The reconnaissance mission within the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
is divided into two distinct but complementary aspects;
Marine Division Recon and
Force Reconnaissance
Force Reconnaissance (FORECON) is one of the United States Marine Corps' special operations capable forces (SOC) which supplies military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). Force Reconnaissance compa ...
.
The United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions (or commonly called Marine Division Recon) are the reconnaissance assets of
Marine Air-Ground Task Force
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined a ...
(MAGTF) that provide division-level ground and amphibious reconnaissance to the Ground Combat Element within the United States Marine Corps. Division reconnaissance teams are employed to observe and report on enemy activity and other information of military significance in close operations. Their capabilities are similar to those of Force Recon, but do not normally insert by parachute, and provide limited direct action, whereas Force Reconnaissance companies perform both
deep reconnaissance
A long-range reconnaissance patrol, or LRRP (pronounced "lurp"), is a small, well-armed reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemy-held territory.Ankony, Robert C., ''Lurps: A Ranger's Diary of Tet, Khe Sanh, A Shau, and Quang Tri,'' revised ...
and
direct action
Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...
operations. Some of these missions are shared by
Marine Special Operations Teams, a
subordinate part of Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC).
History of MAGTF Reconnaissance
The formation of a doctrine
At the turn of the 20th century,
amphibious reconnaissance
Amphibious reconnaissance is ground and naval reconnaissance in the littoral area bordering coastal or ocean areas. Initially, it is used for preliminary reconnaissance in collecting pertinent information about the beachhead in its permeabilit ...
as we know it today in the United States
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Flee ...
(FMF), was first conceived by a Marine officer, ''then''-
Major
Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
Dion Williams
Brigadier General Dion Williams (December 15, 1869 – December 11, 1952) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He was the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from August 1, 1925 – July 1, 1928. During his early career, Willi ...
, who formulated the first official (maritime) naval doctrine concerning
intelligence gathering
This is a list of intelligence gathering disciplines.
HUMINT
Human intelligence (HUMINT) are gathered from a person in the location in question. Sources can include the following:
* Advisors or foreign internal defense (FID) personnel wor ...
for planning of operations; in theaters of
amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducted ...
.
Williams' doctrine outlined a wide spectrum of reconnaissance,
which consisted of:
*range determination
*
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...
(configuration of the ground
ities, towns, roads, trails, railroads
*
hydrographic survey
Hydrographic survey is the science of measurement and description of features which affect maritime navigation, marine construction, dredging, offshore oil exploration/ offshore oil drilling and related activities. Strong emphasis is placed ...
of rivers and canals
*telegraph cables/lines and wireless telegraphy
*resources (coal, repair facilities, land transportation, electric plants, food supplies, water supply, and hospitals)
*conditions of the harbor and harbor steamers, wharves, docks, water service
*the population (secret service, professions and occupations, naval and military forces)
*existing defenses (location, form and description, armament, field-works, mines/mine fields, searchlights, plans and sketches, available garrisons and strength of forces, avenues of attack, adaptability of the defenses)
He specified in his thesis that these Marines particularly needed to be competent in
surveying
Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ...
,
cartography
Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an i ...
, and recording observations, as well as reading previous maps and surveys of various types.
Although there was very little effect in creating a formidable unit because the outset of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
and the
Gallipoli Operations due to the lack of Marine Corp personnel by the
Isolationism of 1920-1930s. Also drawbacks concurred while most of the Marine forces were engaged in conflicts of
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
and
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...
.
After
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, three significant aspects of the second edition of Williams' ''Naval Reconnaissance''
included:
#discussion of additional capabilities of observation from airplanes and submarines
#promulgation of the book under authority of the Secretary of the Navy instead of under the auspices of the
President of the Naval War College
The president of the Naval War College is a flag officer in the United States Navy. The President's House in Newport, Rhode Island is their official residence.
The office of the president was created along with the Naval War College as a whol ...
#emphasis on information acquisition for long-term planning.
It was this latter emphasis on obtaining information long before hostilities that was perhaps of greatest significance. Rather than obtaining information solely for military operations in progress, Williams now enunciated a more comprehensive mission.
The earliest activities in amphibious reconnaissance was largely limited in
surveying
Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ...
of ports, uncharted islands and adjacent beaches or coastlines. Most of these duties were billeted by senior Naval
Intelligence Officers that were prerequisites in
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...
