Fm 31 28 Fouo Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat 1 December 1999 25 Exclusive -
Exact positioning for 1-man through 4-man assault teams to ensure 360∘360 raised to the composed with power coverage inside a room. 2. Urban Breaching Operations
Commander of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) Berlin Information-center for Transatlantic Security Role in Modern Operations Special Forces Operations Manual FM 3-05.20 | PDF - Scribd
Operating undetected in a city requires blending into the infrastructure. The manual covers the establishment of and Hide Sites within buildings, teaching operators how to construct observation posts behind standard drywall, brick, or windows without altering the building’s external silhouette. The Significance of the "FOUO" Designation
Maximizes "violence of action" by stunning occupants with overpressure and flash. Close Quarters Battle (CQB) & Room Clearing Exact positioning for 1-man through 4-man assault teams
The manual was specifically designed to prepare for the complexities of modern urban warfare, where mobility, elusiveness, and surgical precision are critical for mission success. 19th Special Forces Group Advanced Urban Combat Training
FM 31-28, dated December 1, 1999, and marked FOUO, was more than just a field manual. It was a classified roadmap for the urban battlefields of the 21st century. By synthesizing high-speed marksmanship, explosive breaching, and close-quarters tactics, it created a standardized, lethal framework for America's most elite soldiers. Though a product of its time, its DNA continues to shape how Special Forces are trained to dominate the most dangerous, complex, and human-centric environment of modern warfare: the city.
The FM 31-28 FOUNO manual was developed by the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) to provide special forces with a comprehensive guide for conducting advanced urban combat operations. The manual's publication in 1999 coincided with a significant shift in the global security landscape, with urban areas increasingly becoming the focal point of military conflicts. The manual's authors recognized the unique challenges posed by urban environments, including the presence of civilians, complex infrastructure, and the potential for close-quarters combat. Army John F
FM 31-28, dated 1 December 1999, constitutes the foundational doctrinal manual for the U.S. Army Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) course, focusing on specialized tactics, techniques, and procedures for high-intensity urban environments. The FOUO-designated manual covers advanced marksmanship, CQB, live-fire shoothouse drills, and technical breaching methods to train Green Berets in complex, built-up areas. More information can be found at specialforcestraining.info SFAUC Course - DVIDS
The historical military document is a seminal field manual that laid the foundational tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for modern military operations in urbanized terrain (MOUT). Designated as "For Official Use Only" (FOUO) upon its release at the turn of the millennium, this manual marked a critical shift in how elite forces prepared for the complexities of close-quarters battle (CQB) and urban warfare.
: Provides guidance for core SF missions adapted for cities, such as Direct Action (DA) , Counterterrorism , and Special Reconnaissance . heavy armor advantages
The manual highlights the difficulties of urban combat, including:
The course integrates all of these skills into a full mission profile (FMP), teaching teams how to plan, rehearse, and execute complex urban operations from start to finish.
Because foreign intelligence services could use this information to harden their cities against SF infiltration, the Army restricted distribution to Special Forces units, SWC instructors, and certain JSOC elements.
: It established the benchmark for "true mastery" in urban environments, moving beyond simple checklists to focus on trained instinct and adaptive decision-making under extreme stress. apps.dtic.mil Urban Combat Service Support Operations - DTIC
Urban combat, traditionally known as MOUT (Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain) and later evolving into UO (Urban Operations), has always been the ultimate equalizer in warfare. Densely populated areas strip conventional militaries of their technological superiority, heavy armor advantages, and long-range surveillance capabilities.
