FRATRICIDE: Doctrine's Role in Reducing Friendly Fire
Abstract
This monograph seeks to identify doctrine's role in limiting fratricide--specifically, ground-to-ground and air-to-ground fratricide. Fratricide is hardly a new condition on the battlefield. However, an increasingly complex, dynamic, and lethal battlefield can only serve to increase the risk of fratricide. Doctrine can have a significant impact on the ways and means of reducing this risk. First, selected fratricide incidents during World War II, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War are examined to determine the historical role of doctrine in fratricide reduction. Then, current and emerging U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force doctrine are surveyed to assess conceptual similarities concerning fratricide. This monograph concludes that doctrine can assist in reducing the risk of fratricide by: (1) developing a doctrinal awareness for fratricide; (2) directing and facilitating the training required to reduce the risk of fratricide; and (3) driving the technological development and materiel acquisition required to support fratricide reduction efforts. Ultimately, the role of doctrine is not to furnish any final answers, but to provide the impetus to develop innovative and creative solutions to the problem of reducing fratricide on tomorrow's battlefield.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA262660
Entities
People
- William B. Garrett Iii
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College