Machine guns in the Defense

3 different roles of MGs in Defense

• Long range fires

• Close defensive fires

• Final protective fires

Long range fires are

• delivered against enemy units for the purpose of interdicting and disrupting those units before they are deployed in the attack

• employed to harass enemy in their AA

• preempt enemy’s attack

• disrupt enemy’s formations

• interrupt timing and sequencing

long range fires can be delivered from

• full defilade positions

• max range of weapon system

• mobile positions forward of main defense

close defensive fires are

delivered against targets that present an immediate threat to the defense

what fires are the main effort of the defense?

close defensive fires

final protective fires do what

provide an immediately available prearranged barrier of fire that is designed to impede enemy movement across defensive lines or areas

For machine guns, their FPF can be one of two things

• final protective line (FPL)

• Principal direction of fire (PDF)

When are final protective fires employed?

the close defensive fires have failed

Who authorizes FPF?

can only be authorized by the immediate commander or higher authority

FPL is a

• predetermined line of grazing fire designed to stop an enemy assault

FPL is fired where and attempts to produce what

across the frontage of a defensive line and is optimally as close and as parallel to the defensive lines as possible to produce FLANKING ENFILADE FIRE

For FPL and PDF, the assigned weapon will have an assigned __ to employ what

left and right lateral limit to employ close defensive fires and potentially long range fires

T or F – if the FPL weapon is not being employed, it can be oriented in any direction

F, it is laid on the FPL

The PDF is

a predetermined line of machine gun fire that covers the most dangerous avenue of approach to a defensive position with either plunging or grazing fire

The PDF attempts to produce what

frontal enfilade fire

The PDF will always be set on what on the traversing bar and why?

set on zero to split the sector of fire

Weapon system considerations for the M240B

• can be rapidly moved to alternate or supplementary position

• assigned 2 sectors using bipod and tripod

• can be brought on contact or ambush patrol

the 50 caliber HMG is ideally placed where?

on an avenue of approach that will canalize the enemy within its beaten zone

T or F - the MK19 can achieve grazing fires

F, based on the ammunition

Positions of machine guns should be based on what

enemy and terrain analysis

T or F – machine guns can be placed on the extreme flanks of the platoon

F

Primary position is

the position from which the gun will fire its primary sector of fire

The alternate position is

the secondary position from which the gun will fire its primary sector of fire

The supplemental position is

another separate prepared position from which gthe gun fires a secondary or alternate sector of fire

Types of machine gun positions

• T shaped fighting position

• Horse Shoe fighting position

• Two hole fighting position

Which MG position is the most preferred position to employ?

the T shaped fighting position

The T shaped fighting position can do what and how is this done

• provide both primary and secondary sectors of fire

• Tripod is on primary sector and bipod for secondary fire

For T shaped fighting position, how deep should it be?

armpit deep

The Horse shoe fighting position description

Open end of horseshoe toward enemy for 180 degree traverse across frontage

Comparison between horse shoe and t shaped fighting positions

• Horse shoe provides less frontal cover but more protection from idf than t shaped

The horse shoe is more ideal for what weapon system?

heavy machine guns

Two hole fighting position description

• Two one man fighting holes at 90 degree angles

• Excellent protection for gunners

• Limited traverse of gun

• When switching form primary to alternate sectors of fire, gunner and a-gunner switch roles

A range card is

• a diagram drawn to record the firing data and mission of the machine gun position

• also serves as a document to assist in defensive fire planning

how many range cards are created and who are they for?

• 2 range cards

• 1 for the gunner, the other for the squad leader

The key element of creating a range card is to

walk the terrain we are about to document

When is a range card built?

after the commander and MG unit leader have decided on positions and mission

Steps for creating range card

1. Gunner lays behind gun, sets sights on limit of grazing fire, then aiming point along FPL/FPF

2. Team leader walks along FPL or PDF

3. When gunner loses sight of team leader, they yell “mark”. Record the distance

Defensive fire control measures

• Trigger lines

• Target precedence

• Engagement criteria

• Target reference points

• Displacement criteria

• Ammo allocation

T or F – Minimum Safe lines (MSLs) are used in static defensive positions

F, only for offensive operations or mobile defense or retrograde possibly

When should the defensive fire control measures be addressed? When should they be explicitly stated?

addressed: during the scheme of maneuver, stated: coordinating instructions

Tactical tasks for MGs

• Suppress

• Fix

• Neutralize

Trigger lines should include

prescribed engagement criteria and target precedence for each trigger line