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Unit of Employment Concepts for Major Combat Operations
Since 1999, the US military has undergone a sweeping evolution driven by operational
experience and new capabilities. In the past, the conduct of operations was divided into
loosely linked major land, sea, and air operations, often conducted with different
objectives. Today, joint operations form an integrated joint fabric and increasingly,operations are integrated at the tactical level. The joint force commander employs air,
sea, space, and special operations forces at the tactical, operational, and theater strategiclevels. The complete integration of joint capabilities allows the joint force commander to
adapt and tailor joint capabilities to the conditions and tasks extant in the theater and joint
operational area (JOA). No single element is decisive; constantly changing combinations
forge decisive campaigns. Employed as an integrated joint force, US forces deploy arange of capabilities unmatched by any potential opponent. Joint and multinational
operations enable actions of other US Government agencies as part of the broader
application of the instruments of national power.
The operational environment requires Army forces that are much more responsive and
tailorable to the needs of the combatant commanders. No single large formation is ableto meet the requirements of full spectrum operations. To meet the needs of the RCC for
land forces, the Army is constantly dismantling its current force divisions and task organizing them into independent task forces, something for which they weren’t
designed. This is coupled with the need to employ land forces at the outset of the
campaign, in completely complementary fashion with other joint capabilities, translatedinto the requirement for much more deployable Army forces.
The nature of modern land operations has changed in terms of geography and time. In
general, operations have become more distributed in space and more simultaneous in
time. At tactical and operational levels, subordinate units operate in noncontiguous areasof operations and conduct nonlinear operations as a matter of routine. This contrasts
sharply with the interlocked and hierarchical arrangement of land areas of operations
prevalent in the past. This change is the result of smaller and more agile forces, quantumimprovements in command and control, and continuing integration of joint capabilities at
lower echelons.
Army forces continue to increase their lethality, meaning that greater effects can be
generated with much smaller forces. This continues the historical impetus of the last 100years. However, the integration of advanced information technologies multiplies the
effectiveness of the individual weapons systems by many times. The antithesis of this
development is the increasing dependence on unconventional means by our enemies.
They are simply unable to match the conventional military capabilities of the US, and the
disparity is growing at an increasing rate. Thus, the frequency of facing large,conventional land forces diminishes even as the need for Army forces for full spectrum
operations increases, when examined as a function of the total force engaged incampaigns.
Note that while the frequency and perhaps likelihood of encountering powerful and
competently commanded ground forces has diminished, it will not disappear. For many
nations, the cost and infrastructure necessary to challenge the US at sea, in the air, or inspace are far greater than that required to field land forces. When and if they challenge
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US interests, their operational center of gravity will be land-based. Therefore, Army
forces must be capable of defeating regional military powers with modernized and
capable ground forces for the foreseeable future.
All these factors presage the requirement for Army forces to execute offensive land
operations early in the campaign, by introducing forces capable of maneuvering to
operational depths in conjunction with other joint capabilities. This is the essence of “operational maneuver from strategic distance.” In order to be deployed and employedswiftly, these forces must be smaller than the two Army Corps that carried out Desert
Storm (over 100,000 troops each), but with corps-like command and control to extend
operations in sufficient depth and strength to dislocate and then defeat enemy forces.Such an operation was planned, but not executed in Operation Iraqi Freedom – the attack
of the TF IRON HORSE, built around the 4th Mechanized Division (including 33,000
troops) to attack along a line of operations from the Turkish border toward Baghdad.
Figure 1 – TF IRON HORSE planned to attack from Turkey to Baghdad, a distance over 500
kilometers, using a mix of brigades and advanced command and control capabilities. TF IRON HORSE
would have been controlled directly by 3 rd Army as CJFLCC.
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To meet joint requirements, the Army is reorganizing its operational forces as shown in
Figure 2 to provide for a mix of land combat power that can be tailored for any
combination of offensive, defensive, stability, and support operations as part of integrated joint operations.
Current
Army
XXXX
CORPS
XXX
DIV
XX
BDE
X
Transformed
UEX
UE Y
BDE
Battles & Engagements
Primary Warfighter
JTF/JFLCC/ARFOR
Capable*
Army & Joint
Support
In AOR
Functional array, not pure hierarchy
JTF/JFLCC
Capable*
* With SJFHQ and Joint Manning Doc
Figure 2. The Army is in the process of a complete reorganization into a modular, brigade-based Army.
