These RSTA squadrons continue on the Recondo legacy of the Vietnam era Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRP),[3] however, compared to the LRRPs they are often assigned additional non-reconnaissance responsibilities such as battlespace ownership.
[4] Additionally, RSTA is a doctrine that groups the tasks of reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition conducted by the Department of Defense (United States).
[5] As part of its modernization and reorganization plan, the US Army has transitioned to the use of a modular brigade combat team (BCT) scheme.
The primary task of the RSTA squadron is to carry out reconnaissance and security missions for its parent BCT or for higher commands, whether as part of offensive or defensive operations.
[10] However the mix of mounted and dismounted troops creates a mismatch in maneuvering ability[10] and may require augmentation with additional transportation resources.
[12][11][13] In comparison to the DRT, the MFRC has fewer snipers but more UAS and cUAS assets, as well as an organic air-defense capability in the form of a Stinger team.
[2] According to JP 3-55, RSTA operations are concerned not only with the collection of military intelligence, but ensuring that it is accurate, relevant, and distributed in a timely manner to the appropriate user.
[5] Across the strategic, operational and tactical level, RSTA operations fall within three areas: Indications and warnings (I&W) are "intelligence activities intended to detect and report time-sensitive intelligence information on foreign developments that could involve a threat to the United States or allied and/or coalition military, political, or economic interests or to US citizens abroad."
[5] Strategically, RSTA planning and employment operations are used to support the planning of military operations, by monitoring foreign nations' centers of warmaking capability, and providing information on enemy system capabilities, locations, and installations for the National Target Base and other target lists.