: The importance of minimizing civilian casualties and collateral damage, including interaction with local authorities and populations.
Act as a catalyst to raise the "Warrior Spirit" and tactical proficiency of Operational Detachment Alphas (ODAs).
The late 1990s saw a significant shift in the nature of modern warfare. The end of the Cold War and the rise of asymmetric threats led to a renewed focus on urban warfare. The manual FM 31-28 FOUNO was developed to address the specific challenges faced by special operations forces (SOF) in urban environments. The manual's publication date of December 1, 1999, coincides with a period of significant change in the global security landscape.
FM 31-28 FOUIO Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat is a comprehensive manual that provides Special Forces personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct advanced urban combat operations. The manual emphasizes the complexities of urban warfare and the need for precise and discriminate use of force. By mastering the techniques and strategies outlined in the manual, Special Forces personnel can effectively operate in urban environments and achieve their objectives. : The importance of minimizing civilian casualties and
The manual, issued on 1 December 1999 , represents a critical, specialized document in the evolution of U.S. Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) tactics. Classified as For Official Use Only (FOUO) , this manual was designed to provide the specific techniques, tactics, and procedures (TTPs) necessary for Special Forces (SF) teams to operate in highly complex urban environments.
Rifle, pistol, and shotgun training focused on speed and accuracy.
: The calculated application of strip charges, push charges, and interior explosive packages designed to blow open reinforced doors or walls without collapsing the building structure. 4. Complex Urban Infiltration The end of the Cold War and the
Modern urban warfare has integrated new technologies that were still in their infancy in 1999—such as micro-drones (UAVs) for indoor scouting, advanced night vision devices (NODs), and handheld thermal imagers. However, the human geometry of tactical movement, the physical discipline of weapon handling, and the mental grit required to clear a dark room under fire remain exactly as they were codified on 1 December 1999.
The manual FM 31-28 FOUNO provides a range of tactics and techniques for advanced urban combat, including:
The U.S. Army technical publication , officially published on 1 December 1999 , serves as the foundational blueprint for elite Close Quarters Battle (CQB) and high-intensity urban operations within the Special Forces community. Originally classified as FOUO (For Official Use Only) with its distribution restricted strictly to the Special Forces enterprise, this historical field manual codified the transition from conventional urban tactics to the lethal, microscopic micromanagement of close-quarters room clearing. Overview of FM 31-28 (SFAUC) Designation: Field Manual (FM) 31-28 Title: Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) Publication Date: 1 December 1999 FM 31-28 FOUIO Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat
The FM 31-28 was, in essence, the official manual for the course, a rigorous training program designed to forge Green Berets into masters of close-quarters battle (CQB).
The manual was specifically tailored for a standard 12-man ODA. It focused on moving the detachment past basic survival in a city to achieving absolute tactical mastery over single-entry-point, multi-room, and multi-story structures. 2. Core Operational Pillars of FM 31-28
Rapid deployment onto rooftops via fast-roping, helicopter inserts, and advanced military rappelling.