In past many years it has been observed that Task Forces (TF's) are created temporarily by combining forces from different arms to complete a certain operation and then this TF is disbanded and forces are re-attached to their parent arms and formations. The combination can be small contingents of certain arms like Infantry, armor, aviation, artillery etc even upto platoon level sometimes. The effectiveness of these TF's comes from the fact by combining different specialised arms using different weapons under one umbrella, joining their training and experience brings out best results, which cannot be achieved by using just one type of force.
Pakistan Army has Regular Divisional formations such as Infantry, Armor, Mechanised, Artillery, Air Defence as well as Special Forces. The battalion level which is the organic formation, formulates just one type of formation. Infantry Battalions, Armor Regiments, Artillery Regiments, Air Defence Regiments etc all contain just one type of force.
A new concept can be envisioned which puts Company level, platoon level, troop level etc formation of different arms under one Battalion which can then be classified as combined Arms battalion instead of a single type of an infantry battalion, an armor regiment etc. This helps in creating a force which is:
1. Readily available to be put into action straightaway instead of acquiring resources from different formations, saving delays in conducting Ops.
2. Experienced in working efficiently together due to peacetime deployment as a single organic formation.
3. Combat trained to work at smallest level (section/platoon/company) which gives flexibility to conduct small or large scale Ops.
4. An Independent force which is not reliant on any other formation for support.
An example of such Combined Arms Battalion or "CAB":
a. Armoured Troop (4 MBT)
b. Mechanised Infantry Company (8-10 Tracked APC)
c. Motorised Infantry Company (4x4 IFV)
d. Specialised Weapons Company (4 ATGM carriers + 4 Mortar carriers)
e. Light Commando Platoon (SF)
f. Recon Platoon (4-6 Wheeled IFV)
Combined Arms Brigade could be:
3 X CAB's and one each Artillery Regiment + Air Defence Regiment + Aviation Det.
a. Artillery Regiment (18 SP Howitzers)
b. Air Defence Regiment (18 SAM launchers)
c. Aviation Detachment ( 4 Gunship + 4 Transport helis + 4 UAV/UCAV's)
This Brigade would have :
12 MBT,
24-30 APC,
12 ATGM Carriers,
12 Mortar Carriers,
12-18 Wheeled IFV,
18 SP howitzers,
18 SAM's
and many 4x4 IFV's in one Brigade as well as
4 Gunships
4 transport Helis
4 UAV/UCAV's
This Brigade level force has all the major fighting and support arms as well as aviation assets which when used in conjunction can cause a major blow to a much larger force using different weapons and platforms as well as different tactics used by such arms including Special Forces, which can use helis or 4x4 transports for insertion, and also lead the way for the rest of the force. The Gunships give added firepower and UAV/UCAV's complement the attack and recon capability of the formation.
And finally a Combined Arms Divisional Level formation for administration purposes could be:
3 X Combined Arms Brigades + Engineers, Signals, EME, Supply and Transport elements.
The Division would have a total of:
36 MBT
72-90 APC
36 ATGM Carriers,
36 Mortar Carriers,
36-54 Wheeled IFV,
36 SP howitzers,
36 SAM's
and many 4x4 IFV's
12 Gunships
12 transport Helis.
12 UAV/UCAV's
In case of Pakistan Army, such a formation can be used primarily in COIN Ops (Replace IFV, 4x4 with MRAP's) against heavily entrenched terrorist and insurgents. The role can be expanded as delaying force to counter a much bigger attacking enemy force and also as a counter attacking force with major fire power which can operate independently using all the fighting and supporting arms of the Army.
