| |
Reconnaissance Norms
|
|
| |
The following are some standard planning factors for the organization
and capabilities of Soviet reconnaissance forces taken from the Handbook on
Soviet Staff Procedure prepared for BCTP.
|
|
| |
Combat reconnaissance unit
|
|
| |
The following table indicates the organic troop reconnaissance
elements in the division, army and front. These are long range patrol
units.
| COMBAT RECONNAISSANCE UNITS |
| Unit |
Size |
Operating location |
| Recon Co. division |
9 groups |
100 km |
| Recon Co army |
8 groups |
450 - 500 |
| Recon Bn of front |
35-40 groups |
1000 - 1500 |
| Total in front |
250 - 300 groups |
|
Each group in the course of a 24 hour period can perform reconnaissance
two objectives, each in an area 40-50 square kilometers. Each group receives
1-2 missions and in 5-6 hours after insertion they begin to report information
about the enemy.
|
|
| |
Division Reconnaissance Norms
Reconnaissance detachments composed of a platoon to company+ are detached
from division or regiment. They operate in a sector 4-5 km wide. The distance
from own troops is 30-40 km (for div) 20-25 km for regiment.
Combat reconnaissance patrol (up to a platoon) is detached from battalion or
company at a distance of 6-8 km.
The number of reconnaissance observation posts in a division and regiment=2-3
posts (3 observers in each post). The battalion has 1-2 posts. The company and
platoon have 1-2 observers.
A reconnaissance in force is composed of a company size unit with attack
mission to the depth of 1.5-2 km to seize an enemy strong point.
Deep reconnaissance is conducted by teams of 5-7 men (9 teams in the division)
at a distance of up to 50 km. The team is assigned a specific target or area
for cover. The dimension of the area can be 25-50 km sq.
Each of the division's radio interception post can monitor 3-4 radio nets. The
division has 2-3 radio direction posts, which perform 30 verified fixes an
hour. The division's radio technical posts can take a bearing of an average of
20-30 radar stations of the enemy in one hour and can determine their technical
specifications. The division's 1-2 radar reconnaissance stations (SNAR-2)
operate with a range of 14-16 km for ground targets and up to 38 km for water
targets.
The division artillery sound ranging battery deploys 4-6 km from the front and
conducts reconnaissance within a zone of 6-8 km. The range depends on the
caliber of enemy weapons and can reach 18 km.
The artillery flash spotting battery deploys on a 5 km front. It conducts
reconnaissance on a 6-8 km front with a range under favorable conditions of
12-15 km.
|
|
| |
Security:
Norms for the locations of security elements:
----- advance guard is 15-30 km from main body.
----- rear guard is 10-20 km. behind the main body.
----- interval between battalions in the column is 3-5 km.
----- interval between regiments is 10 km.
----- distance of GPZ, BPZ, TPZ, are 3-5 km.
----- bivouac security detachment (bn) has a sector 10 km wide.
----- bivouac security detachment (co) has a sector 5 km wide.
----- bivouac security patrol (platoon) sector is 2 km wide.
|
|
| |
Aerial Reconnaissance
Depending on the conditions of observation and the terrain nature, the line of
bivouac security elements can be 4-6 km on the average away from the troops
being protected.
|
|
| |
| LIMITS OF RANGE OF VISUAL
OBSERVATION OF OBJECTS |
| Type of Object (Target) and Conditions of Observation |
Flight Altitude meters
|
Slant Range, of Observation, km |
| Column of Troops and Combat Equipment Moving Along a Road.
- on a dark night
|
200-400 |
0.5 |
| - on a moonlit night |
600-1000 |
1-1.5 |
| - when illuminating terrain with aid of a light bomb |
2000-4000 |
2-3 |
| Headlights of Automobiles, Uncamouflaged |
2000-4000 |
5-15 |
| Large Populated Points (Illuminated Cities) |
2000-4000 |
60-100 |
| Highways and Dirt Roads in Summer: -- on dark nights
|
500 |
0.5 |
| -- on moonlit night |
1000-2000 |
1.5 |
|
|
| |
| AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE UNITS IN THE
FRONT AIR ARMY |
| UNIT |
NUMBER AIRCRAFT |
DEPTH OPERATION |
| Operational Recon Regt |
30 bomber type |
800 - 1000 km |
| Tactical Recon Regt |
40 fighter type |
400 - 500 km |
| Combat Regiments |
10 - 12 outfitted for recon also |
An air army, which has five divisions and three reconnaissance aviation
regiments, can have 287 reconnaissance aircraft and 377 pilots, including 60
tactical reconnaissance aircraft and 30 operational reconnaissance aircraft.
