Doctrinal and Tactical Aspects of Deploying Anti-Tank Guided Missile Platoons in Defence

Authors

  • Marko RADOVANOVIC
  • Misa ZIVKOVIC University of Defence, Military Academy, Belgrade
  • Aleksandar PETROVSKI Goce Delcev University’ Stip, Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski”, Skopje
  • Rexhep MUSTAFOVSKI Goce Delcev University’ Stip, Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski”, Skopje

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53477/2284-9378-25-36

Keywords:

Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Platoon, Defensive Operations, Tactical Employment, Terrain Masking and Camouflage, Hunter-Killer Tactics, Combined Arms Integration.

Abstract

This paper explores the tactical employment of the Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) platoon in defensive operations, focusing on its effectiveness against armoured and mechanized threats in both conventional and hybrid warfare environments. Drawing on doctrinal frameworks such as FM 3-21.91, FM 71-1, and MCRP 3-30.7, the research evaluates key aspects including terrain-based siting, force distribution, survivability through mobility and camouflage, and synchronization with indirect fire and reconnaissance assets. Through simulated defensive scenarios, the study demonstrates that ATGM units deployed in decentralized, terrain-masked positions with overlapping fields of fire and ISR integration significantly improve engagement success and reduce vulnerability to counterattack. The findings suggest doctrinal and organizational refinements, such as the incorporation of hunter-killer tactics and loitering munitions at the platoon level, to meet the demands of multi-domain operations and support Force Design 2030 concepts. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for training, force structure adaptation, and integrated fires coordination.

Author Biographies

Marko RADOVANOVIC

CPT MSc Marko Radovanovic, born in 1994, is an officer in the Serbian Armed Forces and a lecturer at the Military Academy in Belgrade. He graduated from the Military Academy in Belgrade in 2016 and earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Belgrade in 2019. In 2024, he successfully completed the Basic Command and Staff Course.

Currently, CPT Radovanovic serves as an infantry unit commander and is actively engaged in teaching military skills within the subject Tactics with Weapons Systems, focusing on the infantry specialty. His academic and professional interests include the application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones in military operations, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, and planning and execution within the framework of large-scale military operations.

He is the author of several scientific articles published in national and international journals and has contributed to the academic and professional community through participation in various research projects. In addition to his teaching and operational duties, CPT Radovanovic is a member of the program committees of several national and international scientific conferences, as well as an active reviewer and editorial board member of international scientific journals in the fields of defense studies, security, and applied decision-making methods.

His work bridges the gap between military practice and academic research, with a strong focus on modernizing tactical doctrines through the integration of advanced technologies and analytical approaches.

Misa ZIVKOVIC, University of Defence, Military Academy, Belgrade

LTC Misa Zivkovic joined the Military Academy of the University of Defense in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, in 2022, where he teaches Infantry Unit Tactics at the undergraduate level and in career courses for infantry branch military officers at the National Defense School. From 2007 to 2022, he served in various command and staff roles, including platoon and company commander, staff officer at the brigade level, and deputy battalion commander. His professional and academic interests include infantry unit tactics, operations in urban environments, and decision-making systems.

Misa graduated from the Military Academy in Belgrade in 2007; earned a master's degree in International Affairs (International Security) from the Faculty of Political Sciences - University in Belgrade in 2012; finished the Command-Staff Course at the National Defense School „Vojvoda Radomir Putnik“ under the University of Defense in Belgrade (2020). He is a student of doctoral studies (Military Studies) at the Military Academy in Belgrade.

 

Rexhep MUSTAFOVSKI, Goce Delcev University’ Stip, Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski”, Skopje

Rexhep Mustafovski is a dedicated Teaching and Research Assistant at the Military Academy "General Mihailo Apostolski" – Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, where he actively contributes to the academic and scientific development of cadets in the field of cybersecurity, digital forensics, and secure military communication systems. He plays a key role in both instruction and research at the Department for Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics and has mentored numerous student projects related to secure systems design, signal processing, and embedded system applications in military environments.

He holds a Master's degree from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies (FEEIT) at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, where he is currently pursuing his doctoral studies. His Ph.D. research focuses on the design and implementation of next-generation tactical communication platforms for land, sea, and air operations, emphasizing encrypted wireless communication, resilience in electronic warfare environments, and integration with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). His interdisciplinary approach brings together knowledge from electronics, signal processing, AI-based computer vision, and real-time systems engineering.

Rexhep is the principal author and co-author of multiple scientific papers published in international journals and conference proceedings, including topics such as:

  • secure drone-to-database communication architectures,
  • object detection using ultrasonic radar and YOLOv8 AI models,
  • comparative simulations of tactical networks in harsh environments,
  • integration of AI and sensor networks for battlefield surveillance.

He has presented his research at regional and international conferences, including IEEE-affiliated events, and continues to contribute to collaborative defense research initiatives across academia and industry.

In addition to his academic achievements, Rexhep is a decorated karate coach and national champion, holding over 100 medals from international competitions. He is the founder and head coach of the Karate Club “Maverik” in Skopje and actively promotes discipline, leadership, and physical education among young people.

Through his combined dedication to military education, academic research, and youth development, Rexhep Mustafovski represents a modern profile of an officer-scientist deeply committed to advancing technological resilience, national security, and ethical leadership.

For a complete list of publications, see:

https://ma.edu.mk/personal/m-r-redep-mustafovski 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rexhep-Mustafovski 

https://mk.linkedin.com/in/rexhep-mustafovski-1539442a5

https://wwwugd.academia.edu/RexhepMustafovski 

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=OPRRTpUAAAAJ&hl=en 

 

 

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Published

2025-10-07

How to Cite

RADOVANOVIC, M. ., ZIVKOVIC, M. ., PETROVSKI, A. ., & MUSTAFOVSKI, R. . (2025). Doctrinal and Tactical Aspects of Deploying Anti-Tank Guided Missile Platoons in Defence. BULLETIN OF "CAROL I" NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY, 14(3), 59–78. https://doi.org/10.53477/2284-9378-25-36

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 3 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

The published articles are subject to copyright law. All rights are reserved to the “Carol I” National Defense University, regardless of whether all or part of the material are considered, especially the rights to translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, quotations, broadcasting through the media, reproduction on microfilms or any other way and storage in data banks. Any replicas without the associated fees are authorized provided the source is acknowledged.