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![c1, FM17-',t2
PART THREE. TANK GUNNERY TRAINING
CHAPTER 1?. ARMOR IJNIT GUNNERY TRAIMNG PROGR.A.MS
18. INNOVATIW TRAININGTECHNIOUES
19. RANGES
Page
18-1
:. 19,1
20. TANK GUNNERYTABLES
APPENDD( A. REFERENCES
*rNonx
SUPPLEMENTS (issuedseparately)
* Fut tl-tzl, ranh Gunnery (XMI) (tn be vtblis]ned)
FM 17-12-2,Tank Guntuery(M60/M6041/M60AI AOS/M48A5)
FM 17-12-3,Tank Gunnery(M60A3,(tobe published)
FM 17-12-4,Tank Gunnery(M60A2)
Fa417-12-5,Tank Gunnery(M551/M551A1)
FM 17-12-6,Tanh Gunnery(M728CEV)
FM 17-12-7,Tank Gunnery(TraininEDeuices)
Tocomply with guido,nceof the Assists,ntSecretatyof Defense(Manpower
atud.ReserueAffairs), this Field Ma.nuaLhas beenreuiewed.for the useof
neutral languaga Unlessotheruise noted.,uhere the third person singular
is used.in thispublieation,theword"he"wiLlbeunderstoodtostand,for both
matcuLineantl femininegenders.
2Ul
1-16
u](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-4-320.jpg)
![CHAPTER 2
THREAT
2-1. INTRODUCTION TO THE THREAT
The Tbreat Aimy is one of the largest,
and oneofthe bestequippedand besttmined
armies in th€ world. Basically a mounted
force,it is heavy in tanks and artillely. Its
weaponscomplementeach other i$ battle,
andThreatra.ticsstressmassingweaponsih
depth to overpower the opposition- This
chapter describesthe Threat in sufficient
detailsothat UStankerscantrain to counter
Threat strengths and take advantage of
TANKS
115-mmSmoothboreGunT-62
Threat weaknessesto win th€ first battle of
the next war-outnumbered. Threat weap-
ons the US tanker is likely to facein great
nr]mbels are discussed,including weapon
descriptions, strengths, and weaknesses.
Suggestionsfor deleatingeachThreat weap-
on will be given. These weaponswill be
shown tog€ther in a_ttackand defenseset-
tirlgs to givethe US tanker a morecomplete
pictureof Threat capabilities.
2.2. THREAT WEAPONS
a. Tanhs and Aseault Guns. ltre
following pagesillustate Thleat tanks and
assault guns, and descibe their strengths
aIrdweaknesses,
FM 11-12
+6 rolndsperminule
30 nph {48lmph)
310miles(600km)*
'Crursingrangew'thinternalfuellanksonly-](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-9-320.jpg)
![M17 12
* To find the range, time permithng, the Threat gunner placesthe
target within the stadia and baseIines and readsthe mnge wherc
the tank touchesthe stadia line. The stadia line is basedon the
he,?it (not width or lelrgL}])ol a fully erposedM60A1 tank. If the
US tank is not fully exposed, the gunner cannot range aa
accuiately-another reason for US tankers to use hull down
positions.
Il:re retrcle view aboveillustrates this ranging confusion on two tanks at the samerange. The
fully exposedM60A1 can beranged accumtely at 1,600m(topoftunet). Thehull-down M60A1to
its right reads about 2,600m.
In the heat ofbattle, however,the lhreat gunner employstheEnozing ranEetechnique. Dneto
the high velocity (5,340lls) of the Threat armor-piercing round, the projectile doesnot exceed
the height ofthe M60A1tank outto approximately 2,000mete$. Thus,in afast moving situahon
the threat gunner makesaquick checkwith his stadia rangefinder to seeif youarewithin range,
aims at your centerofmass, and fires. On flat terrain, his accuacy is consideledgood.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-19-320.jpg)
![FM17 12
Loader must be able to:
Performall dnver tasks.
Identify main gun ammunition.*
Load the main gun with
conventionalammunition.
Load the gun,/launcherwith missile
(M551and M60A2only).*
Apply misfire procedures.*
l,oadthe coaxmachinegun.*
Correctstoppages.*
Perform prepareto-fire checks,
including commurrication.*
Identify US and foreign equipment
ftom front, side, and hull-down
Acquiretargetsand rank them,the
mostdangeloustarget first.
