FM 6-20-30 i FM 6-20-30 ii FM 6-20-30 iii FM 6-20-30 iv FM 6-20-30 v FM 6-20-30 vi FM 6-20-30 vii FM 6-20-30 viii FM 6-20-30 ix FM 6-20-30 x FM 6-20-30 PREFACE Commanders must understand the spectrum of capabilities of the fire support system. Skillful integration of fire support into all facets of the AirLand Battle must take place simultaneously and continuously as close, deep, and rear operations are synchronized. This publication prescribes fire support doctrine for corps and division operations. It is designed to assist fire support coordinators and their staffs in the conduct of combat operations. It also serves as a guide for echelons above corps regarding the organization, capabilities, and employment of fire support. Fire support for brigades is addressed in FM 6-20-40 and FM 6-20-50, the companion manuals for this document. FM 6-20 serves as the capstone for the entire series. Other service commanders and staffs will find this publication useful in planning fire support for joint operations. This publication is fully compatible with the Army’s AirLand Battle doctrine as contained in FM 100-5 and is consistent with current joint and combined doctrine. It assumes that the user has a fundamental understanding of the fire support principles set forth in FM 6-20. It does not repeat concepts in FM 100-5, FM 100-6, FM 100-2-1, FM 101-5, and other readily available references except as necessary to explain unique corps- and division-level fire support matters. This publication has undergone several draft revisions during its development. Almost every field artillery unit has provided some input during the development cycle. Numerous individual Redlegs helped make it the authoritative fire support reference document that it is. Those units listed below actually provided representatives from the field to a unique exercise encompassing major input and comprehensive rewrite of the preliminary draft. The efforts of these senior fire support element (FSE) representatives resulted in the publication now before you. It reflects the consensus of the field on fire support doctrine for corps and division. The FSE representatives were from – III Corps Artillery, Fort Sill, Oklahoma V Corps Artillery, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) VII Corps Artillery, FRG XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery, Fort Bragg, North Carolina 7th Infantry (Light) Division Artillery, Fort Oral, California The US Army Field Artillery School owes them, and many more, a great debt of gratitude for the professionalism displayed in true Redleg fashion. xi FM 6-20-30 The provisions of this publication are the subject of international agreements (standardization agreements [STANAGs] and quadripartite standardization agreements [QSTAGs]): 2014/506 Operation Orders, Annexes to Operation Orders, and Administrative and Logistics Orders 2082 Relief of Combat Troops 2099/531 Fire Coordination in Support of Lund Forces 2103/187 Reporting Nuclear Detonations, Biological and Chemical Attacks, and Predicting and Warning of Associated Hazard Areas (ATP-45) 2104/189 Friendly Nuclear Strike Warning to Armed Forces Operating on Lund 2147/221 Target Numbering System (Nonnuclear) The proponent of this publication is HQ TRADOC. Submit changes for improving this publication on DA Form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) and forward directly to: Commandant US Army Field Artillery School ATTN: ATSF-DD Fort Sill, OK 73503-5600 Unless otherwise stated, whenever the masculine gender is used, both men and women are included. xii FM 6-20-30 CHAPTER 1 THE FIRE SUPPORT SYSTEM The fire support system is made up of three distinct components that function together to give the commander the fire support he needs to accomplish his mission. These three components are as follows: Command, control, and communications (C3) systems, facilities, and personnel required to manage fire support and to direct those tactical and technical actions needed to attack targets quickly and effectively. Target acquisition systems needed to acquire targets by reconnaissance, surveillance, and devices. These systems include many individuals, units, and resources on the battlefield that help detect the enemy. Weapons and ammunition to deliver the firepower on the target according to the commander’s battle plan. The key to effective fire support is the force commander’s ability to bring these assets to bear on the enemy in an integrated and coordinated manner that is synchronized with the scheme of maneuver. These components are the tools that enable the commander to make fire support work. How he uses these tools depends on how well his fire support commanders and staff officers understand and operate the fire support coordination process. This process must occur at all echelons of command, but it is more complex at the corps and division levels. AirLand Battle doctrine has a major impact on fire support at these levels, where fire support must