text: Introduction
  COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY
  1-25. Pathfinders and terminal guidance personnel must know about any hostile data collection and
  exploitation activities. Such activities seek to disrupt, deceive, harass, or otherwise interfere with the
  command and control of pathfinder operations.
  ENEMY INTERCEPTION
  1-26. The enemy can intercept, analyze, determine the direction of, and exploit electromagnetic energy
  radiating from any signal equipment such as radios, radar, and more. He uses this intelligence for fire and
  maneuver and for electronic countermeasures.
  1-27. The enemy may collect pathfinder emissions data for immediate or later use. He may use jamming
  or deception, or he may continue to monitor and analyze the data for later use.
  1-28. Time-distance factors limit the enemy’s ability to exploit signal intelligence in support of his
  ground operations. He may use a reaction force, or he may find the source of the signal using direction
  finding (DF) equipment. If he uses DF equipment, he can also use electronic countermeasures (ECM) to
  jam and deceive the pathfinder’s electronic aids.
  PATHFINDER AWARENESS
  1-29. Pathfinders must plan for the enemy’s DF capabilities. Automated DF systems determine line
  bearings for each signal detected. The enemy continuously processes and compares line bearings and plots
  fixes for pathfinder signals. Depending on the size of the DF base and the number of DF systems available,
  the enemy may accurately locate a friendly position with little difficulty.
  1-30. What the enemy does to gain signals intelligence (SIGINT) reveals his intent. In combating
  enemy DF systems, pathfinders consider the following:
  y The high priority of aviation-related missions.
  y The length of time the pathfinders remain on the air.
  y The number of pathfinder transmitters.
  y The distance of friendly forces from enemy DF systems, enemy fire and maneuver elements,
  and enemy collection and jamming resources.
  y Friendly actions to mask pathfinder operations.
  1-31. Strict signal security practices, to include electronic warfare (EW), greatly reduce the vulnerability
  of signal devices to enemy exploitation. (FM 24-18 provides more information on communications.)
  TRAINING
  1-32. Personnel qualify as pathfinders only by completing the pathfinder course at the US Army
  Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia.
  GOALS
  1-33. The pathfinder training program stresses—
  y The development of individual proficiency in air traffic control procedures.
  y That pathfinders learn and know the SOP of the aviation and ground units they support.
  y Proficiency in slingload operations.
  y Establishment of helicopter landing zones and drop zones.