ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Chapter 5 5-8 ATP 3-09.42 1 March 2016 assists him in planning, requesting, and coordinating close air support and provides primary terminal attack control of close air support for the battalion. THE BCT INFORMATION SYSTEM NETWORK 5-34. The BCT uses a federation of information networks that collectively are an integral component of the mission command system. They enable the BCT to share the common operational picture with subordinate and controlling headquarters. The common operational picture conveys the BCT commander’s perspective and facilitates subordinate and superior situational understanding. SECTION II – DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF KEY FIRE SUPPORT COORDINATION PERSONNEL BCT COMMANDER 5-35. The BCT commander defines the role of fire support for the BCT in a particular operation and clearly articulates it in commander’s planning guidance. The commander must visualize and articulate what fire support is to do as part of the concept of operations. The BCT’s cannon field artillery battalion commander, as the BCT’s FSCOORD, is responsible for advising the commander on the best use of available fire support resources. The brigade FSO is responsible for developing the fire support plan based on the commander’s planning guidance and commander’s intent for the BCT operation. The BCT commander’s planning guidance provides the staff, FSCOORD, and fires cell planners and targeting officers and fire support personnel of the BCT’s subordinate and supporting units with general and specific guidance, restrictions for the employment of fires, and the desired effects from fires. 5-36. The guidance should include instruction for synchronizing and focusing Army indirect fires and joint fires with maneuver and with the other warfighting functions. Army indirect and joint fires include a range of capabilities to create a wide range of lethal or nonlethal effects. For example, an indirect fire engagement to achieve lethal effects on a target may occur over the span of munitions from using a single guided munition round such as Excalibur to battalion mass fires using area munitions. Army indirect and joint fires are purposely tailored in their lethality, precision, intensity, duration, and method of delivery to best support the commander’s intent and concept of the operation. The fires create discrete effects matched to the target or threat type, and minimize collateral damage. The BCT commander’s guidance for fire support should also include instruction for: Integration and synchronization with cyber-electromagnetic activities. Priority of fires. High-value targets (part of the planning guidance for the intelligence warfighting function). High-payoff targets to include methods of engagement and desired effects. An observer plan. Release authority by weapon system and munitions. Employment of precision-guided munitions. Requirements, restrictions, and priorities for specified munitions. Task and purpose of fires; identify any essential tasks for fire support. Counterfire. Target acquisition radar zones including critical friendly, call for fire, artillery target intelligence, and sensor zones. Sensitive sites. Suppression of enemy air defenses. FSCMs. Attack guidance. A no-strike list including cultural, religious, and historical areas. Restricted target list including high-density civilian areas.