The Three Phases of The Silent Attack

The aim of the silent attack is to despatch or capture the enemy without giving away your own presence. There are few, if any real guaranteed methods of silent attack, but the amount of noise created is minimal when compared to conventional battlefield noises.

1. The Approach The approach to the target must be silent, well planned and done with maximum ground appreciation. The appreciation can be gained from preparing the Aide Memoir outlined below. This will help you to decide when to run, crawl or walk in order to reach the target. You must learn how to make maximum use of battlefield noises and animal noises to distract the enemy and close in.
2. The Attack The attack starts from a distance of 10 meters. It is possible to cover this distance before the sentry can react positively. The training programme must be geared towards testing this concept. Causing maximum damage on another human being can lead to either short or long term physiological and psychological damage to the attacker. The training and battle inoculation of the stalking team must involve many different forms of study. This should include rehearsed attacks and studies of how the human body reacts to specific attacks. Other training aids can include reading autopsy reports, attending autopsies, studying forensic science text books, watching films or slides and listening to first hand accounts from operators or convicted prisoners. If the attacker knows what is involved in an attack, they will be able to operate much more efficiently.
3. The Escape The escape needs as much attention as the approach and the attack. This is because the escape may start while the team is still on the approach to the target and are detected.

Capture Tactics

These are usually rear attacks which will be covered in more detail in Section 4 of this chapter. One method of capture is the rear knee take down with a hand clamp over the enemy mouth. A strong pair of gloves will assist in this act and also protect you from bites to the hand. The next priority is to stun the enemy by striking the neck muscle below the ear lobe,or else disable their arms so that they loose control of their weapon. This action is used to stop the enemy from firing their weapon and thus compromising the team. From this rear attack position, it is possible to maintain the mouth clamp and step round to stamp the weapon out of the enemy hands.

Stalking Exercise

Before you consider the team training required for silent attacks, you must be capable of reaching the enemy position first. The last 20 meters are the most difficult to cover without being detected. There are many simple exercises that prove this point. For example, pair off the students, each pair are designated a separate 30 meter box of terrain to exercise in. One student sits in the middle of their box, with a blind fold on. It is the task of the other student to stalk as close as possible to their partner without being detected. If, at any stage, the blindfolded partner detects the others presence, they must turn and face the direction of the approach. It is then the turn of the detected partner to act as sentry.

The art of stalking can only be mastered by constant practice in varying terrains. Once you are within 10 meters of the sentry you are in a position to carry out a rush attack. At this distance, it is possible to overpower the sentry before they can react to your final run in. The team work and fieldcraft standards must be very high. Outlined below is an example of the conduct of a stalking exercise. This plan can be adjusted to suit your standard of training and the operational conditions.

Planning

• Area Select an area at least 300 meters by 800 meters in area. The area selected must conform to the battle field conditions. It may contain; hedgerows, banks, dead ground, buildings, roads, tracks, streams, animals and open ground.
• Enemy Detail off the enemy. They must wear a 100mm by 100mm patch on their back, marked with either a symbol or letter.
• Positions Select starting points for the stalking teams. Also select enemy positions and inform the enemy that they have to patrol a meter strip at the area designated. Send the enemy sentries out to their positions before briefing the stalking teams.

Brief the Stalking Teams

• Brief Seat the team facing away from the exercise area.
• Explain "On this exercise you will be tested as a Stalking Team".
• Point out Using a map or sand table, point out the Start Line, Finish Line and the Enemy Location.
• Time Limits "You have two hours to complete this exercise. All detected team individuals report directly to the Finish Line".
• Revise Cross country movement, bounds, keeping direction, observation, reaction to animal behavior, use of cover, coping with and crossing obstacles, hand signals.

The Exercise

• Mission "Your mission is to close in with the enemy, to at least 10 yards, and identify the symbol on the enemy back patch. You will then move to the finish line".
• Remind Enemy Position, Own Position, 2 hour time limit and Finish Line.
• Questions From the team and to the team.
• Order "Move out now".

End of the Exercise