Rifle Plt in the Defense Flashcards
What is the main purpose of the defense?
A coordinated effort to defeat an attack by an opposing force and prevent it from achieving its objectives.
What other purpose can the defense be conducted to do?
Gain time
Retain key terrain or deny a vital area to the enemy
Counter surprise action by the enemy
Economize force, allowing combat power to be concentrated elsewhere
Increase the enemy’s vulnerability by forcing him to concentrate his forces
Attrite or fix the enemy as a prelude to offensive operations
Prepare to resume the offensive.
What are the 10 fundamentals of the defense?
- Knowledge of the enemy
- Maneuver
- Preparation
- Use of terrain
- Surprise
- Mass and concentration
- Flexibility
- Offensive action
- Mutual support
- Defense in depth
What is a hasty defense?
Organized while in contact with the enemy or when contact is imminent and time available for organization is limited.
What is a deliberate defense?
Organized when out of contact with the enemy or when contact with the enemy is not imminent and time for organization is available.
What does it mean to employ defense in depth?
The positioning of mutually supporting defensive positions throughout the defensive battlespace to absorb and progressively weaken an enemy attack. It provides maneuver space within the defensive area for the maneuver of subordinate units against the enemy’s main effort.
What is mobile defense?
The bulk of the force is held as a mobile striking force with strict economy applied to dedicated positional supporting efforts designed to canalize, delay, and disrupt the enemy’s attack.
What is position defense?
Orients on retention of terrain by absorbing the enemy in an interlocking series of positions and destroying him largely by fires.
What is are the types of defensive techniques?
Battle position
Strongpoint
Perimeter defense
Reverse-slope defense
What is a battle position?
Defense position oriented on the most likely enemy avenue of approach from which a unit may defend or attack.
What is a blocking position?
Type of battle position designed to deny enemy access.
What is a strongpoint?
Fortified defensive position designed to deny the enemy certain terrain as well as the use of an avenue of approach.
What is a perimeter defense?
Defense oriented in all directions
What is a reverse-slope defense?
Organized so that the main defensive positions are masked from enemy observation and direct fire by a topograhipical crest.
What is the engagement area?
Location where the platoon commander intends to destroy an enemy force using the massed fires of all available weapons and supporting assets.
How do you develop the engagement area?
Identify all likely enemy avenues of approach.
Determine likely enemy SOM.
Develop EMLCOA.
What tactical control measures are used in the defense?
Target reference points
Trigger lines
Sectors of fire
Final protection fires
What does engagement criteria tell the Marines?
WHEN to engage
What does target precedence tell the Marines?
WHAT to engage
What are the 3 categories of fire support in the defense?
Long range fires
Close in fires
Final protective fire
What is the mazimum length an FPF can be from a 60mm mortar section?
90m
What is the mazimum length an FPF can be from a 81mm mortar section?
140m
What is the mazimum length an FPF can be from a 81mm mortar platoon?
280m
What is the mazimum length an FPF can be from a Howitzer battery?
300m
What are the 4 tactical obstacle effects?
Disrupt, turn, fix, and block
What are 2 categories of obstacles?
Existing and reinforcing
What are protective wire obstacles?
Wire obstacles which are designed to protect friendly fighting positions. They are designed to disrupt the enemy’s final assault and should be placed just outside of hand grenade range from the enemy.
What are tactical wire obstacles?
These wire obstacles are constructed to achieve the desired obstacle effect for a given location. For example, wire obstacles may be constructed forward of the engagement area to turn the enemy into the engagement area.
What are supplementary wire obstacles?
Supplementary wire obstacles are designed to conceal tactical wire obstacles. These obstacles prevent the enemy from determining the platoon commander’s desired obstacle effects before they come under to effects of the platoon’s fires.
What are the types of defensive positions?
Primary, alternate, and supplementary
What is the least engaged unit and how is it used?
. The least engaged unit is the unit which is under minimal enemy influence when the engagement begins based on their placement in the platoon’s position. The least engaged unit can move to supplementary positions to protect the platoon’s flank, or conduct a counterattack based on the commander’s plan.
What is the top priority of the leader’s recon?
Identify the engagement area.
What 3 techniques can be used to occupy defensive positions?
Crow’s Foot
Bent L
Combination
How many sandbags should be used to align your fields of fire?
4-7 bags
What is the alert status?
Percentage of the platoon manning their weapons at any given time.
What does “stand-to” mean?
All Marines are fully equipped manning thier weapons.
What is an LP/OP?
A listening post / observation post (LP/OP) is a location from which Marines can observe enemy movement, report to the platoon commander over appropriate communications assets, and/or call for and adjust indirect fire on enemy units.
What is a fire plan sketch?
A to-scale, graphic representation of the defensive position that is used by the commander to visualize and coordinate the effects of his engagement area and to prevent gaps in his fires.
What is the priority during consolidation?
Re-establishing security
What are the dimensions of the skirmisher holes?
18in x 24in x length of body
What are the dimensions of the parapet?
18 in x 36 in
What are the dimensions of a fighting hole?
2ft x 6ft x armpit height
