...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...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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