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A Vision of a New Combined Arms Philosophy & Doctrine

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Overplanning is a disease that develops during peacetime. In real war situations, it is often the split second decisions that are critical. Military books explain how an army that is too rigid and cautious will get a lot of casualties but few friendly fire incidents. While an army that is more flexible and intuitive in its decision making, and willing to take risks will tend to get more friendly fire incidents.

The best approach is to balance both. In Gulf War 1, the US used flexibility and initiative to allow lower echelons the ability to do their thing, this resulted in a lot of friendly fire incidents, but the success of the army was far greater.

In contrast, you see the Turkish army in Syria has zero friendly fire incidents but tons of casualties of own forces. They are the extreme of overcaution and over planning with little initiative shown by local military commanders.
 
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A week has passed since the 1 month war of January 2025. Front lines have stabilized but random artillery duels still sometimes continue. A ceasefire had been called on February 10th. The world community is building tremendous pressure on Pakistan for returning to the original international borders but PM Imran Khan's position was stoic, Pakistan would return Indian territory if Kashmir is given.

India on its part promised a plebiscite but only after Pakistan returns her ill-gotten territory. Pakistan wants the plebiscite first. The West and Russia are moving military resupply to India and China is doing the same for Pakistan. The PLA is still at the border and India is acutely aware that a pincer from both would easily now cut off Kashmir.

A large number of Indian refugees are streaming in to India. There are 100,000 refugees from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. 100,000 more is expected. Pakistan is helping the refugees with a green bus service from various captured towns and cities to the Indian border. This is straining the Indian state.

India meanwhile is attempting to organize its paramilitary forces such as the BSF into units capable of taking on Pakistan. They are hoping to organize at least five new infantry divisions. Pakistan, having started this game 5 years ago, now has 250,000 conscript soldiers. Its paramilitary forces had already been upgraded to army standards during the war against TTP back in 2010.

While all the conscript forces had not been called up due to the sudden nature of the January war, as the full conscription mechanism came into play, these 250,000 soldiers now constitute a theoretical capacity for 25 new divisions.

Pulling all stops of calling in retired military and reorganizing all paramilitary forces, Pakistan was able to call upon:

1. 110,00 FC
2. 40,000 Rangers
3. 50,000 Retired personnel from paramilitary .
4. 100,000 Retired personnel from army

This constituted a total of 300,000 soldiers and an equivalent of 30 divisions.
These were armed with trainloads of Chinese gear sent as relief through the Karakhorum Highway.

These new divisions are serial number from the 100th mark starting with 101st Division and the Corps are marked from 90th.

With a theoretical possibility of 55 new divisions, Pakistan is only able to create a degraded infantry division of about 25 new divisions due to lack of equipment. Captured enemy equipment during the successful blitz through Thar allows Pakistan to equip about 10 more degraded infantry division equivalents.

The rest of the 20 division equivalent are organized into reserve infantry divisions to hold rear areas with relatively light weapons.

Pakistan Army now has 26 professional divisions, 35 additional tier 2 divisions and 20 reserve divisions. The army is too big to organize into Corps alone so Army Groups have been created, each Army Group being composed of three Corps units.

Thus the field-able army is 61 divisions to 81 divisions, or 7 to 9 Army Groups.

new map 2.png


Both sides of the border are now in a long gridlock. There is little to no space to maneuver with these WWII sized armies. However, one negative change for the Indians is that their force concentration in Kashmir has been significantly thinned out, with both paramilitary forces and regular troops being pulled back to defend the flanks in the Jammu - Chandigarh axis.

At dawn on the 11th of February, 2025, Azad Kashmiris rise up and, alongside the Pakistan Army attack India in numbers never seen before. Meanwhile, from within the Valley of Kashmir, Kashmiris rise up with large sections of the population coming out in support of freedom.

War resumes across the entire border, but Pakistani forces in newly conquered territory find that the Indians have provided them with a wonderful network of railway lines, canals and DCBs. Using this massive spine, Pakistani forces are largely able to stave off any Indian attempt to retake territory while the hordes of Azad Kashmiris alongside the Pakistan army swarm the Kashmir front like ants, racing to their brethren.

