Which of the following is explicitly a planning consideration for breaching operations?

• A. Use of Scouts/Observers and Other ISR Platforms to Set Conditions and Identify Penetration, Suppression, and Obscuration.
• B. Plan for Target Handoff Between Units.
• C. Plan for On-Call Fires.
• D. Plan for Deception Fires.

Answer: (A)

Breaching relies on knowing exactly how to create and exploit a passage through obstacles, which requires accurate, timely intelligence to set the conditions for a successful breach. Using scouts, observers, and other ISR platforms provides the critical insight needed to identify obstacle locations, routes, and potential enemy positions, and to determine where to apply penetration, suppression, and obscuration. This real-time or near-real-time information helps planners designate the breach point, time the supporting fires, and ensure the team can move through with minimized risk and maximum surprise.

Other items touch on related fire support activities, but they aren’t explicitly about preparing the breach itself: coordinating target handoffs between units, planning for fires on call, or employing deception fires may support broader operations, yet they do not directly address the planning and conditioning required to execute a breach.