Operational Planning and Route Selection
Building the movement plan
Operational planning converts intelligence into a executable protective plan. Candidates must understand the protective brief structure: situation, principal profile, threat picture, routes (primary, alternate, emergency), timings, team roles, communications, medical plan, and contingencies. Route selection balances speed, predictability, and exposure. A fast route through a congested market may be slower and more vulnerable than a longer, controlled corridor.
Key concepts include choke points (bridges, tunnels, narrow streets where the convoy cannot manoeuvre), decision points (where the route can change), and safe havens (police stations, friendly buildings, hospitals). Routes should avoid predictable patterns; vary timings and paths where operationally feasible. The plan must include actions on - pre-agreed responses to contact, breakdown, medical emergency, and deviation.
Traps and rule of thumb
A classic trap is choosing the shortest route by distance rather than the most controllable by exposure. Another is planning only a primary route; exam answers should always include at least one alternate and one emergency route with decision points. Beware of plans that rely on a single communications path or a single vehicle.
Worked rule of thumb: select the route with the fewest unavoidable choke points and the most decision points. Three decision points and one bridge beat zero decision points and four bridges, because options preserve the ability to react.