Military - Suppressive Fire

ꕤ Article SOURCE as marked Military - Suppressive Fire Military psychology sub-branch of different psychology disciplines research design application of psychological theories understanding, predicting, and countering behaviours in friendly or enemy forces (or civilian) which may potentially be undesirable to military ops provides tools -  survive stresses of war military confront specific combination (of otherwise generic) stressors military psychology studies unique blend of stresses applicable to military psychological trauma flashbacks PTSD sleep disturbance relationship problems Tactical psychology contact with enemy / front-line soldier combines psychology & historical analysis devise tactics to make enemy: freeze flee panic  instead of fight  eg. 'suppressive fire' suppressive fire aka covering fire one of (3) three TYPES of fire support only effective for duration of fire fire + is coordinated with manoeuvre of forces  (destroy, neutralise or suppress) formerly known as 'neutralisation' neutralisation =  now NATO-defined as fire to render target temporarily f*cked ie pinned down, unable to respond due to the intensity of fire suppressive fire -- is force which threatens casualties to those exposed   -- willingness to expose depends on:     - morale     - motivation     - leadership -- suppressive fire used as covering fire Suppressive fire can be used against: -- protection of troops w/in range of enemy small arms     (ie covering fire) -- indirect firers [the following, I think?]:     - mortars     - artillery     - ships     - aircraft -- enemy air defences -- other activities: eg construction, logistics -- for temporary area denial *unsuitable for prolonged area denial b/c ammo supply constraints Non-lethal suppression: -- smoke to blind enemy -- night:  illumination to deny enemy cover Suppressive weaponry: -- any capable of intensity of fire for required period suppression -- but bullet has less suppressive power than artillery shell -- bullet has 1 metre w/in trajectory -- artillery shell covers wider range when exploding -- small arms fire sustained suppression - limit:  few minutes -- air delivered suppression likewise limited by payload limits *ARTILLERY can suppress area for extended period Purpose: stop enemy observing, shooting, moving or carrying out military tasks Features: -- suppressive fire only effective while it lasts -- & if it has sufficient intensity -- enables covered (vulnerable, on the move) forces to advance to new positions etc, while enemy / target is rendered unable to act b/c of the suppressive fire Entry says:  Marines Tactic  (but I think this is likely common military tactic) communication + suppressive fire enables movement on battlefield Used to extract troops from battle zone: 1.  helicopter 2.  boat  (hot extraction) Suppressive fire -- psychological tactic -- targets keep heads down -- (depending on variables) can result in target casualties & damage -- used in close combat zone as covering fire Suppressive fire - indirect fire systems:     - mortars     - artillery     - ships     - aircraft -- important consideration is safety of troops -- 'fragmenting munitions' indiscriminate & lethal in all directions Suppressive Fire Tactics -- first used in the Boer War -- developed 1915 British WWI -- unable to smash German trenches or destroy enemy artillery -- employed artillery suppression fire techniques -- suppressed enemy artillery to protect attacking infantry -- allowed infantry to advance -- thereafter, suppression defining British artillery tactic -- ammunition used by British:  shrapnel -- target was enemy artillery Suppression by infantry direct fire weapons -- usually only used v. targets without: -- mutual support from adjacent positions -- ammunition stocks only for several mins. of sustained firing Suppressive fire: -- used WWII amphibious assaults (to enable troop landing) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressive_fire ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT That was good. It sounds really exciting. So anyone who knows anything about the military would know that suppressive fire will last only a few minutes usually and that the other side is either advancing troops, pulling troops, or moving troops, and that it is largely a psychological tactic that can be countered (I think  ...  I haven't stumbled on the counter-offensive yet). ꕤ