IPB

Question 1

What are the four steps of the IPB?

Answer 1

Step 1 - Define the Battlespace Environment
Step 2 - Describe Battlespace Effects
Step 3 - Evaluate the Enemy
Step 4 - Determine Enemy COA

Question 2

What are the key outputs of the IPB?

Answer 2

The Modified Combined Obstacle Overlay (MCOO) and the identification of critical enemy vulnerabilities for further consideration in decisive event (DE) planning

Question 3

When does the IPB commence?

Answer 3

With the commencement of Step 1 - Prelim Analysis. It might be triggered by receipt of orders, a change in the enemy situation or a shift in operational posture.

Question 4

When should all aspects of the IPB be addressed by (i.e. no later than)?

Answer 4

Prior to the conclusion of Step 2 - Mission Analysis, to enable optimal intelligence inputs to be used in DE planning and to completely inform the commander prior to the commander’s guidance being delivered.

Question 5

IPB Step 1 (Define the Battlespace Environment) consists of four activities. What are they?

Answer 5

Activity 1 - Identify Planning Time Available
Activity 2 - Identify Environmental Characteristics
Activity 3 - Identify the AO/AI
Activity 4 - Determine Intelligence Requirements (IR) and Make Assumptions

Question 6

What is the purpose of Step 1 Activity 1 - Identify Planning Time Available?

Answer 6

To determine time available for the IPB process. It is developed using a reverse planning approach. The time allocated to the initial IPB must relate to the time by which the information is required by the staff conducting the MA.

Question 7

What is the purpose of Step 1 Activity 2 - Identify Environmental Characteristics?

Answer 7

To ID key environmental characteristics that will influence enemy or friendly Courses of Action (COA).

Question 8

Included in Step 1 Activity 2 - Identify Environmental Characteristics are assessments of what?

Answer 8

Geography, terrain or weather;
Population demographics;
Political or socioeconomic factors;
Infrastructure, including transportation and telecommunications;
ROE, legal restrictions, treaties and agreements; and
General enemy capability, locations, mobility, weapon types and ranges.

Question 9

In Step 1 Activity 2 - Identify the AO/AI, what is the AO and AI?

Answer 9

The AO is the geographic area in which the commander is assigned the responsibility and authority to conduct military operations.
The AI is the geographical area (including airspace) from which information and intelligence are required for the planning and conduct of operations within the AO.

Question 10

What size can an Area of Interest (AI) be?

Answer 10

The AI can be larger than the AO, or can consist of smaller discrete areas outside the AO.

Question 11

What are Areas of Interest (AI) characterised by?

Answer 11

• Other friendly force task locations critical to achieving the higher commander’s intent.
• Anticipated future task locations.
• The time frame for the conduct of operations and the location of any friendly force activities or capabilities that could influence operations during that time.
• The locations of enemy forces able to project power or move into the AO within the time frame of friendly operations.
• The ability to be subdivided into sub-AI to focus and coordinate intelligence gathering as required.
• The absence of restrictions other than the requirement to identify any factor that may threaten or assist in the accomplishment of the Commander’s Intent.

Question 12

In Step 1 Activity 4 - Determine Intelligence Requirements (IR) and Make Assumptions, what are IR?

Answer 12

IR comprise questions about the enemy or environment for which there is a need to collect information and produce intelligence. At the operational and tactical levels, IR are usually expressed as specific questions about an enemy’s order of battle (ORBAT), deployments and intentions, and local environmental conditions.

Question 13

What are information requirements?

Answer 13

Simply, they are those elements of information which need to be collected and processed to meet the Intelligence Requirements (IR). An IR may generate multiple information requirements or, if the IR itself is a simple one, it may translate directly into a single information requirement.

Question 14

How are information requirements promulgated to subordinates?

Answer 14

Through the ISR collection plan. This tasks those subordinate assets most likely to be able to gain the specific information required on the battlespace and enemy. It is developed and refined progressively throughout the IPB as information requirements on the battlespace and enemy are identified and answered.

Question 15

What is the purpose of assumptions and how are they used?

Answer 15

When some IR cannot be met or are in doubt, assumptions on the environment, the enemy and other factors must be made to keep the planning process moving. The ongoing confirmation of assumptions, where possible, forms a key part of intelligence collection operations. When an assumption is made a method must immediately be put in place to prove the assumption true or false.

Question 16

IPB Step 2 (Describe the Battlespace Effects) consists of four activities. What are they?

Answer 16

Activity 1 - Terrain Analysis
Activity 2 - Weather Analysis
Activity 3 - Analyse other Battlespace characteristics
Activity 4 - Combine Battlespace Effects

Question 17

In IPB Step 2 Activity 1 (Terrain Analysis), how do we break down what aspects of the terrain we analyse? (HINT: Acronym is OCOKA)

Answer 17

Observation and Fields of Fire
Cover and Concealment
Obstacles
Key and Decisive Terrain
Avenues of Approach

Question 18

What are the three classifications of Obstacles (IPB Step 2 Activity 1)?

Answer 18

Unrestricted - Free of any movement restrictions.
Restricted - Hinders movement and manoeuvre in formation to some extent but requires little effort to enhance mobility.
Very Restricted - Severely hinders or slows movement and manoeuvre in formation, and requires effort to enhance mobility.

Question 19

What is Key and Decisive Terrain (IPB Step 2 Activity 1)?

Answer 19

Key Terrain - any locality or area which the seizure, retention, or control of which affords a marked advantage.
Decisive Terrain - key terrain that has an extraordinary impact on the operation. The designation of Decisive Terrain implies that the success of the entire operation depends upon the seizure or retention of a single piece of ground.

Question 20

At the end of Terrain Analysis (IPB Step 2 Activity 1), what are the analysis results combined into?

Answer 20

The Modified Combined Obstacle Overlay (MCOO)

Question 21

In IPB Step 2 Activity 2 (Weather Analysis), what are the categories of effects that are analysed?

Answer 21

• Visibility (effects from extreme temperatures, cloud cover, precipitation, the available light)
• Winds (dust/smoke/rain. CBRN considerations. Limitations for airborne, air assault and aviation. Effects on communications equipment)
• Rain (trafficability, visibility, and functioning of electro-optical systems)
• Cloud Cover (illumination and performance of target acquisition systems, munitions, and air operations).
• Temperature and Humidity (personnel and equipment capability limitations. Requirement for shelter)

Question 22

In IPB Step 2 Activity 3 (Analyse Other Battlespace Characteristics), there are two mnemonics we use being ASCOPE and PMESII. What do these stand for?

Answer 22

A - areas
S - structures
C - capabilities and communications
O - organisations
P - people
E - events

P - political
M - military
E - economic
S - social
I - infrastructure
I - information

These can both be combined into a matrix, with ASCOPE on the Y Axis and PMESII on the X Axis, for a thorough analysis tool.

Question 23

What is involved in IPB Step 2 Activity 4 (Combine Battlespace Effects)?

Answer 23

Integrate the evaluation of the terrain, weather and other characteristics into the MCOO. Focus should be placed on the battlespace environment’s total effects on the enemy and friendly broad COA that meet the commander’s intent and the available force capability.
Recommendations can now be made indicating which of the broad enemy and friendly COA best support the battlespace environment and which least support it. Although not developed at this point, deductions should be made which support subsequent planning.