As Indian XV Corps and XVI Corps find an insurmountable enemy and their rear being threatened by the Kashmiri uprising, the Indian Army begins a general retreat, starting with the XIV Corps. In an orderly manner, they pull out from Kashmir, while holding on to Jammu.

Freedom has finally arrived in the Vale of Kashmir, paradise on Earth.
new map 3.png
 
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Armchair said:
A week has passed since the 1 month war of January 2025. Front lines have stabilized but random artillery duels still sometimes continue. A ceasefire had been called on February 10th. The world community is building tremendous pressure on Pakistan for returning to the original international borders but PM Imran Khan's position was stoic, Pakistan would return Indian territory if Kashmir is given.

India on its part promised a plebiscite but only after Pakistan returns her ill-gotten territory. Pakistan wants the plebiscite first. The West and Russia are moving military resupply to India and China is doing the same for Pakistan. The PLA is still at the border and India is acutely aware that a pincer from both would easily now cut off Kashmir.

A large number of Indian refugees are streaming in to India. There are 100,000 refugees from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. 100,000 more is expected. Pakistan is helping the refugees with a green bus service from various captured towns and cities to the Indian border. This is straining the Indian state.

India meanwhile is attempting to organize its paramilitary forces such as the BSF into units capable of taking on Pakistan. They are hoping to organize at least five new infantry divisions. Pakistan, having started this game 5 years ago, now has 250,000 conscript soldiers. Its paramilitary forces had already been upgraded to army standards during the war against TTP back in 2010.

While all the conscript forces had not been called up due to the sudden nature of the January war, as the full conscription mechanism came into play, these 250,000 soldiers now constitute a theoretical capacity for 25 new divisions.

Pulling all stops of calling in retired military and reorganizing all paramilitary forces, Pakistan was able to call upon:

1. 110,00 FC
2. 40,000 Rangers
3. 50,000 Retired personnel from paramilitary .
4. 100,000 Retired personnel from army

This constituted a total of 300,000 soldiers and an equivalent of 30 divisions.
These were armed with trainloads of Chinese gear sent as relief through the Karakhorum Highway.

These new divisions are serial number from the 100th mark starting with 101st Division and the Corps are marked from 90th.

With a theoretical possibility of 55 new divisions, Pakistan is only able to create a degraded infantry division of about 25 new divisions due to lack of equipment. Captured enemy equipment during the successful blitz through Thar allows Pakistan to equip about 10 more degraded infantry division equivalents.

The rest of the 20 division equivalent are organized into reserve infantry divisions to hold rear areas with relatively light weapons.

Pakistan Army now has 26 professional divisions, 35 additional tier 2 divisions and 20 reserve divisions. The army is too big to organize into Corps alone so Army Groups have been created, each Army Group being composed of three Corps units.

Thus the field-able army is 61 divisions to 81 divisions, or 7 to 9 Army Groups.

View attachment 625411

Both sides of the border are now in a long gridlock. There is little to no space to maneuver with these WWII sized armies. However, one negative change for the Indians is that their force concentration in Kashmir has been significantly thinned out, with both paramilitary forces and regular troops being pulled back to defend the flanks in the Jammu - Chandigarh axis.

At dawn on the 11th of February, 2025, Azad Kashmiris rise up and, alongside the Pakistan Army attack India in numbers never seen before. Meanwhile, from within the Valley of Kashmir, Kashmiris rise up with large sections of the population coming out in support of freedom.

War resumes across the entire border, but Pakistani forces in newly conquered territory find that the Indians have provided them with a wonderful network of railway lines, canals and DCBs. Using this massive spine, Pakistani forces are largely able to stave off any Indian attempt to retake territory while the hordes of Azad Kashmiris alongside the Pakistan army swarm the Kashmir front like ants, racing to their brethren.

As Indian XV Corps and XVI Corps find an insurmountable enemy and their rear being threatened by the Kashmiri uprising, the Indian Army begins a general retreat, starting with the XIV Corps. In an orderly manner, they pull out from Kashmir, while holding on to Jammu.

