Which of the following is NOT a critical route recon task?

The task of engaging enemy forces directly is not considered a critical route reconnaissance task because the primary purpose of route reconnaissance is to gather information about the route itself and ensure its safety and usability for movement. Critical tasks include identifying barriers or improvised explosive devices (IEDs), reconnoitering enemy terrain to assess potential threats or ambush sites, and determining the trafficability of the route to ensure that vehicles can navigate safely.

Route reconnaissance focuses on observation and information gathering rather than combat engagement. Engaging enemy forces directly would typically shift the focus away from reconnaissance to offensive operations, which is outside the scope of identifying and securing a viable route for movement. The main goal during reconnaissance is to avoid confrontation while collecting essential information to enable safe passage for units.