Multidimensional Reconnaissance and the HUMINT Platoon

UNIT EXERCISE

Multidimensional reconnaissance is a field which the HUMINTR platoon should be well versed in. The MI company platoon belonging to the Brigade primarily conducts source operations. The OMT sends all information collected by the tactical HUMINT teams (comprising majority HUMINT and one or two CI operatives) to the STAFF INT OFFICER for integration and deconfliction with outside sources.

There are 2 configurations of operation of the TACHUMINT teams.GS and DS. In the GS mode the teams come directly under the control of the Brigade STAFF INT OFFICER and the OMT of the HUMINT platoon. Both the STAFF INT OFFICER and OMT/s can be co-located at the Brigade main CP.

The TACHUMINT team can also help the subordinate battalions to acquire good HUMINT capability when they collect intelligence as per the infantry Bn collection plan .In this instance the teams work in DS. Here the OMT which controls the teams will be now co-located with

the Bn STAFF INT OFFICER cell. In addition to reporting to this STAFF INT OFFICER about the teams collected information it also reports to the STAFF INT OFFICER of the Brigade located in the Brigade main CP.

We have defined the C2 relationship. Now we set up an exercise to keep the teams ready for any mission.

MISSION BRIEFING: TACHUMINT teams. OMT briefs them about target-specific targets set for each platoon—to collect info against target. Collection plan.OMT prioritizes platoon tasks. Ensures each platoon works in concert with the other, in harmony, keeping overall collection plan in full perspective. Platoon commanders, OMT and STAFF INT OFFICER of Bde present during briefing. Platoon leaders told to share good TTPs among them. Thereafter inspection was carried out. Equipments, weapons, communication sets. Combat rehearsals were carried out.

Then the tasking began. A role play scenario. A model village supposed to be the sanctuary of insurgents. Locals were soldiers who were asked to behave like locals, apprehensive of the soldiers in the teams. The TACHUMINT teams were casual, unobtrusive but always prodding along carefully with mission requirements in mind. They were briefed clearly about targets, about intelligence requirements, which requirement was priority and the fact that all teams need to be in harmony while making a situational understanding template for the commander with the acquired information. The soldiers were now in contact with the ‘’locals’’...Some asking slanted questions, some building up rapport and others engaged in unobtrusive tactical questioning, elicitation and gossip with intent to acquire pertinent information. Attempts were made fully not to be threatening, to be genial and build up an atmosphere of trust...Projecting an image of friendship, protection. They were respectful of the village culture, deference to women folk and avoiding questioning them if possible and friendly with the children, often offering chocolates. In the backdrop intent is also there to segregate the locals into who supported the forces and who didn’t. To find out if any were particularly offensive or held the forces in disdain. They were alert to note the behavioral indicators...If anyone was trying to avoid eye-contact, or if being overly-helpful or if avoiding discreetly and moving away from the crowd etc.

After the exercise is over they are back at the garrison. Using the communication equipment and hand held equipment they reported their findings to the Int Ops cell at the Brigade STAFF INT OFFICER Section.-The OMTs too benefited from this exercise in now that they have experimental data to practice upon. Data to screen, analyze, correlate, and use link analysis to discern linkages between activities and contacts made. Using all these follow on exercises were set up for the next day


An Operational Management Team Collates Data Gathered by the TAC HUMINT Teams.

To achieve synchrony, while the TACHUMINT teams continued with their exercise the OMTs and Brigade STAFF INT OFFICER section were busy .The OMTs screening data,evaluating,analyzing,forwarding to the Int Ops of STAFF INT OFFICER section, the STAFF INT OFFICER utilizing the Int Ops section to coordinate the overall collection effort. The data sent in by the OMT was broken down into manageable chunks, formatted, indexed, correlated with source registries, stored in databases for easy retrieval and disseminated to intelligence planners in the Bde. A computer system was created linked with this database wherein all source-lead development reports were stored, link-diagrammed to infer an understanding of all relationships between HUMINT sources in the Bdes area of interest. Not only that a clear picture came into being about the source-leads and the entire source network. This will assist greatly in the problem of deconfliction.

All this goaded the Bdes intelligence collection effort in the right direction and in keeping with the Commanders prioritized intelligence requirements. To further the situational understanding at all levels throughout the Bde a portal on the Tactical LAN or webpage can be set up with all information acquired so that all intelligence personnel and reconnaissance troops can view them ,if necessary take out required data, also update them with any new information (in conflict situations change rapidly, intelligence drives ops, ops in turn generate further intelligence requirements).Not only intelligence personnel but maneuver control, system personnel can also view all the intelligence and plan accordingly.

The CI element in HUMINT Ops.

Force Projection facilitating interim combat HUMINT/CI enabled R&S Team

OMT Functions:

Conduct surveillance planning.

Coordinate surveillance support.

Produce the surveillance plan.

Brief the surveillance plan.

Ensure recovery of surveillance personnel and equipment.

Provide oversight of surveillance debrief

Review reporting.

Provide analytical input. Disseminate reporting.

Brief results of surveillance mission..

Direct employment of HUIMNT technical operations (HTO) and CI

Equipment, as required.

The usual reconnaissance patrol or Long range surveillance or any R&S asset deployed to collect information usually does so in the standard zone, area or route reconnaissance pattern. The patrol usually has self defiance capability, can move and dismount rapidly and is effective in so far as surveillance or recce is concerned.

The battlefield has transitioned from a deterrence based profile to force projection profile. That is to say that once an area of operations is identified so that the strike forces (Brigade) may move in and engage in operations, a combat reconnaissance team can be sent in to:

Conduct the usual:

Reconnaissance and surveillance

AND

Conduct a brief intelligence preparation of the battlefield

Conduct HUMINT ops

Conduct CI ops

All these being done so as to develop a situational understanding of the area of operations , the threat assessment (Leadership,OB,strengths,capabilities,TOE) including the human terrain comprising the locals, other communities, the local village government so that the incoming strike forces can optimally target:

Physical as well as behavioral targets. That is kinetic or non-kinetic attack modes to be deployed with precision.

Thus the usual reconnaissance team is now supplemented within CI soldiers and a separate HUMINT platoon from the same brigade works closely with the CI augmented R&S troops. The inclusion of CI assets beyond the front line deep into enemy territory considerably heightens the HUMINT collection. Add to this the HUMINT platoon advantage and we have a interim combat team capable of defending itself with rapid mobility and mounted/dismounted ops capability and


also capable of CI and HUMINT collection apart from reconnaissance and surveillance. Thus here we have all the three ISR assets working in harmony and controlled by HQ which is in effect an organic Bde staff section comprising of intelligence officers from the Brigade itself. This STAFF INT OFFICER cell conducts all HUMINT/CI ops management, deconfliction, exercises technical control, analyses and forwards all intelligence to the Brigade and throughout the command.

STRUCTURE:

The reconnaissance team equipped with armored recce vehicles can number three platoon per squadron, ,4 recce vehicles per platoon,2 man crew for each recce vehicle,3 man squad per recce vehicle and one linguist augmentation who is a CI soldier.

Integrate Intelligence Training into Unit Training Plan

There are two types of unit intelligence training: (1) internal training conducted within a unit intelligence section, intended to further refine and expand the section's proficiency and capabilities; and (2) external training directed toward non-intelligence personnel within the unit, intended to orient them to threat capabilities and activity, familiarize them with intelligence section capabilities, and facilitate the integration of

Intelligence into operational planning and execution.

Steps:

Review units mission.

Review units operational training requirements.

Develop an internal training plan.

Develop a unit operational intelligence training plan for non- intelligence personnel.

Track training progress.