P-385-63 Range Safety Pamphlet Download
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Chapter 8 Tank/Fighting Vehicle Gunnery 8–1. Tank/fighting vehicle firing conditions a. Tank/fighting vehicle weapon system will not be fired above 5 degrees (89 mils) quadrant elevation (QE) from the firing position to the target (unless otherwise stated in this pamphlet). The following procedures will be employed. (1) Unit master gunners, in conjunction with range operations (Army), range control (Marine Corps) personnel, will ensure that targets are placed at or less than 5 degrees elevation. Tank commanders will ensure that all weapon systems in a firing condition are pointed toward the impact area at or less than 5 degrees elevation. (2) Non-stabilized tank armament will not be fired while the tank/fighting vehicle is moving. This does not include machine guns. b. When firing ranges and weapons training facilities with less than the prescribed safety limits must be used, existing compensatory terrain features and offsetting control measures will be thoroughly evaluated. An approved deviation is required before firing on reduced SDZs. c. Hard or soft targetry may be used. d. Cross-range firing of weapon systems from firing positions at targets or target arrays on the opposite side of the range is permitted if the SDZ falls within allowable limits, and the risk of damage to target systems has been accepted by the RMA (Army), RCO (Marine Corps). Limits of fire, combined dispersion, ricochet areas, and Areas A and B (when required), must be adjusted to compensate for and accommodate such cross-range firing. On ranges that do not permit cross-range firing, internal (inside the range area) left and right limit of fire markers, with both visual and thermal signature, will be used in addition to the left and right external range limit markers. e. Environmental containment materials (spill kits) shall be available on all mounted ranges, during all refuel operations, and whenever the vehicles involved in the training event are on the range. 8–2. Surface danger zone Tank/fighting vehicle SDZs for direct fire at fixed or moving ground targets from stationary or moving firing positions are as follows: a. General tank cannon cartridges (for example, those cartridges not specifically addressed in this pamphlet) use table 8–1 and figure 8–1. Lateral dimensions must take into account length of baselines, maneuver areas, and target arrays to include length of moving targets. Distance X for non-stabilized weapons will be equivalent to QE of 10 degrees. b. The dispersion area for tank/fighting vehicle SDZs is 2 degrees with a stabilized weapon system. The dispersion area for tank/fighting vehicle SDZs utilizing non-stabilized weapon systems is 5 degrees. c. Areas A and B are not required when firing inert/non HE projectiles at soft targets, except spotting charges or frangible projectiles which may eject a hazardous fragment. d. When engaging armor targets, use the impact media that has the greater value due to the possibility of missing the target. e. For fighting vehicles the Distance X (maximum range) may be reduced to ricochet range when engaging ground targets at ranges up to 3,500 m from stationary firing positions. f. For fighting vehicles, when firing from a moving vehicle over level terrain at ground targets up to 3,500 m, use the 15 degrees elevation range, when firing on the move over rough terrain, use Distance X. g. For fighting vehicles, when firing at aerial targets and the gun elevation is greater than 15 degrees, the ricochet area, as defined by Area W and Angle P, is not required. h. SDZ requirements for firing port weapon systems are provided in chapter 4 (small arms criteria) and figure 8–6. Firing port weapon systems may be fired selectively or as part of a course provided: (1) Sufficient terrain is available to accommodate the weapon system’s SDZ fired at its extreme elevation and limits of traverse. (2) An established impact area exists with targets or target arrays. 79 DA PAM 385–63 • 16 April 2014