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 6-59 includes allocating available assets to subordinate commanders and establishing their command and support relationships. The objective of field artillery task-organization is to ensure that each field artillery unit has an established command relationship or support relationship. 6-214. Commanders should not place artillery in reserve. When the tactical situation dictates, field artillery units can be given a different command or support relationship. See FM 3-09. 6-215. When planning the integration of fires into an operation, the BCT commanders and staff should use the memory aid AWIFM, which stands for: Adequate fire support for the committed units. Weight to the main effort. Immediate responsive fires Facilitate future operations. Maximum feasible centralized control. 6-216. The BCT FSCOORD and fires cell planners work with the BCT S-3 and other staff and higher headquarters fires cells in providing advice and recommendations to the BCT commander on task- organizing field artillery assets. The planners also work with the division, corps or other higher headquarters fires cell. 6-217. Battalions of one brigade, however, are frequently placed in support of another brigade. For instance, FAB artillery battalions may reinforce the BCT’s cannon field artillery battalion, as the mission requires. The supporting commander determines the forces, tactics, methods, procedures, and communications to be employed in providing this support. The supporting commander advises and coordinates with the supported commander on matters concerning the employment and limitations (for example, sustainment) of such support, assists in planning for the integration of such support into the supported commander's effort as a whole, and ensures that support requirements are appropriately communicated within the supporting commander's organization. 6-218. Subordinate units of the brigades may be assigned the full range of support relationships when placed in direct support of another brigade. Depending on the authority to further assign support relationships, the supported brigade may further assign these supporting forces a supporting relationship to specific brigade units. NONSTANDARD FIELD ARTILLERY SUPPORT RELATIONSHIPS 6-219. Commanders sometimes use a nonstandard support relationship, in many cases simply a variation of a standard support relationship (direct support [DS], reinforcing [R], general support-reinforcing [GSR], or general support [GS]) (described in ADRP 3-0 and supplemented in FM 3-09) when there are not sufficient field artillery assets to cover all the contingencies, or if a field artillery unit is assigned more than one mission. A nonstandard support relationship is also a means by which the commander can tailor the field artillery assets in anticipation of future operations. A nonstandard field artillery support relationship may involve limitations or guidance concerning ammunition, positioning, or other critical factors. Examples of nonstandard field artillery support relationships include: 1-3 FA (155, self-propelled) (M109A6): R 1-31 FA; do not exceed 25 percent of the controlled supply rate in support of 1-31 FA. 1-171 FA (155, towed) (M777A2): GS; provide liaison officer to the corps fires cell. ON-ORDER (O/O) FIELD ARTILLERY SUPPORT RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS 6-220. During the course of a major operation, a field artillery unit may change support or command relationships. The assignment of an on-order field artillery support relationship or command relationship, in addition to its initial mission (or relationship), gives the field artillery unit advance notice of the future mission. This facilitates planning for and transition to a follow-on mission. Positioning, ammunition requirements, and timing of the mission change are several of the key considerations for field artillery units that have an on-order task. An on-order task or command relationship is usually stated in the corps, division