text: Planning for Short-Range Air Defense Operations
  process. SHORAD battery employment must support the higher ADA plan to defeat the threat.
  Simultaneously, battery commanders and platoon leaders must integrate their operations into the supported
  asset's operation plans. Without this coordination of effort, the chances of fratricide of friendly air increase
  and mission success for both the battery and supported asset decreases. The discussions that follow focus on
  a SHORAD battery placed in direct support of a BCT.
  The battery may be employed as a separate task-organized unit, as a subordinate element of its parent
  battalion, or as part of an ADA task force defending maneuvering forces; maneuver force semi-fixed assets
  such as assembly areas, refuel or rearm points, bridge crossing; or the more fixed assets such as air bases.
  Coordination and support requirements will vary accordingly. However, regardless of the type of asset, the
  battery receives its initial mission from the SHORAD battalion (or task force) and then coordinates with the
  supported asset for additional information and direction. For instance, the battery commander and executive
  officer work with the BCT staff and synchronize their supporting air defense plan with the BCT's scheme of
  maneuver, developing an operations order and decision support matrix for the battery and an air defense
  appendix to the BCT operations order. The battery commander is responsible for ensuring the battery
  provides the required protection to the BCT and its subordinate elements. When the platoons are placed in
  support of maneuver battalions, or maneuver battalion task forces, the platoon leaders receive their guidance
  from the battery commander and support the maneuver formations' planning, developing air defense
  operations orders and appendices.
  The battery commander and platoon leaders use TLPs in developing their plans. SHORAD battery and
  platoon planning is part of the supported unit MDMP process and not separated from or independent of it.
  The battery executive officer is typically the ADA officer participating in a BCT's MDMP process. The ADA
  platoon leader participates in the maneuver force's MDMP process.
  Though presented as sequential steps, the execution of the TLP steps, presented below, may vary
  depending upon METT-TC. Much of the following discussion is expressed in terms of the battery operating
  as a task-organized unit, coordinating directly with the supported BCT. If operating as part of its parent
  battalion or a task force, most of the planning and coordination would be conducted with the battalion or task
  force. Though platoon leaders are not specified in TLP steps below, they take actions similar to those of the
  battery commander, coordinating with the battery commander and the supported maneuver formation.
  TLP Step 1–Receive the mission. The battery commander meets with the SHORAD battalion
  commander and S-3 to receive the battery mission. The battalion commander briefs the battery commander
  on the battalion's mission and commander's intent and the battery's overall mission in support of the
  designated asset. As the battery is to be employed as a task-organized unit, the battalion commander reviews
  command and support relationships to ensure an understanding of authorities. A battery employed as a task-
  organized unit in defense of a BCT is generally placed in direct support.
  * The battery commander meets with the battalion S-2 to discuss the air IPB for the battalion's AO
  and any specific data on air activity around the BCT which the battery will defend (see Appendix
  C for the air IPB procedures and considerations). The commander needs to know the types of air
  threats that the battery may face, the capabilities and doctrinal tactics of these threats, projected
  air bases or launch sites, and potential air avenues of approach. The commander and S-2 conduct
  a general terrain analysis of low-level approaches, those approaches formed by terrain,
  navigational aids, like rivers and roads, and attack profiles that lead into the target area. Severely
  restricted or restricted terrain is analyzed in terms of threat aircraft service ceilings. UAS
  employment is analyzed based on loiter time and surveillance range and flight range and time.
  After identifying when and where enemy aerial platforms are expected to approach and to be
  employed, the commander makes predictions on enemy activities by comparing what the enemy
  can do with what he has and intends to do. By mentally "wargaming" enemy intentions, the
  commander refines the NAIs generated by the staff during the initial staff analysis and IPB. NAIs
  are tools to know when, where, and what to look for. Analysis of activities or events within them
  confirms or denies predicted enemy intentions on the situation template.
  * The battery may be placed in support of a BCT or a fixed asset, or it may be attached to or reinforce
  an ADA unit. The battery commander coordinates with the commander of the supported maneuver
  force or fixed-asset to receive the operation plan and critical assets to be defended (generally
  referred to as a protection prioritization list). A BCT typically has multiple assets requiring