Brigades will be the principal means of conducting battles and engagements. Two complementary higher
echelons will replace the existing structure of divisions, corps, and army headquarters
Brigades
Brigades will be the principal means of conducting engagements. The principal tactical
unit of the modular Army will be the combined arms maneuver brigade combat team
(BCT). Three standard brigade combat team designs make up the maneuver power of the
modular Army – Heavy Brigade Combat Teams, Infantry Brigade Combat Teams, andStryker Brigade Combat Teams. These maneuver brigade combat teams include organic
battalion-sized maneuver, fires, reconnaissance, and logistics subunits. Beginning in
2014, the Army will modernize maneuver brigade combat teams with Future CombatSystems (FCS). FCS-equipped maneuver brigade combat teams will have greater
lethality and be easier to deploy and sustain than anything in the current force. The
organization of modular brigade combat teams will facilitate conversion to FCS.
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RSTA
BSBBTB
Brigade Troops
Heavy Brigade
RSTA
BSBHHC
Brigade Staff
Stryker Brigade
X
BSBBTB
Brigade Troops
Infantry Brigade
RSTA
X
Brigade Combat TeamsX
Figure 3. Three types of brigade combat teams form the maneuver striking power of the modular Army
A mix of other brigades supports the UEx and the brigade combat teams. These brigadesinclude an aviation brigade, reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA)
brigade, a maneuver enhancement (ME) brigade, a fires brigade, and a sustainment
brigade. These brigades will be organized as combined arms and single branch units
intended to support the maneuver brigade combat team and carry out specific tasks insupport of echelons above the brigade. Figure 4, below, shows the various supporting
brigades
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281100 AUG 04 UE Update to CSA v 4.1 7
HHCGS ATK
U
ASLT CL IV
Organic AssignedII II II II
ASB
II
ASB
II
X
MFMF
CannonCannon
II
BSB
II
BSB IORocket/Missile
I
HHB
Organic Assigned
TBD
Rocket/Missile
I II
ATK
I
TAB
I
TAB
XX
BSB MP EOD CA MANE
HHC
II II
Assigned Attached or OPCONOrganic
XX
I
I
II
INTEL
II
INTEL UAVR
A
Hunter
SOF
I I I
HHC SPT LRSD
Attached or OPCON
X
Organic
IIII
BTB
II
BTB
HR AMMO MAINT S&STRANSFIN
MED
Organic Assigned Attached
I I I
HHC SPT
II
BTB
II
BTB
MED
II
SPT
II
SPT
X
SUST
X
SUST
X
Modular Army Support Brigades
Aviation Fires
Maneuver
Enhancement
RSTA Sustainment
Figure 4. Modular supporting brigades extend the depth and duration of Army operations. RSTA stands
for Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition
Higher Echelons
Between now and 2010, two higher headquarters will replace the existing structure of divisions, corps, and echelons above corps. These headquarters are currently designated
UEx (primary warfighting), and UEy (theater operational land force and joint support).
While the tendency is to think of these echelons as linear improvements to the divisionand corps, they are not. Both higher echelons will be complementary, modular entities
designed to employ tailored forces within integrated joint campaigns.
UEy
The UEy will be the Army theater-level headquarters for each Regional CombatantCommander. The UEy consolidates most of the functions performed by corps and Army
Service Component Command into a single operational echelon. It will be the primary
vehicle for Army support to the entire region. It supports Army, Joint, and multinationalforces deployed to a joint operational area. The UEy commander performs the functionsand tasks of the Army service component commander (ASCC) when the UEy is under the
COCOM (Combatant Command, Command Authority) of a Regional Combatant
Commander. In major combat operations, where the regional combatant commander isthe joint force commander, the UEy may become the joint force land component
commander (JFLCC) and exercises operational control over tactical forces. When
required for contingencies, the UEy provides a JTF-capable headquarters.
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As the ASCC, the UEy is responsible for administrative control (ADCON) of all Army
forces in the AOR. The ASCC also integrates Army forces into the execution of theater
engagement plans, and provides Army support to joint forces, interagency elements, andmultinational forces as directed by the regional combatant commander. This is shown in
Figure 5:
SupportingBrigades
SupportingBrigades
JTF
JCMOTF
JFLCC/
ARFOR
J FMCC J SOTF JFACC
AAMDC
UEy units provide
tailored support to the
JFC; provide ADCON
and most Army support
to other Services
(ASOS)ADCON and ASOS
UEx
UEy
JPOTF
ASCC
OPCON
TSC SIG CMD MI CA SupportingBrigades
JLTF
Figure 5: The UEy exercises administrative control (ADCON) of Army forces and provides Army support
to other services (ASOS) for other members of the joint talks force.
For major combat operations or theater war, the UEy may provide the joint force land
component commander (JFLCC) and headquarters. At the same time, the UEy will
continue to perform the ASCC functions. The illustration below shows a UEy as aJFLCC.
