MCWP 3-16.1 Artillery Operations.pdf - Marine Corps Community ...

7-4 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ MCWP 3-16.1
designated to facilitate counterfire functions.
Dedicated communications links (quick-fire
channels) between the force artillery FDC and the
FFCC current fires and the TACC are essential.
Force artillery may provide a liaison to the MAW to
facilitate the employment of the quick-fire channel.
It may also receive a liaison team from the TACC.
The purpose of these liaison exchanges is to facilitate
fire support coordination.
The counterfire execution plan will be developed/
validated daily. It consists of a counterfire analysis
which defines/describes the counterfire threat
in the MEF AO; a counterfire collection plan
(description of sensors which cover the expected
counterfire target locations); and the counterfire
matrix. In general, one of the following counterfire
scenarios will occur:
● If a counterfire target is located by division
assets and is within their zone, it is the division’s
responsibility and they attack it. The division
can request reinforcing fires, if required or
appropriate.
● If a counterfire target is located by force artillery
target acquisition assets and is located within a
division zone, that target is passed to the division
for engagement.
● If either division or force artillery assets locate
counterfire targets in an adjacent ground force
zone, they are passed to that ground force FSCC
through the MEF FFCC.
● If a division asset in the MEF zone locates a
counterfire target, either the ACE or the force
artillery passes that target to the FFCC for attack.
● If force artillery assets in the MEF zone locate a
counterfire target and they are capable of engaging
it, the force artillery liaison will coordinate the
attack with the MEF FFCC. If the force artillery is
not capable of engaging the target, it may be
passed to the ACE, via the quick-fire channel.
Meteorological Support
All met operations for force artillery will be
conducted in accordance with MCWP 3-16.5,
Field Artillery Meteorology. In addition to
normal duties of providing met support to organic
and attached units of force artillery, the force
artillery met section will be responsible for
integrating or coordinating met support operations
with the GCE artillery met sections.
Survey Support
Survey operations for the force artillery are the
same as discussed in MCWP 3-16.7. The force
artillery survey section will be responsible for
providing survey support to all organic and
attached units of the force artillery. The force
artillery survey officer may be assigned responsibility
for survey control with in the MEF AOR
and will integrate/coordinate survey support with
GCE artillery survey operations.
Communications
Force artillery responsibilities encompass the
entire MEF’s battlespace. Distances involved in
this area are well beyond those contemplated for
division artillery. The force artillery commander
will be required to communicate with his
organic or assigned battalions, liaison sections,
and supported GCE units. This may involve the
use of nonstandard equipment such as personal
computer-based software and Secret Internet
Protocol Router Network. The MEF is responsible
for providing communications assets to
augment force artillery organic assets to accomplish
this task.