Mount,dismount,andmaintaincoa--r
machinegun.
Disassemblcand assemblebrcech
mechanism,*
Disassembleand assemblethe coax
machinegun.*
14. Apply rangeestimation-"choking"
(M551and M60A2only).*
15. Employ misflie procedures.+
16. Prepareand userangecard.*
Tanh Commander mast be dble to:
1. Pedorm all driver, loader, arld
gunnertasks,
? Superviseclew.
g Perform prepare-to'fire checks.*
4. Placerangefi[der into op€lationand
rangeaccurately.+
5. Boresightand zeromain gun,coax,
and caliber.50machinegunsands€t
headspaceand timing on M2 caliber
.50 machinegun{M4HAl. M551,
CEV).
6. Identify US and foreign equipment
ftom front, side, and hull'down
7. Acquiretargets,and rank them,the
mostdangeroustarget first.
8. Lay the main gun for direction arrd
designat€the taiget.+
l .
2.
3.
5.
6.
'7.
8.
10.
11.
12.
1:1.
4.
L
14. Borcsightand zercthe searchlight.
15. Us€intercom.
1tj. Usenight vision equipment.
17. Load and cleargrenadelaunchers.
Gunner ,rutst be able to:
1. Performall driver and loadertasxs.
2. Performprcpare-to-frrechecks.*
3. Useall firc controlsyst€ms.*
4. Boresightand zeromain gun.*
5. ldentify US and foreigl equipment
ftom fiont, side, and hull-down
6. Acquirc targetsand rank them,th€
mostdangeloustarget first.
7. Identify a proper sight pictule and
useall sight reticles.*
8. Senserounds.
9. Engagetarget.s.+
10. tack targetssmoothly.
11. Fire missile (M551 and M60A2
only).**
12. UseIR/passivedtuect'firesights.
13. Operate laser rangefinder, if so
equipped,from gunner'sposition.
3-2
Senserounds.
UseTC'snight sightssnd handh€ld
night vision devices.
Operat€searchlight.
Givecorrectfrre commands.*
Load, clear, fire, and apply
immediate action to the TC's
10.
l l .
12.
13.
machinegun.t
14. Fire the main g]rn from the TC's
position,**
15. Pedorm misfire procedures.*
16.l)isassemble, assemble, and
maintain the TC's caliber.50
machinegun.*
17. Prepareand userangecard.+
18. Estimaterange.
19. Operategrenade launchers (where
appropnale).
rThes€ tasks will be t€st€d durins tbc ?dtA Cpo
e@nety ShiltsTtst.Thercmai.derwillb€ tesiedaspart
" Commanderon M55r dd M60A2 should nevd
atlemptto launcha missilefrom his position.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-34-320.jpg)
![c1,FM17-12
daylight and within l0 seconds du'rog
darloess unde! artificial illumination.+ As a
minimnh, a target hit should be obtained
within 10eecondsduring daylight and {'itlrin
15 secondsat night at ranges to battlesight
range.
tr Given an M48-eeriestankmoving 12-
15 mph, main gun loaded and laid no more
than 15o off target, engage an armor-t'pe
taiget, using precieionfirc, within 10seconds
during daylight, arld witlin 15 second6
during alartness under artificial
illumination.* As a minimum, a target hit
should be obtained within 15secondsduring
daylight and within 20secondsat night from
battlesighi range to 2,500met€rs.
E Given aetationary M4&sedestank in
a hull-down position, the crewwill adiust, fire
a secondrould, a$d obtain atarget hit within
5 secondsof a frst-lound lniss.
E Given alr M48-sedestank, the clew
will engagea hoofFtype target at arange not
exceeding1,600meteE uaingthe caliber .50or
900 meteE using the coax machinegun,
wit.hit 5secoudsduring daylight, and within
10 secondsduring darkness under artiEcial
illumination.*
E Given an M48-eeries tank and a
range card previously madeby the clew, the
crew will re-position th€ tank at night, and,
using Iange card data, will hit target€ within
5minutes of reaching the referencedposition.
