CHAPTER 2

SURVIVABILITY ANALYSIS

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THE PLANNING PROCESS

This section outlines the information needed to support the survivability efforts of the
and the decision-making process required for entire unit. In organizations without a staff
executing survivability missions. Increased engineer, the operations officer performs the
engineer requirements on the AirLand battle- analysis and formulates survivability plans.
field will limit engineer resources supporting The following sequence is used to develop
survivability. Mobility, countermobility, survivability y support options and plans.
survivability (M-CM-S), and general engi-
neering requirements are in competition for ● Mission and commander’s guidance are
the same engineer assets. Survivability received.
requirements are compared with the tactical
need and the need for mobility and counter- ● Time available is considered.
mobility operations. The maneuver com-
mander sets the priorities which allow the ● Threat situation and Threat direct and
force to perform critical tasks. The successful indirect fire assets are analyzed.
force must have enough flexibility to recog-
nize and make immediate necessary changes ● Friendly situation and survivability
on the battlefield. support resources are evaluated.

DECISION MAKING ● Survivability data, including terrain

Both the commander and staff are involved analysis results, is evaluated.
in the military decision-making process. It
provides courses of action for the commander ● Possible courses of action are developed.
and, by selecting the best course, enhances
survivability. The staff input in the decision- ● The survivability portion of the engineer
making process for planning survivability estimate is prepared.
missions includes:
● Courses of action constraints are compared
● Military intelligence (enemy activity, with actual engineer resources available.
terrain, weather, and weapon types).
● Plans are prepared, orders are issued, and
● Operations (tactical maneuver, fire sup- staff supervision is conducted.
port, and engineer support).
The survivability planning process is com-
● Administration/logistics (personnel and pleted when the survivability estimates and
combat services support activities). plans are combined with those for mobility,
countermobility, and general engineering.
l Civil affairs (civilians possibly affected by The maneuver commander then has a basis
military operations). for deciding task priorities and allocating
support.
PLANNING SEQUENCE
The engineer prepares or assists in the prep-
aration of survivability estimates and plans

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DATA COLLECTION
INFORMATION ON METT-T
Information on mission, enemy, terrain and past the deadline and are done as long as the
weather, time, and troops (METT-T) is force remains in the position. Survivability
compiled. time constraints are deeply intertwined with
mobility and countermobility time con-
The Mission straints. If the level of protection required
Subordinate commanders/leaders must cannot be achieved in the time allotted,
understand the maneuver commander’s resources are then committed to mobility or
mission and guidance. The commander/ countermobility operations, or as designated
leader must know what survivability tasks by the maneuver commander.
are necessary and how they interface with Troops and Resources
mobility, countermobility, and other tasks The commander must weigh available labor,
necessary for completing the mission. In material constraints, and engineer support
addition, the commander/leader imple- before planning an operation. Labor con-
menting survivability tasks must know if straints are identified through analysis of
any additional support is available. the three sources of labor—maneuver unit
troops, engineer troops, and indigenous (host
The Enemy nation/local area) personnel. Supply and
The maneuver commander and engineer must equipment constraints are identified through
fully understand the threat to the force. analysis of on-hand supplies, naturally-
Weapon types, probable number of weapons available materials, and supplies available
and rounds, and types of attack to expect are through military and indigenous channels.
critical in survivability planning. When these Careful procurement consideration is given
factors are known, appropriate fighting and to available civilian engineer equipment to
protective positions are designed and supplement military equipment.
constructed.
INFORMATION ON INTELLIGENCE
Terrain and Weather The maneuver force commander and engineer
One of the most important sources of in- must have access to available intelligence
formation the maneuver commander and information provided by staff elements. Bat-
supporting engineer receive is a detailed talion S2 sections provide the bulk of recon-
terrain analysis of the area. This analysis is naissance and terrain information, and
provided by the division terrain team (DTT) experts at the division level and above assist
or corps terrain team (CTT). It includes the the commander. For example, the DS terrain
types of terrain, soil, and weather in the area team, the production section of the division
of operations. A good mental picture of the tactical operations center (DTOC) support
area of operations enables the commander to element, and the corps cartographic company
evaluate all M-CM-S and general engineering can quickly provide required terrain products.
activities to create the best plan for attack or In addition, the commander uses the division
defense. intelligence system which provides the Threat
order of battle and war-damaged key facil-
Time ities. When reconnaissance requirements ex-
Every survivability mission has a deadline ceed the capability of battalion reconnais-
for reaching a predetermined level of pro- sance elements, maneuver or supporting
tection. Hardening activities will continue engineer units collect their own information.