,
hydrography
Hydrography is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time, for the prima ...
, impermanent construction of fortification with the means of rapid encampment and mobilization of troops to operate in their area.
However, another Marine
intel officer and amphibious reconnaissance war prophet,
Earl H. Ellis, put most of William's concept to effect years later. After fighting in the
trenches
A trench is a type of excavation or in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit).
In geology, trenches result from erosi ...
in WWI, in 1921, Ellis submitted a request to
Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...
(HQMC) for special intelligence duty in
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...
and the
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...
, in which he foresaw the built-up of Japanese naval forces that eventually led to the events of World War II; the
Director of Naval Intelligence diligently accepted. It was during his special duty that introduced the most profound accounts of Ellis's intelligence reports. He submitted a 30,000 page Top Secret document concerning his detail discussion of local sea, air and the climate, various land terrain types, the native population and economic conditions. He discussed his reports on strategically seizing key islands as forward-operating bases for project naval forces effectively into the area. His time-tables, mobilization projections, and predictions of manpower necessary to seize certain targets. His maritime intelligence reports became paramount years later for the United States maritime forces, during the Pacific campaigns of World War II.
Testing the doctrine
In the 1920s and 1930s, the
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Flee ...
(FMF) first tested Williams' conceptual methods of reconnaissance in the fourth series of the
Fleet Landing Exercises
The Fleet Landing Exercises, or FLEX were amphibious landing exercises conducted by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps between 1935 and 1941. The purpose of these exercises was to formulate a workable amphibious warfare doctrine. ...
(FLEX) in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
; for evaluation in establishing a
naval reconnaissance doctrine for the Marine Corps. By 7 December 1933, the Fleet Marine Force was formed at
HQMC in
Quantico, VA
Quantico ( or ; formerly Potomac) is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 480 at the 2010 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, DC, bordered by the Potomac River to the east a ...
, combining the roles of the
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
and Marine Corps into an integrated maritime (naval) assault force. Shortly after, a new naval doctrine, the ''Fleet Training Publication 167'' was created to ensure long-term purposes.
Although the subsequent tests encompassed more broadly in combined amphibious/
ground reconnaissance efforts, its
aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of im ...
elements cannot be overlooked since aircraft were both tested for direct combat support and reconnaissance. The aviation reconnaissance assets did not see further scrutiny until the outset of the Korean War.
Before World War II, the first radars were developed for anti-aircraft purposes. These were soon followed by fire control radars for ships and coastal artillery batteries. However, it wasn't until decades later that improvements to technology proved that radar systems were capable of locating artillery guns.
Patrons of the doctrine
From 'sea-to-shore'
The Marine Corps established its first specialized
ground
Ground may refer to:
Geology
* Land, the surface of the Earth not covered by water
* Soil, a mixture of clay, sand and organic matter present on the surface of the Earth
Electricity
* Ground (electricity), the reference point in an electrical c ...
/
amphibious reconnaissance
Amphibious reconnaissance is ground and naval reconnaissance in the littoral area bordering coastal or ocean areas. Initially, it is used for preliminary reconnaissance in collecting pertinent information about the beachhead in its permeabilit ...
unit, the "Observer Group", in 1941, which was formed for the upcoming secretive mission in North Africa (in preparation for ''
Operation Torch
Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – 16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while al ...
'')—under the command of Captain
James L. Jones Sr.
James Logan Jones Sr. (June 26, 1912 – March 30, 1986) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps and is considered to be a "co-patron of amphibious reconnaissance" in the Fleet Marine Force. He pioneered the United States' first 'amphib ...
The unit was composed of skilled and highly proficient swimmers from the Army, Navy, and the Marine Corps. Momentarily, the Observer Group was ordered to be decommissioned, but not completely dissolved; the Marine unit was re-institutionalized as the
Amphibious Reconnaissance Company. The remaining Army and Navy counterparts formed the "Scouts and Raiders" and continued its deployment to
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
as planned.
