Machine Guns in the Offense Flashcards
When do we shift/cease fires from SBF?
When the risk of fratricide outweighs the risk of enemy fire to the supported unit
What is the minimum safe line (MSL)?
- Line extending forward from the SBF element which denotes the point at which SBF element must shift or cease fires
- When the maneuver element crosses an MSL, the SBF element shift or cease fires IOT allow the maneuver element to their closure while preventing fratricide
- Should be tired to a recognizable terrain feature
- 45 degrees for unfixed weapons
- 15 degrees for fired weapons
- Typicaly ends up being whatever the supported element needs
What are target reference points (TRPs)?
- An easily recognizable point on the ground (either natural or manmade) used to initiate, distribute, or control fires
- Tie MSLs to TRPs IOT allow the SBF element to quickly shift/cease their fires to maneuver closes
Two types of SBF Occupation
Stealth
* Enemy unaware of occupation
* Retains surprise, protects SBF element
Force
* Enemy observes/owns the position
* Maneuver element and/or IDF isolate IOT allow SBF to seize position and commence fire
* Do not occupy until ready to fire - wait in SBF Cold Position
Explain SBF Displacement (MORT Statement)
Method: By unit or by echelon?
* Unit: Entire SBF picks up as one unit to linkup point
* Echelon: Broken down into elements and linkup one unit at a time
Objective: Where are they going?
Route: Most direct, most covered and concealed, or the most proven route
Time: When?
What are the different support relationships?
General Support: “Support given to the supported force as a whole and not to any particular subdivision thereof. “ Supported units must coordinate with the supporting unit’s parent in order to receive specific or more direct support.
Direct Support
Attachment
Fires in Support of Maneuver
Delivered against enemy units on the immediate objective that are beyond the maneuver element’s ability to address (internal fire and maneuver, fire and movement, or direct fires)
Fires in Support of Assault
Delivered against enemy units that either oppose the advance of a maneuver unit or present the most immediate and serious threat to a supported unit. This type of fire is designed to provide the closest form of support to be controlled by the maneuver commander
Fires in Support of Isolation
Delivered on a known, likely, or suspected enemy location other than the maneuver unit’s immediate objective during the assault. These fires are usually planned when it is expected that the advance of a unit will create an open or exposed flank or front to another enemy position.
Fires in Support of Consolidation
Delivered against targets that threaten a friendly unit’s consolidation on an objective are fires in support of consolidation. These fires are employed when units are most vulnerable to enemy counterattack—following the seizure of an objective.
What is the cone of fire?
The pattern of MG rounds is called the cone of fire. For an M240B the cone of fire is always 2 mils wide. Now, the actual measurement may differ at 600m and 1800m due to the factor of what 2 mils is at that distance, but it will always be 2 mils wide.
What is the beaten zone?
The beaten zone is defined as the elliptical pattern formed by the impact of the rounds. Again, because the cone of fire is always 2 mils wide, the beaten zone as well is two mils wide out to the maximum effective range of the gun.
How does the length of the beaten zone change?
Uniform terrain: At short ranges the beaten zone will be longer because of the initial trajectory and narrow because of the relatively short distance the bullet travels before it strikes the ground. As range increases, the beaten zone decreases in length because the bullets will be falling at a steeper angle and increases in width as the rotation of the bullet further affects dispersion.
Rising terrain: Terrain rising in the path of the cone of fire has the effect of abruptly stopping the rounds and creates a small beaten zone which nearly duplicates the pattern of the cone of fire on steeply rising terrain.
Falling terrain: When the terrain falls away before the gun, the beaten zone becomes longer and depending on the range, either long and narrow or long and wide.
What are the classifications of MG Fire in relation to the ground?
Dead Space:Occurs anytime the target (or enemy) drops below the line of aim or line of sight.
Danger Space: The area between the muzzle and the beaten zone where the bottom of the cone of fire does not rise above 1.8 meters (the height of an average standing man – 70”)
Plunging Fire: Defined where the danger space is confined to the beaten zone. Plunging fire is obtained when firing from high ground to low ground or low ground to high ground and when using long range fires; an example of this when a gunner engages a target on a street from the third deck.
Grazing Fire: Where the center of the cone of fire does not rise more than one meter off the deck. This is the most effective type of fire we can employ, and we will always seek a position where we can bring the greatest amount of grazing fire upon the enemy
What are the classifications of MG Fire in relation to the target?
Flanking Fire: Fires delivered on the flank of a target, when the target is oriented 90 or more degrees away from the firing unit.
Fontal Fire: Fire delivered on the front of a target, when the target is oriented on the firing unit.
Oblique Fire: Fire delivered on the oblique of a target, when the target is oriented between 0 and 90 degrees to the firing unit.
Enfilade Fire: The long axis of the beaten zone coincides with or nearly coincides with the long axis of the target. This class of fire is either Frontal or Flanking and is the most desirable class of fire with respect to the target, because it maximizes the use of the beaten zone.
