FIRE SUPPORT BOS
(Trends are numbered sequentially for cross-reference and are not in any priority order.)
Positive Performance
TREND
1
SUBJECT:
Evaluate threat tactics and high-value targets (HVTs)
OBSERVATION (INTEL DIV): Brigade and battalion S2s and intelligence analysts in the military intelligence (MI) company analysis and control teams (ACT) fully understand threat doctrine.
DISCUSSION: Most S2 sections come prepared with doctrinal templates, threat smart books, databases on threat tactics, and high-value target lists.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Home Station training and the JRTC Leader's Training Program must be sustained. Additionally, units that host a JRTC Mobile Training Team prior to their rotation usually arrive at JRTC with a complete and refined section standing operating procedures (SOP).
(TA.2.2.1
Select Target to Attack)
OBSERVATION (TF 1): Company commanders and platoon leaders are quick to fire company mortars upon contact with the enemy.
DISCUSSION: Platoon forward observers often develop, rehearse, and execute a battle drill that immediately uses indirect fire in every direct fire contact.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Company fire support officers appear more aggressive in developing and updating the company's fire support plan to the current situation. Companies are using their mortars more effectively in the fight.
(TA.2.3
Integrate Fire Support)
Needs Emphasis
TREND
1
SUBJECT:
Target list management
OBSERVATION (FS DIV): Units fail to properly maintain an accurate, manageable, up-to-date target list.
DISCUSSION: Failure to properly maintain a target list reduces the ability to effectively integrate fire support into battle plans to optimize combat power.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: The brigade must first identify where the brigade expects to shape the battle and then plan targets in those areas. The brigade must allocate a specific number of targets for battalions to plan that brigade assets will attack. The brigade should use this allocation as a method to weight the main effort and only allocate as many targets as it has ammunition to fire. Establish a realistic target cutoff time that allows brigade to consolidate, disseminate, and rehearse the target list. Changes or refinement after the target cutoff time may still occur, but this will be the exception and not the rule.
(TA.2.1.1
Select Target to Attack)
TREND
2
SUBJECT:
Employ indirect fires and attack aviation
OBSERVATION (LF DIV): Company commanders focus the majority of their time on actions on the objective during the planning and rehearsal process and neglect the indirect fire plan.
DISCUSSION:
1. Most leaders understand what echelon fires are, but do not plan this in relation to the unit rate of movement. This usually results in one of two things:
The point is that the company commander and his fire support team have to battle track round usage and balance it with the unit's rate of movement.
2. Company commanders are habitually unfamiliar with how to control and integrate attack aviation. The air mission briefing (AMB) process also needs work. Many company commanders arrive at the JRTC with little or no experience in dealing with attack aviation. Observers/controllers (O/Cs) habitually coach them into properly integrating attack aviation into the fire support plan.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: This is a unit problem that can be fixed by a brigade- or battalion-organized rehearsal. Company commanders need to plan with their fire support officers (FSOs) and combine time and distance with round count and rates of fire. The company commander must clearly express to his FSO the desired effects he wants from indirect fire.
(TA.2.2
Engage Ground Targets)
TREND
3
SUBJECT:
Use of indirect fires
OBSERVATION (TF 1): Planning and implementation of indirect fire assets is both limited and poor.
DISCUSSION: In planning, the importance of using indirect fires is seldom grasped. During rehearsals, calls for fire are seldom incorporated or their impact accurately explained. During execution, communications always fails, calls are never processed, or patience is never practiced. Commonly, units process calls for fire, then become impatient and maneuver against the enemy, only to become casualties of their own indirect fire request.
Forward observers (FOs) and their radio telephone operators (RTOs) are critical to the success of infantry in the close fight. Fire supporters are usually ignored or become the platoon leader's alternate radio operator because they are not viewed as important in the fight.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: None.
(TA.2.2.1.1
Conduct Surface Attack)
TREND
4
SUBJECT:
Combat Observation and Lasing Team (COLT) employment
OBSERVATION (FS DIV): COLT control is often decentralized without careful consideration of tactical and technical employment concerns.