! Given an M4&seriestank moving 12-
15 mph, the crew will engage a lightly-
armored vehicle or aircraft with the calibei
.50 n ithiD 5 seconddduring daylight, and
witldn 10 seconds during darloess under
artifr cial illumination,*
ammunition and laid no mole than 15" off
target, engage an armor-type target, mrng
battlesight, within 5secondsduing daylight,
and within 10secondsduring darknessunder
artifieial illumination.* As a minimum, a
talget hit should be obtained within 10
seconds during daylight and within 15
secondsat Dight at ranges to ?00meters.
tr Given an M60A2 tank moving 12-15
mph, gur/launcher loadedwith conventional
amdunition and laid no more tian 15" off
target, engage an arEol-tJrpe talget, uaing
precision fire, wii,hin 10 s€conds during
daylight, and within 15 8econds during
darkness under artiEcial illumination.* As a
minimum, a ta.get hit Bhould be obtained
within 15eecondsdlringdailight and within
20 secondsat night to 2,000meters.
E Given a moving or etationary, hull-
downM60A2t,anL,thecrewwill adjust,firea
secondround, and obtain a target hit witlin
l0 secondsof a firct-Iound miss.
tr Given an M60A2 tank, the crew wi]l
engage a trooptype target, at a range not
exceeding1,600metersusing the caliber .50or
900 meters using the coax machinegu,
within 5 secondsduring daylight, and within
10 secondsduring darkness under artificial
illumination.+
E Giveu a stationary, hull-down,
M60A2 tank, grn./launcher unloaded and
laid no more l.ban30" off target,syst€min
missile mode, and a fire coomatrd, hit the
target with a missile at a range in excessof
2,000rnetcl€. EngageEeDt will b€within 25
eemnds during daylight, and within 30
seconds during darlness under artificial
illumination.
E Given an M60A2 tank and a runge
card previouslymadeby the crcw, the ciew
will reposition the tank at night, and,using
. When shit€ tight ill@ination is 6ed, daylisht
s@riDAtimes wi]l tF used.
3-4](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-36-320.jpg)
![FM17-12
rangecarddata,hit targetswithin 5minutes
of reachingthe referenc€dposition.
E Givenan M60A2tank haveling less
than 10mph,the crewwill, within 5 seconds
ofa fire command,fire thegrenadelaunchers
Bothat the vehicle wi]} beobscuredfrom the
front or flank.
E Given an M60A2t€nk Eoving 12-15
mph, the crew will engagea lightly-armored
vehicle or ailclaft with the caliber .50
machinegun within 5 seconds durrng
daylight, and within l0 seconds durinc
darknessunderartifrcial illumination.i
M661 ARAAV (Sh-erid.an)Creut mua.
be able to:
E Given an M551 ARAAV moving 12-
15 mph, gun,/launcher load€d with
convention al ammunition (800
met€re.HEAT-MP)andIaidnomorethan15o
off tsrget,engageanarmor-rypetarget,using
battlesight, witiin 5secondsduring daylight,
and within 10secondsduringdarknessunder
artificial illumination-* A-s a minimum, a
target hit should be obtained within 15
eeconde during daylight artd within 20
seronds at night a[ ranges to 800toetefs.
tr Given an M551ARAAV moving less
than 15 mph, gun/launcher loaded with
conventionalammunition and laid no more
than 15o off target, engagean armor.type
target, using precision firc, within 10seconds
during daylight, and within 15 secondg
during darkness undel artificial
illumination.* As a minimum, a target hit
shouldbeobtainedwiLhin20secondsdurins
daylight and within 25secondeat night ourio
1,000meters (2,000meters equippedwith
laserrarrgefinder).
! Given a moving or stationary,hull-
downM551ARAAV, thecrewwill adjust,6re
aseond round, and obtain ataryet hit within
10 secondsof a first-round miss.
tr Given an M551ARAAV, thecrewwill
engage a troolltJTrc target, at a mnge not
exceeding1,600metersusing the caliber .50or
900 metds using the coax machinegun,
within 5secondsduring daylight, and within
10 secondsduring darknessunderattifrcial
illumination-*
E Givena stationaly, hull.down.Mbbl
ARAAV, gun,zlauncherunloadedandlaid no
morc than 30oofftarget, hit the target with a
missile at a rang€in excessof2,OOOmete$.
Engagementwill bewirhin 25secondsdurins
daylight, and within 30 secondsdu-rin;
darknessurder artif cial illumination.
D Given al M551ARAAV and a range
card previously made by the crew, the clew
vrill rc-position the vehicle at night, and,
using range card data, hit targets within 5
minutes of reaching the referencedposition.
tr Given an M551 ARAAV traveline
lesslhan 12 mph, the crewwill, within 5
secondsof a fire command,file the grenade
launchers sothat the vehicle will beobscured
from the front or flank.
