FM-3-09 Fire Support and Field Artillery Operations Download
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Chapter 6 6-14 FM 3-09 30 April 2020 FSCOORDs anticipate the transition to the offense and support their commanders by providing input to the overall operation assessment process, and by applying the principles of FS planning and coordination and FS execution. SECTION III – THE OFFENSE 6-65. The main purposes of the offense are to defeat enemy forces, destroy enemy forces, and gain control of terrain, resources, and population centers. The offense supports friendly operations in the air, maritime, space, and cyberspace domains, and in the information environment. These operations destroy, dislocate, disintegrate, or isolate an enemy force. 6-66. An offensive operation is an operation to defeat or destroy enemy forces and gain control of terrain, resources, and population centers (ADP 3-0). The offense is the decisive form of war. The offense is the ultimate means commanders have of imposing their will on enemy forces. Executing offensive operations to defeat and destroy enemy forces as well as gain control of terrain, resources, and population centers. Offensive operations can also be conducted to deceive or divert an enemy force, develop intelligence, or hold an enemy force in position. Commanders seize, retain, and exploit the initiative when conducting the offense. Taking the initiative from an enemy force requires the conduct of the offense, even in the defense. 6-67. The performance of effective offensive operations capitalizes on accurate and timely intelligence and other relevant information regarding enemy forces, weather, and terrain. Commanders maneuver forces to positions of relative advantage before contact. Contact with enemy forces before the decisive operation is deliberate and designed to shape the optimum situation for the decisive operation. Without hesitation, commanders violently execute both movement and fires-within the higher commander's intent-to break the enemy's will or destroy the enemy. Offensive fires are surface to surface indirect fires intended to preempt enemy actions in support of the maneuver commander’s concept of operations. THE ENEMY DEFENSE 6-68. During offensive operations, the enemy typically attempts to slow and disrupt friendly forces with a combination of obstacles, prepared positions, and favorable terrain so that they can be destroyed with massed fires. The enemy is likely to defend in depth, and when provided time, will continuously improve positions in ways that better protect enemy defending units, make attacks against them more costly, and allow the enemy to commit the minimum amount of ground combat power forward. Forward positioned enemy forces are heavily focused on providing observed fires for long range systems and slowing friendly forces long enough to be engaged effectively by those systems. The enemy is likely to conduct a mobile defense whenever capable, using a series of subsequent battle positions to achieve depth. 6-69. The enemy commander seeks to use fires and obstacles to prevent decisive engagement of the defending ground forces as they reposition, while causing friendly forces to move methodically under continuous fire without ever fixing the enemy's own forces. The enemy can be expected to employ significant EW, ISR, and information-related capabilities as part of this defensive effort. Several potential enemies can employ CBRN weapons, and some could employ tactical nuclear weapons. The enemy main defense zone is organized in a succession of integrated kill zones, obstacles, and battle positions. ECHELONMENT OF FIRES 6-70. Echelonment of fires is a technique for integrating and synchronizing maneuver and fires. Echelonment of fires is the execution of a schedule of fires fired from the highest caliber to the lowest caliber weapon, based on risk estimate distances (see ATP 3-09.32/MCRP 3-31.6/NTTP 3-09.2/AFTTP 3-2.6) and weapons system range capabilities, as the maneuver force moves toward an objective. Echelonment of fires helps to ensure that ground forces are able to move to an objective without losing momentum, helps set the conditions for the direct fire fight, and reduces the risk of friendly casualties. Echelonment of fires is accomplished when the maneuver commander wishes to conduct preparation fires on an objective. 6-71. Echeloning a preparation is a 9-step process. The process is described in greater detail in ATP 3-09.42 the 9-steps are: