FM 2-01.

3, C2
MCRP 2-3A, C2
Change No. 2

Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
Headquarters
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Department of the Navy
Headquarters
United States Marine Corps
Washington, DC
8 December 2010

Intelligence Preparation of the

Battlefield/Battlespace
1. Change 2 to FM 2-01.3, 15 October 2009. This change corrects an administrative error in change 1.
2. An asterisk (*) marks new material.
3. FM 2-01.3/MCRP 2-3A, 15 October 2009, is changed as follows:
Remove Old Pages

Insert New Pages

Change 1 transmittal
pages i through ii

Change 1 transmittal
pages i through ii

3. File this transmittal sheet in the front of the publication for reference purposes.

DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Distribution authorized to U.S. Government agencies only because it requires
protection in accordance with AR 380-5 and as specified by DCS G-3 Message DTG 091913Z Mar 04. This
determination was made on 19 July 2007. Contractor and other requests must be referred to ATTN: ATZS-CDID, U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613-7017, or via e-mail at ATZS-FDCD@conus.army.mil.
DESTRUCTION NOTICE: Destroy by any method that must prevent disclosure of contents or reconstruction of
the document.
Marine Corps PCN: 144 000141 00

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

FM 2-01.3, C2
MCRP 2-3A, C2
8 December 2010

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

GEORGE W. CASEY, JR.

General, United States Army
Chief of Staff

Official:

JOYCE E. MORROW
Administrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army
1033304

By Direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps

DISTRIBUTION:
Active Army, Army National Guard, and United States Army Reserve. To be distributed in accordance with
initial distribution number 116004, requirements for FM 2-01.3.

Marine Corps PCM: 144 000141 00

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

PIN: 085834-002

FM 2-01.3, C1
MCRP 2-3A, C1
Change No. 1

Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
Headquarters
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Department of the Navy
Headquarters
United States Marine Corps
Washington, DC
27 October 2010

Intelligence Preparation of the

Battlefield/Battlespace
1. This change revises Chapter 7 to separate doctrine for civil support operations from doctrine for stability
operations.
2. FM 2-01.3/MCRP 2-3A, 15 October 2009, is changed as follows:
Remove Old Pages

Insert New Pages

*pages i through ii
pages 7-1 through 7-7
pages Glossary-1 through Glossary-6
pages References-1 through References-3
pages Index-1 through Index-2

pages i through ii
7-1 through 7-9
Glossary-1 through Glossary-6
References-1 through References-3
Index-1 through Index-2

3. File this transmittal sheet in the front of the publication for reference purposes.

DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Distribution authorized to U.S. Government agencies only because it requires
protection in accordance with AR 380-5 and as specified by DCS G-3 Message DTG 091913Z Mar 04. This
determination was made on 19 July 2007. Contractor and other requests must be referred to ATTN: ATZS-CDID, U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613-7017, or via e-mail at ATZS-FDCD@conus.army.mil.
DESTRUCTION NOTICE: Destroy by any method that must prevent disclosure of contents or reconstruction of
the document.
Marine Corps PCN: 144 000141 00

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

FM 2-01.3, C1
MCRP 2-3A, C1
27 October 2010

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

GEORGE W. CASEY, JR.

General, United States Army
Chief of Staff

Official:

JOYCE E. MORROW
Administrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army
1027905

By Direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps

DISTRIBUTION:
Active Army, Army National Guard, and United States Army Reserve. To be distributed in accordance with
initial distribution number 116004, requirements for FM 2-01.3.

Marine Corps PCM: 144 000141 00

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

PIN: 085834-001

FM 2-01.3
*MCRP 2-3A
Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC

Field Manual
No. 2-01.3

Headquarters
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Department of the Navy
Headquarters
United States Marine Corps
Washington, DC

Marine Corps Reference Publication

No. 2-3A

15 October 2009

Intelligence Preparation of the

Battlefield/Battlespace
Contents
Page

PREFACE...............................................................................................................v
SUMMARY OF CHANGES ..................................................................................vii
Chapter 1

