ATP-3-09-90 Division Artillery Operations and Fire Support Download
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Chapter 2 2-38 ATP 3-09.90 Fires support the concept of operations during the defense by providing persistent 6400 mils (360 degrees) protection, early warning, and supporting of AMD. Fire support assets attack targets throughout the AO with massed or precision fires, mortars, and synchronize rotary-wing and fixed-wing air support, electronic attack, and other joint fires. Fire support assets also protect civilian population centers and critical infrastructure, assets vital to gaining and maintaining indigenous support of United States strategic objectives. A feature of the defense is a striving to regain the initiative from the attacking enemy. The defending commander uses the characteristics of the defense—disruption, flexibility, maneuver, mass, operations in depth, preparation, and security—to help accomplish that task. Fire support plays a key role in disrupting an attacker’s tempo and synchronization. Fire support planning and execution must address the need for flexibility in defensive operations by allocating and quickly shifting fires to support the defense. Fire support planning and execution supports maneuver in defensive operations by supporting the obstacle plan and by providing fires to assist friendly forces in movement and disengagement. Massing effects plays an essential role in a unit’s ability to mass overwhelming combat power in critical places and times. Operations in depth allows fires to attack the enemy before entering close contact. Preparation provides the fire support planner the ability to select the defensive terrain and to prepare a defense. Fire support must complement and support all security forces and unit protection plans. For more information see FM 3-09. GENERAL FIRE SUPPORT CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS On the basis of the division mission, the FSCOORD recommends the organization for combat for the DIVARTY and any allocated FA battalions. The division commander provides for adequate support but retains more centralized control of resources through the assignment of general support or general support- reinforcing support relationships. The DIVARTY is generally organized in the defense with more centralized control of FA assets. This allows the DIVARTY commander maximum flexibility in supporting all BCTs based on enemy actions and allows massed fires to deliver support to decisive operations. Specific DIVARTY considerations include: Task-organizing some artillery battalions as reinforcing to BCT FA battalions. A general support- reinforcing support relationship may be appropriate where a higher degree of DIVARTY centralized control is desired. Providing adequate support to the division covering force. Number of FA battalions available and location of the most vulnerable area (flank or center of the division sector). In the retrograde, ground maneuver forces are continually in contact with the enemy and need responsive artillery fires to assist in maneuver and breaking contact with the enemy. The DIVARTY continues to centrally control fire support assets to the force as a whole. Additionally, the DIVARTY must retain the flexibility to mass fires in support of individual BCTs to facilitate disengagement and repositioning. FIRES IN SUPPORT OF STABILITY TASKS FA units in support of stability operations perform both offensive and defensive tasks that support the commander’s objective. For more information on stability tasks see ADRP 3-07. Fire support is used to protect the force and the indigenous population with fires. These tasks may include security force assistance and strategic engagement. Stability tasks may require fire support assets to conduct the delivery of precision fires to mitigate the effects of collateral damage in support of offensive and defensive tasks. For additional information on fire support for stability tasks see FM 3-09. FIRES ORGANIZATION IN DEFENSE SUPPORT OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES The fire support structure and particularly FA units rarely support DSCA. Commanders of FA units have “Immediate Response Authority” and “Emergency Authority” to act in extraordinary emergency circumstances where prior authorization by the President is impossible and duly constituted local authorities are unable to control the situation, to engage temporarily in activities that are necessary to quell large-scale civil disturbances, to prevent destruction of property, restore government functions, save lives and prevent 12 October 2017