DATE: Appendices

Appendix A: Organizational Equipment Tables

For detailed examples of OPFOR Organizational equipment, see the tables in the Threat Force Structure section of the ACE-Threats Integration’s Army Training Network webpage, located at https://atn.army.mil/dsp_template.aspx?dpID=311.

Appendix B: OPFOR Task-Organizing for Combat

OPFOR TASK-ORGANIZING FOR COMBAT

The concept of task-organizing for combat is not unique to the OPFOR. It is universal, performed at all levels, and has been around as long as combat. The US Army defines a task organization as “A temporary grouping of forces designed to accomplish a particular mission” and defines task- organizing as “The process of allocating available assets to subordinate commanders and  establishing their command and support relationships” (FM 1-02). Task-organizing of the OPFOR must follow OPFOR doctrine (see 7-100 series of FM and TC), reflect requirements for stressing US units’ mission essential task list (METL) in training, and also follow the guidance set forth in TC 7- 101 Exercise Design.

The process of task-organizing for combat and its role in matching the appropriate OPFOR task organization to the training objectives of the unit to be trained is discussed in Chapter 3 of FM 7-

100.4     OPFOR Organization Guide. This appendix explains in more detail how trainers and training planners modify an OPFOR organization from the structure listed in the Decisive Action Training Environment (DATE) Order of Battle (OB) and the organizational directories in FM 7-100.4 into an OPFOR task organization for countering the tasks listed in FM 7-15, Army Universal Task List (AUTL). For illustrative purposes, this appendix describes a particular example based on hypothetical tasks and OPFOR countertasks. Then, it provides detailed guidance on how to task- organize OPFOR units from the bottom up.

Note: All of the OPFOR organizations listed in the organizational directories are constructed using Microsoft Office® software (MS Word®, MS PowerPoint®, and MS Excel®). The use of these commonly available tools should allow trainers and planners to tailor and/or task-organize units individually or collectively to meet specific training and/or simulation requirements.

ADMINISTRATIVE FORCE STRUCTURE

As stated earlier in the Introduction to Section 4, the countries of Ariana, Atropia, Donovia, Limaria, and Gorgas all have their militaries organized into individual AFS to manage their respective military forces in peacetime. The AFS of each country is the aggregate of various military headquarters, facilities, and installations designed to man, train, equip, and sustain the forces.

In peacetime, forces are commonly grouped into divisions, corps, or armies for administrative purposes. The AFS includes all components of the armed forces-not only regular, standing forces (active component), but also reserve and militia forces (reserve component).

BASELINE EQUIPMENT

The organizational directories in FM 7-100.4 provide example equipment types and the numbers of each type typically found in specific organizations. The purpose is to give trainers and training planners a good idea of what an OPFOR structure should look like. Training requirements, however, may dictate some modifications to this equipment baseline. Therefore, training planners have  several options by which they can modify equipment holdings to meet particular training requirements. Often this is effected by simply changing an equipment tier from one level to another.

For each organization in the OPFOR, the online organizational directories list “Principal Items of Equipment” in the basic MS Word® document and/or list “Personnel and Items of Equipment” in an MS Excel®  chart.  This  equipment corresponds  to  tier 2  in  the tier  tables  of the    Worldwide Equipment Guide (WEG). However, some elite units, such as Special-Purpose Forces (SPF), may have tier 1 equipment while insurgents or guerrillas may have tier 3 or 4.

Note: OPFOR equipment is broken into four “tiers” in order to portray systems for adversaries with differing levels of force capabilities for use as representative examples of a rational force developer’s systems mix. Equipment is listed into convenient tier tables for use as a tool for trainers to reflect different levels of modernity. Tier 2 (default OPFOR level) reflects modern competitive systems fielded in significant numbers for the last 10 to 20 years. See WEG Vol 1, Chap 1, and Vol II, Chap 1 for additional information.

TASK-ORGANIZING

Task-organizing is simply the process used to convert peacetime units into their warfighting structure. This appendix describes how each of the five countries must task-organize its forces from its AFS into the appropriate war-fighting orders of battle (ground, air, and naval). In order to properly task-organize, the OPFOR trainers representing each country will analyze their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their enemy. They will also consider how best to counter or mitigate the enemy’s weapons systems (or its capabilities) and/or how to best exploit them to their own advantage. More importantly, however, task-organization ensures the OPFOR meets  the training objective. The mitigation or exploitation may be by means of equipment, tactics, or organization—or more likely all of these. However, the process generally starts with the proper task- organization of forces with the proper equipment to facilitate appropriate tactics, techniques, and procedures. The OPFOR trainers must consider where the assets required for a particular task organization are located within the AFS and how to get them allocated to the task organization that needs them, when and where it needs them.

