text: Foundations of Fire Support and the Role of the Field Artillery
  Table 1-2. Fire support considerations for the imperatives of operations (continued)
  Imperatives Fire support considerations (not all inclusive)
  Consolidate gains continuously. Leaders add depth to • Use FSCMs to account for civil considerations (NFA,
  their operations in time and purpose when they consolidate RFA).
  gains. Commanders consolidate gains at the operational
  • Evaluate appropriate time windows for effects to appear
  and tactical levels as a strategically informed approach to
  within the OE (to include cyber effects in populated areas,
  current operations, considering the desired political outcome
  destruction of bridges).
  of the conflict. During competition and crisis, commanders
  expand opportunities created from previous conflicts and • Methodical decision for use of dud-producing munitions
  activities to sustain enduring U.S. interests, while improving and their long-term effects when transitioning to civil
  the credibility, readiness, and deterrent effect of Army authorities.
  forces. During large-scale combat operations, commanders • Weight support to rear and security operations against
  consolidate gains continuously or as soon as possible,
  current or future operations.
  deciding whether to accept risk with a more moderate tempo
  during the present mission or in in the future as largescale
  combat operations conclude.
  Understand and manage the effects of operations on • Implement “hot/cold” cycles for FDCs, radars, and firing
  units and leaders. Continuous operations rapidly degrade units to afford time for rest, maintenance, and
  the performance of people and the equipment employed, preparations.
  particularly during combat. In battle, Soldiers and units are
  • Adhere to preventative checks (Before/During/After) and
  more likely to fail catastrophically than gradually.
  service cycles (hour usage) to maintain equipment
  Commanders and staffs must be alert to small indicators of
  serviceability.
  fatigue, fear, indiscipline, and reduced morale; they must
  take measures to deal with these indicators before their • Develop shifts or duty cycles for Soldiers within CPs or
  cumulative effects drive a unit to the threshold of collapse. C2 nodes which are practical for extended-duration
  Staffs and commanders at higher echelons must consider operations.
  the impact of prolonged combat on subordinate units. This
  causes efficiency to drop, even when physical losses are
  not great.
  AGM – attack guidance matrix, C2 – command and control, CP – command post, EW – electromagnetic warfare,
  FDC – fire direction center, FS – fire support, FSCM – fire support coordination measure, HPT – high-payoff target,
  HPTL – high-payoff target list, IFC – integrated fires command, IPOE – intelligence preparation of the operational
  environment, OE – operational environment, SITEMP – situation template
  OPERATIONAL APPROACH AND OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK
  1-19. An operational approach provides the logic for how tactical tasks ultimately achieve the desired
  endstate. It provides a unifying purpose and focus to all operations. Sound operational approaches balance
  risk and uncertainty with friction and chance. The operational approach provides the basis for detailed
  planning, allows leaders to establish a logical operational framework, and assists in producing an executable
  order. (See ADP 3-0 and ADP 5-0 for doctrine on operational art and planning, respectively.)
  1-20. An operational framework organizes an area of geographic and operational responsibility for the
  commander and provides a way to describe the employment of forces. The framework illustrates the
  relationship between close operations, operations in depth, and other operations in time and space across
  domains. As a visualization tool, the operational framework bridges the gap between a unit’s conceptual
  understanding of the environment and its need to generate detailed orders that direct operations.
  OPERATIONAL APPROACH
  1-21. Through operational art, commanders develop their operational approach. Operational approach is a
  broad description of the mission, operational concepts, tasks, and actions required to accomplish the mission
  (JP 5-0). An operational approach is the result of the commander’s visualization of what needs to be done in
  broad terms to solve identified problems. Table 1- 3 lists several operational and FS considerations for
  operational approach. It is the main idea that informs detailed planning. When describing an operational
  approach, commanders:
  * Consider ways to defeat enemy forces in detail and potential decisive points. Defeat in detail is
  concentrating overwhelming combat power against separate parts of a force rather than defeating
  the entire force at once (ADP 3-90).
  * Employ combinations of defeat mechanisms to isolate and defeat enemy forces, functions, and
  capabilities.