6-76. Security operations are those operations performed by commanders to provide early and accurate warning of enemy operations, to provide the forces being protected with time and maneuver space within which to react to the enemy, and to develop the situation to allow commanders to effectively use their protected forces (ADP 3-90). They prevent surprise, reduce uncertainty, and provide early warning of enemy activities. This section addresses the general security considerations, fundamentals of security, and types of security operations.
Note. The main difference between the performance of security operations and reconnaissance operations is that security operations orient on the friendly force, area, or facility, while reconnaissance operations (see chapter 7) orient on the enemy and terrain.
General Consideration
6-77. Security operations are not to be confused with the more general term of security (see section VI). Security includes a wide range of activities such as preventing unauthorized access into secure areas or establishing perimeter security around a base camp. Security is inherent in all operations and is always the first priority of work. Security is the responsibility of every Soldier and unit whereas security operations are distinct missions. Security operations are supporting efforts. As a supporting effort, economy of force is often a condition associated with the performance of security operations and essential for preserving friendly force combat power. The following activities (local security, observation posts, and combat outposts) are general security considerations that are applicable to all security operations and units.
Infantry Small Unit Security Operations
6-78. Security operations, assigned to Infantry small units (also called security forces), protect their higher organization from observation, indirect fires, harassment, and surprise. At the same time, they provide information about the size, composition, location, and movement of enemy forces including information about the terrain and populations within their higher organization’s assigned area. Effective security operations can also draw enemy forces into exposed positions, trade space for time, allow the higher organization to concentrate forces elsewhere, deceive the enemy, attrite enemy forces, and hold, deny, or control key terrain. Security forces must be prepared to destroy enemy reconnaissance efforts and fight for information to seize, retain, or exploit the initiative.
Local Security
6-79. Local security is the low-level security activities conducted near a unit to prevent surprise by the enemy (ADP 3-90). All units are responsible for their own local security. Local security is not an operation of its own. It includes any local measure taken by units that protect against enemy actions. It involves avoiding enemy detection or deceiving the enemy about friendly positions and intention. Local security provides immediate protection to friendly forces and is typically performed by a unit for self-protection, but it may also be provided by another unit when the security requirements are greater than that unit’s security capabilities. Local security may include countermobility (see paragraph 5-44) and survivability activities (see paragraph 5-102) as well as the use of active and passive measures (see paragraph 5-143) to provide local security.
Observation Posts
6-80. An observation post is a position from which observations are made or fires are directed and adjusted (FM 3-90). All observation posts should possess appropriate communications. Commanders task subordinate units to perform reconnaissance and combat patrols to cover gaps between observation posts. Units place restrictive fire support coordination measures (such as no-fire area or restrictive fire area) around observation post locations to prevent fratricide. Dismounted Infantry observation posts provide maximum stealth but lack the speed of displacement, optics, and weapons of mounted ones. It takes a minimum of two Soldiers to establish an observation post, and then they can only operate effectively for no more than 12 hours. Observation posts manned for more than 12 hours require a minimum of an Infantry squad to ensure continuous operation. Combat and reconnaissance patrols (see chapter 7) cover dead space and the area between observation posts. In addition, under limited-visibility conditions, units can establish observation posts as listening posts to take advantage of the increased auditory acuteness that occurs when Soldier vision is degraded.
Combat Outpost
6-81. A combat outpost is a reinforced observation post capable of conducting limited combat operations (FM 3-90). Using combat outposts is a technique for employing security forces in restrictive terrain that precludes mounted security forces from covering the area. Leaders use combat outposts when enemy forces infiltrating into and through the security area could overrun smaller observation posts. Leaders use a combat outpost to extend the depth of the security area, to keep friendly forward observation posts in place until they can observe the enemy force’s main body, or to secure friendly forward observation posts that enemy forces might encircle.
