Pmtd

CHAPTER 9

FUNDAMENTALS OF THE DEFENSE
The immediate purpose of defensive operations is to defeat an enemy attack. Army forces conduct defensive operations as part of major operations and campaigns, in combination with offensive operations. For a force-projection army, defensive operations by forces already in theater or early arriving forces at the tactical level support the campaign plan andmaintain operational initiative for the joint or combined team. For example, if conditions do not support simultaneous operations to defeat an enemy rapidly, the mission of initial-entry forces might be to defend the forces, air bases, and seaports in the lodgment area to provide time for the JFC to build forces in the theater for future operations. In such cases, initial-entry forces wouldinclude sufficient combat power to deter attack or defend successfully while the buildup continues. In other cases of offensive operations, commanders may require defensive operations by air assault, airborne, or amphibious forces. These forces would conduct an economy-of-force mission until a larger force could link up. Nonetheless, the preferred method is to conduct operations simultaneouslythroughout the depth and space of the AOR. This method can require defensive operations in some areas. THE PURPOSES OF THE DEFENSE Military forces defend only until they gain sufficient strength to attack. Though the outcome of decisive combat derives from offensive operations, it is often necessary, even advisable, to defend. Commanders choose to defend when they need to buy time, to hold a piece of keyterrain, to facilitate other operations, to preoccupy the enemy in one area so friendly forces can attack him in another, or to erode enemy resources at a rapid rate while reinforcing friendly operations. They make this choice and create the conditions for a smooth transition from offense to defense or defense to offense, as the situation allows. Understanding the commander’s intent is especiallykey in the defense, since more precise synchronization is normally required, thus requiring close teamwork. An effective defense consists of active and passive components combined to deprive the enemy of the initiative. It uses all arms and services in most effective combinations to fight the defense so that the enemy losses mount rapidly and the defender can quickly attack his vulnerabilities. Asin the offense, passage of lines will be frequent, moving in all directions-rearward, forward, and laterally. Even in the defense, commanders seek greater freedom of maneuver while degrading or denying the enemy’s. The defender withstands and holds the enemy while continuously seeking every opportunity to assume the offensive at the appropriate time. With each engagement or battle, commandersseek conditions that favor future operations. They try to reduce options available to the enemy and increase their own, thereby seizing the initiative. They take risks to gain the initiative. There may be few opportunities in the early phases of an engagement or battle to assume the offensive. As the battle develops, such opportunities become more numerous. This is especially true during lulls in the9-0

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battle when the defender should take steps to uncover enemy vulnerabilities and attack and destroy them if possible. Whatever the immediate purpose, the greater intent of the defense is to force the attack to culminate, to gain the initiative for friendly forces, and to create the opportunity to shift to the offensive.

measures at all tactical echelons is to coordinateand synchronize the defense, to provide early warning, and to begin disrupting the integrity of the enemy attack early and continuously. DISRUPTION The defender disrupts the attacker’s tempo and synchronization by countering his initiative and preventing him from massing overwhelming combat power. Defending commanders also use disruption to attack the enemy’s will to continue. They do this by...