SOC Wire Obstacle

Question 1

1. What is the difference between fixed and portable entanglements?

Answer 1

One is built in place and the other can be moved without complete disassembly

Question 2

2. In zones, how are lanes and gaps arranged

Answer 2

Staggered in a zig zag pattern

Question 3

3. How are entanglements classified

Answer 3

By use (tactical, protective, supplementary) depth (belts, bands, zones) and whether they are fixed or portable

Question 4

4. What are the three classifications of the use of entanglements

Answer 4

Tactical, Protective, and Supplementary

Question 5

5. How much buffer should there be from a protective entanglement and why

Answer 5

40-100 meters; In order to stay out of hand grenade distance

Question 6

6. Supplementary Wire =

Answer 6

(mean Perimeter) x (1.25) x (number of belts)

Question 7

7. Protective Wire =

Answer 7

(perimeter) x 1.10) x (number of belts)

Question 8

8. Tactical Wire = ?

Answer 8

(mean perimeter x (1.25) x (number of belts)

Question 9

9. What are some advantages of Barbed Steel Tape?

Answer 9

Size and weight
Less time consuming
Harder to breach
Can not be cut easily with wire cutters

Question 10

10. What are some disadvantaged of Barbed Steel Tape?

Answer 10

Breaking strength 
Dispenser 
Not recoverable to its original form
More easily cut by shell fragments 
Can be cut with a bayonet

Question 11

11. What are the two types of double apron fence

Answer 11

4 and 2 Pace Double Apron

6 and 3 Pace Double Apron

Question 12

12. Which is better, double apron fence or triple strand concertina wire?

Answer 12

Triple strand concertina wire (materials weigh more but takes 1/2 the man hours)

Question 13

What are wire obstacles?

Answer 13

Barbed wire obstacles are reinforcing obstacles designed to impede, slow, or stop the movement of foot troops, and in some cases, tracked and wheeled vehicles. The materials used in constructing barbed wire entanglements are relatively lightweight and inexpensive, considering the protection they afford. Barbed wire entanglements can be breached by fire but are built rapidly, repaired, and reinforced.

Question 14

Requirements for barbed wire obstacles

Answer 14

Must be under friendly observation, covered by fire, and where practical protected by anti-personnel mines, trip flares, and warning devices

Concealed from enemy observation as far as practical by incorporating terrain features, ie reverse slopes, hedges, woods, and fence lines

Should always be erected in irregular and non-geometrical traces

Must be coordinated with other elements of the defense

Should always be deployed in depth

Question 15

What does “depth” mean?

Answer 15

Belts, bands, and zones

Question 16

What is a belt?

Answer 16

A belt is an entanglement one fence in depth

Question 17

What is a band?

Answer 17

A band consists of two or more belts in depth, with no interval between them. The belts may be fences of the same type, or the band may be composed of two or more fences of different types

Question 18

What is a zone?

Answer 18

A zone consists of two or more bands or belts in depth, with intervals between them

Question 19

What are tactical entanglements?

Answer 19

Sited parallel to and along the friendly side of the final protective line

Used to break up enemy attack formations and to hold the enemy in areas covered by the most intense defense fire

Extend across the entire front of a position but are not necessarily continuous

Question 20

What are protective entanglements?

Answer 20

Protective wire entanglements are located to prevent surprise assaults from points close to the defense area

Should remain at a distance of approximately 40-100 meters. This prevents the enemy from using grenades effectively against your position

Question 21

What is a supplementary entanglement?

Answer 21

Supplementary wire is used in front of the FEBA to break up the exact pattern of tactical wire

To the rear of the FEBA it is used to connect and reinforce all the protective wire entanglements

Question 22

Standard Barbed Wire

Answer 22

Standard Barbed wire Concertina a commercially manufactured barbed wire obstacle made of a roll of single strand, high strength, spring steel wire, with four point barbs at two inch intervals

Issued in reels containing 400 meters of wire, and weighing 90 lbs

Question 23

Barbed Steel Tape

Answer 23

Issued in 50 meter reels weighing approximately 5.5 lbs. There are six reels to a card board carrying case
To be effective barbed steel tape must be twisted as it is installed

Question 24

Three types of pickets

Answer 24

U shaped
Screw
Wood
(Trees and stumps can be used where location permits)

Question 25

Screw pickets

Answer 25

Installed so that the eye is to the right of the picket, as seen from the friendly side, so that standard ties can be made easily

Less rigid than other types, but are desirable because they can be installed rapidly and silently

Question 26

U shaped pickets

Answer 26

Driven with the hollow surface, or concave side facing the enemy because small arms fire will ricochet from the convex side

When installed the lower notch on the U-shaped and the bottom eye on the screw, should be four inches off the ground

Question 27

Which direction are entanglements built?

Answer 27

From right to left facing the enemy

Question 28

Construction in combat areas

Answer 28

Security around the work party
Silence
No working on the enemy side of the fence, unless absolutely necessary
Use of screw pickets, if available

Question 29

Types of wire ties

Answer 29

Post Tie
Apron Tie
Top Eye Tie
Intermediate Eye Tie

Question 30

How are wires tightened?

Answer 30

Racking

Question 31

How tight should wires be?

Answer 31

Just taut enough to prevent them from being depressed easily by boards, mats, or similar objects that may be thrown across them

Question 32

Field expedient wire obstacles

Answer 32

Spirals of loose wire
Knife rest (1m high, 2-5m long)
Trestle apron fence
Trip wires
Tangle foot