Tertiary Skills for Mounted Leaders
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Background. The AFV in Armoured Cavalry Regiments are primarily, but not exclusively, designed for different purposes. Both the recent experience of the Army in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan and 100 years of AFV mounted warfare suggest that Army is unlikely to use these AFV exclusively for their intended purpose. Further, the journey from an Australian mounting base to the point where the AFV is employed for it’s primary purpose includes contexts for which AFV are not primarily designed.
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Skills. The RAAC training system provides the skills for Officers and SNCO to employ AFV for their primary purpose. This formal system is largely platform based and therefore Armoured units are responsible for training mounted leaders to understand mounted capabilities outside their primary skill set. For example, a Cavalry officer, whilst not trained on tank must understand its capability. These skills can be catergorised as secondary skills for mounted leaders.
There is also a third set of skills required to employ mounted forces out of context or against systems they are not primarily designed to defeat or defend against. The skills and knowledge required to operate in these contexts can be described as tertiary and are not taught by the RAAC training system. Since 2014 I have observed a marked increase in the demand for mounted leaders with tertiary skills and knowledge. This article posits seven tertiary skills for mounted leaders as a start point for discussion.
Tertiary Skills and Knowledge
Before Deployment. In the past three years 2 Cav Regt has exercised with the US Marine Corps, the US Army, the British Army and the Malaysian Armed Forces. Mounted Forces training, equipment and doctrine must allow interoperability. In it’s fullest sense interoperability means operating with or in another nations AFV.
Getting to theatre. Mounted forces are increasing likely to operate with joint forces to deploy by air and sea transport as 2 Cav Regt has done in 2015 and 2016. Ship to shore connectors should be championed by mounted forces; their primary purpose is to get the combat power inherent in AFV onto land.
Moving within theatre. In 2016 2 Cav Regt has learnt that the flexibility and agility of Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) is greater than first thought. Mounted forces have used the full potential of PMV and in a similar manner they should challenge and stretch the employment of HET.
Before primary employment. To execute tactical tasks in their primary role mounted forces must first and continuously avoid destruction by beyond line of sight or air delivered fires. The dominant purpose of these weapons is to destroy AFV and by design they do this to AFV they detect. This realisation should lead to a fascination with passive and active air defence and counter surveillance and reconnaissance techniques.
Before and during primary employment. Infantry is the combat capability most likely to ensure that the mounted force is employed for the purpose it is designed. The mounted force must invest personally and professionally in its relationship with Infantry. The capacity to do this is a skill that must be trained.
Between primary employment. Increasing the reach and persistence of mounted forces increases the joint forces capacity for deep or sequential operations. Reach and persistence can be increased by reducing CSS demand; mounted forces must train to reduce CSS demand.
Continuously. The headquarters of mounted forces synchronise other capabilities in time, space and purpose to create the favourable conditions for the employment of AFV. The capacity to do this is underpinned by:
Bandwidth. In 2014 the Battle Group Eagle Command Post employed single channel VHF radio. In 2015 this increased to seven distinct means of communication. Because communication is as central to the capability of mounted forces as firepower and mobility the selection of which means to use when and for what purpose is a core function of mounted leaders.
Battle Management Systems. Battle management systems (BMS) are presently in their infancy. At this stage of development they could be grouped with communications systems; however, in their next iteration BMS will perform tasks currently done by crew commanders. Specifically, Battle management systems will transfer target data between weapons systems and defensive systems within and between AFV. This change will require new skills.
Batteries. Presently mounted forces enjoy an over supply of electric power, this is unlikely to be true in the future. Power management skills are likely to increase in importance.
Investing in the tertiary skills of mounted leaders is likely to enhance the execution of the mounted force’s primary role. Mounted leaders with tertiary skills and knowledge will be more valuable members of combined arms teams and the joint force and will make greater contributions to Army modernisation.