CHAPTER 6 - INFILTRATION AND EXFILTRATION
LRSU teams must be prepared to conduct several means of infiltration and exfiltration to accomplish a variety of LRSU missions. A team that is prepared to conduct these operations increases its chances of survival and successful mission accomplishment. The methods used to accomplish these missions are waterborne, helicopter airborne, stay-behind, vehicle, and foot movement operations.
Section I. WATERBORNE OPERATIONS
The use of inland and coastal waterways may aid in flexibility, stealth, and speed for the infiltration and exfiltration of a LRSU team. The types of water infiltration and exfiltration may include small boat, surface swimming, helocasting, surface craft, or a combination thereof.
6-1. PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Before selecting a waterborne infiltration method, the LRS team examines the objective, the beach landing site, the shipping assets available, and the air assets available. The team makes the needed coordination for mission accomplishment. The beach landing site is critical, because it facilitates and supports the inland objective. Some of the factors that determine the feasibility of a beach landing site are hydrography, enemy situation, navigation aids, distance from debarkation point to beach landing site, beach vegetation and conditions, and exit routes from the objective. The infiltration normally takes place during darkness to provide the stealth needed by an LRS team. Also, the environmental factors produced by tides and currents must be suitable for infiltration to be successful. Some other planning considerations include--
Time schedule. A reverse planning sequence of all events of the operation is used as a planning guide. This is included in the initial time schedule. Beach landing site. The beaching point. Drop site. Where the team is transported from larger transporting craft into a smaller craft or helocasting site. Embarkation point. The point where the team is initially loaded onto the transporting craft (going from a mother craft to smaller craft to get to the landing site). Loading. Loads and lashings, with emphasis on waterproofing, are in accordance with the unit SOP. Inspections by supervisors are a must.
6-2. F470 ZODIAC BOAT
The LRSU team uses the F470 Zodiac boat for small boat operations. It is inflatable with foot pumps, using four separate valves on the inside of the buoyancy tubes. Each of the valves are used to section off the Zodiac boat into eight separate airtight compartments. The overall length is 15 feet, 15 inches; overall width is 6 foot, 3 inches; weight is 265 pounds; and maximum payload is 2,710 pounds. The crew consists of a coxswain, four paddlers, and a navigator. The boat can be powered by a 40-horsepower short-shaft outboard motor. The team is positioned as shown in Figure 6-1.
The coxswain (assistant team leader) is responsible for control of the boat and action of the crew. *He supervises the loading, lashing, and distribution of equipment. He also maintains the course and speed of the boat and gives all commands. The No. 1 paddler (team leader) is the observer. He is responsible for the storage and use of the bowline. The No. 2 paddler (RATELO) is responsible for setting the stroke. The No. 3 and No. 4 paddlers (observers) are responsible for paddling and flank and rear security. The navigator (observer) assists the coxswain; he does not paddle. a. Preparation of Personnel and Equipment. Each person puts on a work vest and a life preserver with harness unbuckled at the waist. The rifle is slung over the life preserver, opposite the inboard side, muzzle down. Radios, ammunition, and other bulk equipment must be lashed securely to the boat to prevent loss if the boat should overturn.
(1) An anchor line bowline is tied with a sling rope into the last V-ring closest to the transom on the floor.
(2) Each team member's rucksack has a snap link attached to the top portion of the rucksack frame to be used as an anchor point to tie down rucksacks.
(3) The coxswain's rucksack is positioned frame forward and behind the last V-ring.
(4) The sling rope is then tied to the front V-ring with a round turn and two half hitches with a quick release.
b. Launching in Surf. The coxswain observes surf conditions and considers the intervals of the breakers to time of the boat launching. The coxswain orders the number one and two paddlers to board the boat when they are about thigh deep in the water. As soon as they are aboard, they begin to paddle. The procedure is repeated for the number three and four paddlers. As soon as a wave breaks and the time is favorable, the coxswain gives the boat a final push and embarks.