Long-range surveillance

A long-range surveillance team from the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan during 2007

Long-range surveillance (LRS) teams (pronounced "lurse") were elite, specially-trained surveillance units of the United States Army employed for clandestine operation by Military Intelligence for gathering direct human intelligence information deep within enemy territory. Classic LRS employment is to infiltrate deep into enemy territory, construct hide and surveillance sites, and provide continuous surveillance/special reconnaissance of an intelligence target of key interest.

LRS teams allow 24-hour surveillance and analysis coverage unlike unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), manned aircraft, and most satellites. Assuming there is no mission compromise, these teams typically remain in position for up to six days, as determined by the availability of food and water.[1]

As a result of an evaluation conducted using computer-modelling[2] the U.S. Army's senior leadership made the decision to deactivate all active-duty and National Guard LRS units. By the end of January 2017 the three active-duty LRS companies had ceased to exist, with its personnel being reassigned to other units.[3] The seven National Guard LRS units followed suit in 2018.[4]

  1. ^ "Eyes Behind the Lines: US Army Long-Range Reconnaissance and Surveillance Units" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-19. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
  2. ^ hartsock, Jonathan (2016). "No Longer Necessary: Long-range Surveillance Units in Unified Land Operations" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). Archived (PDF) from the original on February 9, 2024.
  3. ^ Horton, Alex (23 January 2017). "Army quietly deactivates its small-team reconnaissance units". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021.
  4. ^ Joint Force Headquarters - Nebraska National Guard (12 August 2018). "The Last LRS: Leaving a legacy behind". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Retrieved 8 December 2023.