6-82. While the mission variables of METT-TC (I) determine the size, location, and number of combat outposts a unit establishes, a reinforced platoon typically occupies each combat outpost. A combat outpost requires enough resources to accomplish its missions, but it should not seriously deplete the strength of the main body (see chapter 5, main battle area). Combat outposts are usually located far enough forward of the protected force to preclude enemy ground reconnaissance elements from observing the actions of the protected force.
6-83. Units organize the combat outpost to provide an all-around defense (see chapter 5, perimeter defense) to withstand a superior enemy force. When the enemy force has significant armored capability, commanders may give combat outposts more antitank (AT) weapons (see appendix D). Forces operating combat outposts conduct aggressive patrolling (combat and reconnaissance), engage and destroy enemy reconnaissance elements, and engage the enemy main body before their extraction. Leaders plan to extract friendly forces from their outposts before enemy forces overrun them.
Fundamentals Of Security Operations
6-84. Five fundamentals of security operations establish the framework for security operations. These fundamentals, listed in paragraphs 6-85 to 6-89, provide a set of principles that remind leaders of the inherent characteristics required to execute security operations. These fundamentals include provide early and accurate warning, provide reaction time and maneuver space, orient on the force, area, or facility to be secured, perform continuous reconnaissance, and maintain enemy contact. (See FM 3-96 for additional information.)
Provide Early And Accurate Warning
6-85. The platoon (when task in a security force role) detects, observes, and reports threat forces that can influence the company’s or higher headquarters main body. Early detection and warning through rapid reporting enables the protected commander to make timely and well-informed decisions to apply forces relative to the threat. As a minimum, security forces should operate far enough from the protected force to prevent enemy ground forces from observing or engaging the protected force with direct fires.
Provide Reaction Time And Maneuver Space
6-86. The platoon (security force) provides the protected force with enough reaction time and maneuver space to respond effectively to likely enemy actions by operating at a distance from the protected force and by offering resistance (within its capabilities and mission constraints) to enemy forces. Providing the platoon with an area of operations that has sufficient depth to operate enhances its ability to provide reaction time and maneuver space to the protected force.
Orient On The Force, Area, Or Facility To Be Secured
6-87. While reconnaissance forces orient on the enemy, security forces orient on the protected force by understanding their scheme of maneuver and follow-on mission. The platoon (security force) focuses all its actions on protecting and providing early warning operating between the protected force and known or suspected enemy.
Perform Continuous Reconnaissance
6-88. Reconnaissance fundamentals are implicit in all security operations. The platoon (security force) continuously seeks the enemy and reconnoiters key terrain. The platoon uses continuous reconnaissance to find the enemy (gain and maintain enemy contact), develop the situation, report rapidly and accurately, retain freedom of maneuver to provide early and accurate warning, and provide reaction time and maneuver space to the protected force. The platoon conducts zone, area, or route reconnaissance (see chapter 7 section IV for additional information) along with using observation posts and combat outpost (see paragraphs 6-80 and 6-81, respectively) to detect enemy movement or enemy preparations for action and to learn as much as possible about the terrain with the ultimate goal to determine the enemy’s COA and to assist the protected force in countering it.
Maintain Enemy Contact
6-89. Once the platoon (security force) makes enemy contact, it does not break contact unless the main force commander specifically directs it. However, the individual security asset that first makes contact does not have to maintain that contact if the entire security force maintains contact with the enemy. The security force commander (or platoon leader) ensures that subordinate security assets hand off contact with the enemy from one security asset to another in this case. The platoon must continuously collect information on the enemy’s activities to assist the protected main body in determining potential and actual enemy COAs and to prevent the enemy from surprising the protected force. Depth in space and time enables the platoon to maintain continuous visual contact, to use direct and indirect fires, and to maneuver freely.
Types Of Security Operations
6-90. Security operations provide the protected force with varying levels of protection and are dependent upon the size of the unit conducting the security operation. All security operations provide protection and early warning to the protected force. The four types of security operations are screen, guard, cover, and area security.