E Given an M551 ARAAV movine 12-
l5 mph, the crew will engage a ligitly-
armorcd vehicle or aircraft with the caliber
.50 machinegu within 5 seconds durlng
daylight, and witlin 10 eeconds durlne
darknessunderaitifrcial illumination.*
* When wbite light illumination ic used, daylight
scorirs dbes wil be ued
3-5](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-37-320.jpg)
![FM 11-12
3-4. SECTION STANDARDS
Tank section standards vary according
to ttpe vehicles and the tactical situation.
Regardlessofmission, several standards are
common to all sectrons. Due to the different
situations that may be encountered on any
range or battlefield, standards will not be
sp€cifically defined and quantified.
It is implied that another tank section
will always be in overwatch ready to provide
additional frre supporl lo thc maneuvpring
The following standards will be scored on
Tank Gunnery Table IX.
In any situation, a tank section
consisting of2 or 3 tanks, under the
section leader's direction should be
able to:
1. Engage multiple targets in priority of
danger to the section with
appropriate weapon. (Time of
engagem€nt and range must meet
crew standards for the t}?e tank
shooting.)
2. Engag€ targets and conserve
ammunition byaccurate distribution
of fircs.
3. Shift section fircs within 10 seconds
to suppress an area target.
4. Employ suppressive fires and
maneuver, uerng terrarn to
maximum advantage to destroy
multiple targets.
3-6. SUMMARY
To win in modern war, US tankers must be more
knowledgeable, more capable, and better trained then their
e emy. After tndiuidual standard.shaue been mel, tanh creus must
function toEetheras a leam more efficientLythan in the past. HaL,ing
masteredindiuidual and creu standard.s,US tanhersmust be shilled in
section and.pLaLoonbdttle runs, Loheretank gunnery and tactics are
combined.OnLyafter aII thesestandardshauebeenmetcdn UStankersbe
confidentof their read.inessto uin thefirst battleof the nert war.
3-5. PLATOON STANDARDS
Tank platoon standards are an
extension of section standards since the
platoon will normally move by section
using overwatch fire and movement
techniques as descibed in oth€r tactical
hainins literatue (e.s.,TC 17153,FM 711).
As with other gunnery standards,time,
range,and capabilitieswill vary accordingto
t]?e vehiclesin the platoon,but must meet
crewstandardslor the type tank shooting.
The following standardswill be scoredon
Tank GunneryTableIX.
In any tactical situation, a tank
platoon should be able to:
1. Engagemultipletaryetsin priodty of
dangerto the platoon.
2. Shift platoon or section fires to
suppress an area target within 10
3. Employ suppressivefres (toinclude
supporting fires) and maneuver,
using terr ai n to maximum
advantage,
36](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-38-320.jpg)
![FM 1t- 12
14) Camputer cheLl?.A crew must
perform R computer ( hei k hefore firing
to ensure superelevation is introduced
into the primary direct-fire controt
system and the superelevation actu-
ator. Superelevation is produced when
range input fr.rm therangefinderis combined
with ammunition data built into the compu'
ter. The computer distdbutes the combined
information through two output shafts. One
shaft feeds the ballistic ddve and the other
goesto the superelevation actuator. Perform
the comDuter check using the operator's
manual. the tabularfiringtable. the rangefin'
der, and the computer. Ensur€ the output
shafts rotate, the inner and outer pointers
aligr, and thc data {iom the fldng table and
the mils indicated in the computer mil counter
windorv are the same for the ammunltion
selected. If you detect any errors *'hile
performing thc checks,notity your organlza
tionai lufret mechadc.
5) Supercleuation chech. To en-
sure the main gun and the primary
direct-fire control systems receive cor-
rect information from the computer,
crew must perform superelevation
check before attempting to fire. (Do not
contuse thi6 operational check *'ith the
supereleuation error test'which is pedormed
by the organizational turet mechanic.)
Before performing the superelevation check,
you must have completed the computer
check. To conductthis operational check,use
your firing table, the computei mi1 counter,
the tank's elevation quadrant, and the
rangefinder. Place HEP-T ammunition rn
the computer, index 1,200m, record the
superclevation in the mil counter window a]ld
the mil ieading from the elevation quadrant.