Fifteen percent of the non-organic reconnaissance aviation is designated for
carrying out reconnaissance. In this case the reconnaissance aviation on the
first day will carry out 500-700 flights. Reconnaissance crews in an area of
10-15 kilometers can reconnoiter 2-3 targets in one flight.
In the front there are 3-4 tactical pilotless aviation squadrons. Each
squadron has 4 aviation flights. The squadron can conduct in all 36 pilotless
reconnaissance sorties. Each squadron is attached for reconnaissance in support
of a first echelon army. The time of flight is 45 minutes, the width of
photography is 5 kilometers, the overall range of photography is 75 kilometers.
The squadron can conduct reconnaissance as follows:
| Drone reconnaissance aircraft |
| Flight altitude |
Flight Radius |
| 600 meters |
80-100 km |
| 3000 meters |
150-170 km |
| 7000 meters |
200- 250 km |
|
|
| |
Space Reconnaissance
The Soviet Union uses space reconnaissance means at a distance of 200-250
kilometers above the earth. A single pass can photograph a 40-50 kilometer
zone.
|
|
| |
| VISUAL RECONNAISSANCE RANGES FROM
AIRCRAFT |
| Limits of Range of Detection and Distinguishing
Objects (Targets) Daylight in Good Visibility |
| Object |
Flight Altitude
|
Slant Range, km Detection |
Distinguish |
| Artillery in fire positions, uncamouflaged |
100 |
2-3 |
1.-1.5 |
| 300 |
3-3.5 |
2-3 |
| 600 |
3-4 |
2-3 |
| 1000 |
3-4 |
2-3 |
| 4000 |
5 |
undistinguish-able |
| Rocket launcher, artillery guns, automobiles,
tanks, armored transporters, radar stations on the ground and in movement in
columns along highways and on dirt roads, uncamouflaged |
100 |
4-5 |
2-3 |
| 300 |
6-7 |
3-4 |
| 600 |
6-7 |
3-4 |
| 1000 |
6-9 |
4-5 |
| 6-7000 |
10-12 |
Undistinguish-able |
| 8-10,000 |
12-15 |
" |
| Tanks, automobiles, armored transporters under
cover in trenches, camouflaged |
100 |
3-4 |
1.5-2 |
| 300 |
6-7 |
3-4 |
| 600 |
6-7 |
3-4 |
| 1000 |
6-7 |
4-5 |
| 4000 |
7-8 |
5 |
| Tanks, automobiles, armored transporters,
uncamouflaged |
4-500 |
3-4 |
1-2 |
| 2-3000 |
4-5 |
- |
| 3-4000 |
5-6 |
- |
| Artillery and mortar trenches, camouflaged
against terrain background |
4-5000 |
5-6 |
Undistinguish-able |
| 5-6000 |
8-10 |
" |
|
|
| |
Artillery Reconnaissance
An army artillery reconnaissance regiment has 2 battalions: the first battalion
has a sound ranging battery (zvukovaia razvedka), one radio-technical
reconnaissance battery, and one optical reconnaissance battery; the second
battalion has a photography battery, a topo-geodetic battery, and a
meteorological service battery.
|
|
| |
| ARTILLERY RECONNAISSANCE EXPECTED
LOCATION ERRORS |
| Reconnaissance System |
Range Error - % Range from Observer |
Deflection Error - % Rg from Observer or m |
| Visual Recon Theodolite |
0.5-0.8 |
0.1 |
| Stereoscopic Telescope |
0.8-1.1 |
0.2 |
| Range finder |
1.0-1.5 |
0.2-0.3 |
| (Dependent on range finder base) |
(1.0-1.2) |
(0.1) |
| Flash ranging |
Large (0.5-0.8) |
Large (0.1) |
| Timing flashes |
Large |
- |
| Sound Ranging |
1.0 (1.0) |
0.4 (0.4) |
| Helicopter Recon |
(1.4 | |