[Bruce F. Meyers, Swift, Silent, and Deadly: Marine Amphibious Reconnaissance in the Pacific, 1942-1945, (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2004).] The Scouts and Raiders are the predecessor to the
Navy Combat Demolition Units (NCDU), which subsequently became the
Underwater Demolition Teams
Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT), or frogmen, were amphibious units created by the United States Navy during World War II with specialized non-tactical missions. They were predecessors of the navy's current United States Navy SEAL, SEAL teams. ...
—the patrons of the prestigious
Navy SEALs
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting sm ...
.
Preliminary—Ground operations
The Amphibious Reconnaissance Company (still under command of Capt. James Jones) was directed to report to the joint-Navy and Army's
Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet
Amphibious means able to use either land or water. In particular it may refer to:
Animals
* Amphibian, a vertebrate animal of the class Amphibia (many of which live on land and breed in water)
* Amphibious caterpillar
* Amphibious fish, a fish ...
(ACPF). The United States Navy controlled many joint units of the Army and the Marine Corps. These units represented the sum total of the amphibious forces of the United States, with the exception of small units of the Fleet Marine Force, which had been trained for amphibious raids. The Amphib Recon Company was tasked to provide
preliminary reconnaissance for the force commander of the ACPF.
By 1943, the Army ceded their role of amphibious assaults to the Navy and Marine Corps. Subsequently, the Marine subordinate units of the ACPF were re-designated under the full command of the Marine Corps's
V Amphibious Corps
The V Amphibious Corps (VAC) was a formation of the United States Marine Corps which was composed of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions in World War II. The three divisions were the amphibious landing force for the United States Fifth Fleet ...
(VAC)—and the Amphibious Reconnaissance Company shifted alongside under its new command.
In the next following years, the Company increased in manpower and the brevity of upcoming missions, forcing it to be re-designated to full battalion-strength with two active reconnaissance companies; becoming the "Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion". To include, VAC shifted its command under the Fleet Marine Force.
Prior to the arrival of Marines in this area of the
Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vas ...
, the Australians had already established a network of deep reconnaissance agents known as the
Australian Coastwatchers. They operated not only on coasts, but deep in jungles as well. Initially, some Marines became part of the unit.
Although, the force commanders of the VAC weren't the only ones to see the true value of ground and amphibious reconnaissance. The subordinate units of the Marine division and regiments resorted to their own avenues of reconnaissance methods.
The
I Marine Amphibious Corps (I MAC) and
III Marine Amphibious Corps
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and ...
(III MAC) approached its
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...
assets more differently than the
V Amphibious Corps
The V Amphibious Corps (VAC) was a formation of the United States Marine Corps which was composed of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions in World War II. The three divisions were the amphibious landing force for the United States Fifth Fleet ...
's (VAC) Reconnaissance platoons. The amphibious reconnaissance platoons of VAC were more associated to preliminary and amphibious reconnaissance, whereas the division and regimental commanders equated their decision-making process using
terrestrial reconnaissance {{unreferenced, date=December 2008
Terrestrial reconnaissance, or ''ground'' recon, is a type of reconnaissance that is employed along the elements of ground warfare. It is the collection of intelligence that strictly involves routes, areas, zone ...
.
Reconnaissance-in-force operations
In 1941,
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
William "Wild Bill" Whaling, the
executive officer
An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, o ...
of
5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, established visualized and perceived the use for specialized missions encompassing
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...
at the division-level, which would be conducted above the normal infantry battalion-level in scouting and patrolling. He recommended to
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Alexander Vandegrift
General Alexander Archer Vandegrift, USMC (March 13, 1887 – May 8, 1973) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general. During World War II, he commanded the 1st Marine Division to victory in its first ground offensive of the war, the B ...
the need of a special "Scout and Sniper unit" for the
1st Marine Division on
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...
. Soon after, each of the three rifle companies that were used during the Guadalcanal campaign were tasked in sending one their best field craft Marines to devise the scout-sniper unit, with each regiment containing a Scout and Sniper Platoon, within the regimental headquarters and service company.
Momentarily, the regiments requested their scouts to be heavily reinforced with tanks for rapid mobility and increased firepower, to allow their scouting parties to determine a hasty, yet accurate account of their enemies potential and strengths—using a technique known as
reconnaissance-in-force
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmishers, ...
(RIF). RIF elicits determination of strength by offensively provoking the enemy for a reaction.
