Sensors have the potential to help friendly troops orient themselves not only to the environment but to each other. An oft-unspoken difficulty in MOUT is knowing the precise whereabouts of friendly troops, both in relation to each other, the environment, and known enemy forces. Using sensors as tracking devices or waypoints could help support the need to continuously be aware of one's location as it relates to friendly and enemy forces.

Restricting opponents' mobility is another crucial MOUT function because of the relative ease with which locals can move and hide within the terrain. Sensors placed in swept areas could serve as indicators of the re-emergence of enemy combatants into secure areas. Locals will always have a more intricate understanding of the battlefield and will exploit this advantage. Understanding the need to establish boundaries should guide the use of sensors in this fashion.

Complicating Factors

The tempo of urban warfare is constantly changing. Not only can situations be tortuously banal or blindingly intense, but the transition from one to the other can come quickly and without warning. Sensors are primarily used to gain information about the enemy which prepares friendly troops for appropriate action, so the ability to recognize the escalation (or subsidence) of events more quickly is a definite value. Also, it should be noted the effectiveness of certain sensors can be altered as the pace of action begins to change.

Another critical component of sensors is their ability to be emplaced in strategic locations. The physical environment of urban terrain can be a hindrance to this goal in a number of ways. First, because of the inherent verticality of the domain, placing sensors around the street may not provide effective coverage to higher floors. Additionally, emplacing sensors at these locations can be both difficult and dangerous. The abundance of concrete, steel and other hard materials also limits the effectiveness of and shortens sensor ranges. Unlike forest or desert terrain, explosions and the rigor of combat will cause significant changes in the urban landscape. Bombed-out buildings and torn-up streets can also wreak havoc on the emplacement, use, and retrieval of sensor units.