Ch. 8 Fighting for Intel During LSCO

Fighting for Intelligence During Large-Scale Combat Operations

• Intelligence during large-scale combat operations differs from intelligence during competition and crisis.
• Enemy influence shapes perceptions, behaviors, and decision-making before conflict.
• Enemy actions increase in intensity and lethality during large-scale operations.
• Intelligence success is key for operational success in large-scale operations.
• Intelligence architecture planning, joint TSA, regional expertise, threat models, databases, and training are necessary before operations.
• This chapter focuses on tactical aspects of large-scale combat.
• Corps, division, and BCT echelons are pivotal in successful large-scale combat operations.

Challenges

• Staff integration, operational planning, and information collection plans are not foolproof.
• Information collection is imperfect and seldom completely accurate.
• Accurate planning, aggressive collection, and adjustments are needed.
• Commanders and staff must understand fighting for intelligence doctrine and integration.
• Realistic training and strong relationships between intelligence and staff are essential.
• Contested deployments and post-RSOI intelligence support are particular challenges.

Contested Deployment

• Threat information warfare globally impacts deployments.
• Targeted disinformation against soldiers can halt operations.
• Commander and staff must understand disinformation's effects.
• Increased threat tactics in crises and conflict include infrastructure sabotage, cyberspace/information attacks, and long-range precision strikes.
• Peer threats may support proxies to impede operations.
• Disruption of deployment is possible via crowds, protests, or looting.
• Mitigation through intelligence support, training, and coordination with partners is crucial.

Fluid Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration (RSOI) Operations

• Peer threats' long-range strikes impact RSOI operations by disrupting port infrastructure, causing disaggregated arrivals, and challenging logistics.
• Host-nation requirements can further impact operations and potentially disrupt RSOI.
• Theater army has primary responsibility for RSOI.
• Units must conduct detailed planning and coordination before deployment.
• Commanders must prepare for mitigation actions if systems are damaged.
• Deployment operations require coordination.

Operational Challenges

• Large-scale combat creates complex conditions (e.g., noncombatants, unconventional tactics).
• Enemy may employ information warfare, systems warfare, and terrorism.
• Conflicts are more intense and destructive compared to limited contingencies.
• Peer threats mass effects across domains to impede friendly actions.

Intelligence Challenges

• Large-scale combat creates operational fog, friction, and stress on the intelligence warfighting function.
• Peer threats employ sophisticated capabilities like information warfare, cyberspace attacks, and counter-reconnaissance, to deny and degrade friendly functions.

Other Operational Challenges (Offensive/Defensive)

• Tactical transitions between offensive, defensive, and stability operations. Effects across multiple domains.
• Eventual political considerations & negotiations.
• Effective tactical transition and campaigns.
• Tactical actions' strategic influence.
• Defeat of armed forces, & land/population control for strategic & operational objectives.
• Offensive, defensive, and stability operations (in rapid campaigns against capable adversaries).
• Consideration of civil elements and sustainment requirements.

Other Information Gaps

• Inadequate collection ranges, lack of technical capabilities, unfavorable terrain, and unacceptable risk factors.
• Difficulty due to national priorities, international borders, existing agreements, or areas not part of joint operations.
• Limited availability of other Service ISR systems.
• Most intelligence collection assets focus on theater and not specifically on lower levels.
• Threat capabilities and countermeasures affecting friendly collection.
• Insufficient networks, systems, or personnel/linguists.

Defense & Offensive Operations (Friendly)

• Understanding enemy forces & capabilities for effective defense.
• Successful offensive operations depend on understanding enemy characteristics and vulnerabilities.
• Offensive and defense operations including stability operations.
• Commanders must preserve friendly combat power.
• Manage risk and use ground maneuver capabilities. (Close, Rear, Deep).

Forms of Contact

• Contact is defined with respect to forces' interactions, including direct, indirect, non-hostile, Obstacle (friendly or enemy), CBRN, aerial, visual, electromagnetic, and influence.

Deep, Close, and Rear Operations

• Synchronization across deep, close, and rear.
• Planning with different areas (deep, close, or rear).
• Commanders will focus on operations within their assigned area (though elements can be across different areas), considering deep, close, and rear interactions.

Intelligence Support to Defensive/Offensive Operations

• Commanders need comprehensive intelligence before a battle.
• Understanding enemy force composition, intent, strength, vulnerabilities, and scheme of maneuver.
• Locating enemy force movements, reserves, and support systems.
• Locating enemy C2 & communications capabilities.
• Maintaining continuous information collection is essential to understanding enemy activities and maintaining current understanding.
• Identifying opportunities to leverage friendly capabilities and open windows of opportunity.

Intelligence Products and CIP

• Intelligence products must be tailored to commanders' needs and continuously updated.
• Analysts should understand not only their unit's but also higher/lower unit operations.
• Maintaining the CIP during large-scale combat operations requires considerations for threats, friendly operations and communications issues.
• CIP includes intelligence requirements, enemy intent, battlefield framework, disruption/battle/support zones, enemy tasks, surveillance, reconnaissance, tracks, and other considerations.