ATP-3-94-2 HIMARS Deep Operations Download
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Chapter 1 1-6 ATP 3-94.2 1 September 2016 risks involved in sending a force deep. Listed below are brief discussions on the capabilities available to the commander for employment in the deep area. ARTILLERY STRIKES 1-24. Artillery strikes are very effective for engaging well-defended, high-payoff targets, day or night, in all weather conditions. They can conduct short-notice strikes without aviation support against targets in heavily defended areas where the probability of the loss of aircraft is too high. Artillery strikes are typically employed against soft stationary targets such as unhardened surface-to-surface missile sites, emplaced artillery batteries, air defense sites, logistics sites, and command and control facilities. Appropriate target areas include chokepoints along mobility corridors and areas through which hostile weapon systems and equipment must pass. Appendix A of this manual discusses artillery strikes in support of deep operations in more depth. See FM 3-09 for additional information. AVIATION ATTACKS 1-25. Attack helicopters and armed unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) provide the commander a versatile maneuver force to conduct deep operations through aviation attacks with manned and unmanned teaming. Aviation attacks are effective at executing precision engagements against moving enemy forces, armored forces, hardened targets (such as bunkers), or targets located in terrain that restricts, prohibits, or degrades artillery strike accuracy and effectiveness. Commanders should provide guidance on the desired effects and necessary time considerations. This guidance serves to facilitate the combat aviation commander’s determination of the size of the aviation attack force and the aviation employment method required to support the deep operation while conducting simultaneous operations throughout the rest of the AO. Additionally, commanders should provide the aviation attack force priority of fires and priority of support to mitigate the risks associated with maneuver forces operating in the deep area. Appendix B of this manual discusses aviation attacks in support of deep operations in greater detail. See FM 3-04 for additional information regarding aviation attacks. AIRBORNE AND AIR ASSAULT OPERATIONS 1-26. Infantry units, Army aviation, and air component support can be fully integrated with other elements of the combined arms team to form powerful and flexible airborne and air assault task forces that can project combat power throughout the entire depth of the AO with little regard for terrain barriers. Airborne and air assault operations can attack enemy positions from any direction, delay a much larger force without becoming decisively engaged, overfly or bypass barriers and obstacles to strike objectives in otherwise inaccessible locations, or serve as part of a larger deception plan to divert enemy forces from their primary objective. However, these operations are vulnerable for a number of reasons. These forces are often separated from large weapon systems, equipment, and materiel that provide protection and survivability on the battlefield. Additionally, communication between the higher headquarters and adjacent or supporting units may be strained due to distance and terrain. During mission analysis, commanders should consider the possible contingencies that might affect follow-on extraction or link-up. For more detailed information, see FM 3-99. RAIDS 1-27. Similar to airborne and air assault operations, the commander may carefully tailor a ground force with any necessary support specialists to conduct raids in the enemy support area to destroy vital facilities or to neutralize specific enemy forces. A raid is an operation to temporarily seize an area in order to secure information, confuse an adversary, capture personnel or equipment, or to destroy a capability culminating in a planned withdrawal (JP 3-0). Additionally, raids may be conducted to perform additional functions to include the demolition of bridges over major water obstacles or the recovery of attack helicopter pilots shot down beyond the forward line of own troops. Raids conducted by ground maneuver forces within the depths of the enemy’s support areas tend to be audacious, rapid, and of short duration. Logistics support is minimal as units carry as much petroleum, oils, lubricants, and ammunition as possible and taking advantage of any captured enemy supplies. Once the raiding force crosses its line of departure, only limited emergency aerial resupply of critical supplies and medical evacuation are feasible because of the absence of a secure LOC.