BATTLE COMPANY Fire Direction and Control Measures, Methods, and Techniques B/2-11 IN (IOBC) TX9B14 Reference: FM 7-8

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Control & Distribution Allows Leaders to: Initiate, shift, mass, and disengage fires at the appropriate time and location on the battlefield Protect his force from fratricide Gain the greatest advantage possible over the enemy

BATTLE COMPANY To Control and Direct Fires, a Leader Must: Understand the characteristics and capabilities of weapons systems and munitions Apply battlefield intelligence to determine the most advantageous applications of fire Control his weapons systems to gain the greatest effect against the enemy

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Distribution Point Fire –Directed at one point –Entire squad fires at one bunker Area Fire –Covers an area laterally and in depth –Leader directs his element to fire on several targets –Squad leader fires tracers to the woodline, soldiers on left fire to left, soldiers on right fire to right

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Control Measures Instruction to subordinate units or soldiers Clarifies higher commander’s intent Focuses effort to ensure synchronization Each has specific purpose that contributes to mission accomplishment Include: –Boundaries, axis of advance, phase lines, limit of advance –SOPs, OPORDs

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Control Methods How a unit executes it’s fire control measures Processes and procedures Involve a systematic plan An orderly, logical, effective arrangement in steps Usually addressed in a unit SOP or TACSOP

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Control Techniques Technical details One of many – a way, not the way The actual application of methods and measures How the individual leader controls his unit’s fires while in contact with the enemy

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Control Measures Sectors of Fire Engagement Areas Fire Patterns Engagement Priorities Graphic Measures Rules of Engagement

BATTLE COMPANY Sectors of Fire Assign responsibility for area Ensure distribution of fire across engagement area Sectors must always overlap Always coordinate sectors with next higher or adjacent unit M240B M249 M4

BATTLE COMPANY Engagement Areas Concentrate all fire in the area they intend to kill the enemy In ambushes is referred to as kill zone

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Patterns Include front, cross, and depth fire Describe relationship between weapon and target Ensure ammo not wasted on some targets while others are not engaged FRONT CROSSDEPTH

BATTLE COMPANY Engagement Priorities Machine Gunners –FPL or PDF upon command –Groups of five from farthest to closest –Soldiers in primary sector Automatic Riflemen –Along FPL on command –Groups of five or more closest to farthest –Soldiers in primary sector

BATTLE COMPANY Engagement Priorities Grenadiers –Light armored vehicles –Groups –Dead space if occupied –Illumination or smoke on order Riflemen –Primary sector –Nearest to farthest from outside to center of sector –At leaders –At RTOs –Individual soldiers

BATTLE COMPANY Engagement Priorities MAW: –Most threatening armored vehicle –Armor in primary sector –Armor in secondary sector –Armored vehicles beyond 200 meters LAW Gunners –In volleys or sequentially on order –At nearby threatening vehicles

BATTLE COMPANY Targets Across the Battlefield XXXX XXX X XX X

BATTLE COMPANY Who Engages Who XXXX XXX X XX X M240B M249 M4

BATTLE COMPANY Graphic Measures Boundaries or Sectors: divide areas of tactical responsibility Target Reference Points (TRPs) : to reference enemy locations Maximum Engagement Lines: identifies when a weapon system is at max. distance Trigger Lines: line when enemy crosses, unit engages Phase lines: lines that control friendly movement and coordinate fires Final Protective Fire: preplanned barrier of direct and indirect fire to prevent or disrupt enemy attack

BATTLE COMPANY Rules of Engagement Directives from Chain of Command States circumstances when combat operations can be initiated Usually issued with OPORD Must ensure good understanding

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Control Methods Sound Signals Trigger points / lines Visual signals Time Techniques of fire

BATTLE COMPANY Sound Signals Voice commands (fire commands) Whistles / horns Good for only short distances. Range and reliability reduced by –Battle noise- Terrain –Weather- Vegetation –Individual understanding

BATTLE COMPANY Trigger Points / Lines Usually keyed to enemy movement or actions Prearranged to start firing at a certain point or terrain feature Soldiers do not wait for orders. Can also be cued to friendly actions Examples: –Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes –Javelin Gunner’s MEL

