During the Cold War, combined arms heavy force tactics dictated that forces should avoid urban areas when possible. However, since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, heavy forces have fought in every urban area in Iraq. The United States Army has clearly rediscovered combined arms heavy force tactics, but there currently exists no validated and effective live, virtual, or constructive training simulation to adequately prepare U.S. Army forces to deal with insurgents in urban terrain. This study examined selected simulations currently in use for training and analysis, compared them against urban warfare requirements derived from key historical battles, and recommended requirements for future simulations that will better prepare the nation's soldiers for the urban battlefield of today and tomorrow.

ADA 470679 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)