Operation Lionclaw: Building Iraqi Route Clearance Capability Through Active Partnership.

摘要

During the past several months, U.S. and coalition forces have become increasingly focused on transition. Over time, as U.S. forces draw down in Iraq, the Iraqi Army (IA) will be required to expand its capabilities. For example, the No. 1 threat to both coalition and Iraqi forces continues to be the improvised explosive device (IED), which makes route clearance teams (RCTs) necessary. Since the current Iraqi Army modified table of organization and equipment (MTOE) only authorizes one engineer company for each division, and since a division s operational environment typically covers 5,000 square kilometers in southern Iraq, more Iraqi RCTs will be needed to meet the threat. Recognizing the capability gap within the Iraqi formation, the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion (BSTB), 3d Infantry Division along with Echo Company, 3-7 Infantry, and the 760th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Company developed Operation Lionclaw to build Iraqi route clearance capability in the 8th Iraqi Army Division by transforming Iraqi infantry platoons into RCTs at the brigade level. The operation was named after the symbol of the Babil Province, the Lion of Babylon, and Iron Claw, the name of many U.S. RCTs. Operation Lionclaw consisted of four critical pieces: manning, equipping, training, and partnering. It would be necessary to successfully complete each of these parts to reach the ultimate goal of independent Iraqi route clearance operations coordinated by the Iraqi brigade.