Improved Company Command and Control

The tank company single radio net system offers the company commander improved command and control capabilities. With this system, the commander is able to report and use accurate intelligence, make quick, timely decisions, and rapidly deploy his forces. The single radio net system decreases redundant transmissions and breaks in communication, while enhancing the company's communication security, reaction time, unity of effort, and the ability to operate with no radio communications. Without these capabilities, rapid tactical maneuver on the electronic battlefield will remain an unpracticed theory. The Division 86 tank company, a smaller organization with its improved leader-to-led ratio, will continue to rely on the radio as its primary means of mmunication. When using a single radio net system, each company vehicle and all supporting elements dedicate one radio to the tank company radio net (figure 1). The company commander, XO, NBC operations sergeant, platoon leaders, and platoon sergeants monitor the battalion command net on their see ond radio, or auxiliary receiver. Similarly, the first sergeant, supply sergeant, and motor sergeant monitor the battalion administrative and logistic net. This gives every vehicle commander in the company the ability to keep abreast of the situation and to transmit and receive on the company net Furthermore, this allows every key leader in the company the ability to monitor the battalion net. The company commander and the XO work as a team. The company commander receives all radio transmissions immediately, as does the rest of the company. As enemy spot reports are received, the company commander makes brief acknowledge ments, as do his platoon leaders. "he XO compiles those spot reports in detail and transmits them to the battalion command post The company commander concentrates his communications on maneuvering his platoons during the fight, while monitoring the battalion command net. By monitoring the single radio net, the company commander receives immediate updates on the platoon's actions and status. The XO remains on the company net when the commander is transmitting on the battalion net. As second in command, the XO leads the unit, Guing the void created by the commander's communication absence With the company single radio net system, the XO is constantly in a key position to take charge during the commander's absence, or death. When deployed forward, the XO can also assist in controlling the company through visual signals. 32

During the *ht, the NBC operations sergeant operates h m the commander’s wheeled vehicle. Able to communicate on both the company and battalion command net, he monitors, coordinates, and reports nuclear, biological, and chemical activities from lower to higher and higher to lower. On this single radio net system, this critical data is speeded through the chain of command from individual vehicles to battalion headquarters and vice versa. Chemical alerts are expedited throughout the company. In addition to providing more timely advice and information to the commander, the NBC operatiom sergeant is in a better position to assist in coordinating and supervising the company’s survey, detection, and decontamination efforts. Platoon leaders and platoon sergeants also monitor the battalion command net. This, in effect, provides them a warning order in virtually every situation. ARer hearing the company commander receive instructions from battalion, they can anticipate the more specific instrudion that will be forthcoming. In the absence of the company commander and XO, the succession of command remains unbroken as platoon leaders are completely informed of the battalion’s status and higher headquarters’ last instructions. Platoon leaders and platoon sergeants no longer serve ap relay stations for spot reports and calls for fie. They simultaneously fight their tank, communicate with the company commander, and maintain continuity with their platoon. However, visual signals, battle drills, and platoon SOPS are stressed as the - - -. ----- xo x PRC-77

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- ADMIN AND LOGlSlIC ‘

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platoon leader applies a “do as I dc style of leadership. This better en bles the platoon to fight during rad silence, jamming, or electronic ma netic pulse (EMP) damage. Platoc leaders are also able to communica with other platoon leaders during tl fight. Potential opportunities creak by one platoon leader can initia actions by another in situations thi the commander is unable to overset Each tank commander monito the company commander’s instru tiom. In the same manner that tl platoon leader and platoon sergm receive warning orders h m the ba talion command net, tank comman ers receive like warning orders. Tl tank commander can send asp report or a call for &-e with the fu realization that he is notifying eac member of the command. While mol itoring the company net, tank cor manders, along with all crew mer bers. also are kept abreast of the othc platoons’ and the company’s situi tion. Unit integrity, an intangible feature of the company single radio net system, is achieved both during training and battle. The fire support team (FIST) is also linked to the company single radio net system. The FIST is prepared to move to any vantage point to support the company fight. By receiving spot reports and calls for fire spontaneously, the FIST team is able to reduce their decision-malang and steel-on-target time. In addition to maintaining one radio on the company net, the FIST has a radio configuration to support either split battalion mortar sections on separate nets, or provide a dedicated fire control net to the company. During complete radio blackouts, the FIST serves as the company’s contingency messenger or liaison to battalion until radio communications are reestablished. The first sergeant is the primary administrative and logistical leader. Like the supply sergeant and motor sergeant, the first sergeant maintains a radio on both the company net and the battalion administrative and logistics net. By keeping abreast of the company’s fight, the first sergeant can push forward logistical and maintenance support available at the company trains and coordinate additional support from the battalion. The sup ply sergeant and motor sergeant are thus totally aware of the battalion’s administrative and logistics situation and are prepared to succeed him when necessary. The key to the tank company, single radio net systems is radw discipline. In order to achieve all these 33 advantages, all personnel must comply with correct and proper use of ‘ radio telephone procedures (RTP). In addition to the ground rules laid down by RTP, personnel must become intimately familiar with the company’s tactical SOP and be aware of the situational priorities. Companies using the tank company single radio net system for the h t time will notice a significant change in their radio discipline within a very short period of time. This will be driven home by the fact that the company commander and key leaders will be in a position to remind personnel of the need for and to reinforce the practice of radio Mpline. With the reduction of 75 percent of the company’s radio nets and correct RTP and the potential for redundancy of transmissions, overall securi? vie lations are decreased. The battahon’s radio net requirements can be d e creased by 12 nets and the division can decrease its requirements by 72 radio nets. The single radio net system can be adapted to other tank company TOE’S as well as that of the Division 86 tank Even the novice observer would discover quite a disparity between the US. Army’s tank company commun-company (figure 2). ication system and that of our allies. WestGetman,Cadian,Britjsh,Australian, and Israeli tank companies operate on a tank company, single radio net system with approximately the same number of vehicles as U. S. companies operate. The tank company, single radio net system is not anew system or concept. However, the realization that modern armored warfare executed on an accelerated, lethal, battlefield emphasizes the need to simplify the primary means by which a tank company commander and platoon leaders will command and control their units during the fight. I 4 I I mi si I was commissioned in armor from Old Dominion University, Virginia in 1971. He hasserved in various command capacities in Europe, Australia. and the CONUS. He received his masters degree in systems management from USC in 1982 and presently is assigned as Chief, Offense Branch, Corn-mand and Staff Department, USAARMS, Fort Knox, KY.

NEY was commissioned from Lehigh University in 1976. He has served as platoon leader, 2-5 Cavalry and at headquarters, 2-5 Cavalry and as company commander in the same unit. He is presently assigned to the Command and Staff Department, Advanced Tactics, at USAARMC, Fort Knox, KY. 34