USMC ENHANCED COMPANY OPERATIONS (ECO)

Analytical Support to the Emerging Concept of Operations

Michael P. BaileyTechnical Director

Operations Analysis Division, USMCQuantico, VA

USMC ENHANCED COMPANY OPERATIONS (ECO)

Analytical Support to the Emerging Concept of Operations

Michael P. BaileyBeast, Knob, (Fresh)Meat, Rat, Peeper,

Grasshopper, Sunshine, FNG, Pup, Rookie, Nube, Greenbean, Sprout, Awake

OUTLINE

• Explaining ECO

• ECO Scenario

• Ongoing and Recent Studies

Enhanced Company Operations

“An approach to the operational art that maximizes the tactical flexibility offered by true decentralized mission accomplishment, consistent with commander’s intent and facilitated by improved command and control, intelligence, logistics, and fires capabilities.”

- A Concept for Enhanced Company Operations CMC: 28 Aug 2008

POWER TO THE EDGEEnhanced Company Operations

• CLOC: Company-level Operations Cell

• CLIC: Company-level Intelligence Cell

• Scout Section• Controllers of Indirect Fires

(Air, Surface-to-Surface, Naval)

In order to…• distribute forces safely, re-aggregate to reinforce• increase the area of responsibility of the Rifle Company• increase the mi2/Marine

1st Platoon 2d Platoon 3d Platoon

Weapons Platoon

HQ Section

Assault SectionMG SectionMortar Section

Rifle Company Table of Organization

1st Platoon 2d Platoon 3d Platoon

Weapons Platoon

HQ Section

Scout SectionMG SectionMortar Section

Enhanced Rifle Company

1st Platoon 2d Platoon 3d Platoon

Weapons Platoon

HQ Section

Scout SectionMG SectionMortar Section

Enhanced Rifle Company

COUNTRY A

COUNTRY B

0 25miles

FAKEWATERSEA

GULF OF

NOTREALLY

SCENARIO: ROAD TO CRISIS

• Country B is a cruel dictatorship– portion of Country B’s military

splits off (insurgents)– occupies RedZone– declares separate state– Country B attacks with 2 x BN– NW A-sters are sympathetic to

the insurgency– Country A’s govt wants the

insurgents routed, reestablished governance of RedZone

• Country A convinces USA to Send in the Marines

Red

Zo

ne

ESG: LHA, LPD, LSD, CG, DDG, SSN, MEU(SOC)

BLT 1/1

(Rein)

(Rein)

infantry company

artillery battery

truck det.

engineer det.

recon det.

tanks

amphibians

12 x CH-464 x CH-534 x AH-1W3 x UH-1N6 x AV-8B2 x KC-130 on tether

MEU(SOC) ACESeabased

(-)

0-10,000

10,000-25,00025,000-50,000

50,000 or greater

To theSeabase75nmi

MEU(SOC) Mission Phases1. Ship-to-Objective Maneuver

• Air• Surface (limited)

2. Clear in zones to press enemy forces across the border

3. Stabilize Border Region• Close Border• Establish ISR Zones• Provide Security• Enable Locals• Protect the Refugee

Camps• IO Campaign

Population Centers

INSURGENT ELEMENTS IN COUNTRY A

ORGANIZATION

• Operates in 4-5 man teams, capable of operating up to Platoon (50 pers).

• Can mass a single Co. (100-150 pers)

EQUIPMENT

• C4I capacity– VHF squad radios– Cell Phone primary comms

(reliable)– Landline alternate comms

(unreliable)– Commercial Satellite Internet– COTS encryption

w

?

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?

w

w

?

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MASS

?

CURRENT EN SIT OVERLAY

w

Known Insurgent Vehicle

Established Roadblock

Recruitment (Willing)

Mortar Engagement

Light Air Defense Weapon

MASS Mass Demonstration

Studying ECO from various angles…

Marine Advanced Unit, Infantry (MAUI)

• Can we calibrate a simulation for effectiveness of squad-sized forces in urban environment, across a variety of circumstances?

• Can we make statements about simple but effective rules about distributing/aggregating?

• Quantify the value of the ECO Enhancements?

