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 3-29 Note: Close air support and attack helicopters may be the only assets capable of ranging targets along flight routes and on landing zones. Consider the weather effects on the employment of all fire support assets. Plan on-call fires along the flight route to ensure rapid adjustment on targets of opportunity. Execute fires to support the air movement plan under procedural control, under positive control, or a combination of the two based on mission variables of METT-TC: During procedural control, fires are initiated and terminated according to a strict time schedule. During positive control of airspace, fires may be executed with phase lines, air control points or other control measures to initiate, shift, and terminate fires. LOADING PLAN 3-156. The loading plan establishes the priority of loading and is based on the air movement plan and the likely requirements in the landing plan. The purpose of the loading plan is to ensure that the troops, equipment, and supplies to be moved are loaded on the correct aircraft. It is critical to distribute fire support personnel and their essential items of equipment among the aircraft. Copies of the loading plan are distributed to pickup zone control, unit command and control elements, and the aviation flight leader. STAGING PLAN (AIR ASSAULT) OR MARSHALLING PLAN (AIRBORNE) 3-157. The air assault staging plan contains the schedule of the arrival of troops, equipment, and supplies at their respective pickup zone. The airborne marshalling plan covers all actions from the time the warning order is received until the units have loaded the aircraft. Special considerations for the fire support planners include: Ensure that forward observers and JTACs are included in load plans so that they arrive at the landing or drop zone early in the operation. Plan fires for the protection of primary and alternate pickup zones without endangering the arrival and departure of troops and aircraft. GUIDELINES FOR AIR ASSAULT OR AIRBORNE MISSION BRIEFS 3-158. Before any air assault or airborne operation, the assault task force commander and the staff (including the unit FSO[s]) conduct an air mission brief. 3-159. The assault task force FSO briefs the fire support portion of the air mission brief. At a minimum, the FSO should address the scheme of fires including: Fire support tasks. Fire support assets available. Target locations. Purpose of targets. Type, amount, and duration of fires. Delivery system associated with each target. Location of fire support delivery systems. Primary and backup executors. Method of airspace control (positive or procedural) of aerial fire support. Emergency checkfire procedures. Signal for last round of landing zone preparation (white phosphorus or other). FSCMs in effect. Airspace control information including: gun-target line, maximum and minimum ordinates, and close air support attack heading and egress route. Plan for suppression of enemy air defenses.