEMP
can be used to identify changes or abnormal points on the route. Threat information is based on
information gathered from the IPB, engineer running estimate, COP, and reconnaissance effort. Human
intelligence (HUMINT) is especially useful for identifying threats along the route. Military police,
transportation, and other units that have recently moved along the route of interest may be able to provide
valuable intelligence.
D-8. Given the commander’s requirement and priorities for routes in the AO and the threat information,
the engineer and EOD team chief advises the commander on the recommended composition of the
clearance team, method of route clearance, and support requirements. The clearance effort is organized
based on the following two phases:
� Sanitation phase. Sanitation is the initial clearance of a route where the obstacle threat is
undetermined or a confirmed obstacle threat is present. Prior reconnaissance of the route is
preferred, but clearance can include reconnaissance if required. The clearance team sweeps and
clears the entire route, identifying and neutralizing EHs and obstacles. An improvement element
is included as part of the route clearance team to remove rubble, debris, berms, holes, trenches,
vegetation, and trash from the medians and shoulders of routes to eliminate the concealment of
EHs and to aid in the visual and sensory detection of EHs. The team also analyzes previous
route reconnaissance records to identify and record the location of man-made objects (buried
pipe, cable) and investigate suspicious areas.
� Maintenance and sweep phase. The route clearance team (minus the improvement element)
conducts systematic, random detection sweeps of the cleared areas and progresses to deterrence
and detection sweeps along the cleared route. It focuses a visual detection sweep on changed
conditions and investigates suspected devices remotely with a mine-protected clearance vehicle
or other system as required.
D-9. The route is cleared after the sanitation phase is conducted. When there is a sustained IED or other
EH threat, the route requires persistent surveillance to ensure that it is appropriate to move to maintenance
and sweep operations. Unless the route is secured and under continuous surveillance, each clearance
mission must be conducted as if it is the initial clearance. With persistent surveillance and a reasonable
level of security maintained along the route, the commander may weigh the risks and order maintenance
and sweep clearance.
TEAM COMPOSITION
D-10. Based on the mission, sufficient maneuver and engineer assets must be allocated to the clearance
team. Mission variables, route characteristics, and the type of clearance to be conducted determine the team
size. Depending on the type of route-clearing operation, the commander can expect a 50 percent loss of
sweep assets. Normally, as in breaching, a 50 percent redundancy of engineer assets should be allocated to
the team.
D-4 FM 3-34.22 11 February 2009