Conducting Convoy Operations.doc

Conducting Convoy Operations
Convoy operations are the most efficient way of sending supplies and troops forward, but they can also be vulnerable to attack. What makes a convoy successful?

The key to the successful conduct of a convoy is thorough preparation. Things will normally get started 72 hours out, when the initial convoy list is prepared at HQ, but drivers must be trained and given the chance to build up experience of vehicles and road conditions. So convoy preparation begins up to one year in advance.


"Practice makes perfect" may seem a tired cliché but convoy management involves rehearsing. The convoy commander needs to anticipate all potential dangers. This will require a detailed "risk management assessment". A physical reconnaissance of the route means hazards - a dangerous intersection or a choke point - can be identified and drivers forewarned.


Overall responsibility for the march column lies with the convoy commander, but a convoy will normally be subdivided into smaller groups. Each of these groups is led by a march unit commander who is in radio contact with the lead and rear vehicles of the unit. The lead vehicle is the pacesetter and makes sure the convoy follows the planned schedule. The rear vehicle deals with maintenance, recovery and medical aid.


The number of vehicles in a march unit varies but is normally between 20 and 30. Once the convoy has passed the start point and is on the road the occupants of each vehicle need to work as a team, so an appropriate crew mix (balancing inexperienced and experienced personnel) is essential. The driver and assistant driver have been briefed and have strip maps of the convoy route.


Convoys can be drawn out operations so regular halts must be planned along the route. These halts serve several purposes, such as vehicle maintenance, refuelling and cargo checks. The most important reason for planned halts is to provide rest. Most accidents during convoys are due to driver fatigue.


Drivers must know the minimum, maximum and catch-up speeds. However, each driver will adapt the vehicle speed to the actual road conditions. Drivers should slow down in rain or icy conditions. Speeding is the second most common cause of convoy accidents.


The exact formation of the column is decided by the convoy commander, who can opt for a closed, open or infiltration column. The distance between vehicles can vary according to the convoy formation. Nonetheless, drivers must maintain a minimum safety distance from the vehicle in front to avoid collisions. Following too close is third most common cause of convoy accidents.


Convoy communications are normally via radio. Signals must be planned, rehearsed and understood by all personnel involved in the movement. Radio communications allow rapid transmission of orders and messages between widely separated vehicles but when radio contact is not possible - e.g. poor reception, security risk - visual communications are used. These can include any of the following: hand and arm signals, flags, headlights, and pyrotechnic signals and message boards. Alternatively, audio signals - horns, whistles, loudspeakers - can be used.


If an unplanned stop is necessary the driver should signal forwards (flashing headlights) and backwards (warning lights). The signal should be passed forward by each vehicle until it reaches the lead vehicle and an appropriate pull-off area is identified.


The convoy's mission is completed when it reaches the release point. However, the work does not end here. A post-operation check should be done and a report prepared. The aim is to analyze what went right or wrong so an uneventful convoy is of particular interest. It can serve as a lesson for future missions and the report should be distributed up and down the chain of command.