4388
4-121. Application of fire control measure concepts, procedures, and techniques assists the unit in acquiring 4389
the enemy, focusing fires on him, distributing the effects of the fires, and preventing fratricide. At the same 4390
time, no single measure is sufficient to control fires effectively. (See Table 4-2.) Fire control measures are 4391
effective only if the entire unit has a common understanding of what they mean and how to employ them.
4392
Table 4-2 Common defensive control measures Engagement area (EA)
Maximum engagement line (MEL) Final protective line (FPL) Direction of fire
Terrain-based quadrant Friendly-based quadrant Target reference point (TRP) Restrictive fire line (RFL) Sector of fire Rules of engagement (ROE) Weapons ready posture Weapons safety posture Fire patterns
T
RIGGERL
INE 43944-122. A trigger line is a phase line located on identifiable terrain that crosses the engagement area–used to 4395
initiate and mass fires into an engagement area at a predetermined range for all or like weapon systems. (ADRP 4396
1-02) Commander can use a trigger line to specify the circumstances in which subordinate elements are to 4397
engage enemy forces. For example, the trigger for a friendly platoon to initiate engagement could be three or 4398
more enemy combat vehicles passing or crossing a given trigger line. This line can be any natural or man-made 4399
linear feature, such as a road, ridgeline, or stream. It could also be a line perpendicular to the unit’s orientation, 4400
delineated by one or more reference points.
4401
SECTION V –TRANSITIONS
4402
4-123. During the planning for any operation, the CAB commanders and staffs must discern from the higher 4403
headquarters OPORD what the potential follow-on missions are and begin to plan how they intend to achieve 4404
them. The principle concerns are the same when transitioning. Whether the CAB is concluding an offensive or 4405
defensive operation, it must pause to consolidate and reorganize before the next operation. A successful defense 4406
often allows the CAB to transition to an attack, at other times to return to stability tasks.
4407
4-124. Transitioning to the offense depends on defeating the enemy decisively and recognizing that defeat 4408
promptly. The ABCT commander must provide the planning and warning that precedes these transitions. CAB 4409
and company team commanders must be ready to confirm sensor indications of enemy condition and to 4410
recommend transition to the offense as they sense the enemy’s defeat.
4411
CONSOLIDATION
4412
4-125. Consolidation considerations are the same as in the offense. Some of the considerations such as 4413
reestablishing communication and security and maintaining contact are readily achieved after a successful area 4414
defense, which relied on them throughout the defense. After a mobile defense, or retrograde operations 4415
consolidation may require more time to achieve. Commanders might need to consolidate in order to reorganize, 4416
avoid culmination, prepare for an enemy counterattack, or allow time for movement of adjacent units.
4417
4-126. The CAB may be directed to maintain contact with the enemy by redirecting reconnaissance and 4418
security assets, directing small-unit patrols, and possibly conducting limited objective attacks. In some 4419
situations, the CAB might retain control of key terrain or complete clearing the objective while the remainder of 4420
the ABCT transitions to a new mission.
4421
REORGANIZATION
4422
4-127. All units undertake reorganization activities during operations as the situation allows for maintaining 4423
combat effectiveness. After the CAB defeats an enemy attack, a more extensive reorganization can occur.
4424
Reorganization tasks usually include those items listed for the offense in chapter three. (Refer to FM 3-90-1.) 4425
CONTINUING OPERATIONS
4426
4-128. At the conclusion of an engagement, the CAB and its subordinate units may continue the defense, or if 4427
ordered, transition to offensive or stability tasks. All commanders consider their higher commander’s concept of 4428
operations, friendly capabilities, and the enemy situation when making this decision. All missions should 4429
include plans for exploiting success or assuming a defense.
4430
O
FFENSE 44314-129. Higher commanders may order the subordinate unit to conduct a hasty attack, movement to contact, or 4432
participate in exploitation. In some cases, the defensive operation might immediately transition into a pursuit. If 4433
reorganization is required, the echelon maintains pressure on the enemy through artillery, CAS, and limited 4434
objective attacks while any necessary reorganization takes place.
4435
S
TABILITY 44364-130. Commanders take care in planning transitions from defensive tasks to stability tasks and vice versa.
4437
Subordinate commanders and leaders look for ways to recognize activities that would initiate this transition.
4438
Commanders, staffs, and Soldiers need to be aware that elements of the CAB could be conducting offensive, 4439
defensive, and stability tasks simultaneously within a small radius of each other. Actions in one unit’s AO can 4440
affect a change in whatever type operation an adjacent unit is conducting. For example, an offensive operation 4441
may result in displacing noncombatants to another section of the city, thus creating a requirement for stability 4442
tasks for the unit in that AO. (Refer to FM 3-90-1 for more information.) 4443
4444
Chapter 5
4445
Stability
4446
“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, 4447
slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.”
4448
John F. Kennedy 4449
U.S. forces conduct stability tasks to deter war, resolve conflict, promote peace, 4450
strengthen democratic processes, retain U.S. influence or access abroad, assist U.S. civil 4451
authorities, and support moral and legal imperatives. These actions include a wide range 4452
of activities. They provide policy makers with options to pursue national policy 4453
objectives. U.S. forces can use stability tasks to complement any combination of the other 4454
elements of national power.
4455
Stability tasks restore, establish, preserve, and secure areas, populations, and resources.
4456
They are fundamental to the conduct of Unified Land Operations: How the Army seizes, 4457
retains, and exploits the initiative to gain and maintain a position in sustained land 4458
operations through simultaneous offensive, defensive, and stability tasks in order to 4459
prevent or deter conflict, prevail in war, and create the conditions for favorable conflict 4460
resolution. (ADRP 3-0) 4461