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EVALUATION
When the engineer or maneuver units have ● Enemy’s engagement priority to include
collected all data required for protective con- which forces the Threat most likely will
struction, the data is analyzed to evaluate engage first.
possible courses of action. Alternatives are
based on the commander’s guidance on ● Ability to establish positions with organic
protection needs, priorities, and planning. equipment.

PROTECTION NEEDS Using these factors in a vulnerability analy-

Although the decision on what is to be sis will show the maneuver commander and
protected depends on the tactical situation, the engineer which maneuver, field artillery,
the following criteria are used as a guide: and ADA units require the most survivability
support. The table on page 2-5 lists weapons
● Exposure to direct, indirect, and tactical systems in these units requiring fighting
air fire. position/protective position construction.

● Vulnerability to discovery and location PROTECTION PRIORITIES

due to electronic emissions (communica- Based on a vulnerability analysis of systems
tions and radar), firing signature, track- that need protecting in the tactical situation,
able projectiles, and the need to operate in the maneuver commander develops the prior-
the open. ities for protective activities. Setting surviv-
ability priorities is a rnanuever commander’s
● Capability to move to avoid detection, or to decision based on the engineer’s advice.
displace before counterfire arrives. Using the protection criteria discussed ear-
lier, and an up-to-date detailed terrain
● Armor suitable to cover direct small caliber analysis portraying the degree of natural
fire, indirect artillery and mortar fire, and protection, a commander develops and ranks
direct fire antitank weapons. a detailed tactical construction plan to sup-
port survivability efforts. This detailed plan
● Distance from the FLOT which affects the is usually broken down into several priority
likelihood of acquisition as a target, vul- groupings or levels of protection. Primary,
nerability to artillery and air bombard- supplementary, and alternate positions are
ment, and chance of direct contact with the developed in stages or in increasing incre-
enemy. ments of protection.

● Availability of natural cover.

● Any unique equipment item, the loss of

which would make other equipment
worthless.

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The table below shows example standard developed in the table are usually used by the
survivability levels for maneuver units in maneuver commander in developing prior-
defensive positions. The levels and figures ities, and by the engineer in advising the

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commander on survivability workloads. The ● Command post position hardening.

number of vehicles or weapons systems in the
table is modified after comparing with the ● Combat support position (including field
actual equipment on hand. The table is used artillery, ADA, mortars, and so on)
as a general planning guide. Weapon sys- hardening.
tems, such as missiles and nuclear-capable
tube artillery, will require the maximum pro- ● Crew-served weapons position, individual
tection the tactical situation permits, regard- fighting position, and covered routes
less of whether the force is in an offensive or between battle positions.
defensive posture.
PROTECTION PLANNING
In the Offense Operations Staff Officer
In offensive operations, fighting and protec- Priorities of work are recommended by the
tive positions are developed whenever time is maneuver operations staff officer with input
adequate, such as during a temporary halt from the engineer. Survivability require-
for regrouping and consolidation. Recom- ments for a defensive operation might receive
mended priorities for protection at a halt in the commander’s first priority for engineer
the offense are— work. However, these tasks may require using
only 10 percent of the engineer resources,
● Antitank weapons. while countermobility tasks may demand 70
percent.
● Tanks.
The maneuver commander establishes engi-
● Indirect fire weapons. neer work priorities and sets priorities for
tasks within the functions just mentioned.
● Critical supplies, such as ammunition and Using an analysis of what equipment requires
POL, as well as ground vehicles and protection, what priorities are set for sequen-
aircraft (rotary winged). tial protection of the equipment, and which
equipment and personnel require immediate
These positions are usually expedient posi- protection, the maneuver commander can set
tions having the thickness necessary for individual priorities for survivability work.
frontal and side protection, making max-
imum use of the terrain. Engineer Staff Officer
Survivability data and recommendations are
In the Defense presented to the commander or supported
In defensive operations, substantial effort for unit through an engineer staff estimate. The
fighting and protective position construction engineer estimate includes a recommendation
is required. General priorities for protective for task organization and mobility, counter-
construction in a defensive battle position mobility, survivability, and general engi-
are— neering task priorities. Instructions for
developing the engineer estimate are con-
● Antitank weapon protection. tained in FM 5-100.

