The brigade staff's JCAS battle drill

Joint close air support (JCAS) is a combat multiplier for the brigade, which, along with some of the ground force's indirect fires, is one of the few lethal shaping means that can range beyond six kilometers of the forward line of own troops (FLOT). Therefore, the entire brigade staff should take ownership of employing JCAS on the battlefield and integrate all brigade assets with JCAS assets to ensure the success of this very capable means.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

However, the trend for the past several years at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California, is brigade staffs are poorly trained in the execution of CAS. This is one reason the NTC has focused on the crawl-walk-run training model for CAS, now called joint effects training (JET). (See the article "CAS Training at the NTC" by Lieutenant Colonel Mark L. Waters and myself in the March-June 2004 edition.)

The Problem. No doubt our terminal air controllers are trained in talking fixed-wing aircraft onto a target, which many of our manuals discuss in detail. Where units fail to employ CAS effectively is at the brigade and task force staff levels. In those staffs, battlefield operating system (BOS) representatives lack the know-how and battle drills for executing their responsibilities during CAS.

Our fire support manuals do not provide a complete doctrinal how-to of CAS integration for a battle staff. FM 3-09.4 Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for Fire Support for Brigade Operations is more focused on terminology with some coordination considerations for employing CAS. FM 3-09.30 TTPs for Observed Fire and Fire Support at Battalion Task Force and Below has more on executing CAS but from an observer-to-pilot perspective.

The newly signed Joint Publication 3-09.3 Joint TTPs for Close Air Support (3 September 2003) provides the most detailed discussion about CAS planning, preparation and execution. It lays out critical execution information on airspace management, the synchronization of CAS and indirect fires, release authority, tactical risk assessment and target engagement. But even that excellent manual does not outline the brigade/task force staff requirements by BOS to execute CAS.

Our weapon systems normally have crew drills in which each member has a specified task or set of tasks for sending munitions down range. Many brigade battle staffs don't have a battle drill for CAS or one they have rehearsed. Normally, the air liaison officer (ALO) and fire support officer (FSO) are the only staff members focused on the request and distribution of aircraft during the fight. This leads to the unit's having the asset available but not focusing it properly.

CAS is often sent deep to perform a reconnaissance role, which may be an inefficient use of the platform--depending on the type of aircraft and the attitude and speed at which it is flying and whether or not the enemy is moving. When sent deep to recon, CAS can be committed into airspace not cleared of indirect fires and without a notification/situational awareness provided to friendly air defense artillery (ADA) systems.

Staff Battle Drill. Executing CAS should involve the entire staff. There must be constant cross-talk among the fire support element (FSE), tactical air control party (TACP) and S2 shop as well as among the staff, brigade commander and his fire support coordinator (FSCOORD).

Once on station, CAS is flexible. If there is a confliction in airspace and indirect ground fires are the priority, the staff must be prepared to shift CAS vertically or laterally until the airspace is clear. If CAS is on-station and there is no brigade target identified, the staff should consider distributing CAS down to the task force with the main effort. If the staff identifies a brigade target but has no CAS, it must send an immediate request through Air Force channels.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The staff must be searching constantly for threats that would limit the use of CAS and recommend supporting solutions, such as suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) with indirect fires or jamming enemy command and control nets.

Bottom line: these processes all come down to the staff's executing a CAS battle drill.

The S2 brings to the staff's attention a high-priority target identified by division and brigade collection assets. Led by the executive officer (XO), the staff determines the need for directing CAS on to the target and recommends this action to the brigade commander.

The FSO follows up with his recommendation to the FSCOORD. The FSO coordinates with the FA battalion for SEAD and marking rounds. The S3 air, ALO and FSO work together to deconflict airspace with all current users. The military intelligence commanding officer (MICO) works with the staff to determine where and when he needs to be jamming command and control nodes (the brigade does not have assets to jam ADA radars; however, its assets can jam the frequencies that enemy ADA units are talking on). This, in turn, may disrupt the enemy's ability to give early warning to shoulder-fired systems.

The air defense officer (ADO) notifies subordinate air defense systems of the friendly aircraft and adjusts weapons control statuses. If the Sentinal is available, the ADO also can provide the staff information from the radar's tracking of the aircraft.

Finally, the ALO conducts the initial check-in of the aircraft, its hand-off to a qualified controller, weapons release and terminal control recommendations. During this process, the FSE must ensure it is uses both digital and voice communications to turn on and off air-space coordination areas (ACAs) with division and subordinate units. This facilitates clearance of fires as well as provides the ALO indirect fire system grids which, in turn, are forwarded to the aircraft.

