IPB
INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION of the BATTLEFIELD
FM 34-130
IPB Definition IPB is the process which integrates enemy doctrine with weather and terrain to provide a basis for determining and evaluating enemy capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable COA. IPB is a systematic and continuous process of analyzing the threat and environment in a specific geographic area. It also serves as a planning basis for the formulation of the units concept of operations.
IPB Steps
Define the Battlefield Environment Describe the Battlefield Effect Evaluate the Threat Determine Threat Course of Action
Define the Battlefield Environment Identify environmental factors that may influence available COAs or the commander’s decisions. There are 6 elements that must be considered . Focus on the relationship between these elements and AI, AO, and Battle Space
Elements of Battlefield Environment 1. Characteristics affecting friendly and enemy COAs/decisions 2. Limits of AO and Battle Space Define the Battlefield 3. Limits of AI 4. Details required versus time available 5. Data base available and intelligence gaps 6. Collect intel and material to conduct IPB
Area of Operations (AO)
The AO is the geographical area where the commander has been assigned the responsibility to conduct operations. Based on METT-T Air AO is identical, except for height which is based on acft ceiling height and effective altitude of AD weapons.
Battle Space
Battle Space is determined by the maximum capabilities of a unit to acquire targets and physically dominate the threat. The command’s battle space includes all of the AO as well as areas outside the AO. The evaluation of this area may be as detailed as the AO if required by the commander, or it receives the same as AI. Also depends on the commands ability to acquire and engage targets using its own assets or those of other commands on its behalf.
Area of Interest (AI)
The AI is the geographical area monitored by the commander and from which information (intel) is required for planning and conducting unit operations. Generally larger than its AO and battlespace. Limits of AI include characteristics of the battlefield environment exerting an influence on available COAs or command decisions
Describe the Battlefield Effects
Define the Battlefield Environment
Describe the Battlefield Effect During this step, one analyzes the battlefield environment and describes its effects on threat and friendly COAs. •terrain •weather •light data
Military Aspects of Terrain
OCOKA 1. Observation and fields of fire 2. Cover and concealment 3. Obstacles 4. Key Terrain 5. Avenues of Approach
Observation and Fields of Fire • Observation involves the influence of terrain on reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition capabilities. Fields of fire involve the effects of terrain on weapons effectiveness.
Cover and Concealment • Concealment is protection from air and ground observation. Cover is protection from the effects of fire. (IPB determines the concealment and cover offered to both friendly and enemy forces from both ground and air perspectives.
Obstacles • Obstacles are natural and man made terrain features that stop, impede, or divert military movement. Terrain analysis attempts to identify where obstacles to ground and air movement are and what effects removing, overcoming, or bypassing these obstacles will have on overall operations.
Key Terrain • Key terrain is any feature or area, of which the seizure, or control of, offers a marked tactical advantage. eg bridges, fording sites, choke points, road junctions. Mission accomplishment normally depends on the seizure or control of decisive terrain.
Air and Ground Avenues of Approach • These are routes by which a force may reach key terrain or an objective. Air and ground mobility corridors are subsets of air and ground avenues of approach. Mobility corridors are areas within the avenues of approach which permit movement and maneuver.
Terrain Analysis • Unrestricted Terrain • Restricted Terrain • Severely Restricted Terrain
Unrestricted Terrain Terrain free of any restrictions on movement. Unmarked There is no need to enhance mobility.
Restricted Terrain •Terrain hinders movement to some degree. •Little effort required to improve mobility. •Unit using the terrain is restricted doctrinally. •Depicted on the overlay by diagonal green lines. OBJ.
Severely Restricted Terrain •Terrain severely hinders or slows movement of formations unless some effort is made to improve mobility. •Mobility must be improved by using assets not organic to the formation or by deviating from doctrinal tactics. •Depicted on the overlay by cross-hatched, diagonal OBJ
Modified Combined Obstacles Overlay (MCOO) Product used to disseminate the results of the AO terrain analysis. This is the final product, but must continually be updated. Aids the staff in completing their estimate. •cross-country mobility classifications •obstacle networks •defendable terrain •engagement areas •key terrain
Built-up Areas (BUA) •A BUA is larger than 1 square Km and is considered an obstacle. •They are outlined and cross-hatched in black on the overlay. •One should remember that cities are always growing and maps may be outdated. Plan for the worst case.
