Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Military Operations in Built-Up Areas (MOBA)

Book excerpt: The 1994 Defense Science Board (DSB) Summer Study on Military Operations in Built-up Areas (MOBA) was asked to assess DoD's current capabilities to conduct military operations (including peacemaking and peacekeeping) in urban terrain. The Board focused on operations other than war (OOTW) in an urban environment OOTW can include periods of intense, localized combat. Many of the requirements and proposed solutions for OOTW are relevant to war in cities. The solutions are also relevant in low intensity conflict and in operations that provide humanitarian aid, where minimization of casualties is especially important. The guidance in the Terms of Reference (TOR, see Appendix A) requested that the Board examine: * The potential for U.S. involvement in MOBA * The characteristics of urban operations * Shortcomings in current capability and operational needs (especially regarding survivability, sensors, platforms, navigation, and communication) * Innovative solutions leading to a recommended focus for future efforts. Addressed, were operations that might involve combat, not solely deterrence, psychological operations (PSYOPS), or other noncombat forms of conflict resolution. The study examined: improvements to sensors; weapons (lethal and nonlethal); command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) systems; and doctrine. It also focused on solutions to issues that could be accomplished in a relatively short time, and that do not require beginning major new programs.