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Alanding operation is amilitaryoperation during which a landing force, usually utilizinglanding craft, is transferred to land with the purpose of power projection ashore. With the proliferation of aircraft, a landing may refer toamphibious forces,airborne forces, or a combination of both.
In amilitary invasion conducted by sea, the landing and establishment of abeachhead are critical phases.In theIliad, the landing operation of theAchaean navy is described in book three. Since the Trojans had been warned of the invasion, the beach was defended. InGreek polytheism, the ἱερά ἐπιβατήρια were sacrifices offered to the gods after a successful landing. A λόγος ἐπιβατήριον was a dignified speech delivered upon disembarkation, contrasting with anἀποβατήριον (apobaterion), the speech delivered upon departure.
DuringWorld War II, landing operations were used to great effect during theNormandy landings and theAllied invasion of Sicily on theWestern Front, and across thePacific throughleapfrogging during thePacific War. Later landing operations during theCold War included the 1950Battle of Inchon during theKorean War, the 1961Bay of Pigs Invasion, and the 1983United States invasion of Grenada.
Missions of air landing troops, as defined by the U.S.FM 100–5Operations manual, include seizing, holding, or otherwise exploiting important tactical localities or installations in conjunction with or pending the arrival of other military or naval forces.
Such missions include seizure and clearance of landing fields, beachheads, strong points, and ports; seizure of essential observation or other critical terrain; severing hostile lines of communication and supply; destroying bridges, locks, public utility enterprises, and other designated demolitions; seizing river crossings,defiles, and otherbottlenecks; blocking a hostile counterattack; interrupting the movements of hostile reserves; cooperating in the pursuit or breakthrough by ground forces by operating against enemy reserves and lines of communication, and blocking hostile avenues of retreat; and preventing the enemy from destroying essential installations, supplies, and material.
It may also include executing an envelopment from the air in conjunction with an attack by ground forces, executing surprise attacks as a diversion or feint in connection with other air landings or ground operations, or creating confusion and disorder among the hostile military and civilian personnel. Air landing can also provide an attack against an isolated enemy position that is impossible or impracticable to attack byground forces.
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