Rivers and water obstacles
Swamps, lakes, ponds, and canals are outlined in blue on the overlay using wide solid lines.
Key Terrain Key terrain is usually designated by:
K
Obvious color other than yellow or red (purple).
Obstacles Major cultural obstacles such as: •roads •rail-roads •embankments •power lines •overpasses are depicted on the MCOO in black.
Avenues of Approach •Enemy avenues of approach are indicated in red. •Friendly axes of approach are indicated in blue. •Each avenue of approach indicates the size of the enemy force it will support. - they are based on doctrinal frontages and shown from at least the FLOT to the final objective, and prioritized to indicate the most likely avenue. - As they show the general area through which a force can move, the boundaries of avenues of approach and axes of advance may cross Severely Restricted Terrain.
Mobility Corridors
•Mobility corridors are shown in red (enemy) or blue (friendly) on the MCOO. •They indicate areas where a force will be forced to narrow its frontage due to terrain. •They are normally labeled with the size of the force they will doctrinally support. •The boundaries do not cross Severely Restricted Terrain.
Objectives Friendly and enemy objectives are shown in either blue or red on the MCOO. They may be shown as area objectives or limits of advance. OBJ SNAKE
Weather Analysis
The commander integrates weather and terrain analysis to determine their effect on tactical operations. Weather and terrain are inseparable and can have a significant impact (on both enemy and friendly operations). They are integrated by the commander to determine their effect on tactical operations and potential maneuver areas.
Military Aspects of Weather Analysis
•Visibility (SF insertion) •Wind speed and direction (NBC) •Precipitation (traffic) •Cloud cover (acft operations - CAS) •Temperature and humidity (heat injuries) Note: normally conducted at corps level and above by weather teams
Evaluate the Threat Define the Battlefield Environment Describe the Battlefield Effect
Evaluate the Threat When evaluating the threat: •doctrinal templates are produced •Threat tactics and options are described •High Value Targets and threat capabilities are identified
Doctrinal Template The doctrinal template illustrates the threat’s normal tactics and deployment when not constrained by the effects of the battlefield environment.
EXAMPLE OF A DOCTRINAL TEMPLATE MRB(+)
(-)
MRB
MRB(+)
RAG
DAG
MRB MRB(+)
20-30 KMs
DIV CP RAG
MRB
MRB(+)
(-)
(-)
15-20 KMs
High Value Target (HVT) HVTs are assets that the threat commander requires for the successful completion of the mission. They are depicted on the templates as HVTs.
Categories of HVT There are 13 categories of HVTs: 1. C3 2. FS 3. Maneuver 4. ADA 5. Engineer 6. RISTA 7. NBC 8. REC or EW 9. Bulk Fuels 10. Ammunition Points
11. Maintenance Units 12. Lift 13. LOC
Identify Threat Capabilities
•They take the form of statements. •They are the broad COAs and supporting operations taken by the threat to influence the ability of friendly units to accomplish their mission. Example: The enemy is capable of providing a strong defense within 1 hour; the enemy can attack with success; the enemy can be reinforced.
Determine Threat COA Define the Battlefield Environment Describe the Battlefield Effect Evaluate the Threat Determine Threat Course of Action
Identify and develop likely COAs that will influence the friendly mission
Identify Threat COAs •COAs that threat doctrine indicates appropriate to the current situation •COAs which could significantly influence your command’s mission •COAs indicated by recent activities and events
Criteria for COAs
1. Suitability 2. Feasibility 3. Acceptability 4. Uniqueness 5. Consistency with doctrine
Prioritize Each COA 1. Identify COA strengths and weaknesses, centers of gravity, and decisive points. 2. Evaluate using the 5 criteria. 3. Compare them with each other. 4. Keep surprise in mind when evaluating COAs. 5. Analyze threat activity for indications that a COA has already been adopted.