The purpose of task-organizing the OPFOR is to build an OPFOR OB that is appropriate for, and meets all, US training requirements. The OPFOR AFS in Ariana, Atropia, Donovia, Gorgas, and Limaria are not the OPFOR OB. However, once these structures are task-organized, the resulting OB will then become the OPFOR’s go-to-war, fighting force structure.

The last part of chapter 3 in FM 7-100.4 delineates the specific process of creating the properly task- organized OPFOR for an exercise. This appendix provides a summary of the nine-step task- organization process as it is discussed in FM 7-100.4.

STEPS 1-3:  SELECT TRAINING UNITS AND TASKS

The nine-step task-organization process begins and ends with the senior commander (commander of the unit to be trained). For training purposes the senior commander will identify what units he wants trained in which selected tasks. For example, if the training units consist of a lightly armored force of two brigade-size units, the commander’s primary training objective may be to conduct an assault and sustained combat to destroy an OPFOR brigade defending in complex terrain. His secondary training objective could be to restore and maintain civil order. Once the senior commander has determined what tasks he wants to train, the lead trainer will develop the countertasks for the OPFOR and its task organization based on the nine-step process. The senior commander then reviews the OPFOR task organization and the countertasks to ensure that his requirements have been met.

The US commander (senior trainer) also reviews FM 7-15 AUTL and determines the specific tactical collective tasks on which he wants to train his unit. The specific Army Tactical Tasks (ARTs)  selected from the AUTL for the above example are:

• ART 5.1.1  Overcome Barriers/Obstacles/Mines

• ART 8.1.2  Conduct an Attack

• ART 8.1.3 Exploitation

• ART 8.3.1.2 Conduct Peace Enforcement Operations

• ART 8.3.2.3 Conduct Combat Operations in Support of Foreign Internal Defense (Counter Insurgents and Terrorists)

• ART 8.3.7  Combat Terrorism

Thus, the US commander (senior trainer) has completed Steps 1 through 3 of the process outlined at the end of chapter 3 in FM 7-100.4, which define the scope and purpose of the training exercise. Now the training planners know that the enemy of the OPFOR (the training unit) is lightly armored, mobile, and lethal, and consists of at least two or more brigade-level units. The training commander has determined the level and types of units he wants trained and the specific tasks on which he wants them trained. This sets the stage for Steps 4 through 9, which determine the kind of OPFOR needed to produce the desired training. The entire process results in building the  appropriate OPFOR OB that must provide appropriate organizations capable of countering (stressing) those  tasks selected from the AUTL.

STEP 4:  SELECT OPFOR COUNTERTASKS

The mission of the OPFOR is to counter the training unit, with capabilities that challenge the training unit’s ability to accomplish its tasks. The OPFOR Tactical Task List in TC 7-101 Exercise Design, serves as the primary source for most tasks the OPFOR must perform. Exercise planners reference this list first when conducting countertask analysis. Only if the OPFOR Tactical Task List does not contain an appropriate task is one selected for the OPFOR from the AUTL. In this case, the training unit’s mission is to attack and destroy the OPFOR. Therefore, the OPFOR’s mission is to prevent the training unit (enemy) from destroying the OPFOR and, if possible, destroy the attacking enemy. The OPFOR could accomplish this by defending with light, mobile forces in complex terrain and perhaps employing guerrilla warfare tactics. In the example, the training commander has also selected a task to restore civil order. One way of countering this task is for the OPFOR to possess an organization capable of providing or instigating civil disorder to stress this training. The commander also wants to train against ART 8.3.7 (Combat Terrorism). One way to counter this task is for the OPFOR to include insurgents using terror tactics.

STEP 5:  DETERMINE THE TYPE AND SIZE OF OPFOR UNITS

Next, trainers and planners determine the appropriate type and size of OPFOR units capable of performing the OPFOR countertasks and conducting persistent fights on several levels. For the maneuver fight, defending against two brigade-size US units, the OPFOR needs a brigade-size organization. The optimal OPFOR organization for conducting such a defense in complex terrain would include relatively light, motorized infantry, perhaps some even lighter guerrilla forces, and preferably some mechanized infantry, combined with an antiarmor capability against lightly armored US forces. Such a mix of forces would entail the use of a brigade tactical group (BTG) task organization. In addition, a local insurgent force can provide the training unit with an opportunity to combat terrorism.

Motorized Infantry Forces

The OPFOR organization determined to best counter (stress) the ARTs mentioned above consists of a BTG based on a motorized infantry brigade, with an antiarmor capability against lightly armored forces to counter the maneuver fight, and an affiliated local insurgent organization to counter ART 8.3.7, Combat Terrorism. The BTG also can have guerrilla and special-purposes forces subordinate to it.

