ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Chapter 5 5-18 ATP 3-09.42 1 March 2016 Disseminate target priorities to the BCT staff and to the lowest levels of the BCT’s subordinate and supporting units, including fire support organizations, and mortars. Develop and disseminate field artillery-delivered scatterable mine safety boxes in coordination with the BCT engineer coordinator and the S-3. State the BCT commander’s attack guidance by defining how, when, and with what restrictions the commander wants to attack different targets and identify the targeting priorities; enter resulting data into the AFATDS database. Require refinement by lower fire support echelons to be completed by an established cut-off time. Verify or update target locations and trigger points during refinement. Determine risk estimate distances and advise the BCT commander regarding acceptable risk related to delivery of indirect fires for units in close contact. Consider limiting the number of targets to 10 to 15 per maneuver battalion, with no more than 45 to 60 for the entire BCT. Use the fire support execution matrix to brief the fire support portion of the OPLAN or OPORD during the combined arms rehearsal. During the combined arms rehearsal, rehearse the fire support portion of the OPORD directly from the fire support execution matrix. Conduct rehearsals with the Soldiers who will execute fire support tasks (such as the platoon forward observer who will initiate fires on a target rather than the company FSO). Ensure that methods for battle tracking and clearance of indirect fires are clearly understood by fires cells and maneuver commanders. Verify the acquisition ranges of counterfire radars and field artillery and mortar delivery system coverage based on the effects desired and appropriate shell and fuze combinations. Prioritize requirements for counterfire radar coverage and allocate radar zones to reflect the developed situation template, protection priorities, and the scheme of maneuver. Explain fire support-related combat power in terms of the required effects to be generated for the operation to identify fire support contributions to the scheme of maneuver. Useful information may include: The number and type of missions possible. Field artillery battery and battalion mortar volleys available by the type of ammunition and the effects expected. Minutes of smoke available and allocation. Minutes of illumination available and allocation. Number of available scatterable mines by type, size, density, and safety zone. 5-67. Fire support personnel must strive to maximize the time available to those who must prepare for and execute fire support tasks. The planning method selected is dependent upon the commander’s evaluation of the time available and the unit’s level of proficiency Some units use a rule of thumb of one-third—two- thirds to allocate the time from the commander's receiving the mission until issuing the order to subordinate commands, so that two-thirds of the time available can be used to prepare to execute the operation. Other units believe that this is a disproportionate rule of thumb that results in complex orders and plans that are too difficult to execute. Those units emphasize maximizing the time available for preparation and executing a simple plan against a small number of targets. These units allow a commander only one-fifth of the time to issue the order. This technique reduces the number of targets for potential engagement – an extensive list with a large number of detailed targets often simply can’t be executed. Develop a very simple fire support plan and groups of targets at company, battalion, and brigade level. The commander’s concept moves from higher to lower where each echelon adds and adjusts targets and sends them back up the chain for integration, deconfliction, simplification and approval. Then the targets are sent from higher to lower echelons again for final planning and preparation.