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Previous: 3-72: Gain and Maintain Enemy Contact

3-74. The leader executes shaping operations to disrupt the enemy regardless of enemy’s location within the area of operation. After making contact with the enemy, the leader seeks to disrupt the enemy’s plan, ability to control forces, and the combined arms team. Ideally, the results of leader’s shaping operations should force a disorganized enemy, whose ability to synchronize its elements has been degraded, to conduct movement to contact against prepared defenses. Once the process of disrupting the attacking enemy begins, it continues throughout the defense.

3-75. Whenever possible the leader sequences these shaping operations, to include enemy command and control warfare, so the impact of effects coincides with the commitment of the striking force. Generating a tempo temporarily paralyzes enemy command and control, the intensity of these shaping operations may increase dramatically on the commitment of the striking force. The leader continues to conduct shaping operations once the striking force commits to prevent enemy forces from outside the operational area from interfering with executing the decisive counterattack.

Next: 3-76: Fix the Enemy

Go Back To: U.S. Army FM 3-21.8: The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad