ATP 3-21.50 Infantry Small-Unit Mountain and Cold Weather ...

1 ATP Infantry Small-Unit Mountain and Cold Weather Operations AUGUST 2020 DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. This publication supersedes ATTP , dated 28 February 2011. Headquarters, Department of the Army This publication is available at the Army Publishing Directorate site ( ), and the Central Army Registry site ( ). *ATP RESTRICTION: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. *This publication supersedes ATTP , dated 28 February Army Techniques Publication No. Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, , 27 August 2020 Infantry Small-Unit Mountain and Cold Weather Operations Contents Page v INTRODUCTION.

2 Vii Chapter 1 ORGANIZATION .. 1-1 Section I Infantry Small-Unit Organizations .. 1-1 Close Combat .. 1-1 Operational Influences .. 1-3 Section II Environmental Considerations .. 1-5 Operational and Mission Variables .. 1-5 Physical Characteristics .. 1-5 Effects on Infantry Small-Unit Operations .. 1-11 Chapter 2 COMMAND AND CONTROL .. 2-1 Section I Leadership .. 2-1 The Importance of Competent Leadership .. 2-1 Challenges Within Mountainous Terrain .. 2-2 Extreme Weather and Temperature Conditions .. 2-2 Section II Mission Command .. 2-2 Section III Relationship Between Command and Control .. 2-3 Command .. 2-3 Control .. 2-4 The Exercise of Command and Control .. 2-5 Command Post Organization and 2-7 Section IV Operations Process.

3 2-12 Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield .. 2-13 Analysis of Terrain and Weather .. 2-14 Centralized Planning and Decentralized Execution .. 2-19 Chapter 3 OFFENSE .. 3-1 Section I Doctrinal Basis for the Offense .. 3-1 Offensive Operations .. 3-1 Characteristics of the Offense .. 3-2 Contents ii ATP 27 August 2020 Section II Conduct of the Offense .. 3-4 Environmental Considerations .. 3-4 Plan and Prepare .. 3-4 Execute .. 3-10 Assess .. 3-12 Section III Small-Unit Offensive Operations .. 3-13 Movement to Contact .. 3-13 Hasty and Deliberate Attacks .. 3-15 Special Purpose Attacks .. 3-18 Chapter 4 DEFENSE .. 4-1 Section I Doctrinal Basis for the Defense .. 4-1 Defensive 4-1 Characteristics of the Defense.

4 4-4 Section II Conduct of the 4-6 Environmental Considerations .. 4-6 Plan and Prepare .. 4-6 Execute .. 4-11 Assess .. 4-15 Section III Small-Unit Defensive Operations .. 4-15 Area Defense .. 4-16 Battle Positions .. 4-18 Defense of a Linear Obstacle .. 4-22 Perimeter Defense .. 4-23 Reverse-Slope Defense .. 4-25 Chapter 5 TACTICAL ENABLING OPERATIONS AND 5-1 Section I Small-Unit Movement, Employment, and Maneuver .. 5-1 Tactical Movement .. 5-1 Observation Post .. 5-21 Combat Outposts .. 5-24 Tunnels and Caves .. 5-27 Base Camps .. 5-30 Section II Dismounted March Considerations .. 5-31 March Mission .. 5-32 Planning for the March .. 5-32 Preparations for the March.

5 5-34 March Execution .. 5-35 Section III Soldier Load Considerations .. 5-41 Echeloning 5-41 Load Determination .. 5-42 Decisions to Reduce or Offset Risk .. 5-44 Chapter 6 AUGMENTING COMBAT POWER .. 6-1 Section I Information Collection .. 6-1 Planning and Employment Considerations .. 6-1 Information Collection Plan .. 6-2 Execution of Tactical Missions .. 6-3 Soldier Sensor Missions .. 6-4 Section II Direct Fires .. 6-5 Fundamental Principles .. 6-5 Direct Fire Weapons and Systems .. 6-6 Section III Fire Support .. 6-10 Contents 27 August 2020 ATP iii Indirect Fires .. 6-10 Aviation Fires .. 6-14 Section IV Engineer Support .. 6-16 Mobility .. 6-16 Countermobility .. 6-17 Section V Protection.

