U.S. Army Field Manual 7-93 Long-Range Surveillance Unit Operations - United States Army

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Depth is measured in time, distance, and resources. The commander uses available time and the depth of the battlefield to employ his forces to defeat the enemy. Depth is the greatest contribution of the LRSUs in Army operations. The units give corps and division commanders the ability to see deep into the enemy's rear.

      d. Synchronization. Synchronization is teamwork and coordination of effort. The commander must know how the combined-arms team is used to defeat the enemy. Synchronization is a unity of effort following the commander's intent. This unity extends from the maneuver plan to the integration of CS and CSS assets to ensure mission accomplishment. Information provided by the LRSUs and integrated with other forms of information-gathering assets give the commander a coordinated effort and better understanding of the battlefield.

      e. Versatility. Versatility is the ability of units to meet diverse mission requirements. Commanders must shift focus, tailor forces, and move from one role or mission to another rapidly and efficiently.

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      Surveillance is the primary mission of LRS operations. It is the mission that LRS teams are best equipped and trained to perform. Teams maintain surveillance for a specified period or until the required information is collected. Each team records all pertinent data.

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      LRS teams are not special operations forces, but their doctrine, tactics, equipment, and techniques are similar. LRS team operations are characterized by the following.

      a. Clandestine operations require OPSEC procedures before, during, and after mission employment.

      b. Team members depend on stealth, cover and concealment, and infantry and ranger skills.

      c. Team members avoid contact with enemy forces and local population.

      d. Teams are employed to obtain timely information.

      e. Teams have restricted mobility in the area of operations.

      f. Team members depend on communications, knowing the enemy's order of battle, and equipment identification skills.

      g. The surveillance or reconnaissance area is small, has a specified route, or is a specific location or installation.

      h. Team equipment and supplies are limited to what can be man packed or cached.

      i. Teams require detailed intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) from the G2 for employment.

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      Long-range surveillance operations are carried out by small, highly trained teams who infiltrate and exfiltrate contested areas by air (helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft), parachute, ground (vehicle or foot), water, or a combination of these methods.

      a. During retrograde operations or withdrawal of covering forces in defensive operations, teams may be employed in a stay-behind mode. Once inserted, the teams in a stay-behind role set up a hide site that provides security, cover, and concealment. A surveillance site is then setup, normally during darkness or other limited visibility. The surveillance site is located where it can provide the most coverage of the specific point, route, or area to be observed. Contact is made between the surveillance site and the hide site primarily during limited visibility. In some situations, the hide and surveillance sites are combined. However, the surveillance site frequently obtains information that must be reported immediately. In such cases, a team member goes to the hide site to report the information or uses a tactical FM radio or landline. The long-range surveillance team should use the most secure means of communication available between the hide site and the surveillance site.

      b. Combat information reported by the surveillance site is normally consolidated at the hide site. This information is sent to the LRSU operations section by secure, rapid HF or SATCOM devices. A data-burst transmission device enhances communication security and reduces transmission time. Messages are sent at predetermined times or as immediate spot reports. To reduce the possibility of detection, teams use separate communication sites, directional antennas, and terrain masking techniques. Some areas may be monitored by sensor devices emplaced by the teams. These devices normally transmit their signals to a receiving station in the corps or division area.

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      A long-range surveillance unit may be a company or a detachment. This section discusses their organization, capabilities, and limitations.

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      The LRSC is organized as a company organic to the military intelligence brigade at corps (Figure 1–1). It consists of a headquarters platoon, communications platoon, and three LRS platoons--each consisting of six surveillance teams. The leaders are airborne and ranger qualified. All other personnel in the company are airborne qualified.

      a. Headquarters Platoon. The headquarters platoon contains two sections for the command and control of the company in the areas of administration, logistics, and operations.

      (1) Headquarters section. This section contains the personnel necessary for the command and control of the company and supply support.(2) Operations section. The personnel in this section plan and control the employment of the teams, coordinate insertion and extraction of the teams to include external support, receive and report information from committed teams, and maintain the operational status of all teams. Liaison duties and planning for future operations are important functions of the operations section.

      b. Communications Platoon. The communications platoon operates the base radio stations. It helps the operations section plan and maintain communication with deployed teams. It works with the operations section or separately to relay information from deployed teams. It also performs unit maintenance on communication equipment organic to the unit. The platoon has a headquarters section and four base radio stations.

      (1) Headquarters section. The personnel in this section establish command and control over assigned communications elements. They coordinate and set up communication procedures, transmission schedules, frequency allocation, and communication sites. They issue and control encryption code devices and materials. They ensure continuous communication between deployed teams and base radio stations. They provide communication support to detached LRS platoons. They augment division LRSDs with communication support when directed. They also provide unit maintenance for company communication equipment.(2) Base radio stations. The four base radio stations maintain communication between the operations base and the deployed teams. They operate on a 24-hour basis to make sure all message traffic to and from teams is processed immediately.

      c. Long-Range Surveillance Platoon. This platoon has a headquarters section and six surveillance teams.

      (1) Headquarters section. This section contains the personnel necessary for command, control, and training of the platoon.(2) Surveillance teams. Each team consists of a team leader, an assistant team leader, three observers, and a RATELO. The teams obtain and report information about enemy forces within the corps' area of interest. The teams can operate independently with little or no external support in all environments.

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