INDIRECT
FIRES AND THE COMBINED ARMS TEAM
(TASK
FORCE FIRE SUPPORT PLANNING METHODOLOGY)
by
LTC HARRY L. LEIFERMAN,Senior Mechanized Infantry Task Force Trainer (SCORPION 07)
One of the trends reinforced with the transition to brigade operations at the National Training Center is the inability to synchronize indirect fires and maneuver to achieve the effects desired from combined arms operations. The task force commander is not getting timely, accurate indirect fires. There have been a number of reasons identified, some of which are related to the training level of the field artillery battalion staffs and firing units. However, it has become more and more evident that part of the problem is directly related to the task force commander's inability to understand his role in fire support planning as well as the role of the task force as an executor of the brigade scheme of fires during brigade operations.
|
|
This article attempts to explain what the task force should expect from brigade as the "provider" of indirect fires and clarify the role of the task force and task force commander in fire support planning. Although some of what is contained in this article introduces new terminology and may be considered "emerging" tactics, techniques and procedures, there is a basis for this methodology in FM 6-71, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Fire Support for Combined Arms Commanders. These observations are also based on lessons learned during the first six brigade-level rotations at the National Training Center. This article also offers a step-by-step approach to task force fire support planning.
BRIGADE'S ROLE: The brigade plays a vital role in task force fire support planning and execution. With the exception of the task force mortars, the brigade is the "provider" of indirect fires. Therefore, before we can accurately clarify the task force role in executing the brigade scheme of fires, it is necessary to quickly review the role of brigade. The brigade develops a synchronized brigade scheme of maneuver and brigade concept of fires translating that concept into a scheme of fires. (There is no clear doctrinal definition for either concept of fires or scheme of fires. For the purpose of this article, concept of fires is the allocation of fire support assets to achieve a specific effect on an enemy formation with a visualized purpose and endstate to support the scheme of maneuver. The concept of fires is expressed in terms of task, purpose, method and endstate. This will be discussed in more detail later in this paper. The scheme of fires is the detailed sequencing of fire support events that must occur to achieve the endstate articulated in the concept of fires. This is also discussed in more detail later in this paper.) The brigade concept usually assigns fire support tasks to subordinates. As part of the concept, it is brigade's responsibility to provide indirect fires to the task force close/direct fire fight. These fires are provided for a specific period of time and a specific purpose. The brigade must clearly specify when fires will transition to the task force and when the task force will lose them. Refinements to the brigade scheme of fires from subordinate units must also be integrated. Finally, the brigade integrates the movement of artillery units with the scheme of maneuver.
- Synchronize the brigade concept of fires with brigade maneuver
- Develop brigade scheme of fires and assign tasks to subordinates
- Provide indirect fires for task force close/direct fire fight (specified period of time and purpose - clearly defining when fires transition to the TF close/direct fire fight and when the TF will lose fires)
- Integrate refinements from subordinates
- Integrate movement of artillery units with scheme of maneuver
THE TASK FORCE ROLE: The task force is the "EXECUTOR" of its portion of the brigade scheme of fires. With the exception of the task force mortars, the brigade commander "owns" the indirect fire assets. The artillery is normally in Direct Support (DS) of the brigade. Therefore, the task force must clearly understand not only the brigade concept of fires and how it is synchronized to support brigade maneuver but also the task force's role in the brigade scheme of fires so that the task force can execute its portion. Understanding this, the task force must develop its own concept of fires. This concept normally involves assigned tasks from the brigade scheme of fires and targets to support the task force close/direct fire fight. This may require only the refinement of a brigade target or may require the task force to submit new targets to support the task force commander's scheme of maneuver. Additionally, the task force must plan the synchronization of mortar fires with the scheme of maneuver, integrate the mortars into the scheme of fires and synchronize their movement with the scheme of maneuver. The task force then develops a scheme of fire to support both those tasks assigned by brigade and those targets developed by the task force. It then issues the fire support plan to its subordinates. Bottom-up refinement to support the company/team commander's scheme of maneuver will also be incorporated. The task force forwards their concept of fires and target refinements to brigade as soon as possible to ensure it is fully integrated with, and does not desynchronize, the brigade scheme of fires. Finally, the plan must be rehearsed to ensure it is clearly understood. This process is the essence of the step-by-step approach that will be discussed in more detail later.
TASK FORCE COMMANDER'S ROLE: (Note: Much of the following discussion, as well as our discussions later on the step-by-step approach to indirect fire planning, relate directly to work being done at the National Training Center on the abbreviated planning process. One lesson we have learned with brigade operations is that time for planning at the task force level is very limited. A task force can no longer plan on having sufficient time for the deliberate planning process. This is equally true for planning indirect fires.)
The key role of the task force commander in indirect fire planning is SYNCHRONIZATION of indirect fires with the scheme of maneuver. Fires and maneuver must be thought of together. Commanders must first decide precisely what they want their fires to accomplish. If the commander thinks maneuver first and then tries to add fires later, he will have difficulty.
Once the commander has decided what he wants fires to accomplish, the commander must take an active role in the development of the task force Concept of Fire Support. He must clearly articulate to his staff, not just to his fire support officer, the "sequenced" critical fire support tasks in terms of the desired effects for each target; the purpose of each target as it relates to the scheme of maneuver; the method he would like to use to achieve the desired effects; and the endstate he wants for each target. This will be explained in more detail later. The task force commander must also ensure that mortar fires are clearly synchronized with the scheme of maneuver and concept of fires to include their movement.
It is worth noting here that once the task force scheme of fires is finalized, it is essential that the task force commander clearly articulate to the brigade commander and brigade staff the importance of those fires to the task force scheme of maneuver and the impact on mission success if those fires are not received. The fact is, if a task force critical fire support task is not also included as a brigade critical fire support task, the likelihood of getting the target fired by artillery or CAS is greatly deminished.
Observations at the National Training Center indicate that many commanders are unable to clearly define what they want their fires to do and cannot visualize their synchronization with maneuver. Of those that can, many cannot articulate their intent for fires to their staff. If they can, the level of training and experience of their staff and particularly their fire support officer is not sufficient to translate that guidance into a concept of fires. It is clear that until time permits, more deliberate planning or until the staff and FSO become better trained, the task force commander must take a more active role in developing the concept of fires. He cannot afford to divorce himself from this process.
Now that we have discussed the role of the commander, as well as the role of the brigade and task force in fire support planning, what follows is one method of indirect fire planning at the task force level. Again, it is important to note that this methodology is tied directly to the abbreviated planning process and the commander's role in abbreviated planning.
Table
of Contents
Indirect
Fires and the Combined Arms Team, Part 2
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
