Battle Drill #5a: Knock Out a Bunker (Squad) (7-4-D107)
 

Posted Thursday, October 6, 2005

TASK. Knock Out a Bunker (Squad) (7-4-D107).

CONDITIONS. Squad receives fire from an enemy bunker while moving at night as part of a larger force.

STANDARDS.
1. The squad destroys the designated bunker by killing, capturing, or forcing the withdrawal of enemy personnel in the bunker.
2. The squad maintains sufficient fighting force to defeat the enemy's counterattack and continue operations.
3. No fratricide.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
1. The squad reacts to contact (Battle Drill No. 2).

2. The fire team leader in contact identifies the bunker through his AN/PVS-7B and places well-aimed fire on the bunker using his AN/PAQ-4 and tracers. If required, the team leader employs ir illumination flare to the rear of the bunker to silhouette it (MTETT).

3. Squad members suppress the bunker with well-aimed fires using their AN/PVS-7B and AN/PVS-4.

4. The squad leader SEEs the bunker and the surrounding terrain through his AN/PVS-7B to determine how he can best maneuver the trailing fire team. He uses his hand-held laser pointer to show the squad the following:
a. The bunker and any obstacles.
b. The size of the enemy engaging the squad.
c. A vulnerable flank.
d. A covered and concealed route.
e. Left and right limits for the support fire team.
f. If required, the squad leader illuminates the bunker with his hand-held laser pointer on wide angle.

5. The fire team leader in contact SEEs the squad leaders direction with his AN/PVS-7B.

6. The fire team in contact provides the following:
a. Team members guide on their team leader's AN/PAQ-4 and tracers. Using their own AN/PVS-7B and AN/PAQ-4, they place well-aimed, suppressive fires on the bunker and any other supporting positions.
b. The squad leader continues to command and control, using his hand-held laser pointer to show high priority targets or to illuminate the target area for the squad.

7. The squad leader controls the fires of the team in contact with his hand-held laser pointer. He shows his team leaders and squad the following:
a. The movement route of the maneuver fire team.
b. Assigns left and right limits of fire for the supporting fire team.

8. The squad leader requests indirect fires to destroy or isolate the enemy position.

9. The squad leader uses his AN/PVS-7B to lead the assaulting team along a covered and concealed route to the flank of the bunker.

10. Upon reaching the last covered and concealed position:
a. The squad leader positions himself where he can best command and control his teams and uses ground ir flares to mark the flank closest to the bunker.
b. The squad leader provides C2 signal (ir flare or hand-held laser pointer) to lift or shift fires to the opposite side of the assaulting team's approach.
c. The supporting fire team leader uses his AN/PAQ-4 to control the shifting of suppressive fires to the opposite side of the assaulting fire team's approach.
d. The supporting fire team leader signals (with ir flares or visual signal) to the squad leader that the fires are lifted or shifted.
e. The assaulting fire team assaults the bunker from the blind side and does not mask the fires of the fire team in support.
f. Soldiers SEE through their AN/PVS-7B and continuously scan for other enemy supporting positions.
g. While the squad leader is illuminating the bunker with his hand-held laser pointer (MTETT), the team leader and a rifleman maneuver to the blind side of the bunker. They take up a position next to the bunker. The rifleman cooks off a grenade and yells, "Frag Out," then throws it through the aperture.
h. After the grenade detonates, the assaulting team leader enters the bunker and fires short bursts into the bunker to destroy remaining enemy in it.

11. The squad leader inspects the bunker with an ir flashlight (or ir source on NODs) to ensure it is cleared. He places a chemlight (mounted on a stake or stick) into the top of the bunker to mark it "cleared" for friendly forces. He reports, reorganizes, and continues the mission.