Editing Combat engineer (section)

{{Short description|Soldier who performs military engineering}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
[[File:Royal Engineers Preparing Site for Bridge Buidling in Afghanistan MOD 45153761.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Royal Engineers preparing site for a bridge in Afghanistan]]
[[File:Buffalo MRAP ( Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle ) photo-7.JPG|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Buffalo (mine protected vehicle)|Buffalo MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle)]], a common vehicle used to uncover [[improvised explosive device]]s (IEDs) by combat engineer units]]
A '''combat engineer''' (also called '''pioneer''' or '''[[sapper]]''') is a type of soldier who performs [[military engineering]] tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, [[Tunnel warfare|tunnel]] and [[land mine|mine]] warfare tasks, as well as [[construction]] and [[demolition]] duties in and out of combat zones.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Corps of Royal Engineers|url=https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/corps-of-royal-engineers/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=www.army.mod.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/career-match/mechanics-engineering/design-develop/12b-combat-engineer.html | title=Combat Engineer }}</ref>

Combat engineers facilitate the mobility of friendly forces while impeding that of the enemy. They also work to assure the survivability of friendly forces, building fighting positions, [[fortification]]s, and [[road]]s. They conduct [[demolition]] missions and clear minefields manually or through use of [[Military engineering vehicle|specialized vehicles]]. Common combat engineer missions include construction and breaching of trenches, tank traps and other obstacles and [[fortification]]s; obstacle emplacement and [[bunker]] construction; route clearance and reconnaissance; [[bridge]] and [[road]] construction or destruction; emplacement and clearance of [[land mine]]s; and combined arms breaching. Typically, combat engineers are also trained in infantry tactics and, when required, serve as provisional infantry.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 2019 |title=ADP 1 - The Army |url=https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/dr_pubs/dr_a/pdf/web/arn18008_adp-1%20final%20web.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026133759/https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/dr_pubs/dr_a/pdf/web/arn18008_adp-1%20final%20web.pdf |archive-date=2019-10-26 |website=Army Publishing Directorate}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| url= http://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/misc/doctrine/CDG/cdg_resources/manuals/fm/fm3_34.pdf |publisher= US Army |title= Field Manual 3-34| chapter=  Engineer Operations| pages= 1–10| via= usacac.army.mil | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910064451/http://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/misc/doctrine/CDG/cdg_resources/manuals/fm/fm3_34.pdf | archive-date=2016-09-10 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yRRwCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT31|title=1111th Engineer Group in the Bulge: The Role of Engineers As Infantry in Airland Battle|first=Francis M. III| last= Cain| date=2014|publisher=Lucknow Books|isbn=978-1-78289-599-2|page=31}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url= https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-archive/fm100-5%2893%29.pdf |title= U.S. Field Manual 100-5|chapter= Operations| pages= 2–24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921003815/https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-archive/fm100-5(93).pdf | archive-date=2018-09-21 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url= http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/5-71-2/chap7.htm|title=FM 5-71-2 |chapter= Chapter 7: Engineers in Close Combat |first= John |last= Pike| via= globalsecurity.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.aclu.org/files/projects/foiasearch/pdf/DODDOA025400.pdf |title= U.S. Army Training and Evaluation Program 5-437-10-MTP, Engineer Platoon, Engineer Company, Engineer Combat Battalion, Corps| via= [[ACLU]].org| pages= 1–12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222152905/https://www.aclu.org/files/projects/foiasearch/pdf/DODDOA025400.pdf | archive-date=2016-12-22 | url-status=dead }}</ref>