Chapter 4
Operations in the Urban Environment OVERVIEW 4-1. In the urban environment, different types of operations (offense, defense, and stability) often occur simultaneously in adjacent portions of a unit’s AO. Intelligence support to operations in this extremely complex environment often requires a higher degree of specificity and fidelity in intelligence products than required in operations conducted in other environments. Intelligence staffs have finite resources and time available to accomplish their tasks. Realistically, intelligence staffs cannot expect to always be able to initially provide the level of specificity and number of products needed to support commanders. 4-2. Using the mission variables (METT-TC), intelligence staffs start prioritizing by focusing on the commander’s and operational requirements to create critical initial products. Requests for information to higher echelons can assist lower level intelligence sections in providing critical detail for these products. As lower level intelligence staffs create products or update products from higher, they must provide those products to higher so that higher can maintain an awareness of the current situation. Once initial critical products have been built, intelligence staffs must continue building any additional support products required. Just as Soldiers continue to improve their foxholes and battle positions the longer they remain in place, intelligence staffs continue to improve and refine products that have already been built. 4-3. When preparing for operations in the urban environment, intelligence analysts consider the three primary characteristics of the urban environment as well as the threat. These factors are discussed throughout this manual, but a general review is provided in table 4-1 on page 4-2. Commanders and staffs require a good understanding of the civil considerations for the urban area as well as the situation in the surrounding region. This includes the governmental leaders and political organizations and structures, military and paramilitary forces, economic situation, sociological background, demographics, history, criminal organizations and activity, and any nongovernmental ruling elite (for example, factions, families, tribes). All are key factors although some are more important than others, depending on the situation in the target country. Intelligence personnel must assist the commander in correctly identifying enemy actions so U.S. forces can focus on the enemy and seize the initiative while maintaining an understanding of the overall situation. 4-4. Since urban areas are often closely connected with other urban areas and surrounding rural areas by physical terrain, socio-cultural factors, and infrastructure, operations within any given urban area should not be considered in isolation. Events or activities that occur in other urban or rural areas may have a direct impact on events or activities in the urban AOs for which a unit is responsible. 4-5. Most operations in urban environments are conducted by brigade-size or smaller units and often in a joint context. This chapter focuses primarily on these tactical units. (See ATP 2-19.4 for brigade combat team intelligence techniques.)
PLAN 4-6. During the planning for operations in an urban environment, intelligence plays a major role. Initial collection of information and intelligence preparation of the battlefield are undertaken to provide intelligence products for the military decisionmaking process. (See ATP 2-01.3/MCRP-2-3A for doctrine on intelligence preparation of the battlefield.) During the military decisionmaking process, the intelligence and operations staffs develop the information collection plan. This plan is published as annex L to the operation order. (See FM 6-0 for the format.)
23 December 2015
TC 2-91.4
4-1