The close of World War II discontinued the use of amphibious reconnaissance, and momentarily the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion dismantled; all amphibious reconnaissance subsidiaries were under the direct control of the ''only''-remaining division-level reconnaissance assets—ending force-level reconnaissance.
Close-distant operations
The "Scout (Tank) and Sniper" companies later formed the
Division Recon Battalions and
Scout Sniper Platoon
United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper (MOS 0317, formerly 8541) is a secondary MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) designator of U.S. Marine Corps infantrymen and reconnaissance Marines that have graduated from a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Snipe ...
s of today. By early-1980s, the
Light Armored Reconnaissance
The United States Marine Corps Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions, or LAR Battalions, are fast and mobilized armored terrestrial reconnaissance units that conduct reconnaissance-in-force (RIF) ahead of the battalion landing teams or divisio ...
units were formed to provide mechanized reconnaissance-in-force for infantry regiments. The responsibilities of the LAR battalions resemble those of the
Scout (Tank) companies of World War II.
It wasn't until the highlight of the Korean War that foresaw the re-establishment of force-level reconnaissance; however, only 2nd Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion was created (1st Amphib Recon Bn remained inactive-only to be used as for training new amphibious reconnaissance candidates) in support of the Marine task force commanders' effort in pushing the Socialist Chinese forces north, from South Korea.
Deep operations
The Korean War introduced the new concept of using rotary-wing aircraft to the Marine Corps in combat employment for logistics and rapid troop transport. During the mid-1950s, a recon test platoon from the
Marine Corps Test Unit#1 experimented in various parachute insertions for deeper reconnaissance and
pathfinding
Pathfinding or pathing is the plotting, by a computer application, of the shortest route between two points. It is a more practical variant on solving mazes. This field of research is based heavily on Dijkstra's algorithm for finding the sh ...
. In 1957, the command staff of the Recon Platoon, MCTU#1 relinquished the command of 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion and formed the
1st Force Reconnaissance Company.
When the
Force Recon
Force Reconnaissance (FORECON) is one of the United States Marine Corps' special operations capable forces (SOC) which supplies military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). Force Reconnaissance compa ...
companies were established, they allowed the
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Flee ...
commanders to obtain information quicker than the slower, processed intelligence that was provided by the division recon platoons, which went through each of the battalion's, regiment's, and division's intelligence sections before reaching the force level.
However, like the fate of the
Marine Raiders
The Marine Raiders are special operations forces originally established by the United States Marine Corps during World War II to conduct amphibious light infantry warfare. " Edson's" Raiders of 1st Marine Raider Battalion and " Carlson's" Ra ...
and the
Paramarines
The Paramarines (also known as Marine paratroopers) was a short-lived specialized combat unit of the United States Marine Corps, trained to be dropped from planes by parachute. Marine parachute training which began in New Jersey in October 19 ...
of World War II,
1st and
2nd Force Reconnaissance companies were disbanded, albeit temporarily, to make way for the Fleet Marine Force's 'first'
unconventional asset that was created within the new
Marine Special Operations Command
United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) is a component command of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that comprises the Marine Corps' contribution to SOCOM. Its core capabilities are direct action, s ...
(MARSOC). The force reconnaissance companies were replaced under the command of the Marine Division's reconnaissance battalions while maintaining deep reconnaissance and force-oriented reconnaissance under the Fleet Marine Force.
MARSOC absorbs much of the
unconventional operations for which Force Recon had been responsible, allowing the force recon platoons to fully exercise their initial role of providing ''deep'' and ''preliminary reconnaissance'' to the
Command Element of MAGTF without interference.
Signals intelligence operations
By 1986, new counter-battery radars were introduced. These radars were able to locate many artillery batteries simultaneously. In latter, the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan requested for a small, counter-mortar radar, given 360 degree coverage and requiring a minimal crew, for use in
forward operating base
A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward Operational level of war, operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may or may not contain an airfi ...
s. In another back to the future step it has also proved possible to add counter-battery software to battlefield airspace surveillance radars.
MAGTF Security Operations
:''This section incorporates text from th
United States Militaryaccess site.''
Security operations reduces risk to operating Marine forces from unknown avenues that may conflict in any tactical situation; it encompasses surprise attacks from the enemy,
counter-intelligence
Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or ot ...
