Dismounted Situational Awareness in the Urban Battlespace
By News Desk -Jun 19, 2024757
Historically, military forces favored battles in open terrain, as the confines of urban terrain, forests, or narrow mountain passages are the defender’s forte. Therefore, when urban combat is unavoidable, the fighting force must be well-prepared and equipped to tackle the challenges and take advantage of the situation. The urban environments present unique challenges that require advanced situational awareness for effective operations. The urban battlespace is highly advantageous to the dismounted defender. The dense and complex terrain, comprising built-up or ruined landscapes, along with a complex maze of boulevards, streets, and paths, provides multiple points of engagement by mines, IEDs, booby traps, and ambushes. Battled cities are full of debris, providing many hideouts for small forces.
Tall buildings dominate their surroundings, offering vantage positions for snipers and anti-tank teams. Underground features (specially prepared tunnels or sewers) allow defenders to exploit the subterranean dimension. demand sophisticated strategies and technologies to ensure mission success and minimize collateral damage. This article delves into the critical importance of situational awareness in urban battlespaces, exploring the latest innovations and methodologies that empower military forces to navigate, observe, and respond with precision and agility. Through enhanced situational awareness, commanders and soldiers can achieve superior operational effectiveness, safeguarding both their objectives and the lives of non-combatants.
Soldiers are required to carry out complex missions on this terrain. Facing enemy ambushes or infantry forces in close combat, dismounted forces are required to conduct tough Close Quarters Combat (CQB) where conventional technology has little to offer. Situational Awareness is key to maintaining an advantage by denying the enemy the element of surprise and providing the combined arms force the opportunity to deploy the most effective means against threats. Unlike previous generations, where technologies providing situational awareness were located at the brigade or division, lagging hours or even days from what was happening at the forward line, today’s SA requires real-time efficiency and is designed to provide the tank commander and infantry team leader the information they need without delay.
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