DISCUSSION: Units fail to maximize the effectiveness of the COLT by not properly considering employment options during the planning process. The COLT is often task organized to battalions at the last minute and seldom receives detailed task and purpose.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Understand employment options outlined in FM 6-20-40, Techniques, and Procedures for Fire Support for Brigade Operations, Appendix F, Tactics.
2. Always provide the COLT with the task and purpose for each mission.
3. Consider using the brigade FSNCO to issue the COLT an OPORD and to supervise the COLT during troop-leading procedures (TLP).
4. Consider keeping the COLT on the brigade voice and digital communications nets.
(TA.2.3
Integrate Fire Support)
TREND
5
SUBJECT:
Digital communications
OBSERVATION (FS DIV): Units are not using their digital communications systems effectively between fire support elements, field artillery battalion tactical operations centers (TOC), and radar systems, and are often out of contact.
DISCUSSION: Units waste valuable planning and execution time. Information is not efficiently disseminated. Digital devices are used essentially as plain text message boxes.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Units must cross-train within sections that use digital devices so that there is a depth of knowledge within the section. Most sections (FA BN S2, S3, and FSE) have only one soldier trained to execute missions. Twenty-four-hour capability is non-existent in most cases.
2. Units must implement a rigorous Home Station sustainment program with all elements up through battalion level. Commanders and leaders at all levels that interact with digital devices must provide command emphasis to ensure this training occurs.
3. Units must develop mission-specific SOPs to assist individual operators in accomplishing the mission. Almost 85 percent of all Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) operations are SOP issues that can be addressed before a unit ever deploys to the field. FM 6-30, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Observed Fire, provides excellent guidance for AFATDS units for just such an SOP.
(TA.2.3
Integrate Fire Support)
TREND
6
SUBJECT:
Survey planning
OBSERVATION (FS DIV): Field artillery battalions are not effectively planning for the use of their survey assets, and survey sections are not making efficient use of their time.
DISCUSSION: Survey assets are often misused or underutilized.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. The primary method for emplacement of survey equipment and personnel should be based on the current mission and on future missions. This is best accomplished by the joint analysis of the S3 and S2 sections within the FA TOC.
2. The staff should determine the best use of the survey section and prioritize its missions based on what equipment is available and the level of enemy threat. For example, the Position and Azimuth Determining System (PADS) should be used primarily for firing battery survey. The north-seeking gyro compass (NSG) is best used for task force mortars, simultaneous observations, and the emplacement of declination stations. Forward entry devices and the Backup Computer System (BUCS) function best for conventional survey missions, Hasty Astro, and sun/star observations. Proper understanding of the appropriate methods of survey lead directly to survey operations timeliness. Using the PADS to establish a declination station can take over an hour (including initialization time) with a trained crew, while using a north-seeking gyro would take approximately 15 minutes.
3. Ensure all modified table of organization and equipment (MTOE) and technical manuals are on hand, serviceable, and properly maintained. Care should be taken to ensure that survey equipment is not misused and distributed to fire support teams short of requisite gear (i.e., FEDS).
(TA.2.3
Integrate Fire Support)
TREND
7
SUBJECT:
Timeliness and accuracy of fires in the close fight
OBSERVATION (FS DIV): Forward observers (FOs) commonly use improper call-for-fire (CFF) procedures, fire support officers (FSOs) routinely fail to coordinate MET and survey support for mortars, and communications links often contain several layers.
DISCUSSION: Fires in the close fight fail to support forces in contact. The lack of timeliness and accuracy also contributes significantly to incidents of fratricide.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Battalion task force FSOs need to develop a battle drill to routinely get survey and MET support to the mortars whenever possible.
2. FSOs must aggressively coach, teach, and mentor mortar platoon leaders in the importance of accurate firing location and the use of MET. How the FSOs are meeting their requirements for accurate predicted fires contributes to their ability to provide accurate fires in support of forces in contact.
3. Consider sensor-to-shooter linkage as part of the planning and rehearsal process. Consider the use of quick-fire channels for all firing elements (mortar and artillery) when responsiveness is paramount and the need to mass is not as great.
4. Follow procedures outlined in FM 6-30, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Observed Fire.
(TA.2.3 Integrate Fire Support)
TA.1
Maneuver BOS Narrative
TA.3
Air Defense BOS Narrative
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