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SECTION IV

PLANNING LESSON LEARNED: BREAK DOWN PLANNING INTO SUBTASKS

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Once the FSCOORD knows the area of operations, the concept of the operation, and the maneuver commanders intent he, the FSO, and the DS Artillery S-3 can assign planning responsibility for portions of the fire support and FA support plan to members of the DS battalion staff. Although one staff officer is responsible for the development of a specific portion of the plan, the entire staff must be involved in the development of all parts.

Under normal circumstances, IPB (Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield) products developed by the DS Bn S-2 are an extension of the maneuver brigades IPB. The DS Bn S-2 with FSCOORD and participation of the entire staff expand the maneuver units IPB to focus on fire support issues, enemy fire support order of battle, and mobility/survivability issues for the field artillery battalion.

A focused staff effort is essential to the development of synchronized fire support plan. Each member of the staff has an integral part in the success or failure of the planning process.

• The S-3 has overall responsibility for synthesizing the planning process. The S-3 is the principle planner. The S-3 integrates each staff sections plan to insure they support the units mission, and produce a coordinated, executable plan.

• The assistant S-3 plans and organizes the battalion's positioning and movement plan.

• The Recon-Survey Officer (RSO) or chief surveyor plans survey.

• The Communications and Electronic Signal Officer (CESO) designs a communications plan to support the operation.

• The battalion Fire Direction Officer (FDO) is concerned with development of the technical fire support plan.

• The FSCOORD and brigade FSO are responsible for development of the fire support plan.

• The Battalion Executive Officer (XO) supervises the S-l, S-4, and Battalion Maintenance Officer (BMO) in development and planning combat service support.

Each type of operation has characteristic requirements and problems. FM 6-20-40 (Heavy) and FM 6-20-50 (Light) identify fire support and FA support requirements for each type of maneuver operation. Use of these references ensures critical fire support and field artillery tasks are not forgotten during the planning and preparation for an operation.

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Table of Contents
Section III: The Field Artillery S-2 Contributes to Target Selection Standards
Section V: A Fire Support Execution Matrix is a Useful Tool for Briefing and Executing the Fire Plan