Vehicle Assault Tactics (VAT) is a three-day small-unit tactics course focused on operating in and around vehicles during high-risk encounters. This includes vehicle stops, containment, extractions, and counter-ambush situations where timing, positioning, and coordination are critical.

Most vehicle problems happen fast and in confined spaces. Officers are forced to work around vehicles with limited mobility, overlapping fields of fire, and incomplete information. This course addresses those realities. Students learn how to position vehicles, dismount, move to points of domination, and control occupants while maintaining communication and accountability.

Training focuses on the phases of a vehicle-based operation from initial positioning through extraction and post-contact actions. Students work around and through vehicles, learning how to use them as cover, manage angles, and coordinate movement with other team members under pressure.

The course progresses from controlled repetitions to team-based scenarios involving multiple vehicles, multiple suspects, and changing conditions. The goal is not speed for its own sake. The goal is control.

The objective is simple: clear communication, disciplined movement, and coordinated action during vehicle-based operations.

What You’ll Train

• Students will work through structured exercises and scenarios focused on:
• Vehicle positioning and blocking to isolate and control suspects
• Dismount and movement to points of domination under time pressure
• Fields of fire and areas of responsibility around vehicles
• Use of vehicles as cover and concealment
• Engagement considerations in and around vehicles
• Team communication and coordination during dynamic events
• Multi-vehicle operations and slow-roll scenarios
• Contingencies and problem solving during vehicle assaults
• Extraction procedures and occupant control
• Equipment selection and vehicle preparation
• Training builds from individual tasks to coordinated team execution, ensuring students can apply skills in realistic conditions.

Who This Course Is For

• Vehicle Assault Tactics is designed for personnel who may be required to operate in and around vehicles during high-risk situations.
• This course is appropriate for:
• Law enforcement officers conducting felony stops or high-risk vehicle contacts
• Tactical teams responsible for vehicle interdiction and extraction operations
• Military personnel operating in vehicle-centric environments
• Units looking to improve team coordination and control during vehicle operations
• Students should already be comfortable with safe weapons handling and basic tactical movement. The focus is on team execution, communication, and control under pressure.

Gear List

• Students should bring:
• Duty rifle with sling and weapon light
• Duty pistol with weapon light
• Ammunition as directed by the host agency
• Minimum 3 magazines for rifle and pistol
• Duty uniform suitable for movement and vehicle operations
• First-line gear (duty belt, holster, magazine pouches, flashlight)
• Second-line gear (armor, load-bearing equipment as applicable)
• Eye and ear protection
• Hydration system and snacks
• Open mind and willingness to learn