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 6-55 Table 6-28. BCT fires cell during course of action approval MDMP STEP 6: COURSE OF ACTION APPROVAL BCT Staff Key Fires Cell Actions Fires Cell Output Recommends a course of action, usually in a decision briefing. The BCT commander decides which course of action to approve. The BCT commander issues final planning guidance. Issues warning order to subordinate headquarters. Assess implications and take actions as necessary to finalize selected scheme of fires including attendant high-payoff target list, target selection standards, and attack guidance matrix. Integrate information operations and cyber electromagnetic activities input into these targeting products. Assist FSCOORD with participation in course of action approval briefing. Include scheme of fires and fire support tasks. Assist FSCOORD in helping BCT commander develop refined commander’s intent and planning guidance. Prepare fire support portions of warning order including changes to commander’s critical information requirements, risk guidance, time sensitive reconnaissance tasks and fire support tasks requiring early initiation. Prepare tentative fire support portions of BCT operation order. Participate in required back-briefs and rehearsals. For the approved course of action: Refined scheme of fires. Refined Annex D (FIRES) and appendices. Fire support execution matrix. Target list worksheet (automated or manual). Target overlay. Observer plan. Targeting synchronization matrix or modified (high-payoff target list, target selection standards and attack guidance matrix). FSCMs. Named areas of interest and target areas of interest. BCT – brigade combat team FSCOORD – fire support coordinator FSCM – fire support coordination measure MDMP – military decisionmaking process 6-199. During the staff’s course of action approval briefing to the BCT commander, the FSCOORD and brigade FSO brief the scheme of fires as a part of each course of action brief. The level of detail for this brief, including the portion briefed by the FSCOORD and brigade FSO, varies depending on the BCT commander’s level of participation in the war-game and any specific briefing requirements that the commander has issued. Normally, the FSCOORD and brigade FSO cover the key details of the scheme of fires subparagraph 3e, emphasizing each fire support task and any critical fire support restrictions, limitations, or considerations pertinent to that course of action. The fires cell planners and targeting officers generally provide a sketch, map overlay, or terrain model to help convey details of the fire support plan more clearly. If they perceive the need for additions or changes to the BCT commander’s intent or guidance with respect to fire support, the FSCOORD and brigade FSO ask for it. 6-200. Once a course of action is approved, the BCT commander may refine the commander’s intent and issue additional planning guidance. The FSCOORD, fires cell planners, and targeting officer prepare the fires portions of the BCT order and participate in the required back-briefs and rehearsals. The warning order issued after course of action approval contains information that executing units require to complete planning and preparation. Possible fires input to this warning order includes: Fires contributions to the commander’s intent/concept of operations. Changes to the commander’s critical information requirements. Additional or modified risk guidance. Time-sensitive reconnaissance tasks. Fires tasks requiring early initiation. ORDERS PRODUCTION, DISSEMINATION AND TRANSITION 6-201. Based on the BCT commander’s decision and final guidance, the staff refines the approved course of action and completes and issues the OPLAN or OPORD (see table 6-29 on page 6-56). When the BCT