Airland Battle and the Operational Maneuver Group
Abstract
In the May 1982 issue of Military Review, General Glenn K. Otis, TRADOC Commander, called upon the Army to read, discuss, and challenge -- where appropriate -- aspects of the airland battle doctrine of the US Army. This paper represents an effort to challenge certain aspects of that doctrine in the hope that, in so doing, fresh thought and ideas can be intergected into the doctrinal process. Essentially, this presentation attempts to determine the impact of the Soviet Operational Maneuver Group on the extended battlefield. US doctrine is examined briefly as it has evolved from the 1976 timeframe to the present. The deep attack doctrine is discussed in detail in light of some of its frequently neglected implications. The Soviet doctrine, which the deep attack seeks to use in its favor, is presented, as is the role of the Operational Manueuver Group (OMG). The areas of potential conflict and risk are explored in detail and the impact of the OMG is analyzed. Using the extended battlefield concept, the Soviet threat against which that concept was based, and the evolving role of the OMG within Soviet echelonment on the battlefield, a series of proposals is presented as possible solutions or risk-reducing measures. The article concludes with a brief section on the potential strategic implications of both the OMG and several of the proposed solutions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 16, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA131996
Entities
People
- William G. Hanne
Organizations
- United States Army War College