Increase the range to 1,500m, record both
readings and subtract your first readings
from the second. If differcnces arc not
within plusor minusone mil, notifyorgani-
zational mainLenance.
4-3](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-41-320.jpg)
![c1,FM17-12
T$o generally accepted methods exist for
initially determining the cent€rline of the
main gun bore prior to aligrring the tube on
the aiming point duing the boresighting
plocess-the standard two point rcfercnce
system employing binocula$ and thread,
and a muzzleboresight systememploying an
instrument such as the Wataon borcsight
device. The two point referencesystem has
gained wide acceptancesince it is easy and
3 CAI-IBERS
(r2.4INCHESI
requiresno specialequipment. Becauseof
the slight bending (droop)of the tube caused
by unevenheat distribution within the metal,
however,theiwo point systemcanbeinaccu-
rate since the tlue centercannot be precisely
determined. Useof amuzzleboresight devrce
compensatesfor most tub€ ilroop and there-
forc allows for morc accurate bolesighting.
Whenever available, the muzzle bolesight
deviceshould be used.
lin. oa sishr as detemined
tine ol siOht.!der.rminod bythefinal
3 calibers ot tub€ {.ccoonted torwith
muz2l6 bor6.i9hl d€vice).
Fnins tesis indiclt. th.t rho po.irion ol the linrl lhreo
@libers 112,4 incho.) of the tlbe are imponant in
dot€minins th. itriko of the rcund. Th6 rwo poinr
r€lorence sy.tom N.rlgss our any tube droop bll the
mu2zle devic6 .ccuralelv m6ar!rcs the Dosition or lho
LINE OF SIGN]
BOREIINEOFSIGHT
LINEOF SIGHT
APPBOX
'I,2OOM
b. Syrrchronization. The crew
muat ensure sightB are synchronized
before ettempting to zero the tadk
weaponssystem. S)'nchronizationensures
that gun arrd sight.s rcmain sligned when
elevated and depressed. A sJmchronization
check is performed quarterly by organiza-
tiodal mairtenance personnel with assist-
Whan prcperly synchronized. lanool light convorg$ d
targ€twith linool sishtlhrough bo.6 oliube rlg3rdl€$ ol
anceftom the tank clew. Whensight€ arenot
synchronized. effective tank gunnery is
impossible.The most common method for
s,'nchmnization is the outdoor method re-
quiring a synchronization ramp and a
boresightpanel. A muzzleboreeightshould
not be usedwhen checking oynchronization
eince tube droop may con@al synchrcniza-
tron error.
4-10
BOBE LINEOF SIGHT](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-48-320.jpg)
![FM 11 12
b. SpecialZeroing Techniques. The
operator'smanual for eachvehicleoutlines
the norrnallyacceptedzercingtechniquesfor
thal vehicle. Two cdditi,-,nallcchniques
exist.however,whicha)i,-rwforgreatermain
gun accuracyin certain situations. These
techniquesare outlined belowfor the marn
battle tank but can be tailor€d to other
fighting vehiclesonce the theory is und€r-
stood.
(l) lnd.ependent.ero. In this tech-
nique,the secondaryand primary sightsare
zeroedindependently of each other for a
specific round, thus compensatingfor the
differentcharacteristicsofeachround- Sinc€
the telescopeis th€ preferredsight for HEP
ammunition, greater accuracy can be
achievedif the telescopeis zeroedwith HEP
independently of the periscope,which is
zeroedwith APDS(TPI)S).Thecrewcanstill
fire APIIS with thetelescopeor HFiPwiththe
periscope.The crewcanusewhicheversight
is operational. The procedurefor independ-
ent zeroingis prcvidedas a checklistat the
end of this chapter. If the independentzero
technique is used, the checklist procedure
mustbefollowedexactly,includingfiring the
HEP zerofirst. This is to prcv€ntth€effectol
aphenomenonknowna6"tubememory."The
first HEP roundfired after a seriesofAPDS
or HEAT roundswill have a higher muzzle
velocityandthusimpacthigheronthetarg€t
than subsequentHEP rounds.
12) Long runge ?ero. In a combat
situation necessitatinglong range engage'
ments(beyond2,400mete!6),increasedmaln
gun accruacycan be achievedby boresrght-
ing and zeroingaf a range of 1,600meters
insteadof the usual 1,200meters. This will
increase accuracy to approximately 3,200
metersand will maximize battlesight accu-
lacy with theprimary armordefeatingrcund.
