CHAPTER 6: OPFOR Defensive Operations

6-6 FIRE SUPPORT.

    Fire support covers all combat support provided to ground forces by missiles, artillery and aviation. The term "artillery" includes SSMs, MRLs, Guns/Howitzers and mortars 120-mm and larger antitank artillery.

    a. Types of Fire. The OPFOR plans artillery defensive fires – primarily barrier fires -- to disrupt the BLUFOR attack.

        (1) Barrier Fire. Barrier fire is a continuous curtain of defensive fire across the approach of the attacking BLUFOR. Although normally used in the defense, it also has applications in offensive operations against BLUFOR counterattacks. Barrier fire is useful with fire concentrations, massed fires, and directly aimed fire from tanks and guns. The types of barrier fire are:

• Standing Barrier Fire.

• Uses a single line of concentration to disrupt a BLUFOR attack. The OPFOR plans standing barrier fires well in advance.

• Projects artillery fires from likely avenues of tank approach. A ground observation point observes these fires planned in front of, and to the flanks of, the defensive positions.

• All the artillery in a formation, except rocket artillery, fires the standing barrier fire.

• Begins when BLUFOR tanks and infantry approach the planned line of fire concentration. The fires continue at rapid fire until they cut off BLUFOR infantry from their tanks and halt their attack.

• If the BLUFOR maneuvers around the fire concentration line, the fires shift to the rolling barrier fire approach.

• Rolling Barrier Fire.

• Lands on several lines of concentration. Each line lies successively closer to OPFOR defending troops.

• Lines of concentration for the rolling barrier fire should impact on terrain that a ground observation point can see. Distances between lines of fire concentration will be 400 to 600 meters or more.

• The final line of concentration closest to friendly troops will be 700 to 1000 meters from forward defensive positions.

    b. Phases of Fire Support. The OPFOR constructs a system of fire bringing all available fires on the BLUFOR as it approaches. The system provides continuous fire at the forward edge, and the flanks, and within the defensive position. In addition, it should allow rapid concentration of fire against the most threatened axis. The goal is to engage the attacking BLUFOR with an overwhelming intensity of fire as it approaches the forward edge of the defense. An effective system of fire begins with artillery concentrations and barrages on likely axes, choke points and deployment lines. There are four phases of OPFOR fire support in the defense.

        (1) Fire Interdiction of advancing BLUFOR. Typically begins when the BLUFOR moves into battalion columns. Fire interdiction of advancing BLUFOR troops occurs when the BLUFOR deploys into battalion columns. It continues until the BLUFOR reach their line of departure. Attached or supporting artillery units can occupy temporary fire positions beyond the forward edge of defense. Fixed-wing aviation and long-range artillery carry out fire on distant approaches. Where possible, BLUFOR units are destroyed as they move up, but if target intelligence is inadequate, disruption and delay is inflicted by all available assets.

    If the defense is adopted while in contact with the BLUFOR, this phase concentrates on the BLUFOR's second echelon. Throughout the period before the BLUFOR's attack, attention is paid to denying the BLUFOR good target intelligence for his preparation. As much artillery as possible remains silent until needed to repel a major attack. Batteries used before the main BLUFOR attack will fire from temporary fire positions or be used as roving batteries to confuse BLUFOR intelligence.

        (2) Fire to repel the BLUFOR attack. The most important phase in the defense consists of short, intense bursts of fire. This is the most important phase of defensive artillery fire. The phase begins when the BLUFOR crosses the line of departure and ends when he enters the first defensive positions. Fires create a zone of continuous fire in front of the defense. Fire to stop the BLUFOR attack coordinates artillery fire with antitank weapons and all weapons of the maneuver units.

    OPFOR artillery tries to break up attacks and split armor from the infantry with planned linear and box concentrations in front of the forward edge positions, and minefields in gaps between strongpoints, and eventually in depth. Guns and multiple rocket launchers start to engage the BLUFOR 15 to 25 km from the line of contact and howitzers will fire when the BLUFOR is within 10 to 15 km. Short but intense fire strikes, no more than fifteen to twenty minutes in duration are fired, followed by displacement to alternate fire positions to avoid counter-battery fire.

    Fire support to defending troops. Fire support of defending troops occurs when artillery units attack BLUFOR that have penetrated the defensive positions of first-echelon maneuver battalions. Its goal is to create fire pockets that destroy the BLUFOR, preventing him from developing the attack. Some batteries may enter preselected direct fire positions. The defender fires against individual targets.

    The artillery supports defensive positions in depth, tries to separate BLUFOR infantry from armor and fighting troops from their logistic support. If necessary, artillery may even be used in the direct fire role against armored breakthroughs. The artillery plays a key role in creating suitable conditions for the launching of a counterattack

        (4) Fire destruction of the BLUFOR during counterattack. Its goals are to recover lost positions, to destroy the penetrating BLUFOR, and to capture a line to launch offensive operations. This phase has three subphases for artillery support:

• Support for the forward movement of troops.

• Preparation of the counterattack.

• Support of the counterattack.

    A successful counterattack requires a stabilized line of contact. This line allows enough time for the second-echelon forces to advance and deploy for the counterattack.