ATP-3-09-42 Fire Support for the Brigade Combat Team Download
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Fire Support for Tactical Enabling and Other Tasks 1 March 2016 ATP 3-09.42 3-15 3-76. Fire support considerations for a gap-crossing include: Designate obstacle clearance sites as critical friendly zones and NFAs. Plan suppressive fires on enemy elements capable of placing direct or indirect fires (for example high-value targets) on the planned crossing point(s). Plan electronic warfare assets to defeat the improvised explosive device threat, disrupt enemy information collection (see the discussion in chapter 4 and FM 3-55), reconnaissance and surveillance efforts, and detect enemy use of the electromagnetic spectrum for targeting purposes. Make fires immediately available to crossing forces within the gap. If necessary, have reinforcing artillery fire while organic artillery is crossing. Assign priority of fires to assault forces. Assign nonstandard command or support relationships to supporting units; change the priority of calls for fire, fire planning, and other inherent responsibilities as necessary. Plan fires for smoke and suppression in greater than normal amounts if necessary. Use smoke to screen both actual and deception crossing sites. Use smoke to obscure enemy direct fire positions in the gap crossing area until the crossing forces can engage them. Suppress enemy forces in the gap crossing area until the assault force can provide these fires. Use all available targeting assets to develop targets in the gap-crossing area. Have indirect fire weapons cross the gap with the forces they support. Plan to take advantage of the visibility conditions that will prevail during the gap crossing or that can be produced to help support the gap-crossing. Consider that the width of the gap-crossing area affects the planning. The amount of time necessary to cross a gap, hence the vulnerability of the crossing force, affects the types and volume of fires requested. Plan fires to suppress enemy defense and gap crossing sites and to seal off exit bank positions. Plan fires to facilitate the assault force securing the exit from the gap-crossing site. Plan the use of preparations, groups, and series of fires (see ATP 3-09.30) to support the operation as the assault force is securing the gap-crossing site. Plan and use on-order FSCMs (described in FM 3-09). Plan fires at depth to isolate the gap-crossing site from enemy reinforcement. Use close air support and attack helicopters to assist with expanding the gap-crossing site. Engage with the BCT SWO to provide weather effects assessments for close air support and attack helicopter assets. Plan suppression of enemy air defenses. OTHER MOBILITY OPERATIONS 3-77. The degree of fire support required for other mobility operations such as the construction of combat roads and trails, forward airfields and landing zones, and traffic operations is dependent upon mission variables. Fire support planning and asset requirements are similar to those for security operations. SECTION II – FIRE SUPPORT CONSIDERATIONS FOR URBAN OPERATIONS 3-78. Urban operations are typically planned and conducted on or against objectives on terrain where man- made construction or the density of population are the dominant features. The fire support planners recommend fire support tasks to support the BCT’s scheme of maneuver. Often, the role of fire support in an urban environment is to enable BCT subordinate and supporting units to get into or around the urban area with minimal casualties. This enables the respective unit commander to have maximum combat power with which to close with the enemy and finish the fight. Appropriate FSCMs (described in FM 3-09) are essential because fighting in urban areas results in opposing forces engaged in close combat. Close combat