, and deception in the friendly forces' capabilities and intentions. In relation, reconnaissance operations support security operations by providing information on enemy forces, capabilities and intentions, and by denying the enemy information of friendly activities through
counter-reconnaissance.
Through succession, security operations are usually integrated with its reconnaissance operations; in which force commanders acquire during offensive, defensive and other tactical operations. It greatly improves their decision-making process due to the collected information that is much needed to develop situational awareness and commander critical information requirements (CCIR).
The CCIR are designed to feed important, time-sensitive information to the commander so he can make a decision that should dramatically affect the
battlespace
Battlespace or battle-space is a term used to signify a unified military strategy to integrate and combine armed forces for the military theatre of operations, including air, information, land, sea, cyber and outer space to achieve military ...
. The CCIR is collectively, a comprehensive list of high-prioritized information in which a force commander identifies as ''critical''. It is much required to influence and facilitate timely information management and the decision-making process that may help dictate successful mission accomplishment. CCIR is divided into two key sub-components: "critical friendly force information" and "priority intelligence requirements".
Reconnaissance planning
Reconnaissance supports the MAGTF commander's intent and his CCIRs. While contributing to the commander's broad situational awareness and development, reconnaissance assets tailor their efforts to support the specific CCIRs indicated by the commander's intent and subsequent unit intelligence and operations planning. Simultaneously, reconnaissance forces must remain alert to any developments that may cause the commander to reassess that intent.
MAGTF reconnaissance assets are best employed early to support the CCIRs and friendly course of action development and selection. When reconnaissance is initiated early in the planning cycle, planning and execution are driven by the flow of solid, timely information and intelligence. If reconnaissance is delayed, situation development will generally be more uncertain. In this case, planning and execution can either take place in an information vacuum or be driven by the search for such information.
Reconnaissance assets are best employed in general support. Because of the nature of warfare, MAGTF reconnaissance units will most likely be employed in rapidly developing and fluid situations. The main effort may shift quickly from one subordinate element to another. Such situations often require modifications or complete changes in reconnaissance elements’ missions. The MAGTF commander and his staff are usually the most capable of determining the best use of MAGTF reconnaissance assets at any given time, to provide the necessary support, and to integrate the results of reconnaissance information with other intelligence sources. Although placing reconnaissance assets in direct support of some subordinate element or even attaching them to specific units is occasionally appropriate, in general, such support relationships make for inefficient use of specialized reconnaissance forces. Proper planning; the institution of flexible, responsive command and control and intelligence reporting procedures and networks; and clear intelligence reporting and dissemination priorities will ensure that the products of reconnaissance are shared to the maximum benefit of all potential users.
Reconnaissance requires adequate time for detailed planning and preparation. Most reconnaissance focuses on the enemy's activities and intentions to satisfy the commander's need to exploit the enemy's vulnerabilities or to attack his center of gravity. This frequently necessitates operating in and around the enemy's most critical and best defended areas. This normally requires that reconnaissance be conducted over long distances and well in advance of commencement of the operations it will support. These conditions usually dictate specialized methods of transportation, communications and information systems support, combat service support, equipment, and coordination.
MAGTF Reconnaissance Assets
All
Marine Air-Ground Task Force
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined a ...
(MAGTF) elements uses its own unique reconnaissance capabilities; the
Aviation Combat Element (ACE) utilizes aerial reconnaissance, but the
Command Element (CE) and the
Ground Combat Element (GCE) operate in combined
amphibious/
ground reconnaissance.
Command Element
Force Reconnaissance
The Force Reconnaissance companies report to the
Command Element of the MAGTF.
[Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1-0, ''"Marine Corps Operations,"'' (HQMC, 2001)] They are used for retaining any information that are held in
deep operations
Deep operation (, ''glubokaya operatsiya''), also known as Soviet Deep Battle, was a military theory developed by the Soviet Union for its armed forces during the 1920s and 1930s. It was a tenet that emphasized destroying, suppressing or disorga ...
under
conventional warfare
Conventional warfare is a form of warfare conducted by using conventional weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more states in open confrontation. The forces on each side are well-defined and fight by using weapons that target primari ...
