ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Environmental And Terrain Considerations For Fire Support 1 March 2016 ATP 3-09.42 E-3 of the close air support strikes. The enemy also conducts intelligence preparation of the battlefield to determine the likely direction of the close air support strikes and will weight his air defenses along those routes. The FSO must aggressively identify the enemy air defense systems and target them to enhance the survivability of the close air support assets. COMMUNICATIONS E-12. Communications considerations in mountain operations include: Place antennas on sides of hills or mountains. Make maximum use of directional antennas. Plan to use retransmission capabilities. SECTION II – JUNGLE OPERATIONS E-13. Jungle operations are usually carried out by infantry forces. Fire support may be limited to indirect fires and air support. Because small-unit operations are commonplace, greater challenges accrue to the fire support personnel at company and battalion levels. MUNITIONS E-14. In jungle terrain, most contact with the enemy is at extremely close range. If the friendly force has a substantial advantage in fire support, the enemy will most likely try to come in as close as possible and maintain that close contact. Thus, the friendly force commander cannot use his fire support advantage without inflicting casualties on his own troops. Therefore, a knowledge of the type of munitions best suited for the terrain and how to employ them is vital. For example, in triple-canopy jungle: HE-delay penetrates the treetops and splinters the trees, creating additional fragmentation (splintering effect). Smoke has limited effectiveness. WP is effective as a marking round and in initial adjustments. TARGET ACQUISITION AND OBSERVATION E-15. The triple-canopy jungle makes observation beyond 25 to 50 meters very difficult. The jungle also makes map reading, self-location, target location, and friendly unit location very difficult. E-16. Forward Observers. Experience from World War II (WWII) and Vietnam showed that forward observers must be able to adjust mortar and field artillery fire by sound, because often they cannot see the rounds to adjust them. This sound adjustment is very difficult and requires experience. Greater accuracy can result from the recommended adjustments of two or more forward observers. The battery fire direction center can help by announcing SPLASH to let the forward observer know when the round should impact. The observer then counts the seconds until he hears the round detonate. By multiplying the seconds by the speed of sound, the observer can estimate the range to impact. The speed of sound is approximately 350 meters per second. The speed of sound varies according to temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, and air density; but 350 meters per second should be used as a start point. E-17. The forward observer must determine the observer location and ensure that the battery fire direction center has it plotted. The forward observer then determines the direction to the target and selects a target grid 1,000 meters along the direction to the target. Using that direction and target grid, the forward observer sends a call for fire to the fire direction center. Add 1,000 meters to the forward observer’s position for safety. E-18. When the initial adjusting round impacts, the forward observer uses that impact as a known point. The forward observer determines the direction to the round, measures the difference between the direction to the target and the impact of the initial round, computes the lateral correction, and makes a range correction, if necessary. Using the shift from a known point call for fire, the forward observer sends the data to the fire direction center, reporting the new direction.