Warfare is difficult, and to master it at a good level, you need to learn a lot and practice. For the success of operations, it is necessary to take into account a large number of important points, and one of them is engineering intelligence. What is she like? What is the purpose of this?
general information
And initially you should start with a definition. Engineering intelligence is a type of military activity that is organized and carried out with the aim of obtaining information about the enemy’s engineering structures and the terrain occupied by it. The objectives pursued in this case are the identification of mines and other obstacles. In addition, the nature and size of blockages, destructions, floods, fires, natural obstacles is established and ways to get around them are sought.
To this end, the terrain, the condition of bridges and roads are determined, options with crossing water barriers are considered. The tasks of engineering intelligence also include the search for points convenient for forcing. In addition, sources of water that can be used, local building materials, masking and protective properties of the territory are identified. A map of the area is compiled to display all the information received.
Who is doing this?
To carry out intelligence tasks, regular engineering units are involved. If necessary, other compounds may be used. Thus, individual reconnaissance sappers, patrols can be involved, as well as established posts (photographing and engineering observation). Additionally, they may be given equipment. For example, IPR, IRM "Beetle" and the like. In addition, fighters receive all the necessary engineering intelligence tools to monitor the terrain and opponents, work with mine-explosive barriers, study terrain (excluding roads) and water barriers, bridges, to accurately determine existing distances and photographs.
On the implementation
Depending on the existing tasks and goals, as well as the available human and material and technical resources, engineering intelligence may mean observers, posts, sentinel squads, search teams. Let's take a closer look at what each individual case represents. Observers are military personnel that perform a combat mission, which consists in fixing the state and transmitting information about the position of a given sector or a specific object. They occupy their position secretly, equipped with observation devices, seasonal uniforms and communications. In this case, the unit commander sets a combat mission.
An engineering observation post is established for a group of military personnel who are on it with personal weapons, the required documents, surveillance devices and communications equipment. Its purpose is to carry out reconnaissance in a certain band (sector). Posts are created during the formation of the defense and during the preparation of the offensive. The watch is sent in order to carry out reconnaissance of the terrain and timely detection of the enemy. It goes separately from the main intelligence forces. The search team involves strengthening sappers and engineers with fighters of motorized rifle, parachute and assault units.
What are they doing?
The task of reconnaissance is to establish the location and nature of the enemy’s actions, to apply a relief to a map of the area (if data are not available or out of date), to evaluate defensive structures, the amount of forces and composition that can be placed in them. This task is constant and is found in all types of military operations. Without its implementation, planning, organization, and, as a result, a successful battle is problematic.
An important role in all this is played by determining the degree and nature of the engineering equipment of the occupied positions and areas of deployment of enemy units and subunits. The importance of this information for effective action is difficult to underestimate. Studying the system of its obstacles and the degree of terrain patency are the tasks that engineering intelligence performs. Indeed, in this case, it is possible to use the available means of destruction with the greatest effectiveness, take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses and minimize losses from his actions.
About Intelligence
They mean all the information that can be used to some extent to characterize a likely or active enemy, the location of the collision, as well as the weather in the area of future actions. Meaningful information, based on collected, correctly assessed and adequately interpreted data and presented in a logical order, allows you to get a clear idea of any issue. For its collection, forces and intelligence are used. In order to avoid confusion, the first should be considered as personnel, and the second as instruments, equipment, and military equipment allocated for the task.
About types of engineering intelligence
She may be:
- Ground. In this case, it is supposed to use special reconnaissance vehicles, armored personnel carriers, as well as conventional vehicles. In certain cases, it is carried out on foot using everything that a person can carry.
- Aerial. In this case, both manned vehicles like airplanes and helicopters are used, as well as unmanned vehicles, such as balloons and the like.
The military engineering troops make their choice depending on the situation, the safety and technical perfection of the object under study, environmental conditions, as well as on the type of work planned. The most difficult in this regard is the restoration of destroyed bridges, airfields, roads and other important facilities.
Organizational principles
Although each situation is unique and there are no universal recipes for fulfilling the tasks, nevertheless, a number of events can be found in common. Thanks to this, engineering intelligence boasts certain principles for the implementation of activities. In short, they look like this:
- Intelligence activities should be carried out continuously and continuously.
- Efforts should be concentrated in a decisive direction.
- Intelligence should be purposeful, that is, aimed at those tasks that are of the greatest importance.
- In its actions, activity must be energetic, active, bold and courageous.
Let's look at them in more detail.
Continuity and continuity of business
Neither time of day, nor fatigue, nor weather conditions - nothing can serve as a reason for stopping reconnaissance. Of course, many factors influence the nature of actions, speed and effectiveness. This is the time of day (night or day), and the weather (clear, snow, fog, rain), and the level of staffing of intelligence agencies. This can also include the state of available technical means, and terrain features (rugged, open, the presence of water barriers, marshes, forests, mountains and much more). All these points should affect only the chosen tools and working methods.
In order to achieve effective activity, it is necessary to establish reasonable terms for collecting information, as well as provide for the replacement of personnel at the expense of the reserve. The effectiveness of this approach was proven during the Second World War. Then the mobility of the troops increased significantly, which would have been impossible without continuous intelligence.
About determination, focus and activity
The implementation of reconnaissance should be aimed at clarifying those issues that are supposedly crucial for future battles. This is purposefulness. This property can be carried out by the commander only, who makes a responsible decision. It is he who determines the tasks facing the scouts, and also indicates the means that should be used to carry them out. Violation of this rule often leads to unpleasant consequences.
Also, the efforts of the scouts should focus on a decisive direction. But along with this, activities on a broad front cannot be curtailed. There are two reasons for this: firstly, it is necessary to monitor the entire battlefield, and secondly, excessive activity in one area (direction) can cause the enemy to suspect and lead to increased vigilance. Regarding activity, energy, courage and audacity, we can say that you must always be ready to complete the task in battle. Ideally, intelligence should be secretive. But if active aggressive actions are required, they should be performed. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that all information received by the scouts is truthful and delivered to the headquarters or commander in a timely manner.