BecauseAPDS (TPDS) shot holes are ex
tremelydiffrcultto abserveat arangeof1,600
meters,the zeroingtargetis actuallylocated
at a much closerrange and marked m a
special pattern. Use of this technique,
detailedin anotherchecklistat tLeendofthis
chapter,resultsin an effectivezerofor loDg
4-12
ranges.(Seepage 4-23for long range zero
[arget.)
Jl ZeroLerification. As discussedin
paragraph,1'3above,unevenheat distribu
tionwithintheguntubewillcausethetubeto
droop sliehtly. The exact amount of droop
varies,andeachtubemustbetleatedindivid-
ually. In most tactical situations,fidng a
rvarmuproundis impractical.Gunnersmust,
thercfore,beawarethat the first roundfired
from a cold tubemay strike as much as one
meter (at 1,200 meters) from subsequent
rounds at the same range. Adjustments
madeonthebasisofthe frrstround,thercfore,
tendto beinaccumte. menever the tactical
or rang€ situation aliows. a warmup round
shouldbefiredto minimizethe effectoltub€
droop.
A) Refinementofzero, Refinementof
an establishedzeromay becomenecessary
dudng the courseof firing to ensulerounds
strikewithin 24inchesofthe aiming point at
zeroingranges.Ifroundsarestnkingtargek
near the zeo range, but are stdking more
than 24 inchesoffthe aiming point, another
shot grouprnaybefired at theinitial zeroing
range a]ld sights refefied Lorefine t}]'ezerc.
The new boresightknob settingsbecomethe
newlyestablishedzeroand mustberecorded
as such. Remember, when re-laying the
main g[n, frnal lay is always accom-
plished in the same direction, against
pressure.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-50-320.jpg)
![c1, FM 17-12
d., Droop. As mentioned earlier, the
bending of the gun tube caused by uneven
heating or cooling of the outside surface rs
called dmop. The heat ofthe sun strikingthe
upper surface oi the gun tube will causethe
eun to bend downward, resulting in tube
droop. This is particularly a problem with
long barreled guns. Excessive alroop can
cauae the rounds t,o completely miss the
target. You may have to rezero, but
before you do, fire a warmup rouna.
e. Missile Systezrs. Crews of vehi'
cles equipp€d with a missile guidance and
control systemm&s,perform a systemcheck-
out. Checkoutproceduresaie listed in the
appropriate operator's maluals. Drift, calt,
parallax, and droop do not affect missile
flight.
4.6. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT,
TOOLS, AND MAINTENANCE
SUPPLIES
Tools anal supplies must be included
in prepare-to-fire checkB. Ttre items
authorized operator/crew personnel are
listed in the operator's ma]lual and are
necessaryto accomplishprescribedmainte-
nance and checks. Compare the authorized
lists with the equipment you have on board
your vehicle. If you 6ld shortages when
conducting the check, iequisition the missing
items. If you find more than you are author-
ized, tum the excessin. Other clews may be
short of equipment due to your excess.
4-7. QUARTERLY
MAINTENANCE
SERVICES
Commanders must ensure tank tur-
rets receive accurately per:formed Sche-
duled maintenance services. The unit
which has not performed dealicatedmarnte_
nance by schedulingtime, personnel,tools,
and equipment required to perform adequate
serviceswill encourrtergunnery problems.
4-8. SUMMARY
tr The tank turret and a88ociated equipment must be thor-
oughly maintained, checked, and aligleal for the tank crew
to edgage Threat targets accurately end quickly. Mainte-
nance of turrets, checks and synchronization of frre
control syatems must be done in a precise way, following
ihe appropriate tank operator's manual, which each tank
crerY haa,
To frre accurately use yout estoblishad zero.
Rezeroing is expensive, and may not be practical in
combat.
Use your eetablished. zero,
!
tr
!
4-14](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-52-320.jpg)
![FM l7 12
8 Re ay lo the centeroi rhelargetusrngthe
"G ' patlern and manual controls,and t re a
conIrmationround.
I0 Us'rg procedureoull nedIn sl6p6. re Lay
rheappropriaierangelineoftherclescopeio ihe
origlnalaimingpointandfire a checkround.
9 llf yau sense a hit witl|n the 24 inch circle,) 11. lf the check round stfikes within ihe
You are zeroed. (Praceedto step | 2 ) 24-inch circle, proceedto siep 15
1A lff yousenseahit outsidethecircle)Retoad
and manua y re layto the cenlerof the target
andf re a secondconfirmationround //l l1hts
withtn he ctrcleptoceed ta step 12.)
