3 Commando Brigade

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====== Operational Terminology ======



^Term  ^Definition  |
|Advance  |Offensive operation designed to gain or re-establish with the enemy|
|Assault  |Climax of an attack|
|Attack  |Employment of firepower and manoeuvre to close and destroy or capture enemy|
|Block  |Deny enemy access to a given area or to prevent advance in a given area|
|Breach  |Create a lane through a minefield or clear a route through a barrier or fortification|
|Bypass  |Manoeuvre around an obstacle, position or enemy force|
|Capture |To gain position or terrain|
|Clear |To clear terrain of enemy direct fire and keep clear until handed over to another unit/formation|
|Coerce |To persuade or restrain by force or the threat of force|
|Contain |Stop, hold or surround enemy forces|
|Counter |Attack Attack by part or all of a defending force regaining ground lost or cutting off or destroying enemy advance units|
|Deceive |Mislead the enemy by manipulation, distortion or falsification|
|Defeat |To diminish the effectiveness of the enemy|
|Defend |To defeat or deter a threat to provide circumstances for an offensive action|
|Degrade |Reduce by an appreciable amount|
|Delay |Operation in which a force under pressure trades space for time|
|Deliver |To set free|
|Demonstrate |Attack or show force on a front where a decision is not sought|
|Deny |To prevent access through direct or indirect action|
|Deploy |Move forces within areas of operation|
|Destabilise |Render unstable|
|Destroy |To kill or so damage an enemy force that it is rendered useless|
|Detain |Capture and hold a person temporarily including the right to search|
|Deter |Dissuade through action or the threat of action|
|Develop |To advance capability and competence|
|Disengage |Break of engagement in preparation for eventual withdrawal|
|Dislocate |To deny the ability to deny strength|
|Disrupt |To interrupt and cause disorder to an organisation and tempo|
|Empower |Promote confidence or authority in|
|Enable |Provide the means or authority to make possible|
|Envelop |Pass around or over the enemy’s principle defensive positions|
|Escort |Accompany and protect|
|Exploit |Take full advantage of success in battle and follow up initial gain|
|Extract |Recover reconnaissance, stay-behind or encircled forces|
|Feint |Distract the enemy through seeking contact but avoiding decisive engagement by the bulk of own forces|
|Find |Find, locate and identify assets|
|Fix |To deny the enemy his goals, to distract him and thus deprive him of freedom of action|
|Guard |To protect a force by fighting to gain time, while also observing and reporting information|
|Hand-Over |Pass responsibility for the conduct of combat|
|Harass |Fire designed to disturb the rest of enemy troops, to curtail movements and, by threat of losses lower morale|
|Hold |To maintain or retain possession of force, of a position or area|
|Identify |Determine by any act or means the friendly or hostile nature of a detected person, object or phenomenon|
|Infiltrate |Move as individuals or small groups over, through or around enemy positions without detection|
|Influence |To persuade – usually covertly|
|Inform |Tell|
|Intercept |Search for and listen to and/or record communications and/or electronic transmission|
|Interdict |Divert, disrupt, delay or destroy the enemy’s military potential before it can be used effectively against friendly forces|
|Isolate |To seal off and deny freedom of movement and/or isolation|
|Liaise |Maintain contact or intercommunications between elements of military forces|
|Link-up |Establishment of contact between 2 or more friendly units or formations|
|Maintain |Take supply and repair action to keep a force in condition to carry out a mission|
|Manipulate |Manage to advantage (person or situation)|
|Manoeuvre |Employ forces on the battlefield (using) movement in combination with fire or fire potential to achieve a position of advantage in respect to the enemy|
|Mask |Fire to obscure enemy observation|
|Mentor |Develop capacity through example and/or advice through planning and preparation, execution and lessons captured/AAR phases|
|Neutralise |To render ineffective or unusable|
|Occupy |Move into and proper organisation of an area to be used as a battle position|
|Organise |Give orderly structure to|
|Overthrow |Remove forcibly from power|
|Passage of lines |Move forward or rearward through another force’s combat positions|
|Permit |Give permission or consent|
|Persuade |Convince|
|Prevent |Monitor/ID causes of conflict and act to prevent occurrence, escalation or resumption of hostiles|
|Protect |Keep safe|
|Pursue |Catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to escape, with the aim of destroying it|
|Reassure |Restore confidence of dispel fear|
|Reconstitute |Expand the force structures and the infra-structure beyond existing levels|
|Reduce |Make smaller/less|
|Rehabilitate |Process during which units recondition equipment and are rested, furnished special facilities, filled up with replacements issued replacements supplies and equipment, given training|
|Reinforce |Supplement in place forces|
|Relieve |Replace all or part of a unit in an area|
|Re-supply |Maintain required levels of supply|
|Retire |To move away from the enemy when out of contact|
|Screen |Observe, identify and report|
|Secure |To gain possession of by direct or indirect means and to seek to retain|
|Seize |To gain possession of through direct or indirect action|
|Stabilise |Make stable|
|Strike |Inflict damage on, seize or destroy an objective|
|Support |Encourage and help|
|Suppress |Fire to inhibit the enemy’s ability to acquire and attack friendly targets|
|Sustain |Maintain the necessary levels of combat power|
|Target |To make the object of an operation|
|Undermine |Weaken covertly|
|Withdraw |Disengage from the enemy when in contact with the enemy|