simultaneously be planned and executed for the deep, close, and rear operations. This chapter provides the foundation for understanding the use of all of the fire support tools and the duties and responsibilities of the many fire support operators. This chapter serves as a transition from FM 6-20 in that it is a recapitulation of the principles of the fire support system. This is a necessary redundancy because the components of the fire support system must form a base from which the reader can proceed to the later chapters covering the planning and execution processes. Each component of the fire support system is addressed in a separate section of this chapter. Component characteristics, requirements, and capabilities are described and examined in detail. Other references supporting the material in this chapter are listed in the References portion of this publication. 1-1 FM 6-20-30 FIRE SUPPORT COORDINATION “If the band played a piece first with the piccolo, then with the brass horn, then with the clarinet, and then with the trumpet, there would be a hell of a lot of noise but no music. To get harmony in music, each instrument must support the others. To get harmony in battle, each weapon must support the others. Team play wins.” – General Patton Fire Support Organizations commander’s intent. (Appendix A, Section I, gives the details of corps and division Command Responsibility organizations.) The force commander is responsible for integrating fire support within the concept of Fire Support Cell Staff the operation. At corps and division, as in The FSE staff personnel are from force other echelons of command, the commander artillery headquarters; however, the FS cell is has a fire support staff that works with his not a field artillery organization. The field coordinating staff to help him discharge his artillery is but one of several fire support responsibility for fire support. Fire support capabilities represented in the FS cell. The cells (FS cells) are organized to facilitate the following agencies normally operate as part of coordination and execution of the fire support the FS cell: system. The functions of the FS cells are supervised by the force artillery commander, Field artillery (FSE)1. who acts as the fire support coordinator (FSCOORD) for the force commander. Tactical air support (tactical air control Normally, the FSCOORD operates through party [TACP])1. the FSE that is a part of the main command 1 post (CP) fire support cell. Army aviation (avn) . Air defense (AD)1. Fire Support Cell Functions Electronic warfare (EW). The FS cell is a central clearing house for planning, coordinating, and synchronizing fire Naval fire support (naval gunfire liaison support for the corps and division. The exact officer [NGLO])l,2. way it is organized varies among corps and divisions. Organization depends on the unit G3 air1. missions, availability of fire support assets, and command preferences. The actual makeup of G23. the FS cell is flexible. However, it ensures that all fire support assets respond to the force Engineer (engr). 1-2 FM 6-20-30 Air support operations center (ASOC)2. missions (that is, direct support, reinforcing, general support reinforcing, or general Nuclear and chemical (NC) support. support). Army airspace command and control (A2C2). Fire Support Integration 1 Is a part of the corps A2C2 element. Field artillery has the dual mission of integrating all fire support available to the 2 As required. force commander and providing field artillery 3 fires. For this reason, the corps and division May not be physically located in this cell on a artillery headquarters and headquarters continuous basis. Provides input and/or information batteries (HHBs) are organized and equipped as required. to field full-time FSEs for the corps and division CPs. Each corps and division CP Field Artillery usually is divided into a tactical CP, a main CP, and a rear CP. FSEs operate at the Mission tactical CP and at the main CP, as part of the The mission of field artillery is to destroy, FS cell, simultaneously and continuously. neutralize, or suppress the enemy by cannon rocket, and missile fire and to help integrate The FSE consists of field artillerymen who are all fire support into combined arms operations. specialists in working all of the operations phases of the three components of the fire Roles support system. They also ensure the functioning of each component as it relates to The field artillery system provides close the field artillery system. When the FSE support to maneuver forces. counterfire, and deploys to the corps or division main CP, it interdiction as required. These fires neutralize, forms the hub of the FS cell. canalize, or destroy enemy attack formations or defenses; obscure the enemy’s vision or otherwise inhibit his ability to acquire and Tactical Air Support attack friendly targets; and destroy targets Air Support Operations Center deep in the enemy rear with long-range rocket or missile fires.