Phase 1
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance builds the operational picture before the team touches the target. It starts with OSINT, then moves to on-site observation to confirm how people, space, and controls actually behave.
Purpose
The point is not to collect everything. It is to find the details that decide whether the rest of the operation works: entrances, staff routines, badge use, deliveries, guard coverage, exposed systems, and timing.
In Practice
OSINT gives the safe baseline. Physical observation verifies it. If the internet says a side door exists but the site shows it is alarmed, chained, or never used, the plan changes.