ATP-3-09-30 Observed Fires Download
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Chapter 6 6-2 ATP 3-09.30 28 September 2017 BALLISTIC IMPACT POINT 6-6. A ballistic impact point (BIP) is the location on the ground where a projectile will impact if it were to follow an unguided ballistic path. For example, in the event an Excalibur projectile does not acquire adequate GPS signal, or experiences a reliability failure in flight, the round is designed to continue on a non- guided ballistic trajectory to a BIP without arming and impact as a dud, normally burying itself from 4 to 12 feet in the ground (actual depth depends on the soil conditions). Issues exist concerning collateral damage and the possibility of the adversary using the dud to manufacture an improvised explosive device. It is important that the risk of an errant round be managed with the appropriate level of importance, given the adversary, tactics and politics of the situation. PREDICTED BIP 6-7. The artillery computer system determines a predicted BIP for every Excalibur mission fired. The predicted BIP is a calculated impact point that may drift away from the gun-target line due to the effects of meteorological conditions. It is also important to understand that ballistic dispersion error can cause the round to impact as much as 500 meters from the predicted BIP. If this location does not lie beyond the coordinated fire line and fire support coordination line then this location must be cleared with maneuver as if it were a target location. The supported maneuver commander, however, may be willing to accept risk in clearing these BIP locations given the fact that if an Excalibur round does fly a ballistic flight path to one of these locations it should impact as a dud, thus causing minimal collateral damage and posing little risk to friendly troops. The munition flight path trajectories are displayed on the same artillery computer system that computed the ballistics. This information may be passed up the organizational chain, particularly for airspace control. FORCED BIP 6-8. A user defined or forced BIP is described as a point and should be located at least 500m from all sensitive structures or areas. Forced BIPs facilitate the rapid employment of Excalibur with minimized risk of a failed round impacting near a sensitive area. It is a spot on the ground that is pre-cleared with the maneuver commander for use as a BIP for Excalibur missions. With the use of a pre-cleared forced BIP, only the target location needs clearing with the supported maneuver unit. If the round were to malfunction and follow a ballistic path, it would then impact in this pre-cleared location, which greatly narrows the search area if the round must be recovered due to improvised explosive device concerns. The commander may choose to define a large area as either a limited access area or a free fire area within which several forced BIPs may be selected anywhere within the limited access area or free fire area boundary. This technique provides greater flexibility in selecting the BIP and allows some latitude for the battery and platoon FDC to select forced BIPs within the limited access area or free fire area. Again, the maneuver commander may be willing to accept some risk in designating a BIP since any Excalibur round that would impact in the BIP would be a dud. Note. A limited access area graphic is comprised of a general area graphic, which defines the area and relays the nature of the hazard or obstacle, and a pentagon, which denotes the unit or equipment type that is restricted from the area. See MIL-STD-2525D for more information on the limited access area. SAMPLE EXCALIBUR MISSION Tables 6-2 and 6-3 (on page 6-3) provide sample Excalibur calls for fire. The grid location will always be expressed to a minimum of 10 digits. The observer specifies the Target Location Error to the FDC based on the capabilities of the observer and equipment used in the target location portion of the CFF.