BCO 01.05 - MAGTF Fires Command and Control

Question 1

What is organic support wrt fires?

Answer 1

• Organic refers to those default command relationships directed by unit tables of organization.
• Organic fire support can refer to machine guns, tanks, rockets, and snipers, however, for this lesson, we will focus on the organic fire support provided by mortars, primarily 81mm Mortars organic to the battalion level.

Question 2

What is attached support wrt fires?

Answer 2

-Attached fire support is most common when organic fire support like a squad of 60mm mortars are assigned to a particular platoon in the rifle company.

Question 3

What is direct support wft fires?

Answer 3

-Direct support requires the fire support agency to furnish close and continuous fires to a single supported unit.

Question 4

What is Decentralized control wrt fires?

Answer 4

-Makes artillery responsive to the needs of the frontline.

Question 5

What is General Support wrt fires?

Answer 5

-Where decentralized control makes artillery responsive to the needs of the frontline, general support provides more effective overall support to the GCE through more efficient management of resources and the ability for greater mass and concentration of fire power at a particular time and location of desired effect.

Question 6

What is a firing agency?

Answer 6

• A “firing agency” refers to the unit who actually loads, points, and triggers fires.
• In artillery, the firing agency is canon platoon.
• In mortars, the firing agency is the mortar team.

Question 7

How is command set up for mortars?

Answer 7

• 81mm mortars are organic to the infantry battalion within the weapons company.
• 60mm mortars are organic to the rifle company within the weapons platoon.
• The battalion and company commanders have complete tactical command & control over these firing agencies

Question 8

How is command set up for Artillery?

Answer 8

In contrast with mortars, artillery battalions (when centralized) exert tactical command and control over its 4 subordinate artillery batteries and directly over the subordinate cannon platoons as well.

Question 9

What makes up forward observer?

Answer 9

-Fire Support Team (FiST)

Question 10

What is a Fire Support Team (FiST) consist of?

Answer 10

• Leader
• FO (motar/Arty)
• RO
• Terminal Controller

Question 11

What does a FiST do?

Answer 11

Plans and executes the company’s fire support tasks based on guidance and direction from the company commander and coordinates with HHQ fire support agencies.

Question 12

What is fire direction center (FDC)?

Answer 12

-The element of a command post consisting of gunnery and communications personnel and equipment, by which the commander exercises fire direction and/or fire control.

Question 13

What is Conduct of Fire? (CoF)

Answer 13

• The second set of information that needs to be exchanged is that between the fire direction center and the forward observer related to calls for fire.
• “Call for fire” and “message to observer” are common exchanges of information that can be considered part of “conduct of fire.”

Question 14

What is the Fire Support Coordination Center?

Answer 14

• Where communications facilities and personnel incident to the coordination of all forms of fire support are located.
• An FSCC exists from division to battalion levels under the supervision of the G-3/S-3.
• All echelons of the GCE establish an FSCC as an advisory and coordinating agency. The FSCC is located with the combat operations center (COC).

Question 15

What is Fire Support Coordination?

Answer 15

-The exchange of information related to the coordination of external fire support.

Question 16

What is the Fire Support Coordinator?

Answer 16

• The Fire Support Coordinator (FSC) runs the daily operation of the FSCC.
• The FSC executes the Commander’s intent and is responsible for fire support planning and execution

Question 17

What is Close Air Support?

Answer 17

Close Air Support CAS is air action by fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to friendly forces and which require detailed integration of each air mission with the fire and movement of those forces

Question 18

What is Tactical Air Control Party (TACP)?

Answer 18

-A tactical air control party (TACP) is a subordinate operational component of a tactical air control system
TACPs are organic to infantry divisions, regiments, and battalions
-TACPs establish and maintain facilities for liaison and communications between parent units and airspace control agencies, inform and advise the ground unit commander on the employment of supporting aircraft, and request and control air support.
-The TACP is organic within the GCE and provides ground commanders with the means to access direct air support.
-While the TACP is assigned to the battalion, Forward Air Controllers and radio operators are usually attached out to company Fire Support Teams alongside artillery, mortar, and naval gunfire spotters.

Question 19

What is Tactical Air Direction (TAD)?

Answer 19

• Air direction is the authority to regulate the employment of air resources
• Tactical air direction also includes terminal control. Terminal control directs the delivery of ordnance in the target area for close air support aircraft and facilitates the detailed integration with fire and movement of friendly forces.

Question 20

Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) C2?

Answer 20

-Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) command and control represents the command and control information exchange internally among the members of the tactical air control party.

Question 21

What is Direct Air Support Center (DASC)?

Answer 21

• The Direct Air Support center (DASC) responds to the GCE commander’s requirements for direct air support by processing immediate air support requests, coordinating aircraft employment with other supporting arms through the GCE’s senior FSCC, and directing designated air operations
• The DASC’s role in direct air support provides a crucial link between the ACE and the other elements of the MAGTF
• As the MAGTF’s primary direct air support control facility, the Direct Air Support Center (DASC) provides the control of aircraft on a large scale for extended periods of time, and it is normally employed with a MEB or larger MAGTFs.
• The DASC keeps the Marine Tactical Air Command Center (TACC) informed of the direct air support mission progress, the effectiveness of the CAS effort, and the friendly and enemy air/ground situation.

Question 22

What is Tactical Air Traffic Control (TATC)?

Answer 22

-Used by the DASC, aircraft, and other aviation agencies, is the information exchange related to exercising airspace control over all tactical (and itinerant) aircraft in the objective area.

Question 23

What is Tactical Air Request/Helicopter Request?

Answer 23

-actical air request (TAR)/helicopter request (HR) is the GCE (or CE, or LCE) unit’s exchange of information related to requesting immediate air support from the DASC.