ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Appendix B B-6 ATP 3-09.42 1 March 2016 SECTION III - FIRES ANNEX B-25. A fires annex may be needed to expand upon the scheme of fires subparagraph of the BCT OPLAN or OPORD. The BCT S-3, brigade FSO, and fires cell planners must carefully weigh the need for a fires annex and the level of detail required based on the complexity of the operation, deviations from standard operating procedures, BCT commander’s guidance, and the time available to develop, publish, and disseminate the OPLAN or OPORD. If the fires subparagraph is adequate, do not publish a fires annex. A fire support execution matrix may be developed as part of the fires annex. A fire support execution matrix may also be used in place of a standard fires annex if the operation is not complicated and when time constraints prevent development of a standard fires annex. FM 6-0 provides fundamental considerations, format and instructions for developing Annex D (FIRES) to the base plan or order. SECTION IV - FIELD ARTILLERY SUPPORT PLAN B-26. The BCT field artillery battalion’s OPLAN or OPORD is normally used in lieu of a field artillery support plan. If a field artillery support plan is used, it is an appendix to the fires annex to the BCT OPLAN or OPORD. The field artillery support plan provides for coordinated action to carry out the decisions of the field artillery commander in support of the BCT operation. B-27. The field artillery support plan follows the format of the five-paragraph OPLAN or OPORD and refers to both the BCT OPLAN or OPORD and its fires annex. However, not all of the commanders and staffs of the units (such as a FAB cannon field artillery battalion reinforcing the BCT’s cannon field artillery battalion) supporting the force field artillery (only the BCT’s field artillery battalion for a simple BCT operation) that is preparing the field artillery support plan will receive copies of the BCT OPLAN or OPORD or its fires annex. Therefore, the field artillery support plan may reiterate critical items of information to ensure that all supporting commanders and staffs receive the information. B-28. The field artillery support plan should not include information already available in unit standard operating procedures. The purpose of the written plan is to inform subordinate and supporting units of tasks and requirements that are peculiar to a specific operation. The format for a field artillery support plan is illustrated Figure B-1. Explanations are given for the various paragraphs and subparagraphs in the relevant portions of the order. B-29. Prepare tabs for portions of the plan that are better explained in a different format (for example, as an overlay or a matrix), that are too extensive to be in the plan, that are expected to change, or that are submitted too late to be included in the body of the field artillery support plan. Common tabs include: Field artillery support matrix. Target lists. Fire plan schedules. Survey. Target acquisition. Digital (Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System [AFATDS] fire direction system links and subscriber tables). Field artillery positioning and movement overlay.