● Tank position development. Tasks Organizations

Various command and support relationships
● Armored personnel carrier (APC) position under which engineer assets are task-
development. organized can enhance mission accomplish-
ment. The available assets are applied to

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each original course of action in a manner relationships and how they affect the engi-
best suited to the METT-T factors and the neer unit. The recommended command rela-
survivability analysis. The table on page 2-9 tionship for engineers is operational control
lists the different command and support (OPCON) to the supported unit.

COMMAND AND CONTROL

COMMANDERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES officer or the operations and plans officer
Operations orders (OPORDs) are used by the (G3/S3).
commander or leader to carry out decisions
made following the estimating and planning ● Develops survivability operational plans.
process. Survivability missions are usually
prescribed in the OPORD for all units, ● Insures engineer tasks are supervised,
including both engineers and nonengineers. whether or not they are performed using
Survivability priorities are specifically engineer labor.
defined in the OPORD. Field Manual 5-100
discusses engineer input to OPORDs. It is ● Inspects fighting and protective positions
impossible to divide responsibilities in sur- for structural soundness,
vivability missions between the maneuver
commander and the engineer commander. ● Provides advice and repair estimates for
fighting and protective positions built or
occupied by supported units.
Maneuver Commander
The maneuver commander is responsible for ● Recommends and identifies uses for engi-
organizing, planning, coordinating, and neer support in survivability operations
effectively using engineer resources to accom- through the sequence of command and
plish the survivability mission. The maneu- staff actions.
ver commander must rely on the engineer
staff officer or supporting engineer com- ● Evaluates terrain to determine the best
mander to provide analyses and recommen- areas for construction of survivability
dations for protective construction and systems.
fighting position employment. The com-
mander implements decisions by setting Joint Responsibilities
priorities and further defining the constraints Based on knowledge of fighting and pro-
of the mission to the engineer. tective position effectiveness and protection
ability, the engineer continues to advise the
Engineer Commander maneuver commander on survivability
The engineer commander, in addition to ful- matters following the location, construction,
filling advisory responsibilities to the and/or repair of these positions. The engineer
maneuver commander, accomplishes tasks provides valuable information to aid in
in support of the overall survivability mission decision-making for deployment to alternate
as follows: and supplementary positions and retrograde
operations. The engineer keeps the maneuver
● Insures timely reports concerning surviv- commander informed on the level of fighting
ability tasks are made to the engineer staff that the existing fighting and protective

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G3/S3
positions support, and what protection the The G3/S3 has primary staff responsibility
covered routes provide when movement be- for all plans and operations, and also devel-
tween positions occurs. ops the defensive and fire support plans
considering survivability and other engi-
STAFF OFFICERS’ neering support. The G3/S3 also receives
RESPONSIBILITIES progress/ completion reports for survivability
The engineer staff officers’ (Brigade Engi- construction and emplacement and records
neer, Assistant Division Engineer) responsi- this information in conjunction with mobility
bilities include Coordination of mobility, and countermobility records (for example,
countermobility, survivability, and general minefield and obstacle records). The G3/S3
engineering tasks on the battlefield. As a works closely with the staff engineer to
special member of the commander’s staff, the develop the engineer support plans for the
engineer interacts with other staff personnel. commander.
This is accomplished by integrating surviv-
ability considerations with plans and actions G4/S4
of the other staff members, Staff responsi- The G4/S4 is the primary staff coordinator
bilities concerning survivability plans and for the logistic support required for surviv-
execution are as follows. ability tasks. The G4/S4 works closely with
the staff engineer to insure that types and
G2/S2 quantities of construction materials for sur-
The G2/S2 is the primary staff officer for vivability emplacements are available. The
intelligence matters and has responsibility G4/S4 also coordinates with the engineer to
for collecting information on Threat opera- supply additional transportation and equip-
tions and types and numbers of weapons ment in accordance with the commander’s
used, Using all available intelligence sources priorities for engineer support. Engineers
to predict enemy choices for avenues of alone do not have the assets to haul all of the
approach, the G2/S2 assists in survivability class VI material necessary for hardened
emplacement. It is the responsibility of the survivability positions.
G2/S2 to receive survivability emplacement
records from the G3/S3, disseminate the
information, and forward records to the senior
theater Army engineer,

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