ADP-3-19 FIRES Warfighting Function Download
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31 July 2019 ADP 3-19 2-1 Chapter 2 Execute Fires Across the Domains The commander is responsible for the integration of fires within the AO. The commander consults the fire support coordinator, chief of fires, air liaison officer, fire support officer, and experts on AMD, cyberspace, EW, space, special operations, and information operations for advice on the allocation, integration, and use of available fires resources. Fires in all domains require detailed coordination and planning to support the commander’s objectives. Employment of these systems requires the use of common terminology and coordination measures across the joint force. It includes surface-to-surface fires, air-to-surface fires, and nonlethal means that the commander uses to support the concept of the operation. SURFACE-TO-SURFACE FIRES 2-1. Army surface-to-surface indirect fires includes cannon, rocket, and missile systems as well as mortars organic to maneuver elements. Field Artillery is the equipment, supplies, ammunition, and personnel involved in the use of cannon, rocket, or surface-to-surface missile launchers (JP 3-09). The role of the field artillery (FA) is to destroy, neutralize, or suppress the enemy by cannon, rocket, and missile fire and to integrate and synchronize all fire support assets into operations. Fire support is fires that directly support land, maritime, amphibious, and special operations forces to engage enemy forces, combat formations, and facilities in pursuit of tactical and operational objectives (JP 3-09). 2-2. At times, the FA must enable fires in other domains through the employment of surface-to-surface fires converged with effects in other domains. For example, surface-to-surface capabilities contribute significantly to counterair operations, targeting and destroying enemy air and missile weapons, command and control elements, and supporting infrastructure, ultimately reducing the threats that Army, joint, and multinational air-to-surface assets must face. 2-3. Army surface-to-surface capabilities are: Rockets. The multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) supplements cannon artillery by delivering a large volume of fires in a very short period of time against high-payoff targets. MLRS is used for counterfire and deliberate attacks against enemy air defenses, light materiel, and personnel targets. The all-weather MLRS fires free-flight and guided rockets and missiles. Free-flight or guided rocket options include warheads with either unitary high-explosive or dual-purpose improved conventional munitions. The basic free-flight rocket munitions have a maximum range of 26 kilometers, while the extended-range rocket may engage targets to about 45 kilometers. The Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System provides commanders with increased accuracy and greater range (up to 70 kilometers), reducing the number of rockets required to create desired effects on a target. The M270A1 MLRS can carry 12 rockets and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (referred to as HIMARS) can carry 6 rockets. However, their extremely high altitude of delivery (apex of missile trajectory, maximum ordinate) requires close coordination with air planners and liaisons to ensure aircraft are not in the vicinity during launches and descents. Missiles. The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) provides long-range, surface-to-surface fire support. ATACMSs are fired from an MLRS (two missiles) or high mobility artillery rocket system platform (one missile) and may consist of antipersonnel/antimaterial submunitions or a unitary high-explosive warhead. The ATACMS retains the responsiveness of rockets, though it possesses a much greater range (up to 300 kilometers). The ATACMS antipersonnel/antimaterial warhead is designed to engage soft targets and the unitary high-explosive warhead is designed to engage fixed infrastructure while minimizing collateral damage. The ATACMS’s accuracy and