Reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition

As part of its modernization and reorganization plan, the US Army has transitioned to the use of a modular brigade combat team (BCT) scheme. For each of its three main types of BCTs, whether an infantry brigade combat team (IBCT), armored brigade combat team (ABCT), or Stryker brigade combat team (SBCT), there is a reconnaissance squadron which is tasked with performing reconnaissance and security missions for the BCT. Related to these units were reconnaissance and surveillance squadrons, which operated as part of battlefield surveillance brigades; however since 2015 all BfSBs have been converted into expeditionary military intelligence brigades or inactivated. The primary task of the RSTA squadron is to carry out reconnaissance and security missions for its parent BCT or for higher commands, whether as part of offensive or defensive operations. Reconnaissance missions can include area, route, zone, and reconnaissance-in-force. Security missions can include screening (whether stationary or mobile), guard, cover, area security and local security. When necessary, the squadron can be augmented with additional forces to help in carrying out its missions. • The headquarters troop includes a command group, the troop headquarters section, the squadron primary staff, a medical platoon, an attached fire support cell, and a tactical air control party. • Each cavalry troop consists of a headquarters section, two scout platoons, and a mortar section. The headquarters section includes the troop commander, executive officer, first sergeant, unit supply, and attached fire support team and combat medics. Each scout platoon consists of three M3 Bradley vehicles (each carrying two scouts) and five HMMWVs equipped with long-range multisensor systems, with plans to transition each troop to have six M3 vehicles. The mortar section has two 120-mm mortars and a fire direction center. • Each mounted cavalry troop consists of a headquarters section, three scout platoons and a mortar section. The headquarters section includes the troop commander, executive officer, first sergeant, unit supply, and attached fire support team and combat medics. Each scout platoon has two HMMWVs, each with a crew of three of which one is available for dismounted scouting. The scout platoons are equipped with six M220 TOW-2 anti-armor systems firing the BGM-71 TOW missile backed up by FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles; four of the six HMMWVs are also equipped with the Long-Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System. The mortar section consists of two HMMWV-towed 120mm mortars and a fire direction center. However the mix of mounted and dismounted troops creates a mismatch in maneuvering ability in which the RSTA squadron's dismounted reconnaissance troop was reflagged as a Multifunctional Reconnaissance Company (MFRC). In comparison to the DRT, the MFRC has fewer snipers but more UAS and cUAS assets, as well as an organic air-defense capability in the form of a Stinger team. • Each cavalry troop consists of a headquarters section, two scout platoons and a mortar section. The headquarters section includes the troop commander, executive officer, first sergeant, unit supply, and attached fire support team and combat medics. Each scout platoon has four Stryker RVs (with plans to transition to six Stryker RVs) and four FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles. The mortar section consists of two Stryker MCVs and a fire direction center. Cavalry Leader's Course, sniper school, Ranger school, pathfinder school, and in applicable IBCTs, air assault school and airborne school. ==RSTA units in the United States Army==

