Mobility (military)
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Mobility in military terms refers to the ability of a
Mobility is regarded as a vital component of the modern battlefield, as the ability to deliver weapon systems or combat units to their objective quickly can often mean the difference between victory and defeat. Armies around the world have massively increased their mobility over the last 100 years. In
Since the end of World War II, armies have continued to develop their mobility. By the 1980s, for example, intercontinental travel shifted from
Mobility has also been referred to as a combat multiplier. A highly-mobile unit can use its mobility to engage multiples of its own combat strength of less mobile units. For example, German
As
Mobility has also been defined in terms of three generally recognized levels of warfare: tactical, operational, and strategic. Tactical mobility is the ability to move under fire. Operational mobility is the ability to move men and materiel within the area of operations to the decisive point of battle. Strategic mobility is the ability to move an army to the area of operations.
In World War I, most armies lacked tactical mobility but enjoyed good strategic mobility through the use of railroads, thus leading to a situation where armies could be deployed to the front with ease and rapidity, but once they reached the front became bogged down by their inability to move under fire.
Mobility corridor
A mobility corridor is an area where a military force will be canalized (channeled) due to terrain restrictions. It allows forces to capitalize on the principles of mass and speed, and needs to be relatively free of obstacles.[3]
Mobility corridors can be combined to make avenues of approach. Maximum distances between mobility corridors (sizes of avenues of approach) are as follows:[citation needed]
- Division avenues of approach have regimental mobility corridors no more than 10 kilometers apart.
- Regimental avenues of approach have battalion mobility corridors no more than 6 kilometers apart.
- Battalion avenues of approach have company mobility corridors no more than 2 kilometers apart.
- Company avenues of approach are at least 500 meters wide.
See also
- Choke point
- Schwerpunkt
References
- ISBN 9780850451634.
- ^ "Miserable, Disobedient & Victorious: Gen. Milley's Future US Soldier - Breaking Defense Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary". 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms". United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2016-10-24.