3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR

File: 081996_jul96_decls1_0022.txt
Page: 0022
Total Pages: 269

Subject: 3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR                 

Box  ID: BX001301

Document Number:          3

Folder Title: OPORDS AND  COMMAND AND CONTROL                                                                 

Folder Seq #:          4

Unit: 3D AD       

Parent Organzation: VII  CORPS  






               with the Deputy G3, his operational assistant, co,.nmancet -'-o7 a
               M113A3, with two FM Radios and an MSRT (MSE).    One rad:o was on 'me
               Division Command Net, the other the Corps Command Net.     On the otner
               M113AZ, an intelligence analyst maintained the curren@ enemy
               situation, and prepared assessments a* enemy locations, dispos,.t-ons,
               capabilities, and intentions. Ths Mll:;A,7 also had twc FM Nets:
               Division OperatiDn/Intelligence Net and Division Command
               also had an MSRT. At night, this command group co-Iccated with -he
               Jump TA@@ or the DTAC.

                             - EMPLOYMENT OF MOBILE SUBSCRIBER EQUIPMENT -

                   Establishing and sustaining our MSE system also posed some -ew
               challenges. We had just finished accepting the system in Germany
               during late Sep 90, two months prior to the division deployment. ir.
               stationary, defensive positions the system worked fine and the signal
               soldiers performed to high standards.    Additionally, we e::tended 'he
               system out to 100 km across terrain just west of Gralenwohr and had
               surprising success, as we executed a division movement in CFX node.
               HowL,ver, the prospect of employing the MSE system to lint@ all units
               of the division in a fast, offensive operation spanning about -@50
               kilometers, sent us to the drawing boards.

                   Using planning factors of 30 km between each MSE node center, and
               15 km for remote access unit (RAU) coverage, we devised a plan which
               emplaced 6 node centers up the center of our axis, much like plant4ng
               telephone poles across the desert every 30 km. From these node
               centers we planned to emplace local and remote RAUs to prov4de
               service to all  MSRT users in zone.

             We planned  to set two node centers just south of the LD, the
               remaining four  node centers and RAUs joined our lead brigade, 2d
               Bde. Then, as   2d Bde advanced, the node centers dropped off every
               30 km or so up  the axis. As the last node emplaced, and we
               re-established  multi-channel TACSAT communications with Corps, we
               planned to bring up the node centers from south to north and continue
               to position them along the division's axis a+ advance, wherever it
               went from OBJ COLLINS.

                                     C2 TRAINING: 8 - 9 February

                   We developed this plan, but didn't know if we could execute it,
               so we conducted a training exercise designed to exercise all command
               posts of the division and the MSE network.    On 8 Feb we moved our
               C' system due east of our tactical assembly area about 120 km,
               along with our maneuver @rigades, combat support, and service support
               units (CFX made).   On 9 Feb, we advanced back to the west along an
               axis which closely replicated the distance and terrain we had to
               traverse enroute to our initial objective (OBJ COLLINS), including a
               45 degree turn of the division to the right. Although difficult, it
               proved to be a superb training exercise, for two reasons. First, we
               convinced ourselves our @ plan would work. Second, we exposed all



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Document 269 f:/Week-28/BX001301/OPORDS AND COMMAND AND CONTROL/3ad history of operation desert storm and spear:0816961333481
Control Fields 17
File Room = jul96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-28
Box ID = BX001301
Unit = 3D AD
Parent Organization = VII CORPS
Folder Title = OPORDS AND COMMAND AND CONTROL
Folder Seq # = 4
Subject = 3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date = 18-JUL-1996
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 16-AUG-1996