Citation

Maurer T. Small Wars Insurg. 2018; 29(2): 229-244.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/09592318.2018.1435238

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article gives an overall assessment of ISIS's conventional conduct of combat operations by examining their warfighting functions patterns. In sum, the approach of ISIS comprised fundamental principles: their weapons can be organized into categories, purposeful combination of these forces in keeping with the concept of combined arms combat, and hierarchical command and control executed by experienced commanders. ISIS combat groups combined the elements of formation and firepower as well as movement and mobility. The paper concludes that ISIS obviously had a vast range of conventional capabilities at its disposal and was thus able to conduct major operations.

Language: en

Keywords

Caliphate; combat operations; conventional warfare; Iraq; ISIS; Syria; warfighting functions