fm 44-100 us army air and missile defense operations

FM 44-100
AREA OF OPERATIONS
A-5. The air area of operations is the area where the commander is assigned
responsibility and authority for military operations. It usually is, but does not
necessarily need to be, identical to the ground area of operations in width and
depth. It extends vertically up to the maximum altitude of friendly ADA
systems.
BATTLESPACE
A-2
A-6. Battlespace is a physical volume that expands or contracts in relation to
the ability to acquire and engage the threat. It varies in width, depth, and
height as the commander positions and moves assets over time. Battlespace
is not assigned by a higher commander and can extend beyond the
commander's area of operations.
AREA OF INTEREST
A-7. The area of interest is the geographic area and the airspace above it
from which information and intelligence are required to facilitate planning or
successful conduct of the commander's operation. The ADA commander's area
of interest is generally larger than the area of operations or battlespace due
to the great distances that enemy air and missile systems can rapidly cover.
The air area of interest will extend vertically to cover the maximum service
ceilings or trajectories of aircraft, UAVs, and missile systems. Horizontally, it
will extend to cover the maximum range of aircraft, UAVs, and missiles, plus
enemy airfields, forward arming and refueling points, navigation aids, and
missile sites. The area of interest extends to the limits from which
intelligence and information must be gathered about enemy forces that could
affect friendly forces.
DESCRIBE THE BATTLEFIELD’S EFFECTS
A-8. The effects of terrain and weather on the enemy and friendly forces must
be analyzed. They are different than the effects on ground operations.
TERRAIN ANALYSIS
A-9. Terrain analysis in support of air and missile defense is significantly
different from terrain analysis for ground operations. The nature of airspace
does not eliminate the need for terrain analysis because enemy air and
friendly ADA will still attempt to use terrain to their own best advantage.
IPB focuses on the impact of geographic factors on the ability of enemy air to
approach, acquire, and engage a target, or deliver airborne or air assault
troops. Analysis of the terrain for air and missile defense follows the same
principles as ground analysis and uses the military aspects of terrain:
observation and fields of fire, cover and concealment, obstacles, key terrain,
and avenues of approach (OCOKA).
Observation and Fields of Fire
A-10. These aspects relate to the influence of terrain on reconnaissance and
target acquisition. In the IPB context, observation relates to optical and
electronic line of sight. Many battlefield systems require line of sight to