Guerrilla Forces

The BTG could include a guerrilla battalion to provide a wider training spectrum and a realistic training experience. Guerrilla warfare is one of many threats, but it does not necessarily occur in isolation from other threats. While guerrilla organizations can be completely independent of a parent insurgent organization, they are often either a part of the overall insurgency or affiliated with the insurgent groups. Guerrilla units can also be subordinate to a larger, more conventional force. For purposes of illustration and simplicity, in this example the guerrilla battalion is subordinated to the larger conventional maneuver force, the BTG. The guerrillas are a tier 3 and 4 organization. (Equipment tiering is discussed in chapter 4 of FM 7-100.4.) The inclusion of guerrillas provides countertasks to the following ARTs:

• ART 8.3.1.2  Conduct Peace Enforcement Operations
• ART 8.3.2.3 Conduct Combat Operations in Support of Foreign Internal Defense (Counter Insurgents and Terrorists)

When the guerilla battalion is organized for combat with guerrilla hunter-killer companies (H/K) it also fights unconventionally, but with H/K groups, sections, and teams. The task-organized, lethal H/K team structure is ideal for dispersed combat such as fighting in built-up areas, especially urban combat. Complete battalions and brigades—or any part thereof—can be organized for combat as H/K units.

Special-Purpose Forces

Special-purpose forces (SPF) can bring another dimension to the training environment. Therefore, the BTG could integrate an SPF company and an SPF deep attack/reconnaissance platoon into its task organization. The SPF units are a tier 1 (modern) force multiplier providing a completely different level and style of OPFOR countertasks to the fight. While SPF units can also be independent of maneuver forces on the battlefield, and generally are, they can also be subordinate to a maneuver organization. For simplicity, this example has the SPF units subordinate to a parent maneuver organization—the BTG. The inclusion of the SPF provides countertasks to the following ARTs:

• ART 8.3.1.2 Conduct Peace Enforcement Operations
• ART 8.3.2.3 Conduct Combat Operations in support of Foreign Internal Defense (Counter Insurgents and Terrorists)

Note. Force structures for SPF units can be found in FM 7-100.4 OPFOR Organizational  Guide,  Volume II.

Insurgent Forces

Insurgent forces can provide an OPFOR countertask capability to ART 8.3.7 (Combat Terrorism). A typical insurgent organization also provides the OPFOR with an information warfare (INFOWAR) capability to stress ART 7.10.3 (Maintain Community Relations), which is an implied task inherent to several selected ARTs. Even a local insurgent organization provides a wide spectrum of insurgent capabilities. It is complete with direct action cells, INFOWAR cells, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), IED factories, suicide bombers, and even weapons of mass destruction. The relationship between the BTG and the local insurgent organization, in this example, is one of loose affiliation rather than subordination.

Overall OPFOR Organization

In this example case, the appropriate OPFOR required to meet the commander’s training requirements consists of two parts: the Brigade Tactical Group (Motorized) (Antiarmor-Light) and an affiliated Local Insurgent Organization.

STEP 6: REVIEW THE AFS

The trainers and planners review the list of units in the DATE OB for that particular country and the OPFOR organizational directories in FM 7-100.4 to determine what kinds and sizes of units are available in the country’s AFS. At this point, the purpose is only to review the menu of options available.

STEP 7: COMPILE THE INITIAL LISTING OF OPFOR UNITS FOR THE TASK ORGANIZATION

From the AFS menu, trainers and planners compile an initial listing of OPFOR units for the task organization. At this point, the purpose is only to identify the units available, without concern for any higher-level command to which they are subordinate in the AFS.

STEP 8:  IDENTIFY THE BASE UNIT

Trainers and planners again review the OPFOR organizational directories to determine which standard OPFOR unit most closely matches the OPFOR units in the initial task-organization list. This OPFOR unit will become the “base” unit to which modifications are made, converting it into a task organization.

Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade

For the main maneuver force in the above example, the leading candidate seems to be a motorized infantry brigade, of which the organizational directories show two types: divisional and separate. Of the two, the separate motorized infantry brigade has a much more robust antiarmor capability, with an antitank battalion of the type normally found in a division. The separate brigade also has more robust logistics support, which provides better combat sustainability. As a base unit, this brigade can easily accommodate guerrillas and SPF into its task organization to meet training requirements.

To prepare for the task-organizing process, the separate motorized infantry brigade is extracted, exactly as posted, from the AFS organizational directories (see figure below). This AFS brigade will serve as the base (core) that will be modified and built upon to create the task-organized Brigade Tactical Group (Motorized) (Antiarmor-Light) seen on page 4-B-9.

Some units originally subordinate to the separate motorized brigade will be transferred out of the base structure, since they are not needed. Meanwhile, other units that were not part of the base unit will be added in order to provide additional capabilities that are required. From the OPFOR perspective, higher headquarters determines where these units are allocated to or from. If the next higher headquarters does not have a subordinate unit that it can allocate for the task organization,  it passes the requirement to (or through) its next higher headquarters until the appropriate unit can be allocated.