Another aspect of the staff's facilitation of a functional battle drill is the BOS positioning within the tactical operations center (TOC) and the battle staff interactions. First, the FSO and ALO must be next to one another, and, in turn, positioned around the battle map where they can easily converse with the S2 and XO. They must be positioned so they have a full understanding of the S2's interpretation of the enemy's course of action (COA), a comprehension of the friendly COA and the ability to formulate recommendations for CAS use. The XO must be fully apprised of all discussions with staff members briefing him on actions, reactions and recommendations.

A break down in the CAS battle drill occurs when staff information and actions become "stove piped." For example, the FSO receives a report from an observer and formulates a plan for CAS with the ALO without providing the information to the S2 for analysis and the XO and commander for a decision. Likewise, if the S2 or MICO do not provide timely information to the rest of the staff for consideration, the staff is unable to allocate resources properly to the right location and at the right time.

As for the ADO, if he is left out of the loop, the potential exists for air defense teams' not being forewarned of friendly air and having the wrong weapons control status in place, which could result in their engaging friendly aircraft.

The XO's detaching himself from the drill and failing to serve as the "Chief of Staff" of the process further encourages such inefficiencies.

The importance of shared information during the battle drill is critical and should include a level of discipline that ensures the battle captain announces and logs critical events, such as CAS on station or off station times, the opening and closing of airspace, and shifts in focus or priority. Additionally, the primary staff or a knowledgeable representative must be available at the battle map to remain apprised of the current situation.

This requires the battle staff primaries to use their assistants to perform the legwork. In the case of the fire support cell, the assistant FSO or targeting officer verify that information is passed up to division and down to the artillery battalion and task force FSEs and that the advanced FA tactical data system (AFATDS) and analogue maps are updated. They are the guys circulating throughout the TOC, talking to the other BOS representatives to share and gather information. It is they, not the brigade FSO, who facilitate the information flow from the fire support cell to the TOC battle map.

As for the TACP, the Air Force NCOs perform check-ins and talk to the pilots, so long as they are positioned to readily pass information to the ALO.

Another necessity to the staff's employing CAS effectively is the availability and use of tools during the battle drill process. The battle staff must have a map visible to them with the Army airspace command and control ([A.sup.2][C.sup.2]) overlay as well as a visual method of identifying open airspace. This can be accomplish through a number of techniques, such as keeping the [A.sup.2][C.sup.2] overlay on the staff battle map or having a fire support map in view with this same overlay. Additionally, colored transparent stick-ons that can be placed over a formal ACA name and altitude or just a dotted line drawn in for informal ACAs adds to the staff's situational awareness. The FSE also should have artillery and mortars plotted on the map with a "whiz wheel" and maximum ordnance charts available to deconflict indirect fires with CAS.

The ALO should have at least the Air Force 3-3 manuals (individualized TTPs for each type of aircraft) on-hand for aircraft the ALO is not familiar with. With digital units, the use of the Army battle command system (ABCS) also enhances the staff's ability to clear CAS and deconflict airspace.

The figure on Page 16 provides an example of a CAS battle drill based upon a 30-minute timeline. This drill was developed and further refined by 3d Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized), as part of the BCT's JET conducted in January 2004 at the NTC. The drill also has been used by the 2d Unit of Action (UA), 3d Infantry Division, during its March NTC rotation.

This timeline may vary, based on the proficiency of the unit firing the SEAD or marking rounds as well as the time the staff needs to conduct the process. Reattacks of a target will not start at 30 minutes but will be based upon the "When Ready" time of the different assets.

The amount of time needed for each event or order may vary between units' battle drills, but the information discussed and staff actions in the figure always must be included. Finally, the unit's entire battle staff must rehearse the battle drill, both as a planned process according to the battle drill timeline and as a continuous process with multiple re-attacks.

It is up to the chief of staff to sit his team down to develop and rehearse the battle drill that works best for them. It is through an effective staff interaction with each BOS representative coming prepared with the right tools and information and applying their individual knowledge and capabilities that units can begin to break the trend of employing CAS ineffectively.

