Assessment of Urban Terrain Features in Dense Urban Environments

It is difficult to manage conflict in urban environments. First, it is essential to recognize that cities – megacities, and megacity clusters – are likely to play major roles in future global power distribution and therefore have Strategic importance is of paramount importance Next, it is important that we acknowledge the fact that the world is becoming increasingly urbanized. Urban operations are crucialto the military, police and fire service as well as humanitarian actors.

This requires an understanding the urban environment as a complex operating system. This complexity exists at many levels. Density of population interacts with terrain, compact areas, built infrastructure, diverse populations. The character and size of cities (and built up areas) vary. peri-urbanMixes that combine urban and rural features (as shown for example in the urban/wildland interface which challenges firefighters), to urban edges cities to metropolises to megacities, megacity areas and megacity clusters. Megacity complexes like the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cluster or Pearl River Delta cluster that comprises Hong Kong, Macau, Shula, Shenzhen. Densely populated megacities, linked to nearby megacities with complex economic, political, and infrastructural connections “Both tactical precision (to protect the troops) and an understanding and appreciation of strategic and operational interdependencies are essential..”

Intelligence Preparation for Operations

Operating in an urban environment requires detailed planning. These include non-combatant evacuation, peacekeeping, defense support for civil authorities for civil strife, riots and high-intensity crime, counterterrorism, humanitarian response and full-scale arm conflict (including non-international armed conflicts). This preparation includes developing an understanding of the “Urban Quad”: Population, Terrain, Infrastructure, InformationalThe urban space’s contours. This requires a variety of approaches to understand and interpret the operational environment.

Current NATO approach favors a “Comprehensive Preparation of the Operational Environment (CPOE).” For the urban environment, this approach can benefit from earlier efforts such as the Marine Corps Urban Generic Information Requirements Handbook for (GIRH), Street Smart – Intelligence Preparation for the Battlefield For Urban Operations Intelligence Preparation for OperationsAs developed by the Los Angeles Terrorism Early Warning – TEWGroup for civil operations in urban areas. This includes traditionally Analyse of terrain or understanding topographical features, but also human terrain (population) and terrain effects considerations for maneuver: OAKOC Factors – Observation and fields of fire, Avenues of Approach, Key terrain, Obstacles, Cover and concealment as described in Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) (ATP 2-01.3). It is crucial to identify the core elements of urban terrain in order to perform a thorough analysis. These elements place the city in spatial terms. Context of both place & flows (the Space of places and flows) and place the urban area into context with the rural hinterland, peri-urban zone, transitional zone, and the urban core. It also requires looking at global connections such as international and offshore flows – legitimate, gray area, and illicit – including networked diaspora communities.

Urban Terrain Categorization

To conduct effective operations (military/police, humanitarian), you must accurately assess urban terrain. In military and law enforcement operations, urban terrain assessments are vital. Protecting civiliansThe populaceThe effects of kinetic operation and attacks that affect Installations and works containing dangerous forces. To facilitate planning and operations in urban terrain, I have identified the following urban terrain facets (DUT). These categories are the result from my operational experience in urban emergency operations and urban police in several metropolitan areas. My typology has four aspects (or categories). I. Vertical (Suprasurface).; II. Surface (Ground).; III.  Subterranean (SubT) (Subsurface); and V. Interface. 

These four facets are interactive with each other and other conceptional dimensions of battle or operational space (OpSpace) such as time, space (land, sea, aerospace), four dimensions comprising ‘humanspace,’ and cyber – a fifth dimension or ‘cyberspace.’ The four facets of urban terrain are listed in the following table (Table 1). All of these features of urban terrain (both topographical/natural environment and the built environment) interact with the population (Human terrainTo form a system of systems or dynamic urban ecosystem, ). Pay attention to certain areas of population, such as prisons. Slums (Favelas), and criminal enclaves (including Cities that are not humane Narcocities) is also essential to ensuring both effective operations and protecting the populace.

Particular attention should be paid to the interfaces where different terrain features intersect and interact. The Electric Power Grid is a critical feature that allows many vital systems and lifelines to function. It can trigger a number of important events. cascading failures if disrupted. Water supply, which is essential for the survival and well-being of the populace, as well as the Cyber Infrastructure. Cyber capabilities like SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems), which controls critical automated functions such as transportation and port infrastructure, can be disrupted by cyberattacks with both disruption of data systems and physical facilities. Physical effects). Cyber must be part of all planning, operational maneuvers, and response actions. The urban-littoralThe interface feature also includes urban-wildland and urban-wildland elements. Both are expected to be more important as urbanization continues.

Conclusion

This essay outlines a typology that identifies key urban terrain features and facets. It can be used by military planners as well as other police and humanitarian personnel to help them better understand and navigate the complex dynamics of urban operation. Although this essay is not intended to replace or supplement existing IPB and CPOE practices or doctrine, it can be used to inform the much-needed discussions that will prepare both attackers and defenders for urban operations in the future.

Source: Author’s Analysis  * These features can and often do exist in multiple facets.

Select References

Dave Dilegge (Robert J. Bunker), John P. Sullivan, Alma Keshavarz and John P. Sullivan are Editors. Blood and Concrete: 21st Century Conflicts within Urban Centers and Megacities.(A Small Wars Journal Anthology. Bloomington: Xlibris, 2019

Russell W. Glenn, “Megacities: The Good the Bad and the Ugly.” Small Wars Journal. 17 February 2017.

David Kilcullen, “Attacks on Westgate mall: Urban areas are the battlefield for the 21st century.” The Guardian. 27 September 2013.

Jamison Jo Medby, Russell W. Glenn Street Smart Intelligence Preparation for Urban Operations. Santa Monica: RAND 2002.

Ralph Peters, “Urban Operations and the Human Terrain.” Parameters (The Quarterly of the US Army War College) Vol. 30, no. 1. 2000.

John Spencer, “The Eight Rules of Urban Warfare – Why We Need to Work to Change It.” Modern War Institute. 12 January 2021