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Prepared for a long vigil:
Before you move out on the patrol that will put you into position in your OP, you must check your equippment and weapons. Re-supply could compromise your position - a helicopter carrying spare batteries or even a patrol carrying ammunition or stores will attract attention if they are moving in a sensitive area.
Folding digging tools are essential to prepare the position, and a wire saw and secateurs will allow you to cut vegetation to clear viewing points through cover or to garnish the position. An axe or parang is less suitable, since chopping is a noisy business.
A small camouflage net to hang in the observation port, or light chicken wire to attach camouflage garnish are also useful: remember, the hole you look through at the enemy will look like a black hole in green vegetation unless you camouflage it.
Stags of duty:
Once you are in position you will need to work out the stags of duty. Two men on
and two men off, staggered so that one man is fresh on as the other is half through his
stag, helps ensure that no-one falls asleep or loses concentration. Basic equipment that
you need includes the prismatic compass for bearings on contacts and binoculares for
detailed observation. A radio with either burst transmission facilities, like the Racal
Merod system, or frequency agility, quencies, will prevent the enemy getting a fix on your
OP when you transmit information.
Frequency-hopping:
The advantage of frequency agility is that you can transmit as events are
happening and so correct artillery fire. If you use burst transmission you will have to
format the message on the display and then send it. When you are using SOP (Standard
Operating Procedure) formatted messages, burst transmission is the ideal system.
Other electronic aids include the simple dictaphone hand-held tape recorder. Instead of writing notes, sometimes in the dark or in bad weather, you can record the events that you are observing. Again remember spare tapes and spare batteries. If you can work with light, make sure that flashlights are as small as possible and have red filters to save your night vision and reduce the danger of enemy observation - again, make sure the batteries are fresh. The Betalight is useful: it has a long life and compact configuration.
Cameras come into their own when you are in a CRW (Counter Revolutionary Warfare) environment. Wanted men, suspect vehicles and illegal gatherings can be photographed and checked with intelligence records after the OP is completed and debriefed. Cameras are also useful when you are tasked with enemy vehicle identfication.
High-tech aids:
Though a laser rangefinder is useful, it is an active source and may alert the
enemy to your location. Laser beams can be detected by sensors on enemy AFVs. Passive
night vision equipment, either long-range tripod mounted systems or simply the IWS from a
rifle, will give you good short-range observation. If you are an artillery observer the
longer range systems are clearly necessary, but passive systems with a range of 150 metres
will allow you to stake out a position by night.
At the other end of the technology scale are the basic bodily funktions: eating and defecating. Food cannot normally be cooked as smells carry long distances, but insulated containers may allow you to take hot food into the field. There are some chemical-based systems such as the US Zesto-Therm, which consists of a small chemical sachet, and insulated bag or pouch. By putting one in the pouch , adding water and placing in a food sachet, you can have warm food. The only drawback there is a slight chemical smell which may compromise the position or may simply be unpleasant to live with.
Waste disposal:
Food and water will have to be carried in, and all waste carried out. Use plastic
bin liners for all rubbish: double ones are best, and do not overload them. Remember, you
will have to take them out in your Bergens! If you take an anti-diarrhoea tablet when you
are in the OP this will induce constipation and get you through the OP patrol, but may be
rather disruptive to your bowels.
Communications in the OP may be by speech, but it may also be necessary to use cards, carrying messages such as 'Your stag now'.
Last resort:
Hopefully you will not have to fight in your OP; if you do, something's gone very
wrong. Weapons need to be compact, but capable of a high rate of fire. The Colt 733
Commando assault rifle, with a 30-round magazine, is ideal. Pistols with a silencer will
allow you to kill an enemy who may have blundered into the position.
Area mines like the British PAD mine or the US Claymore will give good overall cover against infantry, but may compromise the position when they are emplaced: like unattended ground sensors (UGS), which have to be pre-positioned in a perimeter around the OP, they may be detected by the enemy. UGS, however will give you advanced warning of enemy movement, whether wheeled, tracked or even men on foot. UGS can even be configured to detect speech, seismic tremors and metallic masses such as AFVs.
Finally, good-quality clothing and a first-aid kit and medically-trained team member are essential. The kit should not only contain morphine and first aid dressings and pads, but also plasters for minor cuts that might become septic in the OP, and simple pain killers for headaches and stomach troubles.
Warm clothing:
Personal protection will include sleepingbags with a Velcroand Zip opening to
allow quick exits in the event of an emergency. Quilted clothing and even quilted foot
wear may e necessary, since OP work can be cold and there is absolutely no opportunity to
move about to improve circulation. Thermal underclothes and thermal boots may also be
required, plus gloves as both camouflage and for protection.
Perhaps the most important thing about OP work is being able to get on with your mates. You may have to sleep, eat, and defecate in their company, so make friends fast.
A successful OP requires a high standard of camouflage and concealment, effective patrolling techniques, highly efficient administration and preparation, good terrorist or AFV recognition, effective survival techniques - and the patience of job. If you can master all this you are a professional.
A covert observation post on the central front:
In order to make informed decisions, commanders need the maximum possible
battlefield intelligence about the enemy's strengths, movements, positions, habits, dress
and possible intentions. In any future European conflict, a very effective way of getting
that intelligence is by the use of observation posts.
