The Fire Support Coordination Line. A Concept Behind Its Times?
Abstract
This monograph addresses the question of whether the concept of the Fire Support Coordination Line (FSCL) should be included in future joint doctrine. Originally designed as a permissive fire coordination measure to allow commanders to identify a portion of their Area of Operations (AO) which anyone could fire into without the need for coordination, the concept has changed over time to become a more restrictive measure, limiting the ability of the commander to directly influence a portion of his AO. In essence, the FSCL is being used to deconflict fires, rather than to facilitate the integration of complementary capabilities of joint systems and operations. Furthermore, though the FSCL was at one time an appropriate and necessary control measure because of technological limitations, tremendous advances in information-age technology and a new battlefield environment increasingly characterized by non-linear operations have made the concept of the FSCL irrelevant. In fact, the FSCL impedes the JFC from applying joint fires on the battlefield in the most effective and efficient manner possible. The fundamental conclusion of the paper is that the FSCL is a concept behind its time. Fire support coordination measures, Fire support coordination line, Joint doctrine, Air-ground operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 17, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA284631
Entities
People
- Michael J. Mcmahon
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College