ADP-3-19 FIRES Warfighting Function Download
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Introduction to Fires 31 July 2019 ADP 3-19 1-9 Commanders must also plan for assessment of the effects and determine alternate courses of action if the effects are not created as planned. During large-scale combat operations, domains are likely to have a high volume of users, which will require close coordination and integration during planning to bring maximum combat power to bear while mitigating risk to the force. In the physical domains, this may be accomplished through the use of graphical control measures such as maneuver control measures, fire support coordination measures (FSCMs), and airspace coordinating measures (ACMs). In cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum, and the information environment, this may be accomplished through spectrum management and the delegation or retention of authorities. During large-scale combat operations, multiple Army echelons must synchronize and deconflict their activities, including the creation of effects. The use of deep and close areas can help with dividing responsibilities among echelons within an AO. The close area is the portion of the commander’s area of operations where the majority of subordinate maneuver forces conduct close combat (ADP 3-0). The deep area is where the commander sets conditions for future success in close combat (ADP 3-0). Commanders may focus the effects of fires in their deep area to execute shaping operations against enemy forces not in contact with friendly forces in the close area, while subordinate units are responsible for creation of effects in the close area the commander has assigned to them. When assigning an AO to a subordinate commander, commanders must consider the fires capabilities available to the subordinate unit and should avoid assigning them an AO that is too large for them to effectively influence with organic or supporting assets. FIRES IN SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS TO CONSOLIDATE GAINS Consolidate gains are the activities to make enduring any temporary operational success and set the conditions for a stable environment allowing for a transition of control to legitimate authorities (ADP 3-0). Operations to consolidate gains require decisive action that increases emphasis on security and stability tasks over time. They will likely involve significant combat operations against bypassed enemy forces and remnants of defeated units initially. These operations often begin concurrently with large-scale combat operations and continue after large-scale combat operations are complete. Both security tasks and stability tasks are required to consolidate gains, and commanders support both with fires. During the initial phases of operations to consolidate gains, the majority of a unit's efforts are focused on defeating remaining enemy resistance and area security tasks, which include activities to protect friendly forces, installations, and movement routes and lines of communications within a specific area. Units responsible for consolidating gains will continue to use lethal and nonlethal fires to enable freedom of action and accomplish their objectives, but there may be some differences in how those fires are employed. Commanders use fires in security operations to protect friendly forces and target bypassed enemy formations including irregular forces, equipment, ammunition stockpiles, and areas of sanctuary. Targeting and fires planning in support of area security operations will tend to be a much more deliberate process than that used as part of large-scale combat operations. To create lethal effects against a target while mitigating the risk of collateral damage requires extensive target development and careful selection of a delivery asset that can create the required effect without creating unwanted secondary effects. As security increases within the consolidation area and, eventually, the entire AO, the focus on stability operations will also increase. The six stability tasks are establish civil security, establish civil control, restore essential services, support governance, support economic and infrastructure development, and conduct security cooperation. Stability tasks shape the OE to set conditions for a transition to legitimate authorities assuming responsibility for the area. Commanders and staffs use a targeting methodology to determine what effects must be created and how to create them in order to shape the environment for successful transition to civil control. This begins during planning, as leaders determine the desired end state and objectives as well as the effects that they must create in order to achieve those objectives and reach that end state.