1 / 35

The Battle for Grozny

The Battle for Grozny. 31 Dec 94 - 20 Jan 95. Follow H.E. A contemporary perspective on MOUT fighting. Presented by 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!. General Situation 1 of 4. Geo-political Considerations Relative Geography Breakdown of the Soviet Union.

uyen
Download Presentation

The Battle for Grozny

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Battle for Grozny 31 Dec 94 - 20 Jan 95 Follow H.E. A contemporary perspective on MOUT fighting Presented by 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment

  2. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! General Situation1 of 4 Geo-political Considerations • Relative Geography • Breakdown of the Soviet Union

  3. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! General Situation2 of 4 The Chechens • Political structure • Culture and traditions • Military • History • Disposition, composition, and strength

  4. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! General Situation3 of 4 The Russians • Political purpose (Cdr’s intent) • Status of Russian forces • Morale, welfare, funding • Disposition, composition, and strength

  5. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! General Situation4 of 4 Grozny Timeline • Chechen independence • Russian military reaction • Significance of Grozny • Conflict years 1994 - 1996 • Russian demilitarization

  6. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Specific Situation1 of 2 Russian War Plan • Authors • Scheme of maneuver • Adaptations to the plan • Reactions to Chechen resistance • Modifications to former Soviet doctrine

  7. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Specific Situation2 of 2 The Chechen Defense • Leadership • Scheme of maneuver • Adaptations to the plan

  8. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! The Initial Enagement1 of 5 What Happened (the first 3 days) • Russian forces entering Grozny • 26 T-72s • 120 BMP-3s • 6 ZSU-23s • Defeated Russian forces leaving Grozny • 6 T-72s • 18 BMP-3s • 0 ZSU-23s

  9. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! The Initial Enagement2 of 5 Why it Happened • Lack of training • Lack of funding • Application of the heavy/light force • Tanks before infantry • Vulnerability of T-72s and BMP-3s • Gun tube elevation and depression • No coaxial machine gun ammunition

  10. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! The Initial Enagement3 of 5 Planning for Combat • Russians intended to seize key facilities • Assumed Chechens would not risk the city • Assumed Chechens were not “dug in” • No consideration for the effects on mobility of collateral damage • No focus on gaining a foothold • No plan for mutually supporting movement within the city

  11. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! The Initial Enagement4 of 5 Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield • No imagery or detailed diagrams of the city; 1:50000 maps only • Intelligence not disseminated to the lowest level • Poor understanding of cultural situation • Underestimation of info warfare • Cell phones, Internet, and Motorola Radios

  12. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! The Initial Enagement5 of 5 Task Organization • Non-organic organizations failed • Unity of command and unit cohesion are more important than adhoc capabilities • Insufficient reserves • Force ratios must be 6 to 1

  13. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned1 of 10 Tanks and APCs • Tanks and APCs must use their stand-off capabilities • Infantry must mutually support and / or precede vehicles • White lights (search lights) are extremely effective • Infantry must dismount early

  14. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned2 of 10 Artillery • Indirect trajectory not useful in the inner-city; increases rubble obstacles • Direct Lay of large caliber systems very effective • Proficient FOs and FSOs are critical

  15. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned3 of 10 Air Assets • Fixed-wing only effective in the city outskirts • Rotary-wing most effective in the inner-City • Must have secure air routes • Must use buildings for cover and concealment • Great anti-sniper system

  16. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned4 of 10 Phases of Fires

  17. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned5 of 10 Phases of Fires

  18. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned6 of 10 Pyrotechnics • Double or triple basic load of riot control agents and smoke munitions • Hand held, mortar, arty, aerial, etc. • Essential for any movement • Tear gas and WP most effective for obscuration and debilitation • WP smoke is not filtered by pro mask • WP smoke is toxic: not restricted by the Geneva Convention

  19. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned7 of 10 Soldier’s Load • Heavy use of hand grenades • Heavy use of disposable AT weapons • Ropes and grappling hooks • Ladders • Well-trained snipers and designated marksman are critical

  20. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned8 of 10 Psychological Effects • 72% of veterans diagnosed with psychological disorders • Many psych disorders became permanent due to lack of immediate medical attention • Recommended psychological coverage: • 4 specialized psychologists per corps sized element

  21. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned9 of 10 Command and Control • Entire battles fought through ceilings, floors, and walls • Friendly forces situational awareness is critical • Multidimensional fire control required • Unit boundaries generally created vulnerabilities • Individual identification markings critical as an anti-frat measure

  22. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Lessons Learned10 of 10 Special Consideration • Civilians on the Battlefield • Frequently look like combatants • Combatants smell of gun oil, sulfur, etc. • Dogs are a technique to “sniff-out” combatants • Plan to have civilian casualties • ROE and the Law of Land Warfare • Irregular forces will use prisoners as a shield / morale weapon • “Take no prisoners” mentality

  23. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment1 of 12 Given the magnitude of the battle for Grozny, the Ranger Force would fight in a similar engagement as a member of a much larger combined arms team. A fundamental understanding of conventional light and heavy force capabilities is essential for effective force integration.

  24. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment2 of 12 Assumptions • Ranger missions will occur in a MOUT environment • Rangers will operate as part of a larger force employing all TO&Es and weapons systems • Enemy may not be conventionally organized or uniformly attired

  25. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment3 of 12 Assumptions (cont.) • The enemy has advanced weapons systems, night vision devices, and communications equipment • The enemy is capable of immediate media manipulation • The enemy has access to large quantities of shoulder fired AT systems

  26. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment4 of 12 Assumptions (cont.) • Rangers will sustain casualties • Air Movement may not be Feasible

  27. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment5 of 12 • Training • LPDs, TEWTs, cultural classes • MOUT sites • Additional MOUT battles • Additional resources available

  28. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment6 of 12 Training • LPD • Weapons capabilities / restrictions in enclosed locations; effects on friendly forces • MOUT effects on communications: visual and electronic • MOUT effects on soldiers psychologically • Decentralized command and control • Small unit resupply

  29. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment7 of 12 Training • TEWTs • Terrain walks of towns and cities; not only MOUT facilities • Arrange for terrain walks in malls, department stores, factories, etc. • Coordinate for fire marshals, industrial engineers, etc. to discuss structural strengths and weaknesses

  30. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment8 of 12 Training • Cultural classes • Regional architecture • Building materials; structural soundness • Standard designs and floor plans • Utilities: electricity, communications, water, gas, etc. • Customs and religious considerations • Holy ground, cemeteries, etc. • Gender issues

  31. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment9 of 12 MOUT Sites • Facilities by installation • Ft Bragg C • Ft Ord A • Ft Lewis C • Ft Campbell C • Ft Knox A • Ft Hood B

  32. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment10 of 12 MOUT Sites • Facilities by Installation (cont.) • Ft Pickett B • Ft McClellan B • Ft Polk A • Ft Benning B • Ft Drum A

  33. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment11 of 12 Additional MOUT Battles • World War II • Stalingrad • Arnhem • Berlin • Vietnam • Hue • Somalia

  34. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! Application to the Regiment12 of 12 Additional Resources Available • Center for army lessons learned • Leavenworth papers • Fort Leavenworth website • National websites • Branch magazines

  35. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! QUESTIONS Follow H.E.

More Related