Podcast Discussion: Joint Military Operations in Gaza
In a recent episode of the Modern War Institute (MWI) Podcast, hosts Liam Collins and John Spencer, both retired US Army officers with extensive combat experience and a focus on urban warfare and military operations, delved into the likely shape of the upcoming Israeli combined arms approach to the battle in Gaza.
Collins, the founding director of a specific website, and Spencer, MWI's chair of urban warfare studies, discussed how a combined arms approach to urban warfare significantly impacts the battle's outcome. This strategy integrates multiple military capabilities to complement each other in the complex urban terrain, enhancing maneuverability and effectiveness.
Using armor, such as tanks and armored fighting vehicles, alongside infantry and engineers allows forces to effectively breach enemy positions and reduce strongpoints. For instance, coordinating between different armored vehicles where one draws enemy fire while the other exploits mobility to strike or create breaches, helps infantry advance safely through urban environments.
Effective urban combat requires doctrine that supports combined arms integration, deliberate training for mounted urban operations, and cohesive command and control. This ensures tanks, infantry, engineers, and other units operate in concert rather than as isolated elements.
Modern urban warfare with combined arms tends to favor the attacker, as truncated sight lines and terrain complexity enable attackers to approach defenses closely, utilizing explosives and integrated units to neutralize defenders more efficiently.
Improved communication and interoperability are crucial, particularly in a battle involving diverse forces, including multinational or joint force elements. Efforts to ensure interoperability and effective communication enable rapid adjustments on the ground and unified tactical execution.
Modern combined arms operations incorporate unmanned systems, improved communications, and multi-domain synergy to extend the range and effectiveness of forces while maintaining manageable command spans.
The battle is expected to involve a combined arms approach, utilizing tanks, infantry, artillery, and engineers. Artillery fire must be executed in close coordination with maneuvering ground forces in densely packed urban terrain. Engineers will be needed to clear obstacles, establish defensive positions, and provide breaching capability in the urban battlefield.
Tanks offer mobile, protected firepower and are essential, but must be accompanied by infantry for security against antitank weapons. Liam Collins and John Spencer emphasized the importance of infantry in protecting tanks and providing the necessary ground presence.
The full episode discussing the Israeli combined arms approach to the battle in Gaza is available on various podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, and your favorite podcast app. To support the MWI Podcast, listeners are encouraged to subscribe, give it a rating, or leave a review. The image credit for the podcast is the Israel Defense Forces.
Collins and Spencer have co-authored a book titled "Understanding Urban Warfare," and both have studied urban warfare and military operations around the world. The podcast is produced by the Modern War Institute (MWI).
In the discussion on the Modern War Institute Podcast, Collins and Spencer, focus on the significant impact of a combined arms approach in urban warfare. This approach integrates various military capabilities like tanks, infantry, engineers, and artillery to complement each other in complex urban terrain. Effective communication and interoperability among diverse forces, including multinational or joint force elements, are essential for unified tactical execution. The battle in Gaza is expected to involve a combined arms approach, with infantry providing security for tanks against antitank weapons. Collins and Spencer, both experts in urban warfare and military operations, have co-authored a book titled "Understanding Urban Warfare."
