Military engineering

Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and

practice of designing and building military works and maintaining
lines of military transport and military communications. Military
engineers are also responsible for logistics behind military tactics.
Modern military engineering differs from civil engineering. In the
20th and 21st centuries, military engineering also includes other
engineering disciplines such as mechanical and electrical
engineering techniques.[1]

According to NATO, "military engineering is that engineer activity

Relief map of the Citadel of Lille,
undertaken, regardless of component or service, to shape the
designed in 1668 by Vauban, the
physical operating environment. Military engineering incorporates
foremost military engineer of his
support to maneuver and to the force as a whole, including military age.
engineering functions such as engineer support to force protection,
counter-improvised explosive devices, environmental protection,
engineer intelligence and military search. Military engineering does not encompass the activities undertaken
by those 'engineers' who maintain, repair and operate vehicles, vessels, aircraft, weapon systems and
equipment."[2]

Military engineering is an academic subject taught in military academies or schools of military engineering.
The construction and demolition tasks related to military engineering are usually performed by military
engineers including soldiers trained as sappers or pioneers.[3] In modern armies, soldiers trained to perform
such tasks while well forward in battle and under fire are often called combat engineers.

In some countries, military engineers may also perform non-military construction tasks in peacetime such as
flood control and river navigation works, but such activities do not fall within the scope of military
engineering.

Contents
Etymology
History
Education
Sub-discipline
Explosives Engineering
Institutions & Professional Associations
Military engineering by country
Russia
United Kingdom
United States
Other nations
See also
Related Topics
 Notable military engineers
References
External links

Etymology
The word engineer was initially used in the context of warfare, dating back to 1325 when engine’er
(literally, one who operates an engine) referred to "a constructor of military engines".[4] In this context,
"engine" referred to a military machine, i. e., a mechanical contraption used in war (for example, a catapult).

As the design of civilian structures such as bridges and buildings developed as a technical discipline, the
term civil engineering[5] entered the lexicon as a way to distinguish between those specializing in the
construction of such non-military projects and those involved in the older discipline. As the prevalence of
civil engineering outstripped engineering in a military context and the number of disciplines expanded, the
original military meaning of the word "engineering" is now largely obsolete. In its place, the term "military
engineering" has come to be used.

History
The first civilization to have a dedicated force of
military engineering specialists were the Romans,
whose army contained a dedicated corps of military
engineers known as architecti. This group was pre-
eminent among its contemporaries. The scale of certain
military engineering feats, such as the construction of a
double-wall of fortifications 30 miles (48 km) long, in
just 6 weeks to completely encircle the besieged city of
Alesia in 52 B.C.E., is an example. Such military
engineering feats would have been completely new, and
probably bewildering and demoralizing, to the Gallic
defenders. The best known of these Roman army
engineers due to his writings surviving is Vitruvius. Aerial view of Mulberry harbour "B" (27 October
1944)
In ancient times, military engineers were responsible for
siege warfare and building field fortifications,
temporary camps and roads. The most notable engineers of ancient times were the Romans and Chinese,
who constructed huge siege-machines (catapults, battering rams and siege towers). The Romans were
responsible for constructing fortified wooden camps and paved roads for their legions. Many of these
Roman roads are still in use today.[6]

For about 600 years after the fall of the Roman empire, the practice of military engineering barely evolved
in the west. In fact, much of the classic techniques and practices of Roman military engineering were lost.
Through this period, the foot soldier (who was pivotal to much of the Roman military engineering
capability) was largely replaced by mounted soldiers. It was not until later in the Middle Ages, that military
engineering saw a revival focused on siege warfare.[7]

Military engineers planned castles and fortresses. When laying siege, they planned and oversaw efforts to
penetrate castle defenses. When castles served a military purpose, one of the tasks of the sappers was to
weaken the bases of walls to enable them to be breached before means of thwarting these activities were
devised. Broadly speaking, sappers were experts at demolishing or otherwise overcoming or bypassing
fortification systems.

