ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Planning and Integrating Fires for BCT Operations 1 March 2016 ATP 3-09.42 6-47 commander’s guidance, location of friendly forces, the battle plan, and anticipated enemy actions. Considerations for development of FSCMs are described in chapter 5 of this ATP. See also FM 3-09. Risk Management Plan 6-167. The FSCOORD, fires cell planners, and targeting officers advise the BCT commander concerning risk associated with fire support related hazards. Fire support personnel develop and recommend fire support tasks as controls to mitigate risk (see ATP 5-19). Draft Observation Plan 6-168. The FSCOORD, fires cell planners, and targeting officers use the 6-step observation planning process described earlier in this chapter to develop a draft observation plan. The BCT commander then refines observer locations with positions that are feasible and better synchronized with the maneuver plan. Draft Plan for Close Air Support 6-169. Close air support planning is crucial in developing the overall BCT fire support plan. The BCT commander must identify and articulate the desired effects from close air support with specifics concerning time, place, and end state. For detail on close air support see ATP 3-09.32, FM 3-09, and JP 3-09.3. Draft Plan for Airspace Control 6-170. BCT airspace control involves detailed coordination and integration to enable effective use of close air support, indirect fire, organic and augmenting air defense artillery, tactical fire and maneuver operations and Army aviation (including unmanned aircraft systems). The FSCOORD, fires cell planners, and targeting officers, TACP, and ADAM/BAE develop the plan to integrate the BCT’s airspace for combat operations. Airspace control for the BCT is summarized in Chapter 5 of this ATP; details are provided in FM 3-52 and ATP 3-52.1. SUMMARY 6-171. At the end of course of action development, the FSCOORD, fires cell planners, and targeting officers have synchronized the scheme of fires and associated fire support tasks for each course of action. They know which units will perform each task, where they need to be at the execution time, and when the task is to be executed. They have identified the measures of performance and measures of effectiveness and the source of the information required to assess each task. The FSCOORD, fires cell planners, and targeting officers have organized this information for course of action analysis using the fire support concept and sketches, high-payoff target list, attack guidance matrix, targeting synchronization matrix, and other products. ANALYSIS OF COURSES OF ACTION (WAR GAME) 6-172. Course of action analysis or war gaming (see table 6-26 on page 6-48) identifies which course of action accomplishes the mission with minimum risk of casualties while positioning the BCT to retain the initiative. The war game provides detail and refinement, validates capabilities, and synchronizes the fire support plan. During war gaming and course of action comparison the FSCOORD and brigade FSO must understand and be able to brief the BCT commander on the strengths and weaknesses of each course of action from a fire support perspective.