FM 3-19.4 - Army Electronic Publications & Forms - U.S. Army

FM 3-19.4
• Mirrors. Signal mirrors and panels are probably
the best covert ground-to-air devices for
attracting attention. When the operator is
proficient and the sun is shining, pilots can see a
mirror flash for many miles away. Mirror
signaling requires practiced training.
• Balloons. Balloons make a good covert marking
system for use above a thick forest canopy.
• Flares. Rockets or 40-millimeter flares are good
for attracting attention at night. If flares are
fired in the direction of the aircraft, they can be
mistaken as ground fire.
• Lights. Strobe lights produce a bright pulsing
flash that is visible at night from 2 to 5
kilometers. Vehicle lights, such as unshielded
red taillights, are visible to a pilot for several
kilometers at night. Chemical glow lights may
alsobeused.
• Ground commander’s pointer. The pointer is a
handheld device that is invisible to the naked
eye, but its beam is visible through NVDs. It
maybeusedbygroundtroopstoclearlyshowair
elements the location of friendly elements.
Select Attack Headings
3-88. A fighter aircraft is more likely to destroy its
target if it attacks along the long axis of the target. Once
the fighter aircraft knows where all the friendly units
are and where the target is, the forward air controller
tells the fighter pilot which attack heading to use.
However, if the controller cannot see the target, the
observer may have to recommend a direction of
approach. The observer must remember that fighters
should not attack across friendly positions.
3-89. An attack toward friendly units is undesirable
because of ordnance dispersal patterns. An attack from
behind and over friendly lines is also undesirable for
Shoot, Move, and Communicate 3-39