ATP-3-09-30 Observed Fires Download
Page 151 of 204
Special Munitions 28 September 2017 ATP 3-09.30 6-21 Instill apprehension and increase threat patrolling. Slow adversary vehicles to blackout speeds. Increase control problems by preventing effective visual signals and increasing radio traffic. Defeat night observation devices and reduce the capability of most IR devices. Figure 6-12. Screening smoke 6-81. Use screening smoke for: Deceptive screens. Smoke draws fire. Deceptive screens cause the threat to disperse his fires and expend his ammunition. Flank screens. Smoke may be used to screen exposed flanks. Areas forward of the objective. Smoke helps the maneuver units consolidate on the objective unhindered by threat ground observers. Gap crossing operations. Screening the primary crossing site denies the threat information. Deceptive screens deceive the threat as to the exact location of the main crossing. Obstacle breaching. The threat is denied the ability to observe breaching unit activities. SMOKE ROUNDS 6-82. Smoke rounds consist of two main categories which are mortars and artillery type rounds. The list below describe each of these types of smoke rounds. MORTARS 6-83. Mortar smoke includes white phosphorous (WP) and red phosphorus (RP) rounds. Shell White Phosphorus 6-84. WP is available from 60-mm, 81-mm, and 120-mm mortars. Mortar WP produces rapid smoke buildup, but its effects are of limited duration. Due to the possible lethal effects of WP gas, consideration should be used when employing WP in the vicinity of friendly maneuver units and civilians to prevent fratricide or civilian casualties. Shell Red Phosphorus 6-85. Fire coRP is a time fuzed round that contains RP smoke pellets. At a preset time along the round's trajectory, the fuze functions to expel and ignite the RP pellets at an approximate HOB of 175 meters. The burning pellets produce a cloud of dense smoke after hitting the ground. A three round volley is required to develop the basic smoke screen. RP smoke is available from 81-mm mortars only.