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 3-35 3-197. During movement ashore, field artillery should be dispersed throughout the assault elements. Decentralization facilitates this phase of the operation. Personnel should be equipped with life vests and other appropriate life support equipment. 3-198. One of the most critical tasks for fire support during amphibious operations is the early establishment ashore of the landing force ground combat element’s Marine Corps fire support coordination centers, which are manned and equipped in a manner similar to that of Army fires cells. When fire support coordination centers are operational, control and coordination of supporting arms can be passed from afloat to ashore. This allows for the balance of centralized and decentralized control that is critical for immediate responsive fires in support of offensive tasks. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM 3-199. In amphibious operations (including Navy forces, landing forces, and potentially required support from the Air Force), success requires a common understanding of joint fire support. The amphibious assault is an offensive task. Consequently, the considerations for fires in support of offensive tasks generally apply. Certain characteristics peculiar to the amphibious assault affect fire support coordination in planning and operations and must be considered by the brigade FSO, and fires cell. These include: The buildup of combat power ashore is from a base of zero; the fire support planners must plan and integrate supporting arms incrementally as they become available. The complexity of the operation makes it difficult to adjust the scheme of maneuver once the assault has begun; the FSCOORD and fires cell planners must place greater emphasis on planned and scheduled fires than for most other offensive operations. The difficulty of employing artillery ashore initially in the assault places requires placing greater reliance on mortars, naval surface fires, and offensive air support; the fire support planners must address this lack of the primary supporting arm during their planning. 3-200. Amphibious assaults conducted from over the horizon may stress communications. The fire support planners must understand the communications capabilities of the amphibious task force and the landing force. 3-201. Fire support tasks for pre-D-day operations include: Assist the force to gain and maintain air and maritime superiority prior to the assault. Destroy or neutralize targets that can prevent the execution of the landing. Provide fire support as part of a deception effort. 3-202. Fire support tasks on D-day include: Provide immediate responsive fires to the assault elements. Isolate the landing area by attacking targets farther into enemy formations with massed surface fires and air support. Suppress hostile shore defenses during ship-to-shore movement with intense prearranged fire. 3-203. Fire support tasks post-H-hour include: Provide counterfire to protect friendly units during initial advance inland and consolidation. Break up enemy counterattacks. Continue to provide responsive fires to the lead elements. NAVAL SURFACE FIRE SUPPORT FOR BCT OPERATIONS 3-204. Navy vessels that mount guns and land attack missiles can be used to support ground forces. Principal surface fires resources include the Airborne Early Warning Ground Environment Integration Segment (referred to as AEGIS) weapons system equipped guided missile cruisers and guided missile destroyers. The Airborne Early Warning Ground Environment Integration Segment weapons suite includes Tomahawk land-attack missiles, the 5-inch 54 or 62-caliber Mark 45 lightweight gun, and the Standard missile system in surface-to-surface mode. The Tomahawk and Standard missile are contained in the vertical launch systems on the cruiser and destroyer platforms. Large volumes of highly destructive, flat- trajectory fire characterize naval gunfire. Although these ships have a formidable fires capability, a single