• Simulation challenging, partially successful

• Human performance being calibrated with live experiments

• Partners: USArmy, USNavy, Old Dominion University

Background Question(s)

Status

• Establish baseline simulation capability for small unit operations in urban environments

• Model using IWARS (USArmy, Natick Soldier System Center)

– McKenna terrain box– small arms’ effects– human performance– agent-based logic

Tactical Mobility for Smaller Scale MAGTF Operations in the Future

SSMAGTF Area of Effectiveness Communications

SSMAGTF Area of Effectiveness

Sea Base?

Threat/End State

Use TRANSCOM?

MAGTF RBE

Background Question(s)

Status

• ECO CONOPS being developed in an environment of flux in tactical vehicle Programs

– MRAP– Armoring– Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)– Internally Transported Vehicle (MV-22)

• What are the performance-driving characteristics for various tactical vehicle alternatives for ECO?

• What are the impacts on – strategic mobility?– amphibious operations?– general purpose forces?

• Ongoing meta-analysis• Options being tested in Afghanistan• JLTV AoA (USArmy lead)

Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV’s)

Given: That the Squad as a System

is the correct way to think about acquisition

decisions for infantry equipment

Squad LethalitySquad M

obility

Squ

ad

Com

ms

Squa

d Su

stai

nabi

lity

Squa

d Su

rviv

abili

ty

?

Background Question(s)

Status

• What is a reasonable role for UGV’s in supporting distributed small units?

• What are important breakpoints in range, capacity, speed?

• Developing ECO planning factors for supply and support

• Network simulation• Live experimentation• Branching into Cargo Unmanned

Aerial System (Cargo UAS)

• DARPA and USMC science and technology projects developing unmanned ground vehicles

• Unmanned Challenge I, II, III• Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad

(MERS): Squad as a System

Future Squad Power Needs

Background Question(s)

Status

• What is the projected future demand for power in a squad under ECO?

• Quantify the benefits of standardization of powerpacks?

• Can equipment density be a burden?

• Power requirements are elusive• Density question requires simulation

with human performance, long scenario duration

• Power questions co-mingle with supply requirements questions

• Growth of battery-powered devices in current operation

• Enhanced units add target location and designation, more comm, cameras, other intel and recon devices

Air Cargo Delivery in Support of ECO

Background Question(s)

Status

• Joint Precision Air Delivery System (JPADS)

• Not-so-precise air delivery• Helicopter-based resupply• Trucks in convoys

• What are requirements for air delivery in an ECO scenario?

– capacity– frequency– precision

• Merging with other logistical support questions

• Precision delivery key enabler in Afghanistan

C4ISR Modeling and AnalysisBackground

• Satellite Tool Kit provides ability to integrate and visualize operational plans in 3D

• Robust ability to model and analyze C4ISR capabilities

• OAD providing analytic support to MEB for current ops planning

• What are the ISR coverage gaps?• How will terrain effect comm links?• What joint ISR assets should we request

to support current ops?

Question(s)

• Study started Feb 09• OAD currently provided pre-deployment

analysis to MEB• Deployed STK-trained analyst with

reach-back support

Status

Anti-Armor System Mix StudyBackground

• USMC transitioning to Predator anti-armor weapon

• Current operations – AA weapons used for other purposes

• What are the overall anti-armor requirements for an Enhanced Company?

• How often is the true anti-armor capability required?

• Quantify effectiveness of mixes• Force structure and weapons systems in

the MAGTF based in the 2025 timeframe.

Question(s)

• Using static capability assessment• Just underway

Status

SUPPLIMENTAL INFORMATION

Summary of Changes :• Weapons Platoon

– Assault Section Leader billet is lost• Assault section personnel and weapons

placed under Rifle Platoons– Scout Section formed under Weapons

Platoon• 13 total personnel• Weapons Platoon Sergeant Billet

(0369/GySgt) becomes the Scout Section Leader billet

– Scout Section Leader formally trained and certified to serve as a Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC)

– Machine Gun Section is reduced to 4 guns / 2 squads – teams are changed from 3 to 4 Marines (squads from 7 to 9 Marines)

Weapons Platoon Overview