This field manual, FM 31-28 FOUNO, published on December 1, 1999, focuses on Special Forces advanced urban combat. The manual provides tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for Special Forces operating in urban environments. The document emphasizes the complexity of urban terrain and the need for specialized training and techniques to navigate and combat within cities.

Instead of firing from open windows, SF snipers learn to shoot from deep within a room through small holes in walls to hide their muzzle flash and sound signature.

Urban insertion demands adaptability. FM 31-28 dictates how special operations forces transition from transport platforms to immediate structural assault.

: Detailed procedures for "shoothouse" drills, room clearing, and breaching, emphasizing the "warrior first" mindset needed to destroy enemies in close proximity. Mission Planning & Infiltration

Clear remaining blind spots, look for overhead threats, and establish control over room exits. 3. Infiltration and Urban Mobility

The manual's contents were not general guidelines but a deep dive into the art of fighting in built-up areas. It focused on the high-intensity, small-unit tactics required for the close-quarters battle, often called CQB. It served as the Army's key resource for SFAUC, a course that takes advanced urban tactics and refines them into unit standard operating procedures.

Refined techniques for entering and clearing single-story, multi-room structures. Advanced Marksmanship:

: Official requests for the document are often referred to the Commander of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), NC. SF Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) - Special Forces Training

Advanced marksmanship, breaching, and surgical building exploration

FM 31-28, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (FOUO), is a 1999 U.S. Army manual outlining specialized tactics for CQB and unconventional urban warfare. The document, which serves as the foundation for the SFAUC training course, focuses on multidimensional, high-precision combat operations. While the specific manual is not public, similar doctrinal materials, such as FM 31-20, can be found via the Internet Archive . Urban Operations: Army Field Manual Volume 2 ... - Scribd

A typical SFAUC course, as outlined by the manual, lasted between three to four weeks and built progressively from individual skills to full-team, force-on-force exercises. The training was structured into several key phases:

Modern urban warfare has integrated new technologies that were still in their infancy in 1999—such as micro-drones (UAVs) for indoor scouting, advanced night vision devices (NODs), and handheld thermal imagers. However, the human geometry of tactical movement, the physical discipline of weapon handling, and the mental grit required to clear a dark room under fire remain exactly as they were codified on 1 December 1999.

FM 31-28 (1999) was more than just a manual; it was a strategic response to a changing world. It formally pivoted the mindset of the Green Berets toward the complexities of the 21st-century battlefield, recognizing that the fight would not just be in the jungles or mountains but increasingly in the world's sprawling urban centers. Its principles and the training it codified have become the bedrock of modern U.S. Army special operations urban combat doctrine, a testament to its enduring value.