ATP-3-09-30 Observed Fires Download

Introduction to Fire Support 28 September 2017 ATP 3-09.30 1-3 the joint fires tasks of strategic attack, countering air and missile threats (including SEAD and offensive counterair), close air support (CAS) and interdiction. 1-10. Army Attack Aviation is executed in support of friendly forces in close enemy contact (i.e., close combat attack) or against enemy forces out of contact with friendly forces. Both can be executed as either hasty or deliberate attacks and are typically supported with integrated joint fires (ATP 3-04.1). US Army attack helicopters can also perform close air support (CAS) in support of another component. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) employs its attack rotary wing aviation primarily as a CAS platform. Attack helicopters can employ precision guided munitions and provide terminal guidance for other weapon platforms. Unmanned Aircraft (UA) can support or conduct close combat attack, CAS, strike coordination and reconnaissance, AI, and other joint fires missions. Specific tasks for the UA may include target acquisition and marking, terminal guidance of ordinance, providing accurate coordinates for precision-guided munitions. JP 3-09 SYSTEM RESPONSIVENESS 1-11. Fire support must be responsive to the needs of the supported commander. Procedures must minimize the time between target acquisition and effects on the target. Delays can result in either failure to engage a target or to create adequate effects on the target. Responsiveness can be achieved by-  Maximizing the capabilities of computer systems and digital communications during all fire support planning, coordination, and execution.  Planning fire support requirements in advance.  Streamlining processing procedures of the call for fire.  Limiting radio transmissions on fire nets to time sensitive, mission essential traffic only.  Dissemination of all Fire Support products (for example: fire support coordination measures [FSCMs], airspace coordinating measures [ACMs], Target List Worksheet) to all Fire Support assets.  Additionally, fire support advance planning must take into consideration factors such as civilian populace, noncombatants, friendly forces, and collateral damage and the employment of various weapons and munitions – bombs, missiles, rockets, artillery, and mortars – in order to determine second and third order effects such as instability, security concerns, and psychological impact in the area of operations prior to initiating fire support execution. EFFECTIVE FIRES ON TARGET 1-12. The ability to place effective fires on a target depends in part on the method of fire and type of ammunition selected to attack the target. The desired effect can be created through accurate initial fires and massed fires. Accurate Initial Fires 1-13. Observers must strive for first round fire for effect. Figure 1-1 (on page 1-4) compares effect achieved to length of adjustment. Massed Fires 1-14. Massing fires normally produces the specific effect on a target with the minimum expenditure of ammunition. It also reduces our vulnerability to adversary target acquisition. Figure 1-2 (on page 1-4) compares massed fire and successive volley ammunition expenditures to get equivalent effects. Massed fires of three battalions firing one round are more effective particularly against soft targets than one battalion firing the same number of rounds in successive volleys. The time interval between volleys gives the adversary time to react and either flee or seek protection.