With the 14th-century development of gunpowder, new siege

engines in the form of cannons appeared. Initially military engineers
were responsible for maintaining and operating these new weapons
just as had been the case with previous siege engines. In England,
the challenge of managing the new technology resulted in the
creation of the Office of Ordnance around 1370 in order to
administer the cannons, armaments and castles of the kingdom. Both
military engineers and artillery formed the body of this organization
Working dress of the Royal Military and served together until the office's predecessor, the Board of
Artificers in Gibraltar, 1795
Ordnance was disbanded in 1855.[8]

In comparison to older weapons, the cannon was significantly more

effective against traditional medieval fortifications. Military engineering significantly revised the way
fortifications were built in order to be better protected from enemy direct and plunging shot. The new
fortifications were also intended to increase the ability of defenders to bring fire onto attacking enemies.
Fort construction proliferated in 16th-century Europe based on the trace italienne design.[9]

By the 18th century, regiments of foot (infantry) in the British,

French, Prussian and other armies included pioneer detachments. In
peacetime these specialists constituted the regimental tradesmen,
constructing and repairing buildings, transport wagons, etc. On
active service they moved at the head of marching columns with
axes, shovels, and pickaxes, clearing obstacles or building bridges to
enable the main body of the regiment to move through difficult
terrain. The modern Royal Welch Fusiliers and French Foreign French sappers during the Battle of
Legion still maintain pioneer sections who march at the front of Berezina in 1812
ceremonial parades, carrying chromium-plated tools intended for
show only. Other historic distinctions include long work aprons and
the right to wear beards.

The Peninsular War (1808–14) revealed deficiencies in the training and knowledge of officers and men of
the British Army in the conduct of siege operations and bridging. During this war low-ranking Royal
Engineers officers carried out large-scale operations. They had under their command working parties of two
or three battalions of infantry, two or three thousand men, who knew nothing in the art of siegeworks. Royal
Engineers officers had to demonstrate the simplest tasks to the soldiers, often while under enemy fire.
Several officers were lost and could not be replaced, and a better system of training for siege operations was
required. On 23 April 1812 an establishment was authorised, by Royal Warrant, to teach "Sapping, Mining,
and other Military Fieldworks" to the junior officers of the Corps of Royal Engineers and the Corps of Royal
Military Artificers, Sappers and Miners.

The first courses at the Royal Engineers Establishment were done on an all ranks basis with the greatest
regard to economy. To reduce staff the NCOs and officers were responsible for instructing and examining
the soldiers. If the men could not read or write they were taught to do so, and those who could read and
write were taught to draw and interpret simple plans. The Royal Engineers Establishment quickly became
the centre of excellence for all fieldworks and bridging. Captain Charles Pasley, the director of the
Establishment, was keen to confirm his teaching, and regular exercises were held as demonstrations or as
experiments to improve the techniques and teaching of the Establishment. From 1833 bridging skills were
demonstrated annually by the building of a pontoon bridge across the Medway which was tested by the
infantry of the garrison and the cavalry from Maidstone. These demonstrations had become a popular
spectacle for the local people by 1843, when 43,000 came to watch a field day laid on to test a method of
assaulting earthworks for a report to the Inspector General of Fortifications. In 1869 the title of the Royal
Engineers Establishment was changed to "The School of Military Engineering" (SME) as evidence of its
status, not only as the font of engineer doctrine and training for the British Army, but also as the leading
scientific military school in Europe.

The dawn of the internal combustion engine marked the beginning

of a significant change in military engineering. With the arrival of
the automobile at the end of the 19th century and heavier than air
flight at the start of the 20th century, military engineers assumed a
major new role in supporting the movement and deployment of these
systems in war. Military engineers gained vast knowledge and
experience in explosives. They were tasked with planting bombs,
landmines and dynamite.

At the end of World War I, the standoff on the Western Front caused
the Imperial German Army to gather experienced and particularly A Bailey bridge being deployed in
skilled soldiers to form "Assault Teams" which would break through the Korean War to replace a bridge
the Allied trenches. With enhanced training and special weapons destroyed in combat.
(such as flamethrowers), these squads achieved some success, but
too late to change the outcome of the war. In early WWII, however,
the Wehrmacht "Pioniere" battalions proved their efficiency in both attack and defense, somewhat inspiring
other armies to develop their own combat engineers battalions. Notably, the attack on Fort Eben-Emael in
Belgium was conducted by Luftwaffe glider-deployed combat engineers.

The need to defeat the German defensive positions of the "Atlantic wall" as part of the amphibious landings
in Normandy in 1944 led to the development of specialist combat engineer vehicles. These, collectively
known as Hobart's Funnies, included a specific vehicle to carry combat engineers, the Churchill AVRE.
These and other dedicated assault vehicles were organised into the specialised 79th Armoured Division and
deployed during Operation Overlord – 'D-Day'.