12. lf the checkroundhits outsidethe circle,
loadanotherround,re laythe gun lo the exacl
originalaiming point and fire. lf the second
roundhrrsw lhrnrhecrrcle,youaveallaineda
zero. Proceedto step 15.
11 lI secand check tound ,)?tss-asc]rcle/
Reoad and man!aly re-layto centerot the
targetandllfe athirdcheckround Alteryout re
theround,reoadandre laytothecenterThen
reler yoLr.sights10 the cenler of lhe zeroed
confifnrariongroup,fe'layto th€cenler,andiire
a check round. (t the check round h/ls withnl
the ctcle, proceedto step 72; il it daesnot, calla
ceasefire for that tank and proticleasststance)
13. lf rhe second check round misses the
cifcle, load another-round and repeat the
procedureto completea rehl 3-round shol
group. use sieps I thru 10 to reset the
14. Fire anothercheck round. If the round
missesthe circle,SfOP.clearallweapons,and
.requesiassistance.lf the ro!nd hils insiderhe
circleproceedto step15,
l2 R".oro)o .r 'lLP esrabLrFd /e-ofor''
relescopeonDAForm24O8-10and n theturret.
13 Manuallyre laygun to paceapproprate
range ine of APDS ret cle on larget a m ng
14. Reoadwith APDS (TPDS),indexAPDS
ntocomputer,andusing theprimarysrghtiLrea
3 roundshol group
15 Record the ielescope boresight knob
seitings,thisasyouresrablishedHEPzeroforthe
16 Usrngmanualconlrols,re layappropflare
rangelineofAPDSreticleoftelescopeontarget
armrngpornr.
17 With APDS lelescoperetacleon aiming
point. unlock perscope boresighl knobs and
referaimingcross10targetaimingpoint.
18. LoadAPDS (TPDS)and rndexAPDS into
19 Usrng rhe gLnnpr'speI|scope{r'e d
3-.oundsholgro,p Followprocedure,n sleps
6 and 7.
l5 Reloadandre laybacktothecenterofthe 20. Wilh the gun loaded,re lay the aiming
target Then reler your aiming cross to the crossto the exactaimingpointusedto firethe
cenrerofrheAPDS(TPDS)shotgroupbymovingsholgroup
the boreslghlknobs
21. wrthour disrurbingthe tay ot the gun.
4 19](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-57-320.jpg)
![FM 11.12
5-3. GUNNER
The gunner-fires and adjusts fire of
the main gun and coax machinegun. He
is responsiblefor turret maintenanceof th€
tank. lvhen orderedto firc, the gunner*'ill:
! turn on necessary s]vitches
! index ammunition into fire con-
trol system
J identify target
range with laser rangefinder (on
tanks soequipped)
_takecorrect sight picture
fire and adjust as appropriate
use auxiliary fire control instru-
ments and range cards when
firing in indirect mode
!
!
!
!
n.
5-2](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-63-320.jpg)
![CHAPTER 6 FM17 12
TARGET ACOUISITION
AND IDENTIFICATION
6.T. GENERAL
In modern battle w€ should expecta
rapid tempoof movementand engagement.
Small elementssuch as platoonsfrequently
wi)l be required to operaterelatively inde.
pendentlywithin irregular battle lines. A].
though Threat targets will be engagedat
maximum iang€.US tankersmay oftenfind
themselvesintermingledwith Threatunit6as
weil as units of friendly nations. Speed of
target engagement depends on the
cr€w's proficieney in acquiring the tar-
get.
'l'o
capitalizeontheadvantagesoffiring first,
the entirecrewmust be prcficientin:
D Detecting the target
tr Locating the target
! Identirying the target
as friend or enemy
This chapterdiscusseslechniquesandmeth-
odsof iapidly detecting,locating,andidenti-
fying targetsdurirg day and night. US tank
crcws must train themselvesto distinguish
friend from foequickly and fire first.
o- |](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-66-320.jpg)
![FM 17-12
6.3. TARGET SIGNATURES
Most weaponsand vehicleshave tell-
tale signatures, a result of design or the
envircnmentin whichtheequipmentisused.
For example, fir.ing a tank main g]rn on dry
sandysoilraisesