MCRP 12-10B.1, page 14

Figure 1-1. Subterranean Systems (4) Air Level. The air provides another avenue of approach in urbanized areas. Aviation assets can be used for high speed insertion or extraction of troops, supplies, and equipment. While aviation assets are not affected by obstacles on the streets, they are affected by light towers, signs, power lines, and other aerial obstructions. They are also vulnerable to the personally-carried surface-to-air missile threat, crew served weapons, and small arms fire. c. Categories of Built-Up Areas. Built-up areas are generally classified as: Villages (populations of 3,000 or less) Strip areas (industrialized zones built along roads connecting towns or cities) Towns or small cities (populations of up to 100,000 and not part of a major urban complex) Large cities with associated urban sprawl (populations in the millions, covering hundreds of square kilometers). d. Characteristics of Urbanized Areas. A typical urban area consists of combinations of the city core, commercial ribbon, core periphery, residential sprawl, outlying industrial areas, and outlying high-rise areas. Each of the urban area’s regions has distinctive ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ MCWP 3-35.3 1-4