. They are very proficient in various entry and recovery methods in heliborne and waterborne techniques to insert behind enemy lines either by
High-Altitude/Low (or High) Opening parachute landings; or
combatant diving in submarine surface and subsurface methods. This ensures they achieve and maintain stealth in order to avoid compromising their mission. The
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Flee ...
's detachable force reconnaissance platoons can operate independently from the support
Marine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit (MEU, pronounced as one syllable "" IPA: ) is the smallest air-ground task force (MAGTF) in the United States Fleet Marine Force.[special operations capable Special operations capable may refer to:
* Special operations-capable forces, a term used by the British Armed Forces
* Maritime Special Operations Capable (MARSOC), a term used by the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps ( nl, Korps Mariniers)
* Marine ...]
in forward-operated areas.
Because the division reconnaissance assets are heavily tasked in providing regiment commanders vital information; the
force commander's
intelligence staff are able to make the necessary preparations or changes in the future, shaping the
battlespace
Battlespace or battle-space is a term used to signify a unified military strategy to integrate and combine armed forces for the military theatre of operations, including air, information, land, sea, cyber and outer space to achieve military ...
. It is mainly due because the division-''level'' intelligence may not be retrieved at a fast pace for adjusting the needs of the force commander. Also, force-''level'' reconnaissance is retained under the direct control of the
force commander, enabling him to send his force recon assets at his will. This may include non-reconnaissance avenues, such as
direct action
Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...
operations under the commander's proposal; similar methods performed by
special operations forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
of
USSOCOM
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Ar ...
.
NOTE: Both
1st and
2nd Force Reconnaissance companies were deactivated in c. 2006. Two platoons from
st Force Reconnaissance Company
ST, St, or St. may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Stanza, in poetry
* Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band
* Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise
* Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...
and
nd Force Recon Companywere moved to 1st and 2nd Reconnaissance Battalions respectively to create a Deep Reconnaissance Company. The deep reconnaissance companies in 1st and 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion were redesignated as Force Reconnaissance Company, I MEF, Force Reconnaissance Company, II MEF and Force Reconnaissance Company, III MEF in 2008, within the
1st,
2nd and
3d Marine Division Reconnaissance Battalions to maintain deep reconnaissance and direct action raid capabilities within
I MEF,
II MEF and
III MEF
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and ...
Radio Battalion
The Radio Reconnaissance Platoons provides ground-based
signals intelligence
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...
,
electronic warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
,
communications security monitoring, and special intelligence communications capability to support MAGTF operations. It plans and coordinates the employment of its subordinate elements, to include radio reconnaissance elements beyond the
Forward Edge of Battle Area and mobile electronic warfare support system in
light armored vehicle
A military armored (or armoured) car is a lightweight wheeled armored fighting vehicle, historically employed for reconnaissance, internal security, armed escort, and other subordinate battlefield tasks. With the gradual decline of mounted c ...
s. It is the focal point for MAGTF ground-based signals intelligence operations.
Remote sensors and imagery interpretation
The intelligence battalion provides
remote sensor, imagery interpretation, and
geospatial intelligence">opographicintelligence (GEOINT) support to MAGTF operations. In addition to the sensor control and management platoon (SCAMP), the force imagery interpretation unit, and the topographic platoon, the intelligence company establishes and mans the MAGTF's surveillance and reconnaissance center. It plans, executes, and monitors MAGTF reconnaissance operations.
Counterintelligence and human intelligence
The intelligence battalion provides
human intelligence
Human intelligence is the intellectual capability of humans, which is marked by complex cognitive feats and high levels of motivation and self-awareness. High intelligence is associated with better outcomes in life.
Through intelligence, humans ...
(HUMINT),
counterintelligence
Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or ot ...
(CI), and
interrogator
Interrogation (also called questioning) is interviewing as commonly employed by law enforcement officers, military personnel, intelligence agencies, organized crime syndicates, and terrorist organizations with the goal of eliciting useful infor ...
-
translator
Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...
support to MAGTF operations. This support can include screening and interrogation/debriefing of
prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
and persons of intelligence interest; conduct of CI force protection source operations; conduct of CI surveys and investigations; preparation of CI estimates and plans; translation of documents; and limited exploitation of captured material. In addition to the specialized CI and interrogator-translator platoons, the company employs task-organized HUMINT Exploitation Teams (HET) in direct support of MAGTF subordinate elements. The HET combine CI specialists and interrogator-translators in one element, thereby providing a unique and comprehensive range of CI/HUMINT services. The U.S. Army is also deriving their own version of HETs, these teams will derive most of their doctrine from the Marine version with a few changes.