Active Component RSTA Cavalry Units • 1st Cavalry • 1-1st Cavalry, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss • 2–1st Cavalry, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson • 5–1st Cavalry, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, Fort Wainwright • 6–1st Cavalry, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss • 8–1st Cavalry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis • 2nd Cavalry • 4–2nd Cavalry, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany • 3rd Cavalry Regiment • 4-3rd Cavalry, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas • 4th Cavalry • 1–4th Cavalry, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley • 3–4th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii • 5–4th Cavalry, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley • 7th Cavalry • 1–7th Cavalry, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood • 3–7th Cavalry, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart • 4–7th Cavalry, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea (Rotational ABCTs, now take over the role of 4-7 every 9 months. It only exists on paper) • 5–7th Cavalry, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart • 8th Cavalry • 6–8th Cavalry, 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart • 9th Cavalry • 4–9th Cavalry, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood • 6–9th Cavalry, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood • 10th Cavalry • 4–10th Cavalry, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson • 13th Cavalry • 1–13th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss • 2-13th Cavalry, 4th Arnored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss • 14th Cavalry • 1–14th Cavalry, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis • 2–14th Cavalry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks • 32nd Cavalry • 1–32nd Cavalry, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky • 33rd Cavalry • 1–33rd Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky • 40th Cavalry • 1–40th Cavalry, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska • 61st Cavalry • 1–61st Cavalry, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky • 3–61st Cavalry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado • 71st Cavalry • 1–71st Cavalry, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York • 3–71st Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York • 73rd Cavalry • 1–73rd Cavalry, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina • 3–73rd Cavalry, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina • 5–73rd Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina • 75th Cavalry • 1–75th Cavalry, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky (Created out of 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment) • 89th Cavalry • 1–89th Cavalry, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York • 3–89th Cavalry, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, Louisiana • 91st Cavalry • 1–91st Cavalry, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Grafenwoehr, Germany Army National Guard RSTA Cavalry Units • 18th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry (RSTA), 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, California Army National Guard • 82nd Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry (RSTA), 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard • 94th Cavalry Regiment • 1st Squadron, 94th Cavalry (RSTA), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard • 101st Cavalry • 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (RSTA), 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New York Army National Guard • 102nd Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 102nd Cavalry (RSTA), 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 42nd Infantry Division New Jersey Army National Guard (formerly 2nd Battalion, 102nd Armor) • 104th Cavalry • 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry (RSTA), 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard • 105th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry (RSTA), 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin Army National Guard formerly 2–128th Infantry (2001–2007) and 632nd Armor (1963–2001) • 106th Cavalry • 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry (RSTA), 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Illinois Army National Guard • 107th Cavalry • 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry (RSTA), 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Ohio Army National Guard • 108th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry (RSTA), 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard (formerly 1–108th Armor) • 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry (RSTA), 256th Infantry Brigade, Louisiana Army National Guard (formerly 1-156th AR) headquartered in Shreveport • 3rd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Reconnaissance & Surveillance (R&S), 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Georgia Army National Guard (reflagged as 3-121st Infantry with the disbanding of the 560th BSB) • 112th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 112th Cavalry (RSTA), 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard • 113th Cavalry Regiment • 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry (RSTA), 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard • 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team • 2nd Squadron, 116th Cavalry, 116th Cavalry (Heavy) Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Idaho Army National Guard • 124th Cavalry "MARS MEN" • 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry (RSTA), 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Waco, TX "Out Front" (not to be confused with 1–124th Inf, FLARNG) • 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry (R&S), 71st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Wylie, TX (formerly 1–112th Armor Regiment, 36th Infantry Division) unit was deactivated 8 July 2017. • 126th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 126th Cavalry (RSTA), 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 38th Infantry Division, Wyoming, MI "HUNTERS" • 134th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry (R&S), 67th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Nebraska Army National Guard • 150th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry (RSTA), 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, West Virginia Army National Guard • 151st Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 151st Cavalry, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Arkansas National Guard (previously 3–153rd infantry) • 152nd Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 152nd Cavalry (RSTA), 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Indiana Army National Guard (previously 1–151 Inf) • 2nd Squadron, 152nd Cavalry (R&S), 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Indiana Army National Guard • 153d Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 153rd Cavalry, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Florida Army National Guard (previously 3–124th Infantry) • The dismounted reconnaissance troop of 1-153 CAV is Troop C, (formerly A Co. 3/124th Infantry). • 158th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 158th Cavalry (R&S), 58th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Maryland Army National Guard. (formerly 1-158th Cavalry (RSTA), 58th Brigade Combat Team, 29th Infantry Division); unit was inactivated on 7 November 2015. • 167th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry, 34th Infantry Division, Nebraska Army National Guard. 1-167th Cavalry was reorganized into the 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry (R&S) in 2008. • 172nd Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry (RSTA), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont Army National Guard. • 182nd Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 182nd Cavalry (RSTA), 26th Infantry Division, Massachusetts Army National Guard; 26th subsequently inactivated, lineage perpetuated by the 26th BCT, 29th Infantry Division, later 26th BCT, 42nd Infantry Division, then reorganized and redesignated as the 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, consisting of a mix of support units. • 183rd Cavalry • 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry (RSTA), 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard (formerly 3rd Battalion, 111th ADA) • 263rd Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 263rd Cavalry (RSTA), 218th Brigade Combat Team (M) South Carolina Army National Guard (Brigade reorganized as the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, a mix of engineer, military police and chemical units.) • 278th Cavalry • 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Tennessee Army National Guard • 299th Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry Regiment, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Hawaii Army National Guard (formerly the 2nd Battalion, 299th Infantry Regiment) • 303rd Cavalry • 1st Squadron, 303rd Cavalry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Washington Army National Guard (formerly Troop E, 303rd Cavalry Regiment) ==RSTA as a doctrine==

According to JP 3-55, RSTA operations are concerned not only with the collection of military intelligence, but ensuring that it is accurate, relevant, and distributed in a timely manner to the appropriate user. This includes maintaining operational security (OPSEC) so that critical information cannot be exploited by an opposing force. Likewise, RSTA can play a role in operational deception (OPDEC) operations to confuse opposing forces. Across the strategic, operational and tactical level, RSTA operations fall within three areas: Indications and warnings Indications and warnings (I&W) are "intelligence activities intended to detect and report time-sensitive intelligence information on foreign developments that could involve a threat to the United States or allied and/or coalition military, political, or economic interests or to US citizens abroad." On a strategic and operational level, RSTA operations may provide continuous surveillance or as-required reconnaissance, in order to provide warnings of impending threats or attacks, as well as to monitor compliance with international agreements. Planning and employment Strategically, RSTA planning and employment operations are used to support the planning of military operations, by monitoring foreign nations' centers of warmaking capability, and providing information on enemy system capabilities, locations, and installations for the National Target Base and other target lists. This information is used to assist in formulation of the U.S. military's Single Integrated Operational Plan, Limited Attack Option plan, Unified Command Plan, and Joint Strategic Capabilities Plans. Operationally, RSTA operations are similar to both the strategic and tactical levels, in that they provide commanders with data on areas such as environment, organization, infrastructure, and enemy forces to assist in planning theater wide operations. Tactically, RSTA operations provide detailed information about enemy orders of battle, movement plans, offensive and defensive capabilities, terrain, and enemy disposition. RSTA units provide target detection and acquisition ( and in some cases, elimination), and real-time intelligence and surveillance. Assessment At all three levels of command, RSTA units provide combat assessment before, during and after military operations. This includes tasks such as bomb damage assessment or determining if an OPDEC mission has succeeded. RSTA assessment can help to decide if a military operation was successful in achieving its objectives, whether additional resources need to be directed to complete the objectives or if they can be redirected to another operation. ==See also==