Field Manual (FM) 90-13 describes how divisions and brigades conduct river crossings. It shows the relationship to corps operations, where appropriate, and includes details for lower
echelons to support the brigades. It provides doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) in one reference to accomplish this special operation.
The corps assigns missions and provides the necessary support and equipment. The divisions normally assign bridgehead objectives and control movement across the river. The brigades
are the bridgehead forces that execute the crossings, either independently or as elements of a larger force.
River-crossing skills and knowledge are highly perishable. As with many other tactical operations, they require constant practice in planning and execution. There are relatively few opportunities to train with the frequency needed to keep a high degree of proficiency in this tough operation. For that reason, this manual includes considerable detail on techniques and procedures.
A river crossing is a special operation in that it requires specific procedures for success because the water obstacle prevents normal ground maneuver. It demands more detailed planning and technical support than normal tactical operations. It also features specific control measures to move the force across a water obstacle. This obstacle may be a river, a lake, or a canal. Unlike other obstacle types, the water obstacle remains effective during and after the crossing operation. See FM 90-13-1 for other counterobstacle operations.
As in the past, the United States (US) Army conducts river crossings within the context of its basic doctrine. This manual applies the current Army-operations doctrine described in
FM 100-5 to river crossings. It incorporates recent developments in command and control (C2) for command-post (CP) facilities and the military decision-making process. It also aligns US doctrine more closely with ongoing standardization efforts in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
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