Wonderfull The Mobile Defense

 The factors of METT-TC may dictate that a unit conducts a mobile defense when defending against an enemy force with greater combat power but less mobility. A commander may also employ a mobile defense when defending a large area of operations (AO) without well-defined avenues of approach, such as flat, open terrain. The mobile defense is preferred in an environment where the enemy may employ weapons of mass destruction because this type of defense reduces the vulnerability of the force to attack and preserves its freedom of action. Future technology associated with command and control (C2) should improve the ability of the friendly force to gain and maintain a common operational picture, which reduces the risk associated with this type of defense. Among these risks are—

• The fixing force may be isolated and defeated in detail because of the need to resource the striking force to the detriment of the fixing force.
• Operations in noncontiguous AOs associated with conducting a mobile defense can lead to defeat in detail.
• Enemy operations may impair the ability of the striking force to react at critical points.
• The enemy may not move into the area intended by the defending commander.
• The attacking enemy retains at least some momentum as he approaches the desired engagement areas (EAs).
• The defending force may not gain an accurate picture of the enemy's locations and dispositions required by the striking force to launch decisive operations in time to react.
• The decentralized o
• The concept of a mobile defense did not enter into Army doctrine until it had the chance to review German lessons learned as a result of its World War II experiences in Russia. The following historical example illustrates how conducting a mobile defense can result in recapturing the initiative and accomplishing the mission.

  Laytes  TORICAL                                           Akbar Ali Mudduki Jhang Pakistan In January 1943, the Soviets launched a number of successful offensives following their Stalingrad counteroffensive. By the end of the month, this culminated in plans to drive German forces back to the Dniepr River. The Soviet high command (STAVKA) approved plans to liberate simultaneously the Donets Basin industrial area, Kharkov, and Kursk, and drive the Germans as far west as possible. The plan required that operations be continued without an operational pause, using forces weakened by previous operations, tenuously sustained by overextended supply lines with virtually no operational reserve. German Field Marshal Manstein's mission was to preserve the German southern wing in the Donets area. His defensive concept consisted of allowing Soviet forces to advance in some areas, holding tightly to a few critical positions, and deliberately reducing his own forces in other areas to create a striking force capable of mounting a coordinated counterattack. See Figure 10-1. Reinforcements began arriving for his Army Group Don. He deployed his 1st Panzer Armee to defend Voroshilovgrad as a fixing force, 4th Panzer Armeeand Army Detachment Hollidt to defend the central and southern parts of Manstein's lines, and the 1stSS Panzer Korps to defend Kharkov. The 1st SS Panzer Korps, consisting of the 1st (Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler), 2nd (Das Reich), and 3rd (Totenkopf) SS Panzer Divisions) (PzDiv), formed his striking force. STAVKA continued to pursue its offensive plans. However, the farther west the Soviet forces moved, the more overextended their supply lines became. On 20 February, Manstein's plan went into action. The 2nd SS PzDiv attacked from south of Krasnograd and struck the Russian 6th Army and linked up with the 15th Infantry Division at Novo Moskovsk, thereby severing communications between the Soviet 267th Rifle Division (RD) and the 106th Rifle Brigade and the rear. On 21 February, the German units consolidated their positions and prepared to advance on Pavlograd. Meanwhile, XL Panzer Korps attacked the Southwestern Front's mobile group, ultimately routing it. Units of the 3rd SS PzDiv moved into the Krasnograd area to prepare for their advance on Pavlograd. Despite this new situation, the Soviet front did not deviate from its offensive plans. On 22 February, the 2nd SS PzDiv drove through to Pavlograd and cut off the 35th Guards RD's communications with its 6th Army headquarters. The 3rd SS PzDiv advanced, widening the breach between the Soviet 6th Army's main forces and the 267th RD. On 23 February, the 6th and17th PzDivs, previously the 4th Panzer Armee (fixing force) reserve, began their offensive, smashing the 6th Army and 1st Guards Army and cutting the supply lines of and virtually encircling the 25th Tank Corps, which had been ordered to continue its advance. The 2nd SS PzDivconsolidated positions at Pavlograd. The 3rd SS PzDiv advanced against the 16th Guards Tank Brigade and the 35th Guards RD. Its southern column reached positions just northeast of Pavlograd. The 6th and 17th PzDivs advanced northward from the southeast, both divisions ultimately linking up with the 1st SS Panzer Korps to advance farther north on 24 February. By the evening of 24 February, Vatutin, the Soviet Southwest Front commander, finally recognized the dangerous situation his forces were facing and ordered what remained of the front's right flank to go over to the defensive. The Germans continued their counteroffensive and ultimately recaptured Kharkov on 14 March.