MM4632
mission related and no provisions exist to support them in the other requirement categories. These
operational project stocks are normally approved with quantities of individual ammunition or explosive
items annotated, thereby requiring no computation.
Unit Basic Loads
UBLs are the quantity of ammunition the major Army command (MACOM) authorizes for wartime
purposes and are required to be designated for and carried into combat by a unit. The UBL provides
the unit sufficient ammunition to sustain itself in combat until the unit can be resupplied. In other words
UBLs are maintained in the unit as its first-to-fight ammunition. The UBL is managed by the unit and
includes, but is not necessarily limited to, ammunition carried by the individual soldier, stored in crew
vehicles, carried on prime movers, and on unit trains. Once UBLs are expended during initial entry into
combat operations, there are no provisions for replenishment of UBL. Resupply will be accomplished
using the RSR/CSR (required supply rate/controlled supply rate) principle.
Skilled and disciplined planning tempered by experience and judgment are essential in determining
the UBL makeup necessary for mission accomplishment. UBL rates are approved by Headquarters,
Department of the Army (HQDA) for each MACOM and published in local regulations which establish
the rates that govern the size and composition of subordinate UBLs.
Once computations for UBLs have been made, there are three authorized logistics functions that
can be performed on the unit basic load. These three functions are as follows:
1. Initial issue of UBL. This is accomplished when new units are made the first-time issue of their
approved UBLs.
2. Increase or decrease of initial UBL. This action will be required based on increases or
decreases in personnel strength, weapons density or redesignation of unit, i.e., unit changes
from a 155mm to an 8-inch unit.
3. Rotation of UBL. This action is accomplished when items in the UBL are deteriorating in
storage and there is a valid approved training requirement for the items. Approval is given to
fire the items for training and replace them with new items. This allows ammunition items to be
consumed during training rather than having to perform maintenance on them at a later date.
The following five factors influence the composition of individual UBLs:
1. Nature of the enemy. Type of troops the unit expects to be in conflict with, i.e., infantry, armor,
etc.
2. Type of mission. Attack of position, defense of position, assault of beaches, etc.
3. Intensity of engagement. There are three types of conflicts: high-intensity, midintensity and low-
intensity.
a. High-intensity conflict. War between two or more nations and their respective allies, if any,
in which the belligerents use the most modern technology and all resources in intelligence;
8