Types of OP:
In conventional war, the work is devided between the infantry, who would set up
this sort of OP, and armoured reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps, whose
Scorpions and Scimitars would provide mobile OPs.
Construction:
This type of OP may take several days to construct and uses large quantities of
sandbags, angle-iron pickets, wire and wriggly tin (corrugated iron). You may be able to
find old doors, or lengths of felled timber (common in German woods) to help with the job.
Excavated soil must be disposed of thoughtfully, either spread on tracks or domped in
streams or manpacked some distance away.
The observer:
His job is to observe his arc and report any enemy activity. In Germany, OPs
would be used to discover the direction of the main thrust of the Russian Operational
Manoeuvre Group seeking to penetrate NATO's defences.
NBC protection:
In a future war, OP members will almost certainly need to wear NBC suits, so the
use of surveillance equippment must be practised in full NBC kit. If the OP is to be
maintained for a number of days, spare suits and gloves will have to be manpacked in.
Protection:
This four-man OP relies upon concealment for its protection. It is completely dug
in, and revetted like a main battle trench, with at least 45cm of overhed cover for
protection against shell splinters.
Kipmat:
This makes life easier as it provides insulation from the cold ground.
Rest bay:
In a four-man OP party, only two sleeping bags are required as two people are
always on duty. They should not be zipped when in use to allow for rapid evacuation. Kit
not in use must be packed away at all times. It is unlikely that the tactical situation
will allow you to cook, and even if you can you must remember that hexamine smells, and
also gives off poisonous fumes which can accumulate dangerously in an enclosed space.
Immersion suits:
Aircrew immercion suits are very useful in OPs. Alternatively, wear your
waterproofs underneath your combat jacket.
Kit layout:
Four Bergens never seem to be enought to carry the required kit. Bergen weights
of more than 40kg are not uncommon. One of the four packs contains communications
equipment; a second carries the food and uncontaminated water. The other two are for
surveillance devices, special eguipment, spare clothes and sleeping bags. All members of
the OP party must be familiar with the contents of all the Bergens in case of emergency or
the absence of a patrol member.
Clothing:
On the patrol into the OP you will sweat excessively. Wear a T-shirt under your
combat gear to prevent suffering from chilling when you stop moving. The same goes for the
work phase when you are setting up the OP: as soon as you stop work and occupy the OP, you
must put on several layers of warm, dry clothing. Once inside the confined space, physical
movement will be kept to a minimum and you will become much colder than normal;
hypothermia may be a problem.
Radio:
Use of radio must be kept to a minimum to forestall enemy eavesdropping and
direction-finding.
Sentry:
He shares with the observer the task of using the wide variety of surveillance
equipment. He also operates the radio, and is responsible for the protection of the OP. He
may also help with the preparation of a detailed sketch map/range card and assist in
keeping the OP log.
Routine in a simple OP:
In a basic OP, there are four positions. The observer and the radio operator/observer maintain the watch, swapping roles every 20 minutes or so to prevent tiredness. The third man sleeps or attends to personal tasks while the fourth, armed with an LSW, acts as rear sentry. The members of the party rotate anti-clockwise through the positions at hourly intervals.
On a given signal, the observer wakes the sleeper and takes the sleepingbag. The sleeper moves onto sentry duty, while the sentry takes over the radio operator/observer's position. The radio operator passes across the headset and moves onto observation. No equipment or weapons are moved in the changeover of personnel.
The eyes of the army; equipped for OP duty:
1. Ghillie suit.
Personal camouflage and
concealment must be excellent.
2. Thermos flask.
3. Poncho.
4. Entrenching tool.
5. Sleeping bag.
Protect it with a Gore-Tex waterproof
bivi-bag, because once wet army issue bags are useless.
6. Bergen.
This needs to be comfortable and of large
capacity.
7. Kipmat.
8. Claymore mines.
Good for providing close-in protection
should your OP be compromised.
9. M79 Grenade Launcher.
If you are attacked the grenade
launcher may help you turn the tables and win the fire-fight.
10. M16 (Armalite) Assault rifle.
A lightweight weapon ideal for OP
work.
11. Camera equipment and lenses.
12. Passive night vision goggles.
For use on the route in as well as on
the OP.
13. Scrim net.
14. Hand-held thermal imager.
Alternative OP layouts:
Star formation:
Layout depends on the size, location and the nature of the cover in which the OP
is located. When digging the OP, be careful not to spill loose earth around the position,
and keep the turves used on the overhead cover in good condition: you may even need to
water them. The star formation is generally concidered the best.
1. Sentry.
2. Observation position.
3. Rest bay.
4. Rest bay (personal admin).
5. Central well holding spare kit.
Pairs:
The pairs layout is good for putting into linear features such as fencelines and boundaries. Observation ports should be kept small, with a face veil or camouflage net draped over the opening. The observation bay is screened from any light source within the OP by a black hessian screen.
1. Rest bay and personal admin.
2. Kit well.
3. Observer and sentry.
Top to tail:
This layout is largely intended for use underneath or within bushes. Again, it is good for use along linear features and it is suitable for all-round observation.
1. Sentry.
2. Rest bay (personal admin).
3. Rest bay.
4. Observer.
