INTELLIGENCE
5-1. To employ the proper capabilities and tactics, the commander must have detailed knowledge of the enemy’s organization, equipment, and tactics. He must understand the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses.
Ideally, this knowledge will be available during TLP. The commander must analyze all combat information received via command updates and through a common operational picture gained with FBCB2 if available. Additionally, the commander must conduct personal reconnaissance of his AO as the situation permits. This information help to determine the feasibility of a COA designed to achieve maximum destruction of the enemy.
MANEUVER
5-2. By definition the company team is a combined arms organization that is formed by attaching one or more nonorganic tank, mechanized infantry, or light infantry platoons to a tank mechanized infantry, or light infantry company either in exchange for or in addition to organic platoons.
Therefore, for a company team commander must understand the capabilities of each element in order to employ them effectively during offensive operations. In addition to ground maneuver assets, the company team commander must consider the following paragraphs when Army Aviation units operate within the company team's AO:
AVIATION COMBAT MISSIONS
5-3. Army aviation is an integral component of combined arms operations. Frequently, the BCT receives aviation assets in an attached command relationship; therefore the company team commander must understand the capabilities of attack and reconnaissance aircraft as well as understand how to coordinate with aviation units when operating within the same AO. The following paragraphs address considerations in all types of Army Aviation missions:
RECONNAISSANCE
5-4. Like their ground-based counterparts, air reconnaissance operations obtain information by visual observation and other detection methods; they employ assets that must have the ability to develop the situation, process the information, and provide it to the commander in near real time. The company team commander can take advantage of the supporting aviation element’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and AH-64 Apache helicopters to dramatically improve his 24-hour reconnaissance capability. These assets complement and expand the AO covered by the team’s tank and mechanized infantry platoons. Under favorable conditions, they can furnish early information concerning the enemy’s general disposition and movements to considerable depth beyond the FEBA. Air reconnaissance operations obtain information through visual and sensor-based observation. Aviation assets have the capability to develop the situation by processing information and
SECURITY
5-5. Aviation assets can extend the company team’s security area, providing the commander with enhanced situational understanding and battle-tracking capability. They can expand the team’s maneuver space, provide additional reaction time, and assist in protection of the team.
Aviation assets are used to gather information about the enemy and to provide early warning, reaction time, maneuver space, and protection for the main body. These operations are conducted using continuous aerial reconnaissance to reduce terrain and enemy unknowns, gaining and maintaining contact with the enemy to ensure continuous information flow, and providing early and accurate reporting of combat information to the protected force.
ATTACK
5-6. The primary purpose of attack helicopter operations is the destruction of enemy ground forces at decisive points of the battle. Attack helicopter units can be used in conjunction with tank and mechanized infantry elements during close operations. Helicopters are normally most effective when massed in continuous operations on the enemy’s flanks and rear. Night operations are preferred.
SUPPORT BY FIRE AND ATTACK BY FIRE
5-7. When assigned a fire mission, attack helicopters may establish support by fire (SBF) or attack by fire (ABF) positions. They may engage enemy targets while tank or mechanized infantry elements move to or bypass the target area. The helicopters’ role may range from suppression to complete destruction of the enemy force. Their most common mission is to fix targets so other friendly elements can maneuver. ABF positions are best suited to a fluid battlefield. The aviation commander often has the best vantage point from which to synchronize the combat multipliers, clear fires, and prevent fratricide.
MOVEMENT TO CONTACT
5-8. When the enemy situation is vague, as in a movement to contact, and the attack helicopter battalion commander has been assigned his own AO, he may establish attack by fire positions. From these positions, the attack helicopters may engage their targets, but do not maneuver over them, with the intent of inflicting a specified level of damage. Once contact is made, helicopters use direct and indirect fires to harass and impede the enemy preventing his influence on the friendly main body. Aviation assets can also direct ground elements to the vicinity of enemy units and can support those ground elements with fires. If the ground element is directed to bypass the enemy after initial contact, aviation assets will maintain surveillance and contain small forces until follow-on elements arrive to destroy them.
AIR ASSAULT
5-9. Heavy forces should always consider the use of air assault to assist them in overcoming obstacles during the seizure of critical terrain and in executing follow and support missions to preserve the momentum of the attack. (See FM 3.97.4 [FM 90-4] or FM 3-21.10 [FM 7-10] for a detailed discussion of air assault operations.)
COMMUNICATIONS
5-10. All Army helicopters have SINCGARS radios; however FBCB2 has not been fielded in Army Aviation organizations. While the radio remains the primary means of tactical communications, face-to-face contact is still the best method of passing information between air and ground elements.
Whenever the situation permits, aviation leaders should land their aircraft, link up with their ground counterparts (such as the company team commander), and directly communicate the battlefield situation as gathered from the air.
COORDINATION
5-11. Aviation reconnaissance assets can easily identify enemy targets and then coordinate with the company team FIST to facilitate destruction of the targets with direct and indirect fires. In addition, prior coordination between air and ground elements, implementing of fire support coordination measures, identifying friendly positions, and planned movements, can eliminate a significant number of factors that contribute to fratricide, a vital concern during combined arms missions.
5-12. The following is a checklist when conducting air/ground coordination briefed by the ground force commander to the air mission commander:
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Enemy situation/recent contact.•
Bypassed enemy locations.•
Friendly situation (front line trace of vehicles and dismounted OPs).•
Mission statement.•
Concept of operations.•
Exchange of graphics.•
Actual and templated enemy air defense locations.•
Fire support plan.•
Battle handover line and criteria.•
Call signs/frequencies.5-13. Briefed by the air mission commander to the ground force commander: