Department of the Army

Engineer Reconnaissance (Fm 3-34.170 / 5-170 / Mcwp 3-17.4) Department of the Army

Doctrine provides a military organization with unity of effort and a common philosophy, language, and purpose. This field manual provides doctrine for the application of engineer reconnaissance capabilities in support of the combined arms team conducting full spectrum operations. Engineer reconnaissance, like chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) and other technical applications, is not a form of reconnaissance (see chapter 3 for a discussion of the four forms of reconnaissance). Engineer reconnaissance is instead a focused application of special/unique capabilities supporting reconnaissance operations and is applicable over/pertinent to all four forms of reconnaissance. Field manual (FM) 3-34.170/Marine Corps Warfighting Publication (MCWP) 3-17.4 updates the FM that provides doctrinal guidance for engineer reconnaissance in support of full spectrum operations, including engineer reconnaissance in support of tactical operations as well as engineer technical reconnaissance support. This manual supersedes FM 5-170 and supports the doctrine found in FM 3-0, FM 3-34, and FM 6-0, and Field Manual Interim (FMI) 5-0.1. This manual will serve as a reference document for engineer commanders and staff, leaders, training developers, and doctrine developers throughout the Army and Marine Corps. It will also provide guidance to commanders for the employment of engineer reconnaissance capabilities in support of all operations. It is also the primary reference for engineer reconnaissance for Joint Publication (JP) 3-34. The target audience for this manual is focused at the brigade and below maneuver commander and supporting staff. This also includes nonorganic unit commanders and staffs that will support brigade and below maneuver organizations. Additionally, it is pertinent to other commanders and staffs at all echelons. This doctrine will assist branch schools in teaching the integration of engineer capabilities. Engineer involvement is a virtual certainty for nearly every military operation. FM 3-34.170 is intended to inform all Service components of the types of engineer reconnaissance tasks and the variety of capabilities available to perform them.