overwatch

To watch over.

To watch excessively.

To overcome with long lack of rest.

The supervision of one unit or vehicle by another while the supervised unit is firing or moving.

At a further and undefined point in the future, the American force would shrink to about seven and later five brigades — all involved in overwatch missions.

“It’s 21st-century warfare,” says another team member, Doshch. And although some of the overwatch can be conducted remotely in bunkers, most of the drone teams (typically four-strong, they say) have to work about 1km behind the front.