Use of .50 Caliber Machine Gun
Sectors of fire for each assault team
Covered waiting positions for the assault teams
In general, the roles of the .50 caliber machine gun
Primary and alternate positions for the assault
are similar to the M60E3. The major difference is that
teams
the .50 caliber machine gun ammunition can penetrate
light armor. The additional roles of the .50 caliber
The selection of the weapons platoon commander
machine gun are as follows:
is the substance of recommendations made to the
company commander for the primary defensive
Provide protection for motorized movements.
employment of the weapons platoon. While on
Destroy lightly armored vehicles.
reconnaissance, the weapons platoon commander also
Defend against low-flying hostile aircraft.
selects supplementary positions, as necessary, from
which the machine gun team may perform other
M19 Grenade Launcher
defensive missions.
The role of the M19 grenade launcher is similar to
Fire Support Plan
the M60E3 and .50 caliber machine guns. The weapon
can be used to provide indirect or direct firing. Like
The company commander exercises control of the
most machine guns, the M19 grenade launcher can be
weapons platoon through the weapons platoon
mounted on a vehicle.
commander. He exercises control for the most
effective defensive employment of the company. The
AT4 Antitank Weapon
weapons platoon commander ensures its effectiveness
by preparing a detailed plan consistent with the
Primarily, the M136, 84-mm AT4 antitank weapon
recommendation accepted by the company
is used against armored personnel carriers; however,
commander. A fire support plan is prepared by the
it can be used to disable a battle tank by striking the
weapons platoon commander. The plan is based upon
side or rear of the tank The AT4 can be fired from the
an estimate of the situation, the fundamentals of
right shoulder only.
defense previously discussed, and a sound knowledge
of crew-sewed weapon employment.
MACHINE GUN TACTICAL
EMPLOYMENT
M60E3 Machine Gun Section
The basic unit of machine gun employment in
The machine gun section is a major element of fire
defense is the squad. Machine gun squads consist of
support for stopping the enemy assault immediately in
a squad leader and two four-man machine gun teams.
front of the battle area. In a well-organized defense,
Machine guns used on the FEBA are normally used by
most of the final protective fire (FPF) of the company
squads.
is delivered by the machine gun section. The positions
of the machine guns are planned primarily for this
Employment of Machine Guns
purpose. Roles of the M60E3 machine gun section are
as follows:
Machine gun squads used on the FEBA are
Support the rifleman in the offense and defense.
normally assigned a final protective line (FPL) and a
sector of fire or a principal direction of fire (PDF).
Provide heavy volumes of controlled, accurate,
Both machine guns of the squad fire the same general
and continuous fire.
FPL and sector of fire from positions a minimum of
Engage predetermine targets under all visibility
35 meters apart.
conditions.
Based on terrain, it may be necessary to split some
Provide long range, close defensive, and final
squads to provide effective machine gun coverage. A
protective fries (FPFs).
machine gun squad is split when each of its guns has
been assigned a different firing mission; that is, a
Basis for FPFs in the overall defensive fire plan.
different final protective line or principal direction of
Cover likely avenues of approach.
fire and sector of fire. A machine gun squad is split
Provide grazing fire.
only when necessary. If the squad is split, the two
