The Platoon Commander would typically take 1 Section to assault while the Platoon Sjt takes 2 Section to provide fire support/suppress the enemy. Knowing they're the only two with radios.
SOP, nothing wrong with that at all.
Other than that they use runners to deliver messages. What that looks like under En contact in the Sinai is a Platoon that lacks cohesion and is unable to take the initiative as the only way it works is by being micromanaged.
Might be a bit of a stretch to claim that micromanaging certain units on a platoon level makes them lack cohesion. Sometimes taking the initiative is situational and there's really no way to tell that is actually happening, my bro. Following orders is the basic principle of the military and it works from the squad level all the way up to division. On the flip side, if the training is inadequate for infantrymen in the Egyptian army, micromanaging might not be a bad thing in this case.
27th paras special ops platoon and even these guys probably could use some managing until they get enough experience, which ain't a bad thing TBH. They're really young guys.
Other than that they use runners to deliver messages.
Despite it being slow and archaic, I'm sure you realize that runners or messengers are the most secure form of coms, especially in areas infiltrated with cretins using all sorts of their own radios and CBs trying to intercept anything from the army.
Some of the amazing stuff they've seized from the vermin, and ironically, a VHT640 Waterproof Marine VHF made by Entel company located in
UK!
Look at all the seized radios the cretins are using!
Maybe, just maybe the way they're operating their coms is actually working and it's easy to lose the balanced perspective, while at the same time, not realize some other major difficulties that create the need to operate their system of coms the way they have; aside from the enemy's certain capabilities of intercepting, there is a huge jamming process happening at the same time. One that not only has blacked out major areas of Sinai, it's gone all the way through gaza, southern Israel up to parts of Jerusalem. Must keep these things in mind.
That's why you see Officers rather than Riflemen leading patrols in Egypt from any combat footage.
I honestly don't see anything wrong with that. Strong leadership -- even at the squad level -- is imperative and if it's done differently than what the UK or France does, so what, ma bro.
In our Sections in the UK each Rifleman had a Personal Role Radio (500m range unencrypted) and the Section IC and 2IC both had Bowman (long range encrypted). So there is coms within the section and to the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sgt.
Can't rely on military spokesman to show any details of coms in any of the presented combat footage.
So unlike the UK or France where a Platoon Commander would insert into a Platoon full of Pvts and Corporals with at least one tour their Egyptian counterpart knows he knows best.
While that might be true in some cases, the problem with describing it in that manner is that it casts a general shadow over the entire armed forces and that might be a little bit unfair and too generalized.
It doesn't help that being an Officer in Egypt in itself is a sign of prestige in a pretty classist society, thus a stereotype exists for a reason. The designer sunglasses wearing Officer who wants to be the centre of attention, go through this thread and you will see plenty. This sort of Officer wants everything in the Platoon to rely and depend on him so he remains the bearer of knowledge. He wants to be the most powerful man there.
Very generalized and ultra presumptive, Froggy. This issue does exist for sure, but you just can't blanket statement it like that. Also keep in mind, grunts are grunts. This is everywhere, even in the mighty US Army.
BTW, going back to your comment that JTACS doesn't exist is crazy, ma man. All the combined exercise with the US all used JTACS, calling in F-16 bombing runs and going way back using the Mirages. Just last year's BS was heavily CAS using relayed pinpoint coordinates live fire. All the recon flights with Beechcraft and E2-Cs and such are happening for a reason. If in these Sinai ops they're using general vicinity coordinates to helos and aircraft, then it's a command structure issue with the way they're dealing with this fight, but doesn't suggest that it doesn't exist.
This is going back 8-9 years.
Also, all the footage of precision strikes on the Libyan border and elsewhere with F-16s and Wingloongs and AT-802s are all part of a functioning JTACS system, albeit on a larger scale.
Do you see the troops qualified both tactically
and technically to give some to corporals or
should there be a grouped buy of Bowmans & Sgts?
Sgts? I think Frogman was referring to 'sergeants' with the Sgt abbreviation, mon bon amis.
Because if each section has a long-range radio
it becomes possible to occupy more terrain and
in that vast expanse of the Sinaï, it could help!
They're not short of coms radios on any capacity, Tay. Just because we haven't seen what we think is conventional in some of the combat footage released isn't 100% indicative. And they're not using British-made Bowmans and will probably never use them. One of my favorite pics dates back to 1973 and Egyptian radio operators were a huge part of the war. Sorry couldn't find a bigger pic.
And BTW, they don't need to "occupy more terrain." This all Egyptian land so the military ops are completely different than expeditionary ones in a foreign land. Some might get the impression this is like what's going on in Syria when it's not even remotely close. This is an important factor to consider with how they're dealing with coms and specifically the non-conventional enemy which is entrenched in very different sections of Sinai, from villages to cities to farmlands to desert areas. The area is entirely local, right? Also, the Egyptian army has close to 4500 HUMVEEs, not to mention the slew of other military vehicles and a certain portion of those Hummers are equipped with all sorts of radios and coms and are trailing many of these units. In other words, this is hardly a lacking issue whatsoever, just to be clear.
And what I'm concerned with is that with all this criticism -- which is fine as long as it's constructive and applicable -- is that we don't lose sight of the positives. The fact is that they've done an outstanding job so far and the decrease in activity is very appreciable. While it's easy to pick apart their faults and the failures, the fact is their successes far outweigh any failures and that they've taken out quite a few of these terrorist elements and have seized massive amounts of contraband and weapons and equipment and have exterminated a good chunk of the roaches. So a balanced view is absolutely necessary.
