ATP-3-94-2 HIMARS Deep Operations Download
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Chapter 2 2-4 ATP 3-94.2 1 September 2016 2-15. During execution, commanders direct adjustments to the plan based on changing circumstances. This includes refining their planning and targeting guidance and directing the execution of branch plans to exploit opportunities and counter threats in the deep areas. LEADERSHIP 2-16. Through leadership, commanders provide purpose, direction, and motivation to subordinate commanders, their staff, and Soldiers. In many instances, a commander's physical presence is necessary to lead effectively. Where the commander locates within the AO is an important leadership consideration. Commanders balance their time between leading the staff through the operations process and providing purpose, direction, and motivation to subordinate commanders and Soldiers away from the command post. Attacks in the deep area may involve high risk, the final decision to execute such attacks is a key leadership decision by commanders. ASSESS 2-17. Commanders continuously assess the situation to better understand current conditions and determine how the operation is progressing. Continuous assessment helps commanders anticipate and adapt the force to changing circumstances. Commanders incorporate the assessments of the staff, subordinate commanders, and unified action partners into their personal assessment of the situation. Based on their assessment, commanders modify plans and orders to adapt the force to changing circumstances. Commanders assess if activities in the deep area are effectively supporting operations in the close area. They also assess conditions in the deep area associated with decision points to include reattack decisions and a decision to transition the operations to a next phase. PLANNING, PREPARING, EXECUTING, AND ASSESSING 2-18. Planning, preparing, executing, and assessing operations in-depth requires agility and teamwork among commanders, staffs, and subordinate units. Since the deep area is not assigned to a subordinate unit, the establishing headquarters (division or corps) is responsible for the detailed planning, supervision of preparation activities, execution, and assessment of operations in the deep area. PLANNING 2-19. Initial planning for operations in the deep area occurs in the plans cells. The plans cells develop the initial operations order to include planned deep operations and decision points for potential deep operations as part of the commander’s concept of operations. Part of the initial order includes a detailed information collection plan and fire support plan (to include targets, high-payoff target list (HPTL), attack guidance matrix (AGM), and target selection standards) for the deep area. 2-20. The future operations cell, in coordination with the targeting working group and information collection working group, typically maintains the responsibility for adjusting operations in the deep according to commander’s intent, planning guidance, and targeting guidance. The future operations cell, targeting working group, and information collection working group focus on the mid-range planning horizon (see ADRP 5-0 for a discussion of planning horizons). The mid-range planning horizon is normally tied to the joint targeting cycle and joint collection management request and tasking timelines. This requires division and corps headquarters to work within the battle rhythm requirements of the joint force commander to ensure targets are nominated and joint capabilities (joint interdiction, air support, electronic warfare, joint suppression of enemy air defenses, joint personnel recovery) are requested on time to support operations in the deep area. 2-21. The complexity and risk of some deep operations (an aviation attack for example) may require a deep operation to follow an internal cycle of planning, preparing, executing, and assessment. Once identified for execution (through the military decisionmaking process [MDMP], targeting, or commander’s guidance), detailed planning to synchronize the operations is required. Staff responsibilities and techniques for organizing the staff to plan deep operations is discussed in detail in Chapter 3.