ATP-3-09-30 Observed Fires Download
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Chapter 7 7-2 ATP 3-09.30 28 September 2017 SPOTTING LINE 7-3. The spotting line is the line along which the observer is going to adjust. The fire direction center (FDC) personnel must know the spotting line and its direction. There are several methods used for spotting (see figure 7-1). They are: Gun-target line, based on knowledge of guns location. Observer-target line, based on aircraft heading indicator. Cardinal direction. Figure 7-1. Observer- target line, gun-target line and cardinal direction GUN-TARGET LINE 7-4. Knowledge of the firing unit location allows the observer to determine the gun-target line. This allows the pilot to offset the aircraft away from the gun-target line to prevent fratricide. OBSERVER-TARGET LINE 7-5. Use the aircraft heading indicator to determine the observer-target direction. Since the aircraft is normally in a head on posture when the observer is looking at the target, the heading indicator will provide an accurate direction in most cases. When this technique is used, send direction to the nearest 10 degrees, for example, DIRECTION 070 DEGREES MAGNETIC (or GRID). If the observer-target direction changes more than 10 degrees during a mission, send the new direction to the FDC (send subsequent corrections using the new observer-target line). This is the preferred method, as it minimizes observer reorientation and exposure time while maximizing aircraft maneuverability. CARDINAL DIRECTION 7-6. The observer may use cardinal direction for sending orientation. This is the least accurate method and therefore the least preferred. TARGET LOCATION 7-7. Without aircraft laser devices, obtaining accurate target location is difficult since targets are normally acquired with the naked eye. Use of binoculars is limited because of distortion caused by the windscreen and vibration of the aircraft. Use hand measurements or estimations to measure angular deviation. Indicate target location by grid or by shift from a known point.