text: Chapter 6
  INTELLIGENCE
  6-46. The BCT commander considers the entire area of operations, the enemy, and information collection
  activities (intelligence operations,reconnaissance,security operations,and surveillance) necessary to shape
  an operational environment and civil conditions (see chapter 5). Intelligence helps commanders visualize the
  operational environment,organize forces,and control operations to achieve objectives. Intelligence answers
  specific requirements focused in time and space. Intelligence leaders within the BCT ensure that the
  intelligence warfighting function operates effectively and efficiently. The intelligence staff officer is the BCT
  commander’s primary advisor on employing information collection assets and driving information collection
  (see chapter 5).
  6-47. Information collection is an activity that synchronizes and integrates the planning and employment of
  sensors and assets as well as the intelligence processing, exploitation, and dissemination of capabilities in
  direct support of current and future operation. The information collection plan should be the first
  consideration for the conduct of an offensive task. The BCT staff must integrate,synchronize,and coordinate
  the plan among the BCT subordinate units,with the higher echelon assets,and the other elements executing
  the overall information collection plan.
  6-48. Information identified early and incorporated into the information collection plan includes potential
  enemy missions,COAs,objectives,defensive locations,uses of key terrain,avenues of approach and routes,
  enemy engagement areas (EAs), population locations and characteristics, and obstacles. Information
  collection supports situational understanding and intelligence support to targeting and information
  capabilities across all domains. Information collection efforts result in the timely collection and reporting of
  relevant and accurate information, which supports intelligence production and the commander’s decision
  points. Information collection can disseminate as combat information,also.
  6-49. Commanders use reconnaissance, security operations, surveillance, and intelligence operations to
  obtain information. All activities that help to develop understanding of the area of operations are information
  collection activities. Planners must understand all collection assets and resources available to them and the
  procedures to request or task collection from those assets and resources. For example, effective
  reconnaissance and security operationsin the offense by the Cavalry squadron allows the BCT commander
  to gain and maintain contact with the enemy and to direct subordinate unitsinto the fight at opportune times
  and places.Units within the squadron conducting reconnaissance and security orient on reconnaissance and
  security objectives. They fight for information to provide the commander with the necessary information to
  keep other BCT maneuver units free from contact as long as possible, so that they can concentrate on
  conducting the BCT’s decisive operation. (See ATP 3-20.96 for additional information on the role of the
  Cavalry squadron within the intelligence warfighting function.)
  6-50. Intelligence operations conducted by the military intelligence company (see chapter 1, section I)
  supports the BCT and its subordinate commands. The military intelligence company commander validates
  the ground collection and dissemination plan for military intelligence company organic and assigned
  collectors in support of the commander’s offensive concept of operations. The company’s scheme of
  information collection supports information requirements regarding locations, composition, equipment,
  strengths, and weaknesses of defending enemy forces. The company, through collection, analysis, and
  dissemination of intelligence information,supports the BCT and its subordinate units to locate high-payoff
  targets (HPTs) and enemy reconnaissance,armor,air assault,and air defense and withdrawal routes of enemy
  forces. The company provides analysis and intelligence synchronization support to the BCT intelligence staff
  officer (S-2) to locate enemy command and control facilities and electromagnetic warfare (EW) systems,
  obstacles, security zone, and main defensive area. Prior to and during movement and maneuver to an
  objective area, the company supports the BCT S-2 with maintaining a timely and accurate picture of the
  enemy situation to increase the BCT commander’s situational understanding and to support the lethal and
  nonlethal targeting process. (SeeFM 2-0and ATP 2-19.4 for additional information.)
  FIRES
  6-51. The BCT,in coordination with the field artillery headquarters,positions its field artillery batteries to
  provide continuous indirect fires. Battalions do the same with their heavy mortars. Companies often have
  their mortars follow behind the forward platoons, so they are prepared to provide immediate indirect fires.