Freedom has finally arrived in the Vale of Kashmir, paradise on Earth. View attachment 625418
Click to expand...

Better hold those horses buddy. You're going way too fast into unchartered territory. You were told by Panzerkiel to go study the terrain and see what approach will be best for you, how will you manage your force and old joe also pointed to give your formations strategic level and divisional level objectives. Also, take into account any strong response from IA. let's see only the area of Sindh/ Rajistan. You have your wish and Pak has the following ORBAT as per your new combined arms philosophy (This is taken from @Gryphon , Your addition are shown in Red):
5 Corps (HQ Karachi):
  • 16 Infantry Division - Pano Aqil
  • 18 Infantry Division - Hyderabad
  • 21 Artillery Division - Pano Aqil
  • Corps Artillery Brigade
Reserve 5 Corps:
  • HQ 25 Mechanized Division - Malir (commands 2 IABG - Malir, 12 IABG - Malir and 330 IABG - Malir)
  • 31 Independent Infantry Brigade Group - Karachi

Army Air Defence Command (HQ Rawalpindi; Corps-equivalent):
  • 4 AD Division - Malir
Marine Command (HQ Karachi; Corps-equivalent):
  • I Marine Division - Malir
  • I Airborne Brigade - Malir
Facing you is the IA Soutern Command with ORBAT
outhern Command, Pune, Maharashtra
XII Corps, headquartered at Jodhpur, Rajasthan
  • 4th Armoured Brigade
  • 340th Mechanised Brigade
  • 11th Infantry Division headquartered at Ahmedabad
  • 12th RAPID headquartered at Jodhpur
  • U/I Artillery BDE
XXI Corps, headquartered at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

So now, How will you move your forces and what will be asix of attack? What will be IA's response. To further illustrate my point, look at post #208 from @Signalian in the thread https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/retaking-kashmir-after-70-years.603628/page-14. See if you can make something even remotely close. See the google maps and try to see what can be the objective of your forces and the enemy's. No one is expecting you to reach the same level but let's see what you come up with.
 
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Armchair said:
Zoomed image for you @PanzerKiel : )View attachment 625047
Click to expand...

floating bridge ---.jpg


Har Ghari Tayyar kamran hain hum
Jesay hon halaat shadman hain hum
Apne Mulk-o-Qaum ke Nigehban hain hum
Pakistani Fauj ke jawan hain hum
Har tarah ke marhalay uboor karain gai
Dushmanon ko zair hum zaroor karain gai
Madr-e-watan ko misl-e-noor karain gai
Jazba-e-Jehad se mamoor karain gai
Apne mulk-o-qaum ke nigehban hain hum
Pakistani Fauj ke jawan hain hum

 
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Blacklight said:
View attachment 625601

Har Ghari Tayyar kamran hain hum
Jesay hon halaat shadman hain hum
Apne Mulk-o-Qaum ke Nigehban hain hum
Pakistani Fauj ke jawan hain hum
Har tarah ke marhalay uboor karain gai
Dushmanon ko zair hum zaroor karain gai
Madr-e-watan ko misl-e-noor karain gai
Jazba-e-Jehad se mamoor karain gai
Apne mulk-o-qaum ke nigehban hain hum
Pakistani Fauj ke jawan hain hum
Click to expand...
One of favourites of the 70s. PTV used to advertise this tirana regularly for a massive recruitment drive for PA ,initiated by the PM ZA Bhutto. The original version is below.
 
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Blacklight said:
Yes it will, it will show you that despite your instance on regurgitating your rhetoric, which no one buys except your ilk, that no one cares on this particular platform. Since this is exactly where you are trying perch yourself on a mantle. :lol:

As to a world wide poll, I have been lucky enough to travel to nearly every corner of the globe, and no one except your ilk talks about you in favorable terms, and modi/rss have done exponential wonders for your image!:enjoy:
Click to expand...
cant agree more.
late gen hameed gul said
modi is a good news for us
 
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PanzerKiel said:
Of course, thats my point, they are made available after a specific time, therefore initial plans cannot be implemented by them.
Click to expand...
To not deprive 5-Corps any of its formations and let the Corps move ahead with in its AOR as per its Exs and planning for war time. The 33rd Div Bde and Marines are operating south of it.
 
