FIRE COMMANDS
F-100. A fire command is given to deliver fire on a target quickly and without confusion. When the leader decides to engage a target not obvious to the squad, he must provide it with the information needed to engage the target. He must alert the Soldiers; give a target direction, description, and range; name the method of fire; and give the command to fire. There are initial fire commands and subsequent fire commands.
F-101. It is essential the commands delivered by the weapons squad leader are understood and echoed by the assistant gunner or gun team leader and gunner. Table F-7 provides an example of the weapons squad fire commands and actions used by the weapons squad leader, assistant gunner, gun team leader, and gunner.
Table F-7. Weapons squad fire commands and actions
INITIAL FIRE COMMANDS
F-102. Initial fire commands are given to adjust onto the target, change the rate of fire after a fire mission is in progress, interrupt fire, or terminate the alert.
ELEMENTS
F-103. Fire commands for all direct-fire weapons follow a pattern including similar elements. There are six elements in the fire command of the machine gun: alert; direction; description; range; method of fire; and command to open fire. The gunners repeat each element of fire command as it is given.
ALERT
F-104. This element prepares the gunners for more instructions. The leader may alert both gunners in the squad and may have only one fire, depending upon the situation. To alert and have both gunners fire, the leader announces FIRE MISSION. If he desires to alert both gunners but have only one fire, he announces GUN NUMBER ONE, FIRE MISSION. In all cases, upon receiving the alert, the gunners load their machine guns and place them on FIRE.
Direction
F-105. This element indicates the general direction to the target and may be given in one or a combination of the following methods.
Oral
F-106. The leader orally gives the direction to the target in relation to the position of the gunner example, FRONT, LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT.
Pointing
F-107. The leader designates a small or obscure target by pointing with his finger or aiming with a weapon. When he points with his finger, a Soldier standing behind him should be able to look over his shoulder and sight along his arm and index finger to locate the target. When aiming his weapon at a target, a Soldier looking through the sights should be able to see the target. Leaders also may use lasers in conjunction with night vision devices to designate a target to the gunner.
Tracer Ammunition
F-108. Tracer ammunition is a quick and sure method of designating a target not clearly visible. When using this method, the leader first should give the general direction to direct the gunner's attention to the target area. To prevent the loss of surprise when using tracer ammunition, the leader does not fire until he has given all elements of the fire command except the command to fire. The leader may fire his individual weapon. The firing of the tracers then becomes the last element of the fire command, and it is the signal to open fire.
CAUTION
Soldiers must be aware night vision devices, temporary blindness ("white out") may occur when firing tracer ammunition at night or when exposed to other external light sources. Lens covers may reduce this effect.
Reference Points
F-109. Another way to designate obscure targets is to use easy-to-recognize reference points. All leaders and gunners must know terrain features and terminology used to describe them. (Refer to TC 3-25.26 for more information.) When using a reference point, the word "reference" precedes its description. This is done to avoid confusion. The general direction to the reference point should be given.
Description
F-110. The target description creates a picture of the target in the gunners’ minds. To properly apply their fire, the Soldiers must know the type of target they are to engage. The leader should describe it briefly. If the target is obvious, no description is necessary.
Range
F-111. The leader always announces the estimated range to the target. The range is given, so the gunner knows how far to look for the target and what range setting to put on the rear sight. Range is announced in meters. However, since the meter is the standard unit of range measurement, the word "meters" is not used. With machine guns, the range is determined and announced to the nearest hundred or thousand example, THREE HUNDRED, or ONE THOUSAND.
Method of Fire
F-112. This element includes manipulation and rate of fire. Manipulation dictates the class of fire with respect to the weapon. It is announced as FIXED, TRAVERSE, SEARCH, or TRAVERSE AND SEARCH. Rate controls the volume of fire (sustained, rapid, and cyclic). Normally, the gunner uses the sustained rate of fire. The rate of fire is omitted from the fire command. The method of fire of the machine gun is usually 3- to 5-round bursts (M249) and 6- to 9-round bursts (M240-series).