BATTLE COMPANY Visual Signals Leader gives signals when he wants certain action Require training and standardization (FM reference 21-60) Effectiveness limited by visibility Examples: –Hand and Arm Signals –Flagging –Smoke and Pyrotechnics –VS-17 Panels

BATTLE COMPANY Time Unit leaders direct action to begin / stop at certain times Example: Support By Fire position during a deliberate attack

BATTLE COMPANY Techniques of Fire Search-Fire-Check –Soldiers search sector, fire against enemy, and check for signals from leaders Return-Fire –Leaders describe actions upon unexpected enemy contact Rate-of-Fire –Tells each soldier how fast to fire –Varies amongst weapons and soldiers –Prevents buddy teams from running out of ammunition simultaneously

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Commands Components –Alert –Direction –Description –Range –Method of Fire –Command to Fire All commands are repeated back to ensure soldier understanding

BATTLE COMPANY Alert Leader alerts the soldier to upcoming mission Prepares him to receive further instructions

BATTLE COMPANY Direction Leader tells general direction Can pinpoint a target Give general direction before reference point Techniques –Point –Tracer ammunition –Leader uses TRPs or easily recognizable features –Use clock direction Allows soldier to identify the target or TRP

BATTLE COMPANY Description Brief Accurate Enemy soldier or vehicle formations Amount of enemy Type of protection

BATTLE COMPANY Range Always in meters Estimate Allows soldiers to prep their sights

BATTLE COMPANY Method of Fire Which weapons to fire Type of ammunition to fire Amount of ammunition to fire Rate of fire How to engage enemy

BATTLE COMPANY Command to Fire Tells soldiers when to fire FIRE WHEN READY when exact moment is not needed AT MY COMMAND controls the exact moment firing begins – FIRE is command of execution Can be a verbal, visual signal, or linked to enemy action or MEL

BATTLE COMPANY Subsequent Fire Commands Adjust or change information from initial fire command Only elements to change are given

BATTLE COMPANY Termination of Fire CEASE FIRE, END OF MISSION Can be verbal or visual signal

BATTLE COMPANY Fire Control Techniques Tracer Fire Luminous Tape or Chem Lights Weapon Control Restrictions IR Laser feedback Other Techniques

BATTLE COMPANY Tracer Fire Team Leaders load magazines –First and last 5 rounds are tracer –4:1 for the rest of the magazine Examples: –Assault team leaders fire tracers to identify targets –M240B placed on assault flank M240B fire burst every 15 seconds Tracers identify progress of assault element Soldiers keep fire on opposite side of tracers (will be used on Fire Control LFX)

BATTLE COMPANY Luminous Tape / Chem Lights Mark assault personnel – prevents fratricide Mark cleared areas or forward trace Place chem lights on stick when in trench Throw chem light bundle in front of assaulting element

BATTLE COMPANY Weapon Control Restrictions Weapons free, hold or tight depending on friendly situation Example: no automatic weapons in assault = all automatic weapons are enemy

BATTLE COMPANY IR Laser Feedback AN/PEQ-2A / AN/PAQ-4 / CGP-1 Leaders identify targets by pointing with laser Techniques –Tracing patterns –Using pattern generators –Using floodlight on AN/PEQ-2A

BATTLE COMPANY Other Techniques Examples: No pyro, flares or smoke on objective Only personnel with NVGs engage targets on OBJ Magnetic azimuth Range Cards: FPL / PDF / FPF / TRP Base squad or team to pace others Friendly markings

BATTLE COMPANY Support By Fire

BATTLE COMPANY SBF Position Uses firepower to engage and fix the enemy in support of the assault Is usually run by the PSG or whoever is second in command

BATTLE COMPANY How do we accomplish? Place accurate fire on the objective Suppress any enemy positions Prevent enemy from mounting an organized counter-attack

BATTLE COMPANY Shift Fire Assault is in position to pick up targets on the objective (target hand-off) Assault element can not move closer without risk of fratricide Shift to other part of objective to continue support of assault element

BATTLE COMPANY Conduct the Shift Keep in visual contact with Assault element if possible Watch for signal to shift Signal support element to shift –Should not be all at the same time –Verbal command always give direction Give confirmation signal that shift has been conducted

BATTLE COMPANY QUESTIONS?