Human Sensing and the Deep Fight: Closing the Division Deep Sensing Gap During Large-Scale Combat Operations
Abstract
After nearly 20 years of focusing on counterinsurgency, the U.S. Army is returning to a focus on large-scale combat operations. In its effort to regain dominance within the land domain, the Army has identified deep sensing as a current capability gap. This study focuses on the tactical deep sensing necessary for a division to shape its deep area effectively. Since the Army transitioned to a brigade-centric force in the early 2000s, a gap has developed in a division's ability to sense within its deep area. This gap is a result of the divestiture and realignment of both technical and human sensing capabilities away from the division. However, for a division to effectively shape the fight for its brigade combat teams, it must be able to sense within its deep area. This paper will explore how a human sensing capability can contribute to closing the division deep sensing gap. This paper concludes that a human sensing capability can help narrow a division's deep sensing gap by providing the division commander with time, space, and flexibility in developing and executing operations. This contribution primarily comes from a human sensor's ability to provide an increased situational understanding of the enemy's dispositions, composition, and course of action. For this to happen, a U.S. division in a future large-scale combat operation must: have its own dedicated human sensing capabilities that can collect within the division deep area, employ its technical and human sensing capabilities in a coordinated and complementary way, and seek to leverage all human sensing capabilities within its deep area to include Special Operations Forces and inter-agency elements.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 12, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1125007
Entities
People
- Franklin G. Peachey
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College