Artillery Control: Call For Fire - Communication - United Task Force (UNITAF) Arma 3


P10-179 Artillery Control: Call For Fire

UNITAF / Arma 3 / Communication Procedures



Version 3 / 6min read / Updated Sun 08 May 2022 / 9368 views / of verified

Table of Contents

    Call for Fire: Six Elements

    A CFF consists of six elements done in three full readback transmissions.

    Transmission Elements
    1 (1) Identification, (2) Warning Order
    2 (3) Target Location
    3 (4) Target Description, (5) Method of Engagement, (6) Method of Control

    FIRST TRANSMISSION

    The first transmission includes the Warning Order, or WARNORD. It clears the channel of all other traffic and signals that a Call for Fire is underway. Other call signs mustn’t interfere, unless it is in a case of emergency. This also removes the need to begin every transmission with your call signs, because it is understood that this is a conversation between only two.

    (1) Identification

    The Call for Fire is initiated like any other radio transmission with a verbal handshake. You first identify the addressee call sign, which is the FDC, and then identify yourself with your FO call sign.

    Hammer, this is Hawk 8, …

     

    (2) Warning Order, WARNORD

    The WARNORD consists of a) the type of mission, and b) the method of target location.

         
    FIRE FOR EFFECT ADJUST FIRE SMOKE
    ILLUMINATION SUPPRESSION IMMEDIATE SUPPRESSION

    Hammer, this is Hawk 8, fire for effect, …

         
    GRID POLAR SHIFT FROM KNOWN POINT

    Hammer, this is Hawk 8, fire for effect, polar.

    This ends the first transmission, which will be read back to you verbatim by the FDC.

     

    SECOND TRANSMISSION

    (3) Target Location

    In this second transmission, you only give location information. This, too, will be read back to you, and you are expected to listen for errors so that you can correct them.

    Target Location Example
    GRID "GRID 1234 tack 5678."
    POLAR "Direction 1200, Distance 1100."
    SHIFT FROM KNOWN POINT

    "Known Point Thronos Castle, direction 0300, distance 500, up 50."

    "Known Point Gravia Church, left 300, add 250, down 20."

    Whenever possible, the GRID method of target location is preferred. This is the easiest and quickest method and avoids all possible confusion, because the others introduce extra steps for the FDC to plot.

    This concludes the second transmission.

     

    THIRD TRANSMISSION

    (4) Target Description

     
     
    NUMBER & TYPE
    “Three infantry squads”
    “Two Urals, two BTR, one BMP, two squads dismounted”
    “One fortified compound”
    DEGREE OF PROTECTION
    “In the open”
    “Dug in”
    “In bunkers”
    SIZE & SHAPE
    “Linear target, 200 metres west to east, 50 metres north-south”
    “Circular target, 100-metre radius”

    Three infantry squads dug in, one APC in the open…

     

    (5) Method of Engagement

        
    AMMUNITION

    HE, WP (white phosphorus), ICM (Cluster), Guided, Smoke, Illum.

    If not specified the FDC will decide based on your TARGET DESCRIPTION.

    VOLUME

    You may request a specific number of rounds in total.

    If not specified the FDC will decide based on your TARGET DESCRIPTION.

    FOLLOWED BY

    You may request multiple ammo types per fire mission.

    Example: "6 rounds HE FOLLOWED BY  6 rounds WP"

    DANGER CLOSE  
    DURATION "DURATION five minutes,..."
    ROUNDS PER MINUTE "... four rounds per minute."

    Three infantry squads dug in, one APC in the open, requesting 6 HE in effect...

     

    (6) Method of Control

         
    FIRE WHEN READY AT MY COMMAND TIME ON TARGET
    REQUEST SPLASH REQUEST TIME OF FLIGHT CONTINUOUS ...

    Three infantry squads dug in, one APC in the open, requesting 6 HE in effect, time on target 1030 hours, request splash, over.

    This concludes the third and last transmission.

    Every element the observer transmits is read back by the Fire Direction Centre, FDC, for confirmation.

     

    If the element read back is correct, the FO continues to the next. If it is not, the FO retransmits the whole element for correction. This is partially why a fire mission is not requested in one transmission: corrections would become incredibly unwieldy.

    You will find example fire missions, from the very simple and most common one to the more complex at the end of this series.

    US Army Forward Observers plotting target reference points, (unknown conflict)



    CREDITS
    This SOP has been contributed to by 2 editors:
    Major James
    Sergeant Jochem
    Specialist 3rd Class Noah_Hero


    REFERENCES
    UNITAF Standard Operating procedures (SOP)
    are adapted primarly from US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Our written and audio procedures are a combination of the following primary source materials, as well as our own learnings, modifications and adaptations:
    - US Army Techniques Publication, Infantry Platoon and Squad (ATP 3-21.8)
    - Soldier’s Manual of Common Tasks Warrior Leader Skills Level 2, 3, and 4 (STP 21-24-SMCT)
    - The Warrior Ethos and Soldier Combat Skills (FM 3-21.75 / FM 21-75)
    - Leadership Development (FM 6-22)
    - Dyslexi's Tactics, Techniques, & Procedures for Arma 3 (TTP3)



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