ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Chapter 6 6-8 ATP 3-09.42 1 March 2016 Table 6-5. Provide battle tracking Action Responsibility 1 Brigade FSO and fires cell planners should know the location of all maneuver elements to company level (and their future plans for movement). The location of fire support assets to include, at a minimum: supporting radars; supporting mortars, organic and supporting field artillery battalions (and the ammunition status of these assets); subordinate and supporting unit fires cells and FSO(s); fire support teams and forward observers; and the division and corps fires cells. The assigned targets and primary and secondary observers within their responsibility. The location of all current and proposed FSCMs. Brigade FSO and fires cell. 2 Clear fires rapidly, positively, and safely within the BCT and respective subordinate and supporting unit’s area of operations. Ensure that the BCT commander and subordinate and supporting unit commander approves clearance. Brigade and subordinate and supporting unit FSO and fires cells 3 Execute fires in accordance with the next higher headquarters fire support execution matrix. Fire support execution matrices should be produced at company level and above. Brigade FSO and fires cell 4 Change priority targets to support the BCT commander’s scheme of maneuver throughout the operation. Brigade FSO and fires cell BCT – brigade combat team FSCM – fire support coordination measure FSO – fire support officer QUICK FIRE PLANNING 6-23. In developing situations where time is critical, having a quick-fire plan can enable the BCT commander, FSCOORD and fires cell planners to quickly execute fire support for an impending operation. Subordinate battalion or company FSOs develop quick-fire plans to support their respective organizations. Like all fire support plans, the maneuver commander approves the quick-fire plan. In quick-fire planning the FSO assigns targets (and possibly a schedule of fires) to the most appropriate fire support means available to support the operation. In this type of fire support planning, the available time usually does not permit evaluation of targets on the target list and consolidation with targets from related fire support agencies. 6-24. The process of developing a quick fire plan may occur from top down or bottom up. In either case, the procedures are incumbent upon the originator. In the case of a top down plan the FSCOORD and fires cell planners must ensure that the BCT’s subordinate battalion fires cells, company or troop FISTs and observers, and its cannon field artillery battalion S-3, fire direction officer, and fire direction center personnel understand the quick fire plan and how it is used. Quick fire planning techniques constitute an informal fire support plan. Quick fire planning differs from deliberate fire support planning in that it is normally done for an unanticipated event or operation and may originate as a bottom-up rather than as a top-down process. The brigade FSO and fires cell planners are responsible for: Identifying targets in the target list to be engaged. Allocating fire support assets to engage the targets in the plan. Preparing the schedule of fires. Disseminating the schedule to appropriate units and staff members for execution. 6-25. The five steps of the quick fire planning sequence are: Receive the operations order. Determine available assets. Evaluate FSCM and airspace coordinating measure requirements. Plan targets. Disseminate the quick fire plan. RECEIVE THE OPERATIONS ORDER 6-26. The fire support planners begin to develop a quick-fire plan based on the BCT commanders guidance for fires that considers: