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

Chapter 1
Combat Engineering
1-38. Combat engineering support applied through the movement and maneuver warfighting function
includes mobility operations (see FM 3-34.2) and countermobility operations (see FM 90-7 [to be revised
as FM 3-90.13]). Mobility operations include the following tasks:
� Overcome barriers, obstacles, and mines.
� Conduct breaching operations.
� Conduct clearing operations.
� Conduct gap-crossing operations (see FM 3-90.12).
� Enhance movement and maneuver.
� Construct and maintain combat roads and trails.
� Construct and maintain forward airfields and landing zones (LZs).
� Negotiate a tactical AO.
� Provide diver support.
1-39. Countermobility operations include the following tasks:
� Site obstacles.
� Construct, emplace, or detonate obstacles.
� Mark, report, and record obstacles.
� Maintain obstacle integration.
1-40. Combat engineers fight alongside maneuver units with a focus on close combat. When conducting
combat operations, they must be prepared to fight as engineers; employing their combat skills, using fire
and maneuver to accomplish the engineer mission. Consequently, all combat engineers are organized,
trained, and equipped to fight as engineers to destroy the enemy in addition to their primary responsibility
of combat engineering.
1-41. Combat engineers are organized, trained, and equipped to engage as engineers in close combat to
accomplish the engineer missions and—
� Support a movement to contact or attack as part of a maneuver formation to accomplish the
mission.
� Fight as the breach force during BCT combined arms breaching operations.
� Assist the supported organization to defeat an unexpected attack.
� Protect a critical demolition target that must remain passable until friendly forces are able to
withdraw.
� Maintain security at a work site.
� Protect themselves in an assembly area or on the march.
1-42. During combat operations, combat engineering units are task-organized with maneuver units and are
integrated into the combined arms formation. The engineer unit is designed to provide demolition,
breaching, and hasty gap-crossing capabilities to the combined arms team. The engineer unit can also
employ direct-fire weapons systems to aid in employing demolitions and breaching assets. A combat
engineer organization is capable of executing infantry tasks or task organizing to fight as infantry with
other combat units. However, engineers have organizational deficiencies that include a lack of organic fire
control personnel, communications equipment, and medical personnel. If an engineer battalion has been
redesignated to fight as infantry (a maneuver unit), it typically must be retask organized. These reorganized
engineers require the same support and potentially the integration of other maneuver elements (armor, fire
support [FS]) into its task organization to accomplish its mission.
1-43. Any commander who commands combat engineers has the authority to employ them as infantry,
unless otherwise reserved. However, a commander must carefully weigh the gain in infantry strength
against the loss of engineer support. Engineers provide far more combat power in their primary mission
than when configured as infantry. Stopping the engineer work may reduce the combat power of an entire
force.
1-10 FM 3-34.22 11 February 2009