Tempo is a key characteristic of offensive operations. It is the means by whichthe attacker keeps the defender off balance and prevents him from taking effective countermeasures. In the attack, reconnaissance units are key to gathering intelligence and developing the situation necessary for exploiting enemy weaknesses and keeping him off balance. The reconnaissance in force, by definition, is a means for obtaining this type of information and influencing the enemy's capability to fight. Since its inclusion in the 1939 version of FM 100-5, Operations, the reconnaissance in force has undergone significant changes in purpose and design. The latest version of FM 100-5 includes some significant changes to the reconnaissance in force and introduces tempo as a key characteristic of offensive operations.
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