FM-3-09 Fire Support and Field Artillery Operations Download
Page 144 of 256
Chapter 6 6-34 FM 3-09 30 April 2020 6-151. Effective suppression must be applied against the enemy's fires, since the rupture force will be exposed for a lengthy period. Air support and electronic attack is planned for and employed, if available. FA and mortars provide smoke for obscuration. Attack/delivery assets should be positioned to fire the mission. Obscuration fires can be fired simultaneously with suppressive fires so that the smoke builds before the friendly forces move forward. Smoke is targeted and adjusted to obscure or screen the breach from direct fire. It is difficult to use smoke to obscure enemy fires on the obstacle during the breach because of the close proximity to friendly troops. Using a combination of HE and smoke as the last rounds completed during a preparation on the assault objective establishes a haze over the barrier, offering some obscuration to conceal the breach area. 6-152. Fire control measures are essential, as both the follow-and-assume and the rupture forces are firing on the enemy when the operation begins. Suppression of enemy observer positions continues, and other enemy forces remain fixed by fires until the breach has been achieved and the enemy is destroyed or dislodged. The rupture force should assume control for direct fire on the assault objective as follow-and- assume force fires are lifted or shifted. 6-153. The FSCOORD integrates all types of FS attack/delivery capabilities to create the conditions for the success of the breaching operations. FS plays a role in every fundamental of breaching, but especially during suppress and obscure. Below are some example FS considerations during breaching operations: Synchronize with maneuver units to isolate the point of penetration. Suppress enemy weapons systems that can engage the rupture force. Obscure all likely enemy observation locations or screen friendly movement; use obscurants for deception in order to protect the breach site. Establish CFZs on breaching sites. Ensure TA resources adequately set conditions at breach site prior to the arrival of the main body. Correctly identifying where to penetrate, suppress and obscure, and communicating that information quickly, is imperative. Predict likely enemy locations, and plan on-call fires accordingly. Plan for the shifting of priority of fires to the support force, then to the assault force. Establish the triggers. GAP CROSSING 6-154. Corps and divisions can be expected to conduct gap crossings as part of offensive and defensive operations. Like the passage of lines, gap crossings are usually implied tasks rather than primary missions. Gap crossings involving corps and divisions present a number of challenges to be overcome, particularly in the area of FS. The five phases of a gap crossing are discussed below. Advance to the gap (Phase I). The first phase is the attack to seize objectives that secure the nearside terrain, which offers favorable crossing sites and road networks and provides enough area to stage crossing forces while preventing congestion and an undesirable massing of assets. Assault across the gap (Phase II). The second phase involves units assaulting across the gap to seize the far side objective, eliminating direct fire into the crossing sites. Advance from the far side (Phase III). The third phase is the attack to secure the exit bank and intermediate objectives that eliminates direct and observed indirect fires into the crossing area. Secure the bridgehead line (Phase IV). The fourth phase includes the tasks necessary to secure bridgehead objectives, defeating any enemy counterattacks. This gains the necessary time and space for the buildup of forces for the attack out of the bridgehead. Continue the attack (Phase V). The fifth phase is the attack out of the bridgehead to defeat the enemy at a subsequent or final objective. It is considered as a phase of the gap crossing because the timing and initiation of this phase are typically dependent on the success of the other four phases of the gap crossing. 6-155. Commanders must plan to quickly cross whatever rivers or streams are in the path of advance. A wet-gap crossing requires special planning and support. The size of the obstacle and the enemy situation will dictate how to make the crossing. Attackers should strive to cross rivers without loss of momentum regardless