Command to Open Fire
F-113. When fire is to be withheld so surprise fire can be delivered on a target or to ensure both gunners open fire at the same time, the leader may preface the command to commence firing with AT MY COMMAND or AT MY SIGNAL. When the gunners are ready to engage the target, they report READY to the leader. The leader then gives the command FIRE at the specific time desired. If immediate fire is required, the command FIRE is given without pause and gunners fire as soon as they are ready.
SUBSEQUENT FIRE COMMANDS
F-114. Subsequent fire commands are used to make adjustments in direction and elevation, to change rates of fire after a fire mission is in progress, to interrupt fires, or to terminate the alert. If the gunner fails to properly engage a target, the leader must correct him promptly by announcing or signaling the desired changes. When these changes are given, the gunner makes the corrections and resumes firing without further command.
F-116. Adjustments in direction and elevation with the machine gun always are given in meters; one finger is used to indicate one meter and so on. Adjustment for direction is given first. Example: RIGHT ONE ZERO METERS or LEFT FIVE METERS. Adjustment for elevation is given next. Example: ADD FIVE METERS or DROP ONE FIVE METERS. These changes may be given orally or with arm-and-hand signals:
- Changes in the rate of fire are given orally or by arm-and-hand signals.
- To interrupt firing, the leader announces CEASE FIRE, or he signals to cease fire. The gunners remain on the alert. They resume firing when given the command FIRE.
- To terminate the alert, the leader announces CEASE FIRE, END OF MISSION.
DOUBTFUL ELEMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
F-116. When the gunner is in doubt about elements of fire commands, he replies, SAY AGAIN RANGE, TARGET. The leader then announces THE COMMAND WAS, repeats the element in question, and continues with the fire command.
F-117. When the leader makes an error in the initial fire command, he corrects it by announcing CORRECTION, and gives the corrected element. When the leader makes an error in the subsequent fire command, he may correct it by announcing CORRECTION. He then repeats the entire subsequent fire command.
ABBREVIATED FIRE COMMANDS
F-118. Fire commands do not need be complete to be effective. In combat, the leader gives only the elements necessary to place fire on a target quickly and without confusion. During training, however, he should use all of the elements to get gunners in the habit of thinking and reacting properly when a target is to be engaged. After the gunner's initial training in fire commands, he should be taught to react to abbreviated fire commands, using one of the following methods.
Oral
F-119. The leader may want to place the fire of one machine gun on an enemy machine gun and quickly tells the gunner to fire on that gun.
Arm-and-Hand Signals
F-120. Battlefield noise and distance between the gunner and leader often make it necessary to use arm-and-hand signals to control fire. (See figure F-21.) When an action or movement is to be executed by only one of the gunners, a preliminary signal is given to the gunner only. The following are commonly used signals for fire control:
- Ready. The gunner indicates he is ready to fire by yelling UP or having the AG raise his hand above his head toward the leader.
- Commence firing or change rate of firing. The leader brings his hand (palm down) to the front of his body about waist level, and moves it horizontally in front of his body. To signal an increase in the rate of fire, he increases the speed of the hand movement. To signal slower fire, he decreases the speed of the hand movement.
- Change direction or elevation. The leader extends his arm and hand in the new direction and indicates the amount of change necessary by the number of fingers extended. The fingers must be spread so the gunner can easily see the number of fingers extended. Each finger indicates one meter of change of the weapon. If the desired change is more than five meters, the leader extends his hand the number of times necessary to indicate the total amount of change. For example, right nine would be indicated by extending the hand once with five fingers showing and a second time with four fingers showing for a total of nine fingers.
- Interrupt or cease firing. The leader raises his arm and hand (palm outward) in front of his forehead and brings it downward sharply.
- Other signals. The leader can devise other signals to control his weapons. A detailed description of arm-and-hand signals is given in FM 21-60.
Figure F-21. Arm-and-hand signals