*FM 7-90

Table of Contents

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1 - MORTAR SECTIONS AND PLATOONS ON THE AIRLAND BATTLEFIELD

1-1. Role of Mortars

1-2. Tenets of Airland Battle

1-3. Company- and Battalion-Level Battle

1-4. Mortar Characteristics and Organizations

1-5. Associated Organizations

CHAPTER 2 - COMMAND AND CONTROL OF MORTAR SECTIONS AND PLATOONS

2-1. Responsibilities of Key Personnel

2-2. Troop-Leading Procedures

2-3. Combat Orders and Overlays

CHAPTER 3 - FIRE SUPPORT PLANNING AND COORDINATION

Section I - Mortar Support and Command Relationships

3-1. Command Relationships

3-2. Support Relationships

Section II - Fire Support Planning

3-3. Purpose of Indirect Fires

3-4. Effects of Indirect Fires

3-5. Fire Support Coordination Measures, Terms, and Techniques

3-6. Target Data Processing

3-7. Battalion Fire Support Plan

3-8. Battalion Target List and Overlay

3-9. Processing and Coordinating Calls For Mortar Fire

3-10. Ammunition Supply Rates

CHAPTER 4 - MORTARS IN SUPPORT OF OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS

4-1. Historical Example

4-2. Mortar Support During Offensive Operations

4-3. Types of Offensive Operations

4-4. Other Offensive Operations

4-5. Mortar Offensive Fire Support

4-6. Other Operations

CHAPTER 5 - MORTARS IN SUPPORT OF DEFENSIVE AND RETROGRADE OPERATIONS

5-1. Defensive Operations

5-2. Priority of Fires and Priority Targets

5-3. Mortar Defensive Fire Suport Tasks

5-4. Retrograde Operations

5-5. Mortar Units Supporting Retrograde Operations

CHAPTER 6 - MORTAR PLATOON AND SECTION TACTICS, TECHNIQUES, AND PROCEDURES

Section I - Employment Techniques

6-1. Employment by Platoon

6-2. Employment by Section

6-3. Employment by Squad

Section II - Reconnaissance, Selection, and Occupation of Mortar Positions

6-4. Definition

6-5. Methods of Reconnaissance

6-6. Planning the Reconnaissance

6-7. Reconnaissance Party

6-8. Position Selection

6-9. Advance Party Operations

6-10. Occupation

6-11. Movement Briefing

6-12. Night Occupations

6-13. Types of Occupation

6-14. Deliberate Occupation

6-15. Hasty Occupation

6-16. Sustainment

Section III - Displacement Planning

6-17. Displacement Timing

6-18. Displacement Plans During Offense, Defense, and Retrograde Operations

Section IV - Displacement Techniques

6-19. Displacement by Platoon

6-20. Displacement by Sections

6-21. Displacement by Squad(s) or Section(-)

Section V - Movement

6-22. Independent Movement

6-23. Open Column

6-24. Closed Column

6-25. Infiltration

6-26. Terrain March

6-27. Movement Orders

6-28. Load Plans

6-29. Movement Preparation

6-30. Organization of the Platoon Column

6-31. March Discipline

6-32. Convoy Control Measures

6-33. Halts

6-34. March Column Contingencies

Section VI - Mortar Section and Platoon Firing Formations

6-35. Terrain Mortar Positioning

6-36. Parallel Formation

6-37. Lazy W Formation

6-38. Diamond Formation

6-39. Triangle Formation

6-40. Six-Mortar Star Formation

CHAPTER 7 - SURVIVABILITY TECHNIQUES AND DEFENSE OF A MORTAR FIRING POSITION

Section I - Threats to Mortar Survivability

7-1. Threats

7-2. Ground attack

7-3. Air Attack

7-4. Survivability Techniques

Section II - Dug-In Positions

7-5. Dismounted Mortars

7-6. FDC Bunkers

7-7. Mounted Mortars

7-8. Mortar Positions in a Strongpoint

7-9. High-Survivability Mortar Position

7-10. Additional Individual Protection

Section III - Other Survivability Techniques

7-11. Shoot and Hide Positions

7-12. Camouflage

7-13. Firing Lowest Charge and Elevation

7-14. Frequent Displacement

7-15. Offset Registration

7-16. Roving Gun

7-17. Adjusting Rounds

7-18. Use of Wire Communications

7-19. Massing Fires

7-20. Terrain Mortar Positioning

7-21. Ground Defense Plan

7-22. Coordination and Security Plan

7-23. Defense Plan

7-24. Conduct of the Defense

CHAPTER 8 - SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 60-mm MORTAR SECTION

8-1. Light Mortars on the Battlefield

8-2. Organizations

8-3. Responsibilities

8-4. Employment Options

8-5. Displacement

8-6. Reconnaissance and Position Selection

8-7. Types of Engagement

8-8. Support and Command Relationships

8-9. Support During Offensive Operations

8-10. Support During a Movement to Contact

8-11. Support During a Hasty Attack

8-12. Support During a Deliberate Attack

8-13. Support During Defensive Operations

8-14. Rates of Fire

8-15. Load-Carrying Techniques

8-16. Load-Carrying Devices

CHAPTER 9 - COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT

Section I - Trains

9-1. Field Trains

9-2. Combat Trains

9-3. Company Trains

9-4. Request for Support and Routine Supplies

Section II - Resupply

9-5. Resupply Operations

9-6. Resupply Techniques

9-7. In-Position Resupply

9-8. Prepositioning

9-9. Out of Position

9-10. Emergency Resupply

9-11. Basic Loads

9-12. Common Supplies

9-13. Miscellaneous Supplies

Section III - Maintenance

9-14. Vehicles

9-15. Weapons

9-16. Communications Equipment

9-17. Mortar Equipment

9-18. Recovery of Damaged Equipment

Section IV - Mortar Medical Support

9-19. Company Mortars

9-20. Battalion Mortars

9-21. Evacuation

9-22. Casualty and Strength Reporting

APPENDIX A - ORDERS, FORMATS, AND SUPPLEMENTS

APPENDIX B - TARGET EFFECTS PLANNING

APPENDIX C - MORTAR SMOKE OPERATIONS

APPENDIX D - CRATER ANALYSIS

APPENDIX E - OPERATIONS SECURITY

APPENDIX F - FIRE WITHOUT AN FDC AND EMERGENCY ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

APPENDIX G - SUSTAINED AND CONTINUOUS OPERATIONS

APPENDIX H - REPORTS

APPENDIX I - HELICOPTER OPERATIONS

APPENDIX J - MORTAR OPERATIONS ON URBANIZED TERRAIN

APPENDIX K - MORTAR ORGANIZATIONS

APPENDIX L - MORTAR AND ARTILLERY RADIO AND WIRE NETS

APPENDIX M - MORTAR PLATOON STANDING OPERATING PROCEDURES

GLOSSARY

REFERENCES

BLANK FORMS

AUTHORIZATION LETTER

*This publication supersedes FM 7-90, 11 June 1985.