. . . .
I think what @PanzerKiel means is that the forces in Quetta are critically important for defending Pakistan between Nawabshah to Rahimyar Khan. There are few major formations south.
 
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Xlvee01 said:
Better hold those horses buddy. You're going way too fast into unchartered territory. You were told by Panzerkiel to go study the terrain and see what approach will be best for you, how will you manage your force and old joe also pointed to give your formations strategic level and divisional level objectives. Also, take into account any strong response from IA. let's see only the area of Sindh/ Rajistan. You have your wish and Pak has the following ORBAT as per your new combined arms philosophy (This is taken from @Gryphon , Your addition are shown in Red):
5 Corps (HQ Karachi):
  • 16 Infantry Division - Pano Aqil
  • 18 Infantry Division - Hyderabad
  • 21 Artillery Division - Pano Aqil
  • Corps Artillery Brigade
Reserve 5 Corps:
  • HQ 25 Mechanized Division - Malir (commands 2 IABG - Malir, 12 IABG - Malir and 330 IABG - Malir)
  • 31 Independent Infantry Brigade Group - Karachi

Army Air Defence Command (HQ Rawalpindi; Corps-equivalent):
  • 4 AD Division - Malir
Marine Command (HQ Karachi; Corps-equivalent):
  • I Marine Division - Malir
  • I Airborne Brigade - Malir
Facing you is the IA Soutern Command with ORBAT
outhern Command, Pune, Maharashtra

XII Corps, headquartered at Jodhpur, Rajasthan

  • 4th Armoured Brigade
  • 340th Mechanised Brigade
  • 11th Infantry Division headquartered at Ahmedabad
  • 12th RAPID headquartered at Jodhpur
  • U/I Artillery BDE
XXI Corps, headquartered at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

So now, How will you move your forces and what will be asix of attack? What will be IA's response. To further illustrate my point, look at post #208 from @Signalian in the thread https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/retaking-kashmir-after-70-years.603628/page-14. See if you can make something even remotely close. See the google maps and try to see what can be the objective of your forces and the enemy's. No one is expecting you to reach the same level but let's see what you come up with.
Click to expand...

I will be posting an improved ORBAT next month. Few interesting changes.

Armchair said:
I think what @PanzerKiel means is that the forces in Quetta are critically important for defending Pakistan between Nawabshah to Rahimyar Khan. There are few major formations south.
Click to expand...

Correct!

Most 33 Div brigades are based in east-Balochistan and its structure suggests this is a counterattack force available at the command level.
 
Last edited:
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While I may be of not much use here but this whole discussion reminds me of a post by Xeric (another officer that used to post here).


Xeric said:
Mobilization in its simplest form can be explained as making the requisite, appropriate and calculated amount of force to reach its point of application, in such time that it is able to act / react.

For example.
-Against an armored assault, moving just men without armour cover is useless. (A)

-While going in offensive with large armour component, if you make the armour to reach its point of application but the air defence elements are not able to reach in time, again it will be useless as armour without air cover / protection will almost result into the enemey duck shooting your tanks. (B)

-A brigade/Unit/Company could hold off an enemy attack / retain its position till lets say 1400 hrs 7 Jan, thereafter, the position would become untenable and might be lost. Now, after blunting the attack, you need to go for a counter attack before the enemy could recover or else the follow up echelons of enemy would over run your position. Now, for this counter attack to be effective while using the same position / making that position as pivot of maneuver, your reinforcements should reach that position lets say by 1200 hrs on 7 Jan. If these can be made to reach there in time, your counter attack is likely to succeed. Thereafter ( after 1400hrs), you may bring in an entire division and it might again become useless, as the enemy would already have taken over your position thus devoiding you of a launch pad from where the attack could have commenced. So, a brigade minus reaching in time would have been better than a brigade plus reaching there late. That's mobilization (tactical) mobilization.

