1. Historical Study Of Distributed Operations Operation Vigilant Resolve Fallujah, Iraq 4 APR 2004 – 9 APR 2004

2. Overview of Distributed Operations Taking Dispersion to another level Present a less defined target to the enemy Operations in smaller units More autonomous small units Leadership and decision making at lower levels

3. Why study Fallujah? Operation Vigilant Resolve is one of the closest real life examples of U.S. Marines conducting distributed-like operations.

4. Why study Fallujah? Patrols conducted by squad sized units Units dispersed all around Fallujah Squad Leaders taking more control of situations Varying patrol routes and times, trying to present ambiguous targets to the enemy Relying on fire support

5. Operation Vigilant Resolve Fallujah, Iraq 4 APR 2004 – 9 APR 2004 Overview of Combat Model

6. Designing the Fallujah Model

7. Designing the Combat Model

11. Each blue agent represents a fire team with an M16,M203, and an M249 Blue agents typically operated in squad- sized units (3 agents)

12. Designing the Combat Model Red agents were designed to blend in with the local population, giving them a first shot advantage. Move in teams of 3-4 Carry AK47s and RPGs Before and After Engaging

13. Fallujah Timeline Day One (Step 0-720) Marines push into city with Tanks and Helos

14. Fallujah Timeline Day One (Step 0-720) Marines attack a mosque in NW corner.

15. Fallujah Timeline Throughout (Step 0-3600) Insurgents fire from towers of Central Mosque as Marine snipers patrol SE perimeter

16. Fallujah Timeline Day Two (Step 720-1440) Heavy fighting in NW neighborhood AC130 called in for support

17. Fallujah Timeline Day Three (Step 1440-2160) Gunfight at train station

18. Fallujah Timeline Day Three (Step 1440-2160) Fighting in the South

19. Fallujah Timeline Day Three (Step 1440-2160) Small skirmishes along Marine Defensive positions on the Northern Perimeter

20. Fallujah Timeline Day Four (Step 2160-2880) Gun battle between 200 Marines and 800 insurgents in NW. Fire support called in.

21. Fallujah Timeline Day Five (Step 2880-3600) Building to building raids with fire support

22. Fallujah Timeline Day Five (Step 2880-3600) Insurgents try to run road blocks

23. Fallujah Timeline Day Five (Step 2880-3600) More skirmishes on Northern perimeter

24. Stealth and Red Kills Blue Stealth doesn’t effect Red Kills Red Stealth greatly reduces Red Kills Huge decrease in number of Red Kills at 90 Red Stealth

25. Stealth and Blue Killed Blue Stealth significantly reduces blue kills Red Stealth significantly increases blue kills

26. Red Force Size Increasing size of red force leads to much greater rate of increase in Red Casualties than in Blue Casualties

27. Communications Accuracy Communications Accuracy has little effect

28. Communications Latency Comms Latency has even less effect

29. Lessons Learned Impact of Red Stealth emphasizes the value of having first-shot advantage. It is possible that we could use DO to attain a similar advantage or to take that advantage away from our enemies.

30. Lessons Learned In a very distributed force (the red force) throwing more numbers at the enemy doesn’t result in a significant advantage. This is an argument for DO at the squad level (smaller units).