We’ve published a number of articles on the unique characteristics of military operations in dense urban terrain. We also recently launched the Urban Warfare Project, which will continue to develop as a dynamic home for even more content we have in store. In conjunction with the project’s launch, we recently asked readers to weigh in on Twitter and describe the challenges and qualities of urban warfare. After asking a number of experts to read through the hundreds of tweets, we’ve selected some of our favorites.
What do you think? Is there something the tweets don’t capture? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter.
Sea of people_forest of buildings, windows, alleys all suffocating. Look to the front, up, down, back. Combat in hell #UrbanWarfareProject https://t.co/k5Z0G045PS
— John Spencer (@SpencerGuard) June 20, 2017
Urban areas have “invisible geographies” where seen & unseen intersect (cultures, religious, old & new infrastructure) #UrbanWarfareProject
— U.S. Army Mad Sci (@ArmyMadSci) June 20, 2017
A much more complex 3rd dimension than that in a conventional battlefield, given it can be made up of different layers #UrbanWarfareProject
— A C (@A__Calvo) June 20, 2017
ISTAR soak + automation and precision of force = emphasis on deliberate manouvre, deception and info management #UrbanWarfareProject
— Joshua Bradshaw Hill (@Jbhill123) June 20, 2017
Bang. Is that a drone? Strange to think this is someone’s house. Fuck. Whoosh. Damn these military tablets break easy #Urbanwarfareproject
— Peter Apps (@pete_apps) June 20, 2017
Complex operations in a 4-D environment with innumerable variables being watched by the entire world. Tread lightly! #UrbanWarfareProject
— U.S. Army Mad Sci (@ArmyMadSci) June 20, 2017
A complex three dimensional battle space that’s part “3 block war” part hellish maze. #UrbanWarfareProject
— James King (@james_king22) June 20, 2017
Micro-sieges; autonomous defense systems for sewage/water; highly toxic air; combat outpost fighting field hospitals #urbanwarfareproject
— August Cole (@august_cole) June 20, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject – Junior Commanders War, ability to identify all friendly/enemy quickly, accurately and efficiently #Fallujah
— NeilGuerin (@neil_guerin) June 20, 2017
Hyper-connect areas w/ 1000s of #AI programs will resist disruptions in unexpected ways. A city may “defend” itself. #UrbanWarfareProject
— Mike Matson (@Mike40245) June 20, 2017
Swift battles between AI+Soldier controlled drones. Losing factions resort to EMPs, which fuels analog warfare. #UrbanWarfareProject
— Evan (@EvanWard97) June 20, 2017
Ubiquitous sensors – including population. Spoofing as important as hiding. Population a potential weapon to exploit. #UrbanWarfareProject
— John Watts (@John_T_Watts) June 21, 2017
Not to mention the fact that evacuations and such attempts to limit collateral damage would be futile. Carnage abounds #urbanwarfareproject
— J (@jjre32) June 21, 2017
Urban Warfare is the “Rubik’s cube” of battlefield engagements. It can only be won by a predetermined strategy; turn by turn by turn. #urbanwarfareproject
— Eddie Jackson
Stalingrad Berlin Hue Mogadishu Grozny Fallujah Mosul 1 constant. Only overmatch for concrete is overwhelming firepower #urbanwarfareproject
— Mike Matson (@Mike40245) June 21, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject Large armed organized group, like police enforcement, criminal orgs, and gang, have to be factored in war plans.
— Ed dos Santos Jr. (@EdGSantosJr) June 21, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject work with local civil orgs (Red Cross, Firefighters, etc.) to reestablish neighborhoods after engagement.
— Ed dos Santos Jr. (@EdGSantosJr) June 21, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject. The Humans living in them. Capable of good and evil. Capable of shifting loyalty. Like 1M John le Carre novels.
— matthew collins (@Ironcapt) June 21, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject
Ambushes, IED’s, explosive UAV’s
Hand Grenades & Bayonets
Chemical Environment on Urban terrain @ night
Media Blackout— Cory Newton (@corynewton78) June 21, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject Must be able to employ small diameter HE at fire team level. M203/320 not acceptable. Spike, Gustav, new gen SMAW, etc
— Cornelius Rost (@cornelius_rost) June 21, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject Clausewitz’s “wrestling match” replaced by Emile Simpson’s “street fight.”
— Cornelius Rost (@cornelius_rost) June 22, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject Miniaturized unmanned surveillance platforms and non-lethal energy weapons
— Blake Herzinger (@BDHerzinger) June 22, 2017
Nasty, brutish and long.
Unwinnable.#UrbanWarfareProject— Louis Wilham (@wilhaml) June 22, 2017
No front lines. No sidelines. No reds. Proof-of-Status Greens. Software enabled mission specific modular. VUCA+Fear.#urbanwarfareproject
— Rob Foster (@Rob_Foster01) June 22, 2017
I predict: more arty & air strikes. No one wants infantry to fight house-to-house, after Chechnya /Iraq /Syria. #UrbanWarfareProject
— Robert Baylor (@krbaylor618) June 22, 2017
Weaponized hyper-connected media in the hands of the enemy, undermining mission legitimacy, the forces, & leadership #UrbanWarfareProject
— Peter Lerner (@LTCPeterLerner) June 23, 2017
Roles to blur further, but imagining operating in other countries, not own. Level set capabilities for police/mil? #urbanwarfareproject
— August Cole (@august_cole) June 23, 2017
Hybrid war, terrorism, alternative weapons, misinformation, vague separation of terrorists and protesters #UrbanWarfareProject
— Timos Kamouras (@TimHydden) June 23, 2017
Or adaptable fabrics, able to change colors and mimic background tones. #UrbanWarfareProject @ArmyPost
— A C (@A__Calvo) June 23, 2017
In current mega-cities clear frequency is already an issue, add ground clutter, and other interference… #urbanwarfareproject
— Non-State Actor (@0pfour) June 24, 2017
#UrbanWarfareProject complex socio-technical-physical terrain constrains force movement and leads to externalities that challenge success.
— Aaron Brantly (@AfterWestphalia) June 25, 2017
Image credit: Omar Chatriwala (adapted by MWI)