text: FM 7-100.1________________________________________________________________________________
  13-56. Clandestine SPF sabotage agents do little intelligence collection. Their job
  is to assimilate into the local culture, establish residences near transport and power
  facilities, and when ordered, emplace explosive charges in preselected targets.
  13-57. Another important task for clandestine SPF sabotage agents in
  peacetime is to acquire houses and plots of land to prepare safe areas where
  sabotage teams (civilian and military) can find refuge after landing behind
  enemy lines in times of hostilities. These places are usually in the countryside,
  in forested areas near the sea, or in the mountains.
  13-58. Agents provide incoming sabotage and assassination teams with safe
  areas, motor transport, fuel, and supplies. They then guide the teams to their
  objective. Both intelligence and sabotage agents can come under the control of a
  theater or OSC chief of reconnaissance. The chief of reconnaissance can transfer
  agents from one category to the other at any time or order them to fulfill both roles.
  Transition to War
  13-59. Before hostilities begin, SPF conduct clandestine operations in the target
  area. This increases the probability of destroying key targets well before enemy
  force protection measures tighten. This is the most critical period because
  clandestine agents or teams can efficiently use the enemy’s lack of awareness
  as an opportunity to disorganize and disrupt troops and the local population.
  Since the SPF often use terror tactics, direct action during this transition period
  still allows plausible deniability. Missions generally include the following:
  • Conduct strategic and operational reconnaissance.
  • Train and assist insurgents operating in foreign countries.
  • Organize local irregular forces.
  • Weaken the target country’s military capabilities or will to fight
  through either subversion or direct action.
  • Assassinate key military and political figures.
  • Sabotage enemy mobilization and deployment.
  13-60. The General Staff directs the planning of SPF wartime missions, which
  form an integral part of combined arms operations. Intended to support
  theater-level campaigns as well as OSC-level operations, SPF are capable of
  operating throughout enemy territory.
  Wartime Missions
  13-61. SPF play an important role in support of both the offense and defense.
  They may perform their missions separately, in support of strategic objec-
  tives, or in support of a theater-level campaign or an OSC-level operation.
  Missions generally include some of the following:
  • Conduct deep reconnaissance operations.
  • Conduct direct action along strategic or operational axes, including
  ambushes and raids.
  • Destroy critical air defense systems and associated radars.
  • Support follow-on conventional military operations.
  • Assist local irregular forces to prepare for offensive operations.