@PanzerKiel
I have recently begun to study BLA/BRA tactics in detail and I must say I am very disappointed at the attention that is being given to this by high-command. Let's put to rest the issue of whether FC is seconded to Interior (FC is commanded by PK Army). The fact of the matter is regular and para mil are getting milled down. I see tons spent on what I would consider secondary expenditure (I am giving it a nice name secondary expenditure), but critical expenditure is wanting.
Now I wont go into the multiple aspects of how to take on the BRA/BLA insurgency. There is sweep ops, there is electronic/signal intel, there is Cantt security, city security, financial monitoring, village security, coastal security, logistic interdiction, road and highway monitoring and finally the part I would like to discuss is FOB/Check-post security. Each of the above is essential however as long as we enable loose law enforcement we'll always enable the financing of insurgency in Balouchistan. For example drugs and fuel smuggling plays into insurgency funding, which is why when CG and FC (take their little side cuts), they are infact killing themselves. That level of awareness needs to permeate into the corps.
Coming back to FOB/Checkpost security. I'll take the recent BRA/BLA attack on the check post. It is shocking to see the disaster unfolding. The boys had no chance of making it out. Yet only a few things different and the outcomes could have been very different. First where was the barbed wire? That entire Checkpost should have been layered in barbed wiring. That would have slowed down close quarters. Because once the enemy is within grenade lobbing distance the goose is cooked. Having them fumble or alert well before close range would give the FC soldiers ability to rain lead on the BLA men.
Second each of these check-post especially remote checkposts should have an accompanying checkpost. Two checkposts within fire cover next to each other make for very difficult targets. That should be a par for the course.
Three there should be monitoring and observation rotations 24x7. These BLA men should never have made it close, and should have been engaged 600-1000 yards from the CP. This speaks to poor SOPs at the CP.
Four, you can clearly see BRA/BLA tactics involve covering fire from snipers at distance. I would say BLA/BRA set sniper nests at about 500-1000 yards. This means two things. One when setting up CPs, potential sniper posts need to be pre-identified and zeroed in. Also inexpensive low cost vibration sensors should be peppered in and around the CP as well as in and around the identified sniper posts. This will give FC some time and potential location to provide some suppressive fire on the snipers, so that the rest of the FC men can engage the advancing ground units. (leverage MW connectors to get local mesh going).
Five, number of men in these units needs to increase. If BRA/BLA can move teams of 10-20 with ease, it is critical that these FC CPs have teams of atleast 10+ men. I feel sometimes these posts are too few men to provide enough fire to push back.
Six, given the sniper threat that is always there, the design of the CPs should be such that normal movement is below visual. Similar to how the CPs and trenches are setup on the LOC.
Seven, sites should have counter-sniper nest built into the CP. This means a pull back setup soa counter sniper is not visible and can engage without exposure through multiple points.
Eight is IR goggles are critical. In this environment IR optics will cause havoc to a positioning enemy.
These FOB/CPs should also have some basic solar setup to provide enough juice to power longer distance comms, and where highly critical an integrated optics sensor system (granted too expensive for each site). Very small tactics hand deployed UAVs to give CP some situational positioning. Also type of firepower is essential as well, RPGs (multi grenade launchers), hand grenades, and high quality ballistic protection.
Combine the above and watch how things change. Till we take some of these into consideration, we will continue to loose men and give the enemy strong propaganda and ability to swell its ranks.
