military science Military science is the study of military processes, institutions, and behavior, along with the study of warfare, and the theory and application of organized coercive force. It is mainly focused on theory, method, and practice of producing mil ...

nomenclature, a quick reaction force (QRF) is an armed military unit capable of rapidly responding to developing situations, typically to assist allied units in need of such assistance. They are to have equipment ready to respond to any type of emergency, typically within ten minutes or less but that is based on unit

standard operating procedure A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output, and uniformity of performance, while reducing misc ...

s (SOPs). Army

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

units are frequently postured as quick reaction forces, with a main mission of security and

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...

. They are generally

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...

-sized in the

U.S. military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

's combat arms.

History

The QRF is a modern

military reserve A military reserve, active reserve, reserve formation, or simply reserve, is a group of military personnel or units that is initially not committed to a battle by its commander, so that it remains available to address unforeseen situations or ex ...

and belongs directly to the commander of the unit it is created from. Depending on the unit size and protocols, the commander may be the only person authorized to control the QRF, or he may delegate this responsibility to one or more additional people. QRFs are commonly found in maneuver

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

-level task forces and above, in addition to many operating bases having their own dedicated QRF to react to threats on or immediately around the base. The readiness level of the QRF is based on unit SOPs. Since maintaining a split-second level of readiness is draining on equipment, fuel and personnel, the QRF is postured based on the likelihood of being called up. During high-intensity conflicts, the QRF may be forced to maintain that split-second level of readiness, and have all members in their vehicles with the motors running. However, during low-intensity conflict, when deployment is less likely and may be more readily predicted, the command establishes how fast the QRF must be able to react, which can range from trucks and personnel in a central location with the troops rotating out of the trucks to the vehicles simply staged close to a unit area, with all personnel staying close enough for rapid recall. The speed at which a QRF is expected to react is defined by its readiness condition, or

REDCON In the U.S. military, the term REDCON is short for Readiness Condition and is used to refer to a unit's readiness to respond to and engage in combat operations. There are five REDCON levels, as described below in this excerpt from Army Field Manual ...

, level. The mission of a QRF can vary widely, as they are used to respond to any threat the commander chooses to employ them for. A U.S. Army QRF consists of a variable number of trucks, generally a mix of M1151 Up-Armored HMMWVs and, since their introduction, MRAPs. Depending on the mission requirement, additional units can be attached to an organic platoon to expand their capabilities. Examples include attaching explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams to a QRF responding to bombs or similar threats, and vehicle recovery assets to a QRF expected to recover damaged trucks.

References

Force protection tactics Military units and formations {{mil-stub

History

See also

References