Chapter 11: NBC and Smoke Operations

The OPFOR believes success in battle requires extensive engineer support at every level. Engineer plans at the operational level support the various strategic-level courses of action involved in the State’s strategic campaign. Engineers facilitate the mobility and high rate of movement of combined arms forces while enhancing the survivability of forces. Although the OPFOR generally conducts engineer countermobility activities at the tactical level, it also maximizes activities conducted at the operational level to disaggregate, disrupt, delay, block, or canalize enemy forces. See FM 7-100.2 for more information on tactical-level engineer actions.

Assets

Military engineers fall into two basic categories: combat engineers and special-category engineers.  Combat engineers are those  whose tasks  may bring them in direct contact with the enemy. Special-category engineers (such as bridge- and road-building units) do not normally engage the enemy and generally use utility vehicles as their primary transportation rather than engineer vehicles designed to survive close combat. Together, these two categories of engineers are responsible for the more difficult and complex engineering tasks. Their missions require specialized training and the use of special equipment or munitions. Often the distinction of engineer categories is blurred somewhat depending on task organizations and their mission-driven employment.

At the operational level, the OPFOR plans the complete integration of civilian and military engineer resources. For example, maneuver commanders may use civilian earthmoving, road-building, and construction equipment and personnel, especially in support zones. This allows constituent combat engineer equipment and personnel to accompany maneuver forces in battle. Civilian workers or maneuver units can perform many basic combat engineer tasks, with engineers providing guidance and technical expertise.

Command and Control

Engineer units allocated to an operational-strategic command (OSC) in constituent or dedicated relationships may be directly under the command of the OSC commander. The OSC commander or his subordinate commanders can control--but do not command--other engineer assets that are allocated to them in a supporting relationship. Rather than keeping all allocated engineer assets under his direct command and control (C2), the OSC commander may suballocate some engineer units to his subordinate maneuver units or to his integrated fires command (IFC) and/or integrated support command (ISC).