------

@Oscar

Mobilization is of two types: Strategic Mobilization (SM) and Tactical Mobilization (TM).

-Moving the forces from peace locations to its battle locations is SM.

-Moving of forces within a battlefield is TM.

Both of these are different yet connected subjects. Here, let me explain:

Let's say a Corps/Div/Brigade/Unit has 10000 vehicles which are required to move from its peace location to its battle locations. Out of these 10K wheels, there are lets say:
700 tanks
1000 APCs
4000 trucks
3000 jeeps (out which there are 500 jeeps that carry special equipment like RRs / TOW missiles and remaining are the normal jeeps that you see everyday)
100 cranes
150 Earth Movers
etc
etc

Now these are just the few types that i can say now. All of these have a different speeds, load classification (like a bridge that can take a truck may not be fit to take a tank or a crane hence wheres the trucks could take that route, the tanks would not). Again, if rail move is also involved, here in Pakistan we have such overhead bridges beneath which an artillery gun (with a longer barrel) could not be moved while being mounted on a train due to its height.

Now also understand that these 10K vehicles would not move together. But then they being part of the same formation/unit also have to be there together, remember points (A) and (B) above. Also, move would have to carried out within specific times with restrictions on move so as to avoid detection. Lastly, these 10K vehicles are also on a clock.

Now make 100 packets of 100 vehicles each out of these 10K vehicles. Line up these 100 vehicles with a gap keeping in view the air threat. How long would that line be? There's a simple formula to work that out, but it would be a long line. Move packet 1, followed by pkt 2, 3 and so forth. Now, if vehicle-1 of pkt-1 moves at 0600 hrs, the last (vehicle-100) will not be able to turn its wheels at the same time, rather it may move at 0630 hrs plus minus a few minutes. Hence, even if vehicle-1 had moved at 0600 hrs, vehicle-10000 would probably be commencing its move the next day! Due to the length of the convoy. Alternative routes would be good to overcome this issue, but how many alternative routes are available? Put this example in lets say Gujranwala Cantt or Lahore or Kharian.

Imagine vehicle-250 getting stuck at a traffic jam. Imagine pkt-9 being held at a signal. Imagine the confusion that would be there due to civilian traffic. Leave GT Road, imagine these vehicles passing through a small town where there are sharp turns, narrow streets. Imagine an artillery gun being towed by a truck which is unable to make a sharp turning while 200 plus vehicles are behind it.

Pkt-7 was to reach its point of application lets say by 0700 hrs the next day. Pkt-6 at another time at another place and pkt-3 to reach at another point before some other time. Now this is only one formation/div/corps/brigade that i am talking about. Take into consideration the entire Army mobilizing? Pkt-3 of formation moving on GT road from A to B, and at the same time pkt-4 of another formation moving from point B to A, while pkt-6 of a third formation cutting through GT to another side. Bring into mix another few formations. Add some fog and darkness. Put in some angry Pakistanis cursing you while you are blocking their way or speeding through a signal while they have to wait. Forget GT road, imagine these vehicles moving through Model Town, Lahore or Sialkot.

Now, back to first line of above para: "Pkt-7 was to reach its point of application lets say by 0700 hrs the next day ." So, route yellow was allotted to it from 0600 hrs today till 0800 hrs the next day. Within yellow route (which is like 250 km) further distribution was made for other convoys to move on the same route keeping view their time to reach its point of application, so within yellow route, the first 50 kms were available to pkt-7 form 0700-0900hrs (2 hrs), the next 80 kms form 1100-1500hrs (4 hrs) and so on. Now add a few accidents, flat tyres and you'll get a nice fcuk up. Now that's just ONE formation. Add the moving missiles, FC, Police, Rangers, administrative/ration/ammo convoys which are normally thrice the size of the original formation. Bring into play hostile air and that may give you a small glimpse of mobilization.
@PakArmyFTW savvy?

P.S. Dont ask me " how fast can Pakistan mobilize its army?" That's highly confidential.
Click to expand...

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/question-pakistan-army-mobilization.352110/page-2#post-6629058
 
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