Ground Combat Element
The Ground Combat Element (GCE) has substantial organic reconnaissance support assets. Any units in contact with the enemy, especially patrols, are among the most reliable sources of information.
Division Reconnaissance
The Marine Corps's Division Reconnaissance conduct reconnaissance in
close operations to gather enemy intelligence at the
division staff-''level''. The mission of division reconnaissance is to provide immediate tactical reconnaissance and surveillance (R&S) to the GCE of MAGTF, whether it be
amphibious or
ground reconnaissance. Division recon, like force reconnaissance, is employed to observe and report on enemy activity and other information of military significance.
In current theaters of operation they rely mostly on rapid mobilization via motor transport, traversing ahead of major Marine forces for intelligence contingency for division, regimental, or battalion commanders.
Division reconnaissance mainly do not operate in deep operations, they support the Marine (infantry) regiments by providing and
ground reconnaissance to Marine division
r regimental and battalion
R, or r, is the eighteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ar'' (pronounced ), plural ''ars'', or in Irela ...
commanders within the MAGTF's subordinate MEU; in contrast to force recon who supports the force commanders of the
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Flee ...
and its subordinate MEF in deep reconnaissance and direct action missions.
Counterbattery Radar
Counterbattery Radar (CBR) platoons are located within the headquarters battery of the artillery regiment. The CBR Platoon's primary mission is to locate enemy rocket, mortar, and artillery weapons and process all acquired enemy locations in a timely manner for counter-fire and intelligence purposes. Secondary missions that can be assigned by the supported artillery unit are adjusting or registering artillery. They are normally employed as a unit and controlled by the regimental artillery commander. The CBR platoon commander coordinates the employment of radars operating under regimental control. Information on enemy order of battle and locations derived from
counter-battery radar
A counter-battery radar (alternatively weapon tracking radar or COBRA) is a radar system that detects artillery projectiles fired by one or more guns, howitzers, mortars or rocket launchers and, from their trajectories, locates the position on ...
detections are reported to the Ground Combat Element and the Command Element of MAGTF.
Light Armored Reconnaissance
The division Light Armored Reconnaissance battalions provides the Ground Combat Element with its light armored reconnaissance capability by operating in forward areas or along the flanks of Marine ground forces. Initially, they are usually used to provide early warning of contact by hostile forces, acting as the 'mechanized' reconnaissance-in-force, but they are capable of a wide variety of missions due to their inherent mobility and organic firepower; such as
quick reaction force
In military science nomenclature, a quick reaction force (QRF) is an armed military unit capable of rapidly responding to developing situations, typically to assist allied units in need of such assistance. They are to have equipment ready to re ...
s, and
counter-insurgency
Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionar ...
support.
Scout-Sniper and Surveillance, Target, and Acquisition
Scout Sniper Platoons are organic
collection
Collection or Collections may refer to:
* Cash collection, the function of an accounts receivable department
* Collection (church), money donated by the congregation during a church service
* Collection agency, agency to collect cash
* Collectio ...
support assets to each infantry battalion. They are highly skilled in
marksmanship
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting using projectile weapons (in modern days most commonly an accurized scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle or a sniper rifle) to shoot at high-value targets at longer-than- ...
,
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...
and
surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as c ...
, and target acquisition. Every Marine
Scout Sniper
United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper (MOS 0317, formerly 8541) is a secondary MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) designator of U.S. Marine Corps infantrymen and reconnaissance Marines that have graduated from a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Snipe ...
can deliver
long-range precision fire on selected targets from concealed positions. Although the platoon can be employed in support of a myriad of tactical missions in defensive and offensive operations, they are primarily employed to provide timely surveillance and tactical data and coordinate supporting arms and
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
. The Scout Sniper Platoon provides the infantry battalion with extended area observation. The Scout Sniper may be attached to the division and FMF reconnaissance companies.
