Editor’s Commentary: Soviet artillery theory occasionally allows Division Artillery Groups (DAG) to be split to provide wider coverage. In reality, in the European theater, this never happened. In Afghanistan, it became necessary to spread the coverage and this vignette shows a split-DAG doing fire support.
The Soviets had no difficulty in taking the reconnaissance elements from one force and putting it in support of another. Most western commanders would not willingly surrender their reconnaissance element. This vignette shows a typical example of the redistribution of TO&E reconnaissance forces to another unit.
Map reading and terrain navigation from an aircraft is tough in a region without hard-top roads, power-lines, major rivers and permanent bridges. It is not any easier on the ground. Map reading is particularly difficult in the mountains. The Soviet performance in this area seems about average.
24. Seizing and holding a mujahideen training center with a tactical air assault
by LTC V. G. Istratiy11
In October 1985, we received intelligence reports that an enemy training center, which was built to train gunners for shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile systems, was located southwest of Kandahar.
On the basis of this intelligence report, my battalion commander gave me his concept of battle.12 My 12th Air Assault Company would conduct an air assault landing and secure an LZ near the training center on 13 October. Then, when the rest of the battalion arrived, we would join it and help capture and destroy the training center.
We prepared our force for combat at our training grounds. We emphasized the organization for the air assault to include a detailed analysis of past combat actions which we went over in detail with our personnel and then assessed the missions of the platoon and company commanders. We used aerial photographs to work out the details of the plan. From these photos, we identified “dead space” in the approach to the objective, likely enemy firing positions and areas of fire concentration, and targets that we wanted to destroy with air and artillery fire.
We had 48 hours to prepare prior to the beginning of the operation. The battalion commander carefully planned each platoon’s mission on the map and “wargamed” various contingencies. He devoted special attention to balancing the subunit’s firepower and that of the supporting aviation. At the same time, the battalion commander personally designated the firing positions of the mortars and the AGS-17 as well as the site for the company CP/OP. While wargaming each of the contingencies, he paid particular attention to the actions of my forward group as we seized and secured the LZ.
Map 24: Seizing and holding a training center with an air assault company.
My 12th Air Assault Company air landed onto the LZ on the morning of 13 October. Despite the careful planning, we were cut off from the main force of the battalion. After a full day of combat, the situation became critical as our ammunition began to run out and attempts to resupply us by helicopter failed. My men had to fire single shots on semiautomatic instead of bursts of automatic weapons fire. I continually called in air and artillery fire on the enemy.
The battalion’s main force tried to break through to me, but it became apparent that they would not make it before the morning of 14 October. We could not hold out that long. So, after reviewing the situation, I decided to attack at nightfall. The 3rd platoon would take the southeast slope of hill 2825 and, together with the covering force, distract the enemy. The 1st and 2nd platoon would envelop the enemy from the west and the east and at 0230 hours 14 October, they would simultaneously attack from two directions to seize the base, capture ammunition and then hold the base until the arrival of the battalion.
My plan worked and by 0400 we took the base without casualties. We captured three DShK heavy machine guns, two recoilless rifles, 17 individual small arms and ammunition. At 0600, the enemy tried to retake the base, but we drove him off. In the course of combat, my troopers used the weapons and ammunition that they had captured from the enemy. When the main body of the battalion arrived, they punished the enemy badly and forced him to withdraw, denying him the opportunity to retake the base.
Frunze Commentary: This combat example shows that the proper equipping of air assault personnel, including sufficient ammunition, rations, water, and radio batteries is essential. Further, one must ensure that there is uninterrupted resupply and access to safe LZs. Resupply can determine the course of battle in the mountains. And as important as resupply and evacuation of the wounded are, the length of time needed to complete the entire military mission depends on how well direct coordination is done with the aviation. Weather conditions are a major factor in employing combat aviation, as is the effectiveness of the enemy’s air defense. The closer the LZ is to the objective or fewer the number of available LZs, the harder it will be to resupply forces and conduct timely MEDEVACs.
During another battle (on 21 July 1985) in the vicinity of Alikheyl’ village, a battalion had to take part of its force to quickly clear an area of trees, brush, and large boulders to create an LZ to evacuate the wounded, since their original LZ was under enemy fire. Sometimes, during the course of this battle, the only way to resupply their unit was to throw the supplies out of the helicopter. They put food and drinking water in bags and rubber bladders from their chemical defensive equipment stores prior to dropping them. Thus, without the proper containers for drops, about half of the food and water was destroyed in the drop.
In order to fight independently for three or four days, each air assault trooper needs to carry the following: two or three combat loads of ammunition for his assault rifle, four hand grenades (two of them defensive grenades), one RPG-18 anti-tank grenade launcher13 for every two personnel, two 200-gram blocks of TNT with blasting caps, five smoke pots and five parachute flares (or orange smoke grenades which can be used for signalling or laying down smoke), four 82-mm mortar rounds (if there is a mortar section) or a canister of ammunition for the AGS-17, enough rations for three to five days, two or three canteens of water or tea, a poncho or shelter-half and one blanket for two people or a sleeping bag. The weight of all this kit is 35 to 40 kilograms, so if regular resupply is guaranteed, this considerable load can be lightened.
Editor’s Commentary: In this vignette, an air assault company runs out of ammunition in a day’s combat. This is partially due to the Soviet philosophy that small arms fire suppresses enemy fire and eventually may kill the enemy. The West wants to kill the enemy with small arms fire and uses crew-served weapons to suppress enemy fire. The standard Soviet assault rifle’s fire selector switch goes from safe to full automatic to semiautomatic. The standard Western assault rifle’s fire selector switch goes from safe to semiautomatic to full automatic. The West sees semiautomatic fire as the norm. The Soviets saw full automatic fire as the norm. Perhaps the Soviets needed to devote more time to rifle marksmanship for a guerrilla war. It saves on ammunition consumption. In the mountains, a bolt-action rifle with range and accuracy is frequently of more use than a rapid-firing assault rifle (though not in an ambush).
25. An airborne battalion lands in Islam-Dara Canyon and seals it off
by LTC S. I. Party14
In 1985, having suffered a series of major set-backs in the provinces of Kabul and Kunar, the enemy markedly stepped up the intensity of combat. He shelled military bases and outposts and shot up civilian convoys. There was a particularly unpleasant situation along the southern border of the country in Kandahar Province. One of their largest guerrilla bases was located 150 kilometers south of Kandahar. This base trained guerrilla forces and provided weapons and ammunition for combat deep inside Afghanistan. The base was located in Islam-Dara Canyon and consisted of several camps, a hospital, a large bakery, and weapons and ammunition stores.