Time         Who              Action

H-30         ALO              Confirm aircraft inbound (announce to the
                              staff):
                                Verify the number and type of aircraft
                                and munitions carried.
                                Contact the JTAC.
H-28         Tgt Team         Conduct CAS targeting meeting:
             S2                 Verify the size, activity, equipment and
                                location of enemy formations in 25
                                minutes.
             MI CO              Provide the current status, location and
                                capability of IEW assets.
             ADO                Provide the current ADA posture and
                                enemy air threat; notify the air defense
                                community of inbound friendly aircraft.
             ALO                Recommend the best target type to engage
                                based on the aircraft/munitions; brief
                                who is controlling the aircraft and from
                                what location.
             FSO                Recommend the formation/location to
                                attack based on the EFSTs/scheme of
                                fires.
             XO                 Decide on the CAS target(s) and
                                recommend it to the BCT commander;
                                assess the tactical risks and decide
                                upon the type of control based on the
                                ALO's recommendations.
H-25         ALO/FSO          Establish [A.sup.2][C.sup.2]; Decide/
                              develop ACAs to support the ingress and
                              egress of aircraft.
             S2/MI CO         Update the enemy ADA threat:
                                Confirm the enemy ADA template.
                                Locate the enemy ADA hits and brief
                                intelligence reports that can affect
                                airspace.
H-20         Tgt Officer/FSO  Develop the SEAD plan based on the updated
                              enemy ADA threat analysis.
H-15         FSO              Send the SEAD plan for lethal fires to the
                              DS/R battalions (to include marking
                              rounds).
             MI CO            Allocate MI assets to attack nonlethal
                              targets.
             ALO/JTAC         Inbrief the aircraft or the FAC(A); pass
                              control of the aircraft to the JTAC.
H-10         Battle Staff     Update CAS by briefing:
             S2                 Enemy formation/location.
             ALO                Aircraft status.
             FSO                [A.sup.2][C.sup.2] and SEAD plan.
             MI CO              Nonlethal target attack confirmation.
H-5          ALO/JTAC         Issue the 9-line briefing to the aircraft
                              and establish the target TOT.
             FSO              Initiate the ingress SEAD plan "At My
                              Command" with the DS and (or) R battalion
                              FDC.
             FSO              Activate ACAs through the division FSE.
H-2          FSO              Activate ACAs on the brigade fires net
                              (follow up digitally).
H-Hour       ADO              Change the ADA weapons control status.
             FSO/MI CO        Initiate the ingress SEAD plan.
             ALO              Ingress aircraft in accordance with the
                              SEAD plan's timing.
Off Station  FSO              Initiate the egress SEAD plan "At My
Time-5                        Command" with the DS and (or) R battalion
                              FDC.
Off Station  FSO              Initiate the egress SEAD plan.
Time         ALO/ETAC         Egress aircraft IAW the SEAD plan's
                              timing.
Off Station  ALO              Confirm the aircraft are clear of the
Time+2                        brigade's airspace; collect BDA and
                              pilots' reports.
             FSO              Cancel ACAs on the brigade fires net and
                              through the division FSE (follow up
                              digitally).
             MI CO            Stop IEW jamming.
             ADO              Return ADA weapons control status.
Off Station  ALO              Report CAS BDA to the battle staff.
Time+5       S2               Collect and analyze the BDA and pilots'
                              reports.
             XO               Assess the mission's effectiveness and
                              determine the next course of action.

Legend:
[A.sup.2][C.sup.2] = Army Airspace Command and Control
ACAs = Airspace Coordination Areas
ADA = Air Defense Artillery
ADO = Air Defense Officer
ALO = Air Liaison Officer
BCT = Brigade Combat Team
BDA = Battle Damage Assessment
CAS = Close Air Support
DS = Direct Support
EFSTs = Essential Fire Support Tasks
ETAC = Enlisted Terminal Air Controller
FAC(A) = Forward Air Controller (Airborne)
FDC = Fire Direction Center
FSE = Fire Support Element
FSO = Fire Support Officer
IEW = Intelligence and Electronic Warfare
JTAC = Joint Terminal Air Controller
MI CO = Military Intelligence Commander
R = Reinforcing
SEAD = Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses
Tgt = Targeting
TOT = Time-on-Target
XO = Executive Officer
Brigade Close Air Support (CAS) Battle Drill

By Major James A. Frick

Major James A. Frick, until recently, was Bronco 27, the Brigade Fire Support Trainer, at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California. Also at the NTC, he had served as Lizard 27, the 52D Assistant Fire Support Coordinator (AFSCOORD)/Brigade Live Fire Support Trainer, and Dragon 47, the Light Infantry Live Fire Support Trainer. Currently, he is a student at the Air Command and Staff College, Montgomery, Alabama. He commanded A Battery, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery (A/1-9FA) in the 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) and was the Fire Support Officer for the division's cavalry squadron and the Division Artillery's Fire Control Officer, all at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Previously, he was the Battalion Fire Direction Officer (FDO), Battalion Adjutant (S1), and a Platoon Leader in B/1-17FA, 75th FA Brigade, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Battery FDO, Platoon Leader and Assistant Battalion S4 in 4-82 FA, 2d Armored Division, Fort Polk, Louisiana.

COPYRIGHT 2004 U.S. Field Artillery Association
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group