Fm 31 28 Fouo Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat 1 December 1999 Pdf Direct
Urban terrain has historically been the least desirable battlespace for Special Forces. However, by the late 1990s, the proliferation of megacities, failed states, and transnational threats forced a doctrinal reassessment. FM 31-28, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat, issued on 1 December 1999, was the U.S. Army Special Forces Command’s response to this shifting reality. Classified FOUO to limit dissemination among potential adversaries, the manual was never intended for public release. Nevertheless, its existence and general outline are matters of unclassified record.
This paper addresses three research questions:
The December 1999 edition provides a rare matrix comparing breach methods by door type. For example, it ranks the time-to-clear for a reinforced steel door using:
This matrix is a goldmine for military simulation developers and SWAT team leaders training for high-risk warrants.
FM 31-28 Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) is a restricted Dec. 1, 1999, U.S. Army field manual establishing foundational training for Special Forces Operational Detachments-Alpha. The manual focuses on CQB, breaching, and marksmanship within a 15-to-22-day course aimed at enhancing urban warfare proficiency. specialforcestraining.info SF Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) - Special Forces Training Urban terrain has historically been the least desirable
FM 31-28 Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC), dated 1 December 1999, is a restricted U.S. Army Field Manual that establishes the doctrinal foundation for advanced Close Quarters Battle (CQB) and urban warfare techniques specifically for Special Forces Operational Detachment "A" (ODA).
Because the document is classified as Unclassified/For Official Use Only (FOUO), its full text is generally restricted to Department of Defense personnel with a need-to-know. However, its core syllabus and training objectives are widely documented in professional military literature and training summaries. Core Training Syllabus
The manual provides the framework for the 15-to-30-day SFAUC course, which is designed to ensure ODAs can "own" urban rooms rather than just clear them. Key content areas include:
Advanced Marksmanship: High-intensity "flat range" firing focusing on speed and precision with rifles, pistols, and shotguns. This matrix is a goldmine for military simulation
Close Quarters Battle (CQB): Techniques for entering and clearing single-story, multi-room objectives with precision.
Breaching Operations: Instruction on mechanical, ballistic, and explosive entry methods using tools like "quickie saws," shotguns, and specialized charges.
Urban Movement: Tactical navigation across four urban levels: building, street, subterranean, and air.
Insertion and Extraction: Advanced skills in fast-roping, rappelling, and climbing techniques to access urban structures. Operational Phases FM 31-28 was written to provide Special Forces
According to the manual's structured approach, the training typically progresses through three distinct phases:
Individual Skills: Focus on weapons handling and reflexive fire.
Collective Drills: Movement and coordination within a 12-man ODA, often culminating in "shoot-house" drills.
Full Mission Profile (FMP): A complex Field Training Exercise (FTX) incorporating mission planning, infiltration (air, sea, or land), and execution of a specific urban objective. Significance and Context FOUO UNCLASSIFIBD/FOUO - Public Intelligence
FM 31-28 Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) dated 1 December 1999 is an Unclassified/For Official Use Only (FOUO) document. The manual covers specialized tactics, including advanced shooting and breaching, and is restricted to authorized military personnel with a "need-to-know". For information regarding authorized access, contact the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS). specialforcestraining.info FOUO UNCLASSIFIBD/FOUO - Public Intelligence
FM 31-28 was written to provide Special Forces (SF) units doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures for planning and conducting operations in urban environments. It focuses on operations where SF teams operate with limited conventional support: direct action raids, reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, hostage rescue support, and special reconnaissance in dense urban terrain.