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HANDBOOK
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No. 03-31
Nov 03
Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL)
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)
Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-1350
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL)
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)
Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-1350
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FOREWORD
In the contemporary operating environment soldiers routinely face the threat posed by mines
and ambushes along their lines of communication (LOCs). Soldiers have learned, often through
trial and error, how to operate in this difficult environment. Maneuver relies on the concept of
assured mobility. Commanders can take steps to significantly reduce mine losses. Appropriate
tactics, combined with an aggressive training program in route clearance, proves to be an
effective means of reducing casualties and equipment losses.
The availability of clear lines of communication during operations is essential to the movement
of forces. Operations to clear or secure a route of any length require a huge investment in time,
manpower, and resources, especially in restrictive terrain. Military operations in Vietnam and
Somalia demonstrated that route clearance must be a combined arms combat effort to ensure
success. Route clearance is again proving to be a challenge for U.S. and coalition forces during
stability operations and support operations (SOSO) in Iraq and Afghanistan. This handbook
provides timely, relevant tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) for route clearance.
LAWRENCE H. SAUL
COL, FA
Director, Center for Army Lessons Learned
For Official Use Only
ROUTE CLEARANCE HANDBOOK
Route Clearance Handbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: Route Clearance: Command and Staff Considerations
CHAPTER 2: Methods and Types of Route Clearance
CHAPTER 3: Techniques and Procedures for Route Clearance
CENTER FOR ARMY LESSONS LEARNED
Director
Colonel Lawrence H. Saul
Managing Editor
George J. Mordica II
Project Analyst
Ralph Nichols
Author
Bill Schneck
Editor, Layout, and Design
Valerie Tystad
Graphics and Cover
Catherine Elliott
Labels and Distribution
Mary Lee Wagner
The Secretary of the Army has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in
the transaction of the public business as required by law of the Department. Use of funds for
printing this publication has been approved by Commander, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine
Command, 1985, IAW AR 2530.
Unless otherwise stated, whenever the masculine or feminine gender is used, both are intended.
Note: Any publications referenced in this newsletter (other than the CALL newsletters), such as
ARs, FMs, and TMs must be obtained through your pinpoint distribution system.
LOCAL REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS AUTHORIZED
FOR OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW ONLY
For Official Use Only
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ROUTE CLEARANCE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 1
ROUTE CLEARANCE: COMMAND AND STAFF CONSIDERATIONS
The ability to move forces and material to any point in an area of operations (AO) is basic to the
effective application of combat power and often decides the outcome of combat operations.
Maneuver relies on this concept of assured mobility. The availability of clear lines of
communication (LOC) during operations is essential to the movement of forces.
In actual combat, route clearance missions often consist of more than just neutralizing mines
along preexisting roads and trails. The enemy, particularly guerillas and other irregular forces,
may actively resist such operations and units frequently execute the much more complex task of
clearanceinzone operations to ensure battlefield circulation. Clearanceinzone eliminates
“organized resistance in an assigned zone by destroying, capturing, or forcing the withdrawal of
enemy forces that could interfere with the unit’s ability to accomplish its mission.” In such
operations, the unit must plan to destroy the enemy first and clear the road second, with the zone
dictated by the route that the commander desires to clear.
This operation typically requires a combined arms team to ensure mission success. In
hightempo, mechanized operations, route clearance may take the form of a maneuver team
moving to contact along a route with mineroller equipped tanks leading the way. After a mine
roller detonates a mine (or the team otherwise identifies a minefield across its route), the team
executes its standard breaching drill.
FM 3-34.2,
Combined-Arms Breaching Operations
discusses breaching operations in detail.
Considerations For The Maneuver Commander
The maneuver commanders at brigade and battalion task force (TF) levels must clearly
understand the effort required to doctrinally “clear and secure” their routes. Operations to clear
or secure a route of any length, especially in restrictive terrain, require a huge investment in
time, manpower, and resources, The maneuver commander must determine whether just
reducing the obstacles along a specific route will be adequate. Obstacle reduction normally
requires smaller forces and less time than securing the route or clearing all obstacles along it.
The TF commander must decide the end state he actually needs to achieve the accomplishment
of his tactical objectives. He must ensure that he transmits the proper task and criteria for
success to his command. In addition, the TF commander must understand how the execution of
active route clearance operations within his sector integrates into the brigade plan.
The principles of breaching operations
The principles of breaching operations (Chapter 9,
FM 20-32,
Mine/Countermine Operations
)
apply to the development and execution of route clearance missions. The breaching tenets
(intelligence, fundamentals, organization, mass, and synchronization) form the basis for effective
planning.
Intelligence
When conducting intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) for route clearance
operations, the maneuver commander must consider mission, enemy, terrain, troops,
time available, and civil considerations (METTTC). The IPB and the engineer battlefield
assessment (EBA) offer an effective method for establishing a useful situation template
(SITEMP). After the S2 and the engineer identify the most probable threat sites, the S2
designates them as named areas of interest (NAI). The commander then focuses his
For Official Use Only
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CENTER FOR ARMY LESSONS LEARNED
reconnaissance effort on these areas. Engineers work in concert with other
reconnaissance assets to confirm the presence or absence of ambushes, unexploded
ordnance (UXO) (particularly dud sub munitions), improvised explosive devices (IED)
mines, and tactical/protective minefields. The information gathered from the IPB process
and the reconnaissance effort determines the method and the type of route clearance
necessary and the optimal task organization for route clearance missions including any
outside resources (explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), special operations forces (SOF),
etc.) that may be needed.
Fundamentals
If the reconnaissance effort locates mines that affect future operations, the maneuver
commander ensures that his command is ready to counter them effectively. The TF
commander prepares his unit to execute suppress, obscure, secure, reduce, and assault
(SOSRA) as necessary.
Organization
A mix of heavy and light forces are typically best suited for route clearance missions.
The TF commander task organizes his forces for route clearance missions in a manner
similar to that used for breaching missions. The clearance team is organized into breach,
support, and assault forces. The breach force conducts clearing operations, the support
force isolates the area being cleared and provides nearside security for the breach force,
and the assault force destroys or dislodges the threat on the far side and performs security
functions beyond the clearance site. The assault force also assists the breach and support
forces in disengagement, as required. Table 1 shows a sample task organization for a
route clearance. The organizations are resourced based on reverse planning from the
desired end state back to the line of departure.
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For Official Use Only
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