text: Attack
  defending enemy force’s units and systems. If that is the case, units must conduct a movement to contact or
  spend more time collecting information.
  5-22. Units collect information through reconnaissance; this information is analyzed and combined with
  other available information to become intelligence. Units employ reconnaissance over a broad area that
  allows their reconnaissance elements to identify enemy weaknesses to exploit and identify enemy strengths
  to avoid. Units exploit the situation by choosing COAs that allow their main effort to attack enemy
  weaknesses and penetrate identified gaps in an enemy force’s defense. Commanders can then commit their
  forces to widen the gap and envelop enemy forces. Their reconnaissance elements continue to move, seeking
  paths of least resistance and pulling their main bodies deep into the enemy force’s rear.
  5-23. Once friendly reconnaissance elements gain contact with enemy forces, they develop the situation. If
  the objective is an enemy force, the reconnaissance element orients on it to maintain contact and determine
  as much as possible about its dispositions.
  5-24. Units ensure reconnaissance and surveillance of enemy defensive positions and terrain critical to their
  schemes of maneuver continue throughout their attacks. Reconnaissance and surveillance assets can detect
  attempts by enemy forces to modify their defenses. In turn, this allows units to adjust their schemes of
  maneuver as the enemy situation becomes clearer. They can use human and technological means, acting
  separately or in combination, to provide the required degree of reconnaissance and surveillance.
  FIRES
  5-25. The planning process synchronizes the unit’s maneuver with the provision of fire support. It must
  identify critical times and places where units need the maximum effects from their fire support assets. This
  planning considers existing limitations on employing fires, such as weapon ranges, presence of friendly
  forces within the assigned area, desired conditions of subsequent phases, rules of engagement and positive
  identification requirements, and requirements for collateral damage assessments. Units combine movement
  with fires to mass effects, achieve surprise, destroy enemy forces, and obtain decisive results. Each
  commander’s guidance identifies fire support tasks that supporting fires organizations must accomplish to
  support the scheme of maneuver. Throughout planning, units develop various targeting products to support
  fire support execution. These include a high-payoff target list, target selection standards, and an attack
  guidance matrix. The purpose of these products is to ensure the efficient and effective application of fire
  support that supports the scheme of maneuver. (See FM 3-09 for more information on fire support task
  development and targeting products.)
  5-26. Units emphasize accomplishing simple and rapidly integrated fire support plans using quick fire
  planning techniques and SOPs. They integrate their fire assets as far forward as possible in unit movement
  formations to facilitate the early emplacement of those assets. Friendly forces concentrate fires on forward
  enemy elements to enable maneuver efforts to close with enemy positions. Fires can isolate forward enemy
  elements by using long-range fires, air support, and electromagnetic warfare.
  5-27. Fire support facilitates the attacking units’ maneuver by destroying or neutralizing strong enemy forces
  and positions. Fire support systems take full advantage of available preparation time to achieve these
  demanding effects criteria. Fire plans feature the following characteristics:
  * Target locations confirmed or denied by information collection efforts.
  * Designation of target sensor to shooter communication links.
  * Possible use of preparation and deception fires to shape an enemy force’s defense.
  * Air support to destroy high-payoff targets.
  * Proactive suppression of enemy air defense efforts.
  * Preparation fires that shift just as the maneuver force arrives on the objective.
  * A suppression and obscuration fire plan to support operations.
  * Pre-positioned ammunition backed by prepackaged munitions stocks capable of rapid delivery.
  * Integration of nonlethal effects, such as electromagnetic attack and military information support
  operations, into the attack guidance matrix.
  * Integration of primary and backup observers to engage high-payoff targets.