Aviation Combat Element
The capability of the ACE to observe the battlefield and report in near-real time gives the MAGTF commander a multidimensional capability that should be used at every opportunity. Aviation combat units can view the entire AO in depth, providing early indications and warning and reconnaissance information that can be essential to the success of the MAGTF. Each ACE aircraft (rotary- or fixed-wing), can conduct visual observation of terrain and enemy forces that it may fly over. Given the combined arms capability of the MAGTF, these aircraft can engage enemy targets immediately or direct other supporting arms against the enemy forces. The ACE manages the following reconnaissance systems.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UAVs provide day-night, real-time imagery reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition. Its unique capabilities can also be used to support real-time target engagement, assisting in the control of fires/supporting arms and maneuver. The UAV provides high quality video imagery for artillery or naval gunfire adjustment, battle damage assessment, and reconnaissance over land or sea. It is capable of both day and night operations using TV or forward-looking infrared cameras. UAV squadrons are under the ADCON of the ACE. The MAGTF commander retains OPCON because of the limited number of UAV assets and the critical reconnaissance capabilities they provide to the entire force. Mission tasking is exercised through the surveillance and reconnaissance center.
Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System
The F/A-18D can be equipped with the advanced tactical airborne reconnaissance system and the Radar Upgrade Phase II with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The advanced tactical airborne reconnaissance system is a real-time digital package providing day/night, all-weather imagery capability. The imagery collected provides sufficient detail and accuracy to permit delivery of appropriate air and ground weapons, assist with battle damage assessment, and provide tactical commanders with detailed information about the enemy's weapons, units, and disposition. Imagery resulting from collection can be digitally disseminated to the force imagery interpretation unit tactical exploitation group for exploitation, printing, and dissemination.
Electronic reconnaissance and warfare
Aerial electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare is conducted using EA-6B aircraft. EA-6B aircraft also process and disseminate information from digital tape recordings obtained during electronic warfare missions to update and maintain enemy electronic order of battle information. The sensors are passive systems that require threat emitters to be active to collect.
Combat Service Support Element
As the CSSE is often in more direct contact with the indigenous population, it can collect HUMINT unavailable to the other MAGTF elements. For example, medical battalion personnel can often provide information on health conditions and their potential impact on operations. The CSSE is limited in its reconnaissance capabilities, having no dedicated reconnaissance capabilities. However, it can conduct road and route reconnaissance with its convoys, and military police.
Combat engineers
A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, tunnel and mine warfare ta ...
are excellent sources of information. These engineer units often conduct
Engineer reconnaissance
Engineer reconnaissance is the reconnaissance operations performed by combat engineers to enable forward movement of own troops, in war usually over territory previously occupied by the enemy. The activity includes provision of reconnaissance ins ...
of an area and can provide detailed reporting on lines of communications; i.e., roads, rivers, railroad lines, bridges, and obstacles to maneuver.
Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman
The Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsmen are
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
combat medic
A combat medic, or healthcare specialist, is responsible for providing emergency medical treatment at a point of wounding in a combat or training environment, as well as primary care and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury ...
s, active members of a division or force recon platoons, that are trained in every aspect in the Marine Corps reconnaissance community. They provide advanced life support skills to casualties that are associated in underwater diving and parachute injuries, and hazards of the maritime and amphibious environments. The independent duty corpsmen (IDC) are assigned to the independently operated FMF Reconnaissance (Force Recon) companies, as the ''Special'' Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsmen (''SARCs'').
National and theater assets
The MAGTF can draw on the full range of national, theater, joint, other service, and allied reconnaissance assets. When made available, these capabilities will be fully integrated into MAGTF reconnaissance operations; e.g., Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), Navy SEALS or Army signals intelligence aircraft. During forcible entry operations, the MAGTF integrates its amphibious reconnaissance capabilities with national, theater, and special operating forces.
The Marine Corps component will support the MAGTF by monitoring the status of MAGTF reconnaissance requests to national and theater entities. The component coordinates the provision of Marine intelligence liaison to the joint task force and other component intelligence elements to satisfy the MAGTF's requirements. Some MAGTF reconnaissance assets, such as the radio battalion and the CI/HUMINT company, will usually have direct connectivity with appropriate external agencies to coordinate tasking or support.
References
{{US Marine Corps navbox
United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions