Aplicaciones

2-46. Intelligence preparation of the battlefield serves as the foundation for all squadron maneuver, fires, sustainment, and coordination. IPB synthesizes information with staff and commander analysis to develop an information collection plan that includes CCIR and NAI development and linkage. The IPB process allows the staff to plan and develop products so the squadron can execute operations that provide shared understanding.

2-47. Intelligence preparation of the battlefield identifies the facts and assumptions about the enemy, terrain, weather, and civil considerations (using the METT-TC framework) for staff planning. The squadron IPB must address METT-TC variables at higher echelons. The squadron uses METT-TC to address its own requirements and its higher headquarters to achieve increased shared understanding. (Refer to ATP 2-01.3 for a detailed discussion on the IPB process.)

2-48. Squadron staffs develop multiple threat courses of actions. Squadron staffs use predictive analysis techniques to anticipate future threat actions, capabilities, or situations. Staffs establish running estimates that encompass all relevant information related to the operational environment. Staffs identify characteristics of the information environment that influence friendly and threat operations. Squadron staffs must determine

the threat characteristics doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures, patterns in threat behavior or activities, threat capabilities, high-value targets, and threat models. Squadron staffs must also identify and report hazards within the area of operation, including the medical threat and any threats caused by toxic industrial chemical materials. Finally, the staff must integrate IPB information into the MDMP, continuously assessing the effectiveness of friendly operations, and update IPB products as new information becomes available.

2-49. Knowledge is the precursor to effective action in the informational or physical domain. Acquiring information about an operational environment requires aggressive and continuous information collection operations. At the tactical level, commanders use reconnaissance, surveillance, security, and intelligence missions, or operations to plan, organize, and execute shaping operations that answer the CCIRs and support decisive operations. (See figure 2-3.)

Figure 2-3. Development of understanding chart

2-50. Information collection activities identify gaps in situational understanding, align assets and resources against those gaps, and assess the collected information and intelligence to help the commander understand and visualize the operation to make an informed decision. The IPB process allows commanders to base their initial information requirements on the critical gaps identified during the IPB of the mission analysis step of the MDMP and RDSP. Refined and updated requirements result from staff wargaming and the commander’s selection of a particular friendly course of action that forms the concept of the operation.

2-51. Cavalry squadrons answer the brigade’s information requirements in offense, defense, and stability tasks. Squadron staffs are often on a parallel planning timeline with brigade staffs during the operations process due to the supporting relations of the BCT’s mission. It is imperative that the squadron has the ability to conduct parallel and collaborative planning and information sharing between the squadron and BCT staff.

The unique Cavalry squadron planning process enables the squadron to conduct its mission, which fills in

information gaps and provides BCT commanders with the flexibility necessary to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative. (Refer to FM 3-98 for more information.)

2-52. The BCT commander and the squadron commander formulate their nested CCIR from staff recommendations. PIRs identify information about the enemy, terrain and weather, and civil considerations that the commander considers most important. The intelligence staff manages PIRs for the commander with oversight from the operations officer. (See figure 2-4.) Commanders limit the number of PIRs and link them to decision points to focus the efforts of limited information collection assets. PIR management helps staffs and subordinates identify information the commander needs immediately to make decisions, for example—

z When will enemy artillery be in range of our main body?

z Where is the enemy main body?

z Where are civilians on the battlefield?

2-53. Friendly force information requirements identify the information the commander considers most important about the mission, troops and support available, and time available for friendly forces. In coordination with the staff, the S-3 manages friendly force information requirements for the commander. For example—

z Completion status of defensive preparations.

z Loss of communications with quick reaction force.

z Loss of key weapons system.

Figure 2-4. Priority intelligence requirement breakdown

2-54. Commanders base their initial information requirements on known decision points and the critical gaps identified during IPB in the mission analysis step of the MDMP. Refined and updated requirements result from staff wargaming and the commander’s selection of a particular friendly COA that becomes the concept of operations. Priority intelligence requirements (part of the CCIRs) and information requirements are two requirements that result from planning requirements and assessing collections. (Refer to ATP 2-01 for more information.) Each requirement is further refined into discrete pieces of information that together answer the

PIRs. These pieces are indicators and SIRs. The indicators and SIRs aid in developing the information collection plan, focus collection at echelon within the squadron, and facilitate rapid synthesis and analysis to develop situational understanding. Indicators are items of information that reflect the intention or capability of an adversary to adopt or reject a COA. (JP 2-0)

2-55. The NAI is the geographical area in which an indicator and its associated SIR to resides. NAIs must link to at least one PIR. A target area of interest is the geographical area or point along a mobility corridor where successful interdiction causes the enemy to abandon a course of action or requires the enemy to use specialized engineer support to continue. These graphic control measures help the commander and staff to allocate and synchronize the appropriate collection platform that best answers the PIR. For each NAI, the