Fm 31 28 Fouo Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat 1 December 1999 Pdf Official

FM 31-28 Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC), dated 1 December 1999, is a restricted U.S. Army Field Manual that establishes the doctrinal foundation for advanced Close Quarters Battle (CQB) and urban warfare techniques specifically for Special Forces Operational Detachment "A" (ODA).

Because the document is classified as Unclassified/For Official Use Only (FOUO), its full text is generally restricted to Department of Defense personnel with a need-to-know. However, its core syllabus and training objectives are widely documented in professional military literature and training summaries. Core Training Syllabus

The manual provides the framework for the 15-to-30-day SFAUC course, which is designed to ensure ODAs can "own" urban rooms rather than just clear them. Key content areas include:

Advanced Marksmanship: High-intensity "flat range" firing focusing on speed and precision with rifles, pistols, and shotguns.

Close Quarters Battle (CQB): Techniques for entering and clearing single-story, multi-room objectives with precision.

Breaching Operations: Instruction on mechanical, ballistic, and explosive entry methods using tools like "quickie saws," shotguns, and specialized charges.

Urban Movement: Tactical navigation across four urban levels: building, street, subterranean, and air.

Insertion and Extraction: Advanced skills in fast-roping, rappelling, and climbing techniques to access urban structures. Operational Phases FM 31-28 Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC)

According to the manual's structured approach, the training typically progresses through three distinct phases:

Individual Skills: Focus on weapons handling and reflexive fire.

Collective Drills: Movement and coordination within a 12-man ODA, often culminating in "shoot-house" drills.

Full Mission Profile (FMP): A complex Field Training Exercise (FTX) incorporating mission planning, infiltration (air, sea, or land), and execution of a specific urban objective. Significance and Context FOUO UNCLASSIFIBD/FOUO - Public Intelligence

FM 31-28, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) dated 1 December 1999, is a restricted FOUO/CUI U.S. Army field manual detailing specialized urban training techniques, including advanced marksmanship, CQB, and tactical breaching. As a restricted document, full public access to this specific 1999 manual is generally unavailable, with training focus centered on ODA-level operations. For related training information, see Special Forces Training specialforcestraining.info SF Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) - Special Forces Training

FM 31-28 is the Army's SFAUC manual. See also Urban Warfare. specialforcestraining.info FM 3-05.230: Special Forces Tactical Facilities - BITS

FM 31-28: Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) is a restricted U.S. Army Field Manual originally published on December 1, 1999. Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library Because it is marked FOUO (For Official Use Only) References (Unclassified)

and contains sensitive tactical information regarding Special Forces urban operations, a full PDF is generally not available for public download on open-source repositories or official public-facing government sites. specialforcestraining.info Core Purpose & Context

Developed to provide a common doctrine and training strategy for Special Forces Groups conducting high-intensity urban combat.

It outlines the specialized skills required for urban environments, often categorized under "Shoot, Move, and Communicate" in complex terrain. Target Audience:

Specifically designed for Special Forces operational detachments (SFOD-A, B, and C) and their commanders to standardize SFAUC training Where to Find Information

While the 1999 manual itself is restricted, you can find unclassified visual examples and doctrinal summaries through official military channels: Training Visuals: DVIDS (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

hosts videos of active SFAUC training exercises conducted by groups like the 3rd and 7th Special Forces Groups. Doctrinal Overviews:

USAJFKSWCS (U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School) Special Warfare Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC)

magazine, which often discusses the evolution of urban combat doctrine and training. Library of Congress: For historical (unclassified) versions, you can search the Series 31: Special Operations index using call number U408.3.A13. Related Unclassified Manuals

If you are looking for general urban combat principles available to the public, consider these related manuals: FM 3-06 (Urban Operations) The primary Army-wide doctrine for urban combat. FM 3-18 (Special Forces Operations)

Provides a broader overview of how Special Forces operate within the range of military operations. Public Intelligence specific tactic

within the manual, such as urban breaching or room clearing? Special Forces Operations Manual FM 3-05.20 | PDF - Scribd

FM 31-28 Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) dated 1 December 1999 is an Unclassified/For Official Use Only (FOUO) document. The manual covers specialized tactics, including advanced shooting and breaching, and is restricted to authorized military personnel with a "need-to-know". For information regarding authorized access, contact the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS). specialforcestraining.info FOUO UNCLASSIFIBD/FOUO - Public Intelligence

Released on December 1, 1999, FM 31-28 "Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat" (SFAUC) transitioned military doctrine toward precise, close-quarters battle, moving beyond traditional "seize and hold" strategies. The manual emphasized specialized skills—such as technical breaching, surgical marksmanship, and nighttime operations—that became crucial for 21st-century urban environments. Learn more about the training techniques outlined in the document at Special Forces Training. Doctrine - Urban Warfare Institute

Key challenges of urban operations addressed

• Complex terrain: multi-level structures, subterranean spaces, narrow streets, and concealed routes that limit visibility and fields of fire.
• Civilian presence: dense populations, non-combatants mixed with combatants, and the need to minimize collateral damage.
• Intelligence and situational awareness: urban terrain complicates surveillance, identification of threats, and target acquisition.
• Command, control, and communications: building interference, line-of-sight limitations, and electromagnetic clutter degrade standard systems.
• Logistics and sustainment: constrained resupply routes and heightened risk to convoys and caches.
• Coordination with host-nation forces and other U.S. units, and legal/political considerations.

References (Unclassified)

1. U.S. Army. (1993). FM 90-10-1: An Infantryman’s Guide to Combat in Built-Up Areas. Washington, D.C.: HQDA.
2. U.S. Army Special Forces Command. (1999). FM 31-28 (FOUO): Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat [Restricted – Not publicly available].
3. U.S. Army. (2020). ATP 3-06.20: Special Forces Urban Operations. Fort Bragg, NC: USASOC.
4. Southworth, S. (2004). U.S. Special Forces: A Guide to America’s Special Operations Units. Da Capo Press.
5. Neville, L. (2019). Elite: The Special Forces of the United States. Osprey Publishing.
6. Smith, M. (2007). Killer Elite: The Inside Story of America’s Most Secret Special Operations Team. St. Martin’s Press.

Note to the reader: This paper is for academic and historical discussion only. It does not contain or attempt to reproduce any FOUO or classified material. Any search for the actual PDF of FM 31-28 should be limited to official channels and lawful requests.

FM 31-28, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC), is a December 1999 Department of the Army field manual outlining specialized training for Special Forces Operational Detachment Alphas (ODAs) in high-intensity urban environments. The document, traditionally marked as For Official Use Only (FOUO), covers comprehensive tactical training, including precision marksmanship, close-quarters battle (CQB), and advanced breaching operations. For more details, visit Special Forces Training. SF Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) - Special Forces Training

3.3 Hostage and Denied-Area Raids

• Rope-assisted descents and ascents on multi-story buildings.
• Subdued demolition breaching to avoid collateral noise and dust signature.

2. Vertical Envelopment

Standard urban doctrine looks at the street and the roof. The 1999 manual dedicates 30 pages to the "Subterranean Environment." It outlines how SF teams can use drainage systems to bypass checkpoints and how to conduct sound and light discipline in the absolute darkness of a city’s underworld. It is one of the first US manuals to treat the sewer as a legitimate line of advance rather than a hazard.