6 6-17 Survivability .. 6-17 Local Security .. 6-18 Passive and Active CBRN Defense .. 6-18 Passive and Active Air Defense .. 6-18 Additional Protection Tasks .. 6-19 Section VI 6-19 Effects on Soldiers .. 6-20 Effects on Individual and Unit Equipment .. 6-27 Resupply 6-30 Section VII Special Purpose Teams, Skills, and Attachments .. 6-35 Special Purpose Teams .. 6-36 Specialist Skills and Training .. 6-36 Attachments .. 6-38 GLOSSARY .. Glossary-1 REFERENCES .. References-1 INDEX .. Index-1 Figures Figure 1-1. Mountainous regions of the world .. 1-6 Figure 1-2. Operational terrain levels .. 1-8 Figure 1-3. Cold regions of the world .. 1-9 Figure 2-1. Retransmission 2-11 Figure 3-1.

7 Company deliberate attack, example .. 3-17 Figure 3-2. Company raid (insertion/infiltration), example .. 3-19 Figure 3-3. Company multiple ambushes (infiltration/occupation), example .. 3-22 Figure 4-1. Area defense (security area activities) .. 4-12 Figure 4-2. Area defense (main battle area engagements) .. 4-14 Figure 4-3. Area defense (platoon battle positions in-depth) .. 4-17 Figure 4-4. Primary, alternate, supplementary, and subsequent battle positions .. 4-20 Figure 4-5. Strong point battle position .. 4-21 Figure 4-6. Defense of a linear obstacle .. 4-23 Figure 4-7. Perimeter defense .. 4-25 Figure 4-8. Reverse-slope defense .. 4-26 Figure 5-1. Mountain road (mounted movement).

8 5-4 Figure 5-2. Enemy ambush on a narrow Mountain pass .. 5-5 Figure 5-3. Using a fixed rope system .. 5-11 Figure 5-4. High Angle Mountaineering Kit .. 5-12 Figure 5-5. Assault Climber Team Kit .. 5-13 Contents iv ATP 27 August 2020 Figure 5-6. Snow and Ice Mobility Kit .. 5-14 Figure 5-7. Helicopter slope landings .. 5-16 Figure 5-8. Overwatching a patrol .. 5-19 Figure 5-9. Observation post .. 5-23 Figure 5-10. Combat outposts .. 5-25 Figure 5-11. Tunnel system .. 5-28 Figure 5-12. Load tailoring diagram, example .. 5-45 Figure 6-1. Angle shooting .. 6-7 Figure 6-2. Mountain field artillery firing position outpost .. 6-11 Figure 6-3. Mountain effects on indirect 6-12 Tables Table 1-1.

9 Capabilities and limitations during Infantry Small-Unit operations .. 1-4 Table 2-1. Weather condition effects .. 2-18 Table 5-1. Terrain class mobility .. 5-7 Table 5-2. Dismounted movement rates .. 5-8 Table 5-3. Helicopter landing zone requirements .. 5-17 Table 6-1. Pack animal considerations .. 6-35 27 August 2020 ATP v Preface ATP provides the Infantry Small-Unit leader with doctrinal guidance on how company-sized units and below conduct combat operations in Mountain and cold Weather regions. Commanders and subordinate leaders combine the basic doctrine described in ATP and ATP , with tactics, techniques, and procedures specific to missions in Mountain and cold Weather areas of operations.

10 This publication is designed to work in conjunction with and complement ATP and the training circular on military mountaineering, TC This publication supersedes ATTP The principal audience for ATP is the commanders, staff, officers, and noncommissioned officers within the Infantry battalion. The audience includes the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command institutions and components and the United States Army Special Operations Command. This publication serves as an authoritative reference for personnel developing doctrine, materiel and force structure, institutional and unit training, and standard operating procedures for the Infantry Small-Unit operations.