FTX Training Phase 05-26 - Mission Planning & HVT Capture

Part One: The Planning Process

Good operations don’t start at the objective — they start at the planning table. This block covers how we take a mission from a vague set of orders to an executable plan, and the discipline it takes to do it under pressure.

We’ll focus on the questions that actually shape a plan. Using METT-TC as a framework, we’ll think through:

• Mission — What is the commander’s intent, and what does success actually look like? What’s the purpose behind the task?

• Enemy — Who are we up against, what’s their likely disposition, strength, and most dangerous course of action?

• Terrain & Weather — How does the ground favor us or them? Avenues of approach, cover and concealment, key terrain, light and visibility.

• Troops & Support Available — What do we have, what are their capabilities, and where are our gaps?

• Time Available — How do we budget it so the team isn’t planning in the dark and everyone gets time to prep?

• Civil Considerations — Non-combatants, collateral concerns, and anything on the objective that complicates a clean execution.

We’ll also cover building contingencies into the plan from the start — actions on contact, lost comms, casualty handling, and clearly defined go/no-go criteria — so that when the plan meets reality, the unit can adapt and continue the mission.

Part Two: HVT Capture Execution

In the second half, we put the theory to work. We will conduct a High-Value Target capture mission, planned and executed using the steps covered in Part One.

The intel picture will develop as we move, enemy disposition may not match our initial assessment, and environmental factors will force decisions on the ground. Leaders at every level are expected to read the situation and adjust — re-sequencing actions on the objective, shifting approach routes, adapting the assault or support plan — while still holding to the commander’s intent and the purpose of the mission.

The standard for the evolution is simple: plan deliberately, brief clearly, and prove you can adapt when the objective doesn’t cooperate.

OPORD: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13WpTySu58ojCIz60-4n9lVvar_S0A9Co/edit