IPB AND DECISIONMAKING ............................................................................ 1-1

Performing Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield/Battlespace .................... 1-1
IPB and the MDMP/MCPP ................................................................................. 1-2
IPB and the Time-Constrained MDMP/MCPP.................................................... 1-8
IPB and Troop-Leading Procedures ................................................................... 1-8
IPB and the Operational Environment/Battlespace Environment....................... 1-9
The Operational Variables .................................................................................. 1-9
Civil Considerations .......................................................................................... 1-10
Reporting .......................................................................................................... 1-11

Chapter 2

STEP 1 DEFINE THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT/BATTLESPACE

ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................. 2-1
Identify Significant Characteristics of the Environment ...................................... 2-2
Identify the Limits of the Commands Area of Operations .................................. 2-2

DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Distribution authorized to U.S. Government agencies only because it requires
protection in accordance with AR 380-5 and as specified by DCS G-3 Message DTG 091913Z Mar 04. This
determination was made on 19 July 2007. Contractor and other requests must be referred to ATTN: ATZS-CDID, U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613-7017, or via e-mail at ATZS-FDCD@conus.army.mil.
DESTRUCTION NOTICE: Destroy by any method that must prevent disclosure of contents or reconstruction of
the document.
*This publication supersedes FMFRP 3-23-2, 8 July 1994.
Marine Corps PCN: 144 000141 00
i

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Contents

Establish the Limits of the Area of Influence and the Area of Interest ................ 2-3
Evaluate Existing Databases and Identify Intelligence Gaps ............................. 2-4
Initiate Collection of Information Required to Complete IPB .............................. 2-5
Chapter 3

STEP 2 DESCRIBE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ON

OPERATIONS/DESCRIBE THE BATTLESPACE EFFECTS ........................... 3-1
Analyze the Environment .................................................................................... 3-1
Describe the Environmental Effects on Operations and Threat and Friendly
Courses of Action/Describe the Battlespace Effects on Operations and
Adversary and Friendly Capabilities and Courses of Action ............................. 3-20

Chapter 4

STEP 3 EVALUATE THE THREAT/ADVERSARY......................................... 4-1

The Threat/Adversary ......................................................................................... 4-2
Update or Create Threat/Adversary Models ....................................................... 4-4
Identify Threat/Adversary Capabilities ................................................................ 4-8

Chapter 5

STEP 4 DETERMINE THREAT/ADVERSARY COURSES OF ACTION ....... 5-1

Identify the Threats/Adversarys Likely Objectives and Desired End State ....... 5-2
Identify the Full Set of Courses of Action Available to the Threat/Adversary ..... 5-2
Evaluate and Prioritize Each Course of Action ................................................... 5-3
Develop Each Course of Action .......................................................................... 5-4
Identify Initial ISR Requirements......................................................................... 5-8

Chapter 6

IPB FOR OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS ................................. 6-1

Offensive Operations .......................................................................................... 6-1
Defensive Operations ......................................................................................... 6-3

Chapter 7

STABILITY OPERATIONS AND CIVIL SUPPORT OPERATIONS .................. 7-1

Section I IPB for Stability Operations ............................................................... 7-1
Stability Operations Overview ............................................................................. 7-1
Considerations for Stability Operations............................................................... 7-1
Section II Situational Assessment (IPB) for Civil Support Operations ............. 7-6
Civil Support Operations Overview ..................................................................... 7-6
Considerations for Civil Support Operations ....................................................... 7-7

Appendix A

INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT TO THE TARGETING PROCESS ....................... A-1

Decide ................................................................................................................ A-1
Importance as a part of a threat/adversary warfighting function capability........ A-1
Detect ................................................................................................................. A-3
Deliver ................................................................................................................ A-3
Assess ................................................................................................................ A-3

Appendix B

OPERATIONAL THEMES: IPB CONSIDERATIONS USING SELECTED

EXAMPLES OF MILITARY OPERATIONS ...................................................... B-1

Appendix C

COUNTERINSURGENCIES AND IPB .............................................................. C-1

Appendix D

GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT TO IPB ........................................ D-1

GLOSSARY .......................................................................................... Glossary-1
REFERENCES.................................................................................. References-1
INDEX ......................................................................................................... Index-1

ii

FM 2-01.3/MCRP 2-3A, C2

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

8 December 2010

Marine Corps PCM: 144 000141 00

PIN: 085834-002