Other significant military engineering projects of World War II include Mulberry harbour and Operation
Pluto.

Modern military engineering still retains the Roman role of building field fortifications, road paving and
breaching terrain obstacles. A notable military engineering task was, for example, breaching the Suez Canal
during the Yom Kippur War.

Education
Military engineers can come from a variety of engineering programs. They may be graduates of mechanical,
electrical, civil, or industrial engineering.[10][11]

Sub-discipline
Modern military engineering can be divided into three main tasks or fields: combat engineering, strategic
support, and ancillary support. Combat engineering is associated with engineering on the battlefield. Combat
engineers are responsible for increasing mobility on the front lines of war such as digging trenches and
building temporary facilities in war zones.[12] Strategic support is associated with providing service in
communication zones such as the construction of airfields and the improvement and upgrade of ports, roads
and railways communication. Ancillary support includes provision and distribution of maps as well as the
disposal of unexploded warheads. Military engineers construct bases, airfields, roads, bridges, ports, and
hospitals. During peacetime before modern warfare, military engineers took the role of civil engineers by
participating in the construction of civil-works projects. Nowadays, military engineers are almost entirely
engaged in war logistics and preparedness.[1]

Explosives Engineering
Explosives are defined as any system that produces rapidly expanding gases in a given volume in a short
duration.[13] Specific military engineering occupations also extend to the field of explosives and demolitions
and their usage on the battlefield. Explosive devices have been used on the battlefield for several centuries,
in numerous operations from combat to area clearance. Earliest known development of explosives can be
traced back to 10th century China where the Chinese are credited with engineering the world's first known
explosive, black powder.[14]Initially developed for recreational purposes, black powder later was utilized for
military application in bombs and projectile propulsion in firearms. Engineers in the military who specialize
in this field formulate and design many explosive devices to use in varying operating conditions. Such
explosive compounds range from black powder to modern plastic explosives.[15]This particular is
commonly listed under the role of combat engineers who demolitions expertise also includes mine and IED
detection and disposal. For more information, see Bomb disposal.

Institutions & Professional Associations

The NATO Military Engineering Center of Excellence (MilEng
CoE) is co-located with the German Army Military Engineer School
in Ingolstadt. Prior to becoming a NATO CoE, the institute was
known as the Euro NATO Training Engineer Centre (ENTEC) and it
was located in Munich. As ENTEC, the institute was mandated to
conduct military engineer interoperability training for participating
nations. As the MilEng CoE, the institute's mandate has expanded to
include doctrine and NATO standardization agreements (STANAGs)
related to military engineering.
The American 341st Engineer
Company building a ribbon bridge
Military engineering by country
Military engineers are key in all armed forces of the world, and invariably found either closely integrated
into the force structure, or even into the combat units of the national troops.

Russia
Russian Empire – Pososhniye lyudi
Soviet Union – Assault Engineering Brigades
Russia – Russian Engineer Troops

United Kingdom
The French Engineering Arm laying
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training a bridge
establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. The RSME
also provides training for the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, other
Arms and Services of the British Army, Other Government Departments, and Foreign and Commonwealth
countries as required. These skills provide vital components in the Army's operational capability, and Royal
Engineers are currently deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo, Kenya, Brunei, Falklands,
Belize, Germany and Northern Ireland. Royal Engineers also take part in exercises in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
Italy, Egypt, Jordan, Canada, Poland and the United States.

United States

The prevalence of military engineering in the United States dates back to the American Revolutionary War
when engineers would carry out tasks in the U.S. Army. During the war, they would map terrain to and build
fortifications to protect troops from opposing forces. The first military engineering organization in the
United States was the Army Corps of Engineers. Engineers were responsible for protecting military troops
whether using fortifications or designing new technology and weaponry throughout the United States’
history of warfare. The Army originally claimed engineers exclusively, but as the U.S. military branches
expanded to the sea and sky, the need for military engineering sects in all branches increased. As each
branch of the United States military expanded, technology adapted to fit their respective needs.[16]

United States Army Corps of Engineers

Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational
Repair Squadron Engineers (RED HORSE), and Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force
(Prime BEEF)
The United States Navy Construction Battalion Corps (better known as the Seabees) and Civil
Engineer Corps
United States Marine Corps Combat Engineer Battalions