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UExUEy_251200Aug04 17
PSYOP
Major Combat OperationsUEY as JFLCC / ARFOR
MaritimeSpecialOperations
Air
Theater
Sustainment
Command
xx Theater
Signal
Command
JFLCC/
ARFOR
RCC
SupportingBrigades
xxx
MEF
UEy
UExUEx
Support to Joint & Multinational forces
MN
Civil
AffairsMilitary
Intelligence
SUST
Figure 6. The UEy is designed to be the JFLCC for a major combat operation while continuing Army
support within the theater
UEx
The primary war fighting headquarters will be the UEx. The UEx combines the functions
of today’s division with the tactical responsibilities of the corps. The primary task of the
UEx is to direct the operations of the subordinate brigades. The UEx is not a fixed
formation. It is a completely modular command and control entity designed to exercise
command and control over various brigades. The UEx will not have any organic forces beyond the elements that make up the headquarters. The UEx can be the JFLCC for
smaller contingencies, or become the JTF headquarters for smaller contingencies, withappropriate joint augmentation.
In major combat operations, UEx typically operates along a line of operations or in an
area of operations to establish the military conditions required for the successful
conclusion of the major land operation or joint campaign. The UEx controls up to sixmaneuver brigade combat teams in high and mid-intensity combat operations, but may
control more maneuver brigade combat teams in protracted stability operations. The
brigades may include any mix of heavy, infantry, Stryker, and eventually FCS-equipped brigade combat teams.
The UEx has no fixed structure beyond the UEx headquarters, so not all types of brigades
may be present in an operation. In some operations, the UEx may control more than one
of a particular type of brigade. The UEx may also control functional groups, battalions, or even companies, but normally these will normally be task organized to one of the
brigades. The important point is that the UEx is not a standard force, but it is tailored to
the mission. Figure 7 illustrates two possible UEx organizations, but many more
combinations are possible.
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X XX
X
SUST
XX
Each UEx is tailored for a specific
operation; the composition of the
UEx is completely variable
Example: Stability Operations
1 Brigade Combat Team 5 Supporting Brigades
SUST
XX XX X
Example: Offensive Operations
XX
XX X
5 Brigade Combat Teams 5 Supporting Brigades
Stryker Infantry
Heavy
Stryker Aviation
Maneuver Enhancement
Reconnaissance,Surveillance,
Target Acquisition
Sustainment
Sustainment
Reconnaissance,Surveillance,
Target Acquisition
Maneuver
Enhancement AviationFires
Figure 7. UEx will be tailored according to operational requirements. Here, two UEx configurations areshown. This could be two different UEx in the same phase of an operation, or one UEx in different phases.
Intermediate Tactical Echelon
If and when the campaign expands and entails the use of significant land forces in
decisive offensive operations, the operation may require an intermediate land echelon between the UEx controlling brigade combat teams and the land component. This could
be based on complexity, multinational requirements, the use of more than one UEx on a
line of operations, or span of command. When required, one UEx may become anintermediate tactical headquarters under the JFLCC, with OPCON of two or more UEx or
other large tactical formations. The UEy will tailor the intermediate UEx headquarters
with the appropriate commander, staff, communications, and units to allow it to functionas an intermediate headquarters over other UEx. The modularity of the UEx allows the
Army to meet the needs of the JFC without excessive force structure for this requirement.
Figure 8 depicts this possibility:
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xxx
xx
RCC
UEy JFMCCJSOTF
x
x
x
Theater Sust
Command
Theater Signal
CommandMI
Host Nation
ArmyJFC assigns 3-star
commander to
UEx from CONUS
Additional
brigades
controlled by
intermediate
UEx
UEy as JFLCC;
UEx as
Intermediate
Tactical
Headquarters
UEx UEx
UEx
JFLCC
MEF
JFACC JFMCC
MN
CA
Figure 8. The scale, complexity and span of command of major offensive operations may require an
intermediate warfighting headquarters. When required, one UEx becomes the intermediate HQ.
Modular Army Forces Controlled by other Services
The modularity designed into Army forces allows other service headquarters to receiveand employ Army brigades directly, without an intervening Army headquarters. The
figure below illustrates Army forces OPCON to a MEF for an offensive operation. TheUEy, with its assigned commands, continues to exercise ADCON, for the maneuver enhancement brigade, while providing Army capabilities (for example NETOPS) in a
supporting role to the MEF. This is only one example. Other examples may include the
OPCON of a missile-heavy fires brigade to the JFACC, or a tailored sustainment brigadeto the JSOTF.
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MEF
XXX
X
HHC
l ll
MP
ll ll ll
CA
ll
EOD
TEU
BIDS
P
SPT
Army Maneuver
Enhancement
Brigade
OPCON
UEy
ADCON
Army support
Figure 9. The MEF controls a Maneuver Enhancement brigade tailored for support tot the Marine
Expeditionary Force (MEF) ashore.
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