COA: Three Parts
Situational Template
Description of the COA
List of HVTs
Situational Templates
Situational Template
Description of the COA
List of HVTs
The situational template graphically illustrates how the enemy might deviate from doctrinal dispositions to account for battlefield environment effects.
Time Phase Lines Time Phase Lines (TPLs) are developed to evaluate time and space factors using threat movement.
Describe the COA
The COA description is used to support staff wargaming and to develop the event template.
Situational Template
Description of It can range from a narrative the COA description to a detailed synchronization matrix.
List of HVTs
Named Area of Interest (NAI) and indicator A point, route, or area where you expect key events to occur. An indicator is an activity which reveals the enemy’s selected COA.
NAI GRAPHICS NAI 6
AREA NAI
3
POINT NAI
4
ROUTE OF AIR APPROACH NAI
Event Template
Depicts where and when to collect the information which will indicate which COA the threat has adopted.
EXAMPLE OF EVENT TEMPLATE SIT TEMP 1 SIT TEMP 2
1&2 2 NAI 1 NAI 2
1 1&2 NAI 4 NAI 3
CONSOLIDATED TEMPLATES EVENT TEMPLATE
Event Matrix
Supports the event template by providing details on the type and time of activity in each NAI.
EXAMPLE OF EVENT MATRIX NAI NO.
NO EARLIER NO LATER THAN THAN
INDICATOR
NAI 1
H-7
H-2
Engineer preparation of artillery positions
NAI 1
H-2
H-30 MIN
Artillery occupies firing positions
NAI 1
H-1
H-15 MIN
Artillery commences preparatory fires
NAI 2
H-2
H-1.5
Combat recon patrol conducts route recon
NAI 2
H-1.5
H-30 MIN
Rifle company (+) in march formation
Decision Support Template (DST) Relates the detail of the event template to decision points that are significant to the commander.
Target Area of Interest (TAI) Points are areas along an avenue of approach or mobility corridor where interdiction of an enemy force by fire maneuver, or jamming will deny the enemy this particular COA. TRP 6969
TAI Graphics
3
3
Area TAI
Point TAI
Decision Point (DP) DPs identify events, areas, and points on the battlefield where tactical decisions are required, and when these decisions must be made.
6
ADA Considerations in AO
Air defense operations focuses on three dimensional. Encompasses smaller areas (No Fire Areas).
ADA Considerations of AI The ADA AI includes airspace adjacent to the ADA AO and extends into enemy airspace. Often consists of scattered points rather than a contiguous area.
ADA AI Factors
•Location of TBM •Location of FARPs •Location of threat airfields •Location of aids to navigation •Range, altitude, and capabilities of threat aircraft •Range, capabilities, and flight profiles of TBM
ADA Battlefield Effect Considerations
• Probable target installation or areas • Likely Air Avenues of Approach (AAA) • Likely DZs or LZs • Likely standoff attack orbits • LOS from proposed ADA weapon locations
Air Avenue of Approach - Aerial sensors, attack aircraft and airmobile forces. - Direct as possible to minimize risk and maximize payload. - Terrain influences routes.
Air Threat COA to Consider
•Locations of FARPs •Likely timing of air strikes /assault operations •Targets and objectives •Likely corridors and AAAs •Strike package composition •Flight profiles and spacing •Likely threat SEAD operations •Threat COAs that might require movement of friendly ADA assets
ADA Threat • Unmanned Aerodynamic Vehicle (UAV) • Cruise missile and TBM • Fixed Wing Aircraft • Rotary Wing Aircraft •Airborne and air assault forces
Other Threat Factors
•Flight Operation Tactics •Ordnance types and availability •Ordnance delivery techniques (standoff ranges) •Release speeds and altitudes •Guidance systems •Technical capabilities of aircraft
IPB PROCESS ANALYSIS
THREAT EVALUATION
BATTLEFIELD AREA EVALUATION
THREAT INTEGRATION WEATHER ANALYSIS
TERRAIN ANALYSIS
EVALUATION
4BL 1