Note. Security operations conducted in the security area by one force or a subordinate element of a force that provides security for the larger force are screen, guard, and cover. The screen, guard, and cover security operations, respectively, contain increasing levels of combat power and provide the main body with increasing levels of security. The more combat power in the security force means less combat power for the main body. Normally, the commander designates a security area in which security forces provide the protected force with reaction time and maneuver space to preserve freedom of action. (See chapter 5 for additional information on security area and main battle area operations within the defense.)
Screen
6-91. Screen is a type of security operation that primarily provides early warning to the protected force (ADP 3-90). Screens provide less protection than guards or covers. Screen missions are defensive in nature and accomplished by establishing a series of observation posts and patrols to ensure observation of the assigned sector. The screen force gains and maintains enemy contact consistent with the fundamentals and destroys or repels enemy reconnaissance units by conducting counterreconnaissance (see paragraph 5-9). A unit performing a screen observes, identifies, and reports enemy actions. Generally, a screening force engages and destroys enemy reconnaissance elements within its capabilities—augmented by indirect fires, Army aviation, and/or close air support (CAS)—but otherwise fights only in self-defense. If a significant enemy force is expected or a significant amount of time and space is needed to provide the required degree of protection, the commander assigns and resources a guard mission instead of a screen. A screen is appropriate to cover gaps between forces, exposed flanks, or the rear of stationary and moving forces. (See FM 3-90 for additional information.)
Guard
6-92. Guard is a type of security operation conducted to protect the main body by fighting to gain time while preventing enemy ground observation of and direct fire against the main body (ADP 3-90). A guard differs from a screen in that a guard force contains sufficient combat power to defeat, cause the withdrawal of, or fix the lead elements of an enemy ground force before it can engage the main body with direct fire. A guard force routinely engages enemy forces with direct and indirect fires. A screening force, however, primarily uses indirect fires or CAS to destroy enemy reconnaissance elements and slow the movement of other enemy forces. A guard force uses all means at its disposal to prevent enemy forces from penetrating to a position to observe and engage the main body. It operates within the range of the main body’s fire support weapons, deploying over a narrower front than a comparable-sized screening force to permit concentrating combat power. The three types of guard operations are advance, flank, and rear guard. Commanders can assign a guard mission to protect either a stationary or a moving force. The guard force commander normally conducts the guard mission as an area defense, a delay, a zone reconnaissance, or a movement to contact mission in the security area to provide reaction time and maneuver space to the main body. (See FM 3-90 for additional information.)
Cover
6-93. Cover is a type of security operation done independent of the main body to protect them by fighting to gain time while preventing enemy ground observation of and direct fire against the main body (ADP 3-90). The biggest difference between a guard force and a covering force is that a covering force is able to operate independently of the main body, while a guard force relies on indirect support from the main body. A division covering force is normally a reinforced BCT. It performs reconnaissance or other security missions. If the division assigned area is narrow enough, an adequately reinforced combined arms battalion, reconnaissance squadron, or Stryker battalion may perform a cover mission. At both corps and division echelons, the amount of reinforcement provided to the covering force determines the distance and time it can operate away from the main body. These reinforcements typically revert to their parent organizations once the covering mission is complete. BCTs and battalions typically organize a guard force instead of a covering force because their resources are limited. (See FM 3-90 for additional information.)
Area Security
6-94. Area security is a type of security operation conducted to protect friendly forces, lines of communications, installation routes and actions within a specific area (FM 3-90). Area security operations occur during all types of operations. They allow commanders to provide protection to critical assets without a significant diversion of combat power. Protected forces range from echelon headquarters through artillery and echelon reserves to the sustaining base. Protected installations can be part of the sustaining base, or they can constitute part of the area’s critical infrastructure. Operations in noncontiguous assigned areas require units to emphasize area security.
6-95. During the offense, various military organizations may be involved in conducting area security operations in an economy-of-force role to protect lines of communications, convoys, or critical fixed sites and radars. Route security operations are defensive in nature and are terrain oriented. A route security force may prevent an enemy force from impeding, harassing, or destroying lines of communications. Establishing a movement corridor for traffic along a route or portions of a route is an example of route security operations. (See ATP 3-21.10 for additional information.)
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