text: Ground Tactical Plan
  (cid:122) United States Air Force (USAF). Close air support often can compensate for the lack of armor
  andheavyartillery.Theairbornecommandermustconsiderthe AirForce’sabilitytosupportthe
  forceandmustbringknowledgeableairliftandtacticalairplannerstogetherearly.
  (cid:122) United StatesNavy(USN). Theairborne commanderexamines theavailabilityand feasibilityof
  navalgunfire supportandnavalor U.S.MarineCorps(USMC)air support.Earlyarrangements
  forliaisonandcoordinationmustbemadetosupporttheoperation.
  TIMEAVAILABLE
  4-18. Timeis criticalinall operations.Thereare severaltimeconsiderationsthatare unique to an airborne
  operation. Significanttime maybe required to mass the lift force. The time between the initial assault and
  the deployment of the follow-on echelon must be considered. The amount of time before linkup or
  withdrawaldrivessustainmentplanning.
  CIVILCONSIDERATIONS
  4-19. Understanding the operational environment requires understanding the civil aspects of the joint
  operational area. Social and economic variables often receive close analysis as part of civil considerations
  at brigade and higher levels. Depending on mission, the ABNTFC considers national and regional
  characteristicssuchas—
  (cid:122) Religionandcustoms.
  (cid:122) Politicsandtribalaffiliations.
  (cid:122) Supportorlackofitforcentralandlocalgovernmentsoroccupyingpowers.
  (cid:122) Loyaltytopoliticalormilitaryleaders.
  (cid:122) Availablelabor.
  (cid:122) SupportorlackofitforU.S.forces.
  4-20. Civilconsiderations isthe influence of manmadeinfrastructure,civilianinstitutions, andactivitiesof
  the civilian leaders, populations, and organizations within an area of operations on the conduct of military
  operations(ADRP 5-0). The abilityto analyze civilconsiderations to determine their impactonoperations
  at brigade and below enhances several aspects of the airborne operation to include insertion into the
  objective area, seizure of assault objectives and establishment of the airhead, and follow-on operations.
  Civilconsiderationscomprisesixcharacteristics,expressedinthe memory(cid:68)(cid:76)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:36)(cid:54)(cid:38)(cid:50)(cid:51)(cid:40)(cid:650)areas,structures,
  capabilities,organizations,people,andevents.(RefertoATP2-01.3formoreinformation.)
  ASSAULT OBJECTIVE AND AIRHEAD LINE
  4-21. Based on his analysis of METT-TC, the commander selects specific assault objectives. (See
  figure 4-1, page 4-6.) Although the airhead line is developed and the assault objectives determined
  concurrently,theassaultobjectivesdictatethesizeandshapeoftheairhead.