ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Chapter 5 5-40 ATP 3-09.42 1 March 2016 Commander’s guidance for counterfire, to include required search zones and cueing guidance. Intelligence support from division and corps or other supported headquarters controlled assets. Counterfire targets from intelligence assets, FAB artillery target intelligence files, and those of higher headquarters must be expeditiously forwarded to the BCT main command post fires cell and to the BCT’s cannon field artillery battalion. Terrain management, to include position areas for BCT field artillery and acquisition assets forward in the division, corps, or other supported command’s area of operations. Traffic and movement priorities for units and ammunition. Survey and meteorological support for BCT field artillery units. 5-175. An automated (digital) capability must be provided to non-automated multinational field artillery brigades and battalions to maximize communications with counterfire radars and the BCT cannon field artillery battalion’s command post. If available, the BCT cannon field artillery battalion should provide adequate AFATDS devices with operators to the supporting multinational field artillery unit. For more on field artillery target acquisition see ATP 3-09.12. For more on BCT cannon field artillery battalion counterfire operations, see ATP 3-01.60 and ATP 3-09.23. ARMY TACTICAL MISSILE SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE BCT 5-176. The ATACMS is primarily a corps, division, and FAB asset, though it may be fired at targets identified by the BCT. Regardless of the source of the target, firing of the missile will likely occur from within division and corps areas of operation. Key information needed to coordinate ATACMS fires includes: The target location and the location of the firing element. Where the target is in relationship to areas of operation and FSCMs. The time when the firing will occur. 5-177. Most of the airspace coordination and deconfliction for ATACMS occurs at corps and higher levels. The division and corps keep the theater army informed of the location of ATACMS equipped launchers within its area of operations. The division and corps also clear their airspace in response to requests from theater army or as a result of division or corps initiated ATACMS mission. The division and corps fires cell, ADAM, airspace element, and Air Force TACP are integral to airspace coordination and should be collocated to facilitate rapid information exchange. 5-178. Airspace coordination begins during the decide function of targeting. The FSCOORD and brigade FSO use the planned positions of the MLRS platoons equipped with ATACMS to coordinate airspace coordinating measures with the ADAM/BAE and division or corps airspace elements. In the detect function, trigger events from sensors alert the BCT main command post fires cell to initiate ATACMS missions against planned targets or targets of opportunity. The BCT main command post fires cell immediately notifies the airspace element, ADAM/BAE and Air Force TACP. Airspace deconfliction continues throughout the operation. As MLRS platoons relocate, the BCT main command post fires cell in conjunction with the ADAM/BAE must accomplish the necessary airspace coordination. 5-179. The Platoon Area Hazard, Target Area Hazard and Munitions Flight Path are geometries automatically created by AFATDS for ATACMS missions. Distribution of the generated area hazards and munitions flight path geometries can be setup to auto distribute to the Tactical Airspace Integration System for airspace integration. For more detailed information concerning ATACMS airspace integration see FM 3-52. SECTION VIII - SUPPRESSION OF ENEMY AIR DEFENSES 5-180. Suppression of enemy air defenses is activity that neutralizes, destroys, or temporarily degrades surface-based enemy air defenses by destructive and/or disruptive means (JP 3-01). The effective employment of air assets gives the BCT commander a powerful source of fires. Army aviation and the air