071-410-0019 (SL3) - Control Organic Fires

WARNING

Soldiers
may be killed or injured when firing
weapons. Minimum firing distances,
backblast areas, and weapon-specific
regulations must be strictly followed

1.   Implement procedures to apply the following
principles of fire control:

a.
Avoid target overkill;
keep in mind ammunition
conservation.

b.
Use each weapon in its
intended role.

c.
Concentrate on engaging
targets that offer a high
probability of a kill.

d.
Concentrate on engaging
long-range targets first.

e.
Destroy targets that pose
the greatest threat first.

2.   Use fire control methods to-

a.
Maximize the effects of
the weapons on the target.

b.
Achieve mutual support.

c.
Provide coverage of
assigned area of responsibility.

d.
Ensure soldiers’ safety
from friendly fire.

3.   Use the following methods to coordinate and
regulate fire.

a.
Assign sectors of fire.
Assign an area for each crew-served
weapon, team, or unit to cover by
fire. Targets in each assigned
sector are the responsibility of the
individual(s) assigned to cover the
area with fire.

b.
Assign priority of fires.
Tell each soldier, according to
weapon assignment, what to fire at,
when, and why. This ensures each
weapon is used in the role for which
it is best suited. (For example,
Dragon gunners engage light armored
vehicles; BFV gunners engage tanks
with the TOW and BMPs with the
25-mm; riflemen engage dismounted
personnel out to 400 meters.)

c.
Use target reference
points (TRPs). Designate
recognizable points on the ground
(natural or manmade) to use as
reference points when identifying
sectors of fire or targets, or to
control supporting fires.

d.
Assign final protective
fire areas. Assign final protective
lines (FPL) or principal direction
of fire (PDF) for machine guns and
other automatic crew-served weapons,
ground- or carrier-mounted (MK 19,
BFV coaxial, 25-mm, and so on).

4.   Use any of the following techniques to communicate
when to start, shift, or cease fire.

a.
Prearranged signals. Use
visual or sound signals
(pyrotechnics, whistles, horns,
detonation of a device, or firing of
a weapon), or set a specific time.

b.
Arm-and-hand signals. Use
standard signals when feasible.
Remember, personnel must see
arm-and-hand signals in order to
respond.

c.
Fire by example. Initiate
firing at, or in the direction of,
the intended target and have the
unit or specific weapon system
follow your example.

d.
Fire commands. Some
elements of fire commands may be
omitted. If any element is omitted,
ensure the unit or crew thoroughly
understands the command. Every fire
command should contain the target
description and execution element as
a minimum. (See tables 071-410-0019-1
and 071-410-0019-2
for examples of fire command
elements.)

Table
071-410-0019-1. 
Examples of Fire Command
Elements

Elements

TOW
Squad

Antitank
Team

Crew-Served
Weapon

Units

1.
Alert

Fire
Mission or Squad

Fire
Mission Gun # 1

Fire
Mission
Gun # 3

Fire
Mission, A team, 1^st squad,
etc.

2.
Description (direction optional)

Tank

PC

Truck
with Troops

Troops

2A.
Direction (if used)

Front,
11 o’clock (clock method)

Right
Front, 2 o’clock (clock method)

Left
of Lone Pine Tree (TRP method)

Center
of Sector

3.
Range (in meters)

1,000

600

400

200

4.
Method of Fire

Frontal,
Depth, or Crossfire (situation
dependent)

Single,
Pair, Volley, or Sequence (situation
dependent)

Sustained,
Search, or Traverse, or Combination
(situation dependent)

Sustained,
or Until Target is Defeated

4A.
Type Missile

TOW
2

TOW
2A

Dragon

AT-4

5.
Execution

Fire,
or At My Command

Fire,
or At My Command

Fire,
or At My Command

Fire,
or At My Command

6.
Closing

Cease
Tracking or Cease Tracking, Out of
Action

Cease
Tracking or Cease Tracking, Out of
Action

Cease
Fire

Cease
Fire

Table
071-410-0019-2. 
Examples of fire command
elements for a BFV

Elements

Gunnery
Techniques

Battlesight

Precision

1.
Alert

Gunner

Gunner

2.
Weapon/Ammunition

Battlesight

SABOT

HE

Coax

Missile

3.
Description

Tank,
Chopper, Truck, Troops, PC

PC,
Truck, Troops, Tank

4.
Direction (optional)

Shift
Right (Left), TRP-1 (TRP method) or

2
o’clock (clock method)

Shift
Right (Left) TRP-1 (TRP method) or

2
o’clock (clock method)

5.
Range (in meters)

    
Gunner
ID*

Identified

600
Identified

6.
Execution

  
Gunner’s
response

Fire,
or

At
My Command

On
the way

Fire,
or

At
My Command

On
the way

7.
Closing

Cease
Fire

Cease
Fire

*If
the BFV gunner cannot identify the
target, the Bradley commander (BC)
engages the target from his position.
The BC announces “From my position,
on the way.” “Fire” is not
announced.

(1)  Use fire commands
to direct the fires of units or
key weapons and to place a
specific type fire on certain
targets. Fire commands for some
weapon systems may vary in form
because of weapon characteristics.
They should identify who is to
fire, the direction of fire, type
of ammunition, type of target,
range, and when to fire.

(2) 
Correct errors in fire
commands by stating
“CORRECTION,” correcting the
element in error, then repeating
all elements following the
corrected element.

(3) 
Use subsequent fire
commands to adjust for range or
new targets. For example, shift
left (or right) up (or down) and
designate new target. For
subsequent fire commands for a
Bradley, use shift left (or right)
PC and up (or down) half or full
target frame.

(4)  Develop standing
operating procedures (SOPs) and
drills for certain actions and
commands to make fire control more
effective.

CAUTION

Dispose
of all belt links and spent brass in
accordance with unit SOP

1.   Assigned individual sectors of fire.

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2.   Issued a fire command to engage a target.

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3.   Issued subsequent fire commands, as necessary.

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4.   Gave the arm-and-hand signals to control fires.

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5.   Used unit SOP to engage a target. (Graded only if
unit has an SOP for team/squad fire.)

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6.   Used appropriate weapon(s) on target.

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AR
385-63

FM
21-75

FM
23-1

FM
23-14