Other nations
Department of the Engineer Troops of the Armed Forces of Armenia
Royal Australian Engineers and the Royal Australian Air Force Airfield Engineers
Canadian Military Engineers
The Danish military engineering corps is almost entirely organized into one regiment,
simply named "Ingeniørregimentet" ("The Engineering Regiment").
Pioniertruppe (Bundeswehr)
Engineering Arm, including the Paris Fire Brigade
Indian Army Corps of Engineers
Indonesian Army Corps of Engineers
Irish Army Engineer Corps
Combat Engineering Corps of the Israel Defense Forces
Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers
Ingeniørbataljonen ("The Engineer Battalion")
Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers and the Military Engineering Service
10th Engineer Brigade
South African Army Engineer Formation
Sri Lanka Engineers and the Engineer Services Regiment
The Le Quy Don Technical University is the main training establishment for the
Vietnamese Army's Corps of Engineers

See also
Related Topics
Bailey bridge
Fortification
History of warfare
Military bridges
Military engineering vehicles
Military technology and equipment
Siege engine
Society of American Military Engineers

Notable military engineers

Mozi
Gundulf of Rochester
Henri Alexis Brialmont
John Chard
Menno van Coehoorn
Pierre Charles L'Enfant
Giovanni Fontana
Leslie Groves
Cyril Gordon Martin
Coulson Norman Mitchell
John Rosworm
Charles Pasley
Vauban
Marc René, marquis de Montalembert
Charles George Gordon
Francis Fowke
Paul R. Smith
Vitruvius
Eugénio dos Santos
Tadeusz Kościuszko.
Leonardo da Vinci
Zahid Ali Akbar Khan
Robert E. Lee
Herman Haupt
Douglas MacArthur
George Washington
Fritz Todt

References
1. "military engineering" (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/382334/military-engineerin
g). Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
 2. NATO publication (1 April 2008). MC 0560 "MILITARY COMMITTEE POLICY FOR MILITARY
ENGINEERING". NATO.
3. Bernard Brodie, Fawn McKay Brodie (1973). From Crossbow to H-bomb (https://archive.org/de
tails/fromcrossbowtohb0000brod). Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-20161-6.
4. Oxford English Dictionary
5. Engineers' Council for Professional Development definition on Encyclopædia Britannica (http://
www.britannica.com/eb/article-9105842/engineering) (Includes Britannica article on
Engineering)
6. Purton, Peter (April 2018). "The Medieval Military Engineer" (https://boydellandbrewer.com/the-
medieval-military-engineer-hb.html).
7. Canadian Forces Publication, A-JS-007-003/JD-001 Customs and Traditions of the Canadian
Military Engineers. 30 June 2003 [1] (http://www.cmea-agmc.ca/redbook/CME_Customs_e.pd
f)
8. Museum, Royal Engineers. "Corps History – Part 2" (https://web.archive.org/web/2010020408
4632/http://www.remuseum.org.uk/corpshistory/rem_corps_part2.htm). Archived from the
original (http://www.remuseum.org.uk/corpshistory/rem_corps_part2.htm) on 4 February 2010.
Retrieved 12 January 2010.
9. Langins, Janis. Conserving the Enlightenment: French Military Engineering from Vauban to the
Revolution. Cambridge, Massachusetts MIT Press. 2004.
10. "Become a Military Engineer: Step-by-Step Career Guide" (https://study.com/articles/Become_
a_Military_Engineer_Step-by-Step_Career_Guide.html).
11. "‫( "מאצרות‬https://idanbp.com/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA/).
Friday, April 10, 2020
12. "Combat Engineer (12B)" (https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-c
ategories/construction-engineering/combat-engineer.html). goarmy.com. Retrieved 26 April
2019.
13. "Explosive | chemical product" (https://www.britannica.com/technology/explosive).
Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
14. "Explosive | chemical product" (https://www.britannica.com/technology/explosive).
Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
15. Cooper, Paul W. (19 July 2018). Explosives Engineering (https://books.google.com/?id=mvRlD
wAAQBAJ&pg=PP2&dq=%22Military+engineering%22#v=onepage&q=%22Military%20engine
ering%22&f=false). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781119537137.
16. Chambers, John (2000). "Engineering, Military" (http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/military_en
gineering.aspx#1). Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 14 February 2013.

External links
Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (https://www.usace.army.mil)
NATO Military Engineering Centre of Excellence (http://milengcoe.org/Pages/default.aspx)

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