FM-3-09 Fire Support and Field Artillery Operations Download
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The Fire Support System 30 April 2020 FM 3-09 2-17 2-72. The guided-multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) provides commanders with increased accuracy and much greater range. The extended range GMLRS will double the range of the current capability. Their extremely high altitude of delivery (apex of missile trajectory, maximum ordinate) requires close coordination with air planners and liaisons to ensure aircraft are not in the vicinity during launches and descents. MISSILES 2-73. Long range hypersonic weapons and missiles will provide JFCs ground based fires with strategic range and effects. Long range hypersonic weapons contribute to opening windows of advantage by penetration of sophisticated A2/AD environments. 2-74. The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) provides long-range, fire support. ATACMSs are fired from an MLRS or high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) platform and may consist of antipersonnel/antimaterial submunitions or a unitary high-explosive warhead. The ATACMS retains the responsiveness of rockets, though it possesses a much greater range. The ATACMS antipersonnel/antimaterial warhead is designed to engage soft targets and the unitary high-explosive warhead is designed to engage fixed infrastructure while minimizing collateral damage. Due to the range and altitude of the ATACMS, target engagements require detailed airspace coordination and integration. For more discussion on MLRS or HIMARS and ATACMS, see ATP 3-09.60. 2-75. The Precision Strike Missile is a surface-to-surface long range missile fired from MLRS or HIMARS systems with greater range and lethality. This missile will be able to attack targets on the ground or at sea and will be a key capability used to penetrate and disintegrated adversary A2/AD capabilities. 2-76. The U.S. Navy Tomahawk is an all-weather, long-range, subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack warfare, launched from U.S. Navy surface ships and submarines. The Tomahawk conventional variant, adds the capability to reprogram the missile while in-flight via two-way satellite communications to strike any of fifteen pre-programmed alternate targets or redirect the missile to any global positioning system (GPS) target coordinates. CANNON ARTILLERY AND MORTARS 2-77. Cannon artillery is the most available attack system within the AO, capable of performing close support of maneuver, counterfire, interdiction, obscuration, and SEAD at increasingly extended ranges which will allow these systems to strike operationally or strategically relevant targets. Cannon artillery provides near immediate response times, 24-hour availability, and 360-degree coverage. Cannon artillery offers area and precision fires, such as the Excalibur and precision guidance kit (referred to as PGK). The Excalibur is a precision-guided, extended-range, 155-millimeter high-explosive cannon artillery projectile with an integrated global-positioning system that utilizes an inertial navigation system (INS) guidance and unitary warhead. It provides artillery capabilities in urban areas and restrictive terrain, while minimizing collateral damage. The precision guided kit is a trajectory-correcting fuse kit compatible with standard 155- millimeter munitions. It operates in all weather conditions, engages targets with increased accuracy, and has a near- vertical terminal trajectory. The replacement for dual purpose improved conventional munition, is the cannon-delivered area effects munitions. Until this is fielded, units plan on utilizing the, BONUS projectile currently in use by unified action partners, the projectile carries two sensor-fuzed munitions expelled during flight that detect and attack armored vehicles from above. 2-78. Extended range cannon artillery will provide increased lethality, and range, to provide the division commander with overmatch and accuracy. Its increased rate of fire will provide the capability to mass fires at specific points and, to strike targets in the division deep area in order to shape for BCTs. 2-79. Organic mortars are organized as platoons in maneuver and ranger BNs and as sections in Stryker and infantry BCT rifle companies. Mortars are high-angle, relatively short-range, high rate-of-fire, area fire weapons. Their mobility makes them well suited for close support of maneuver. Mortars can also be used for final protective fire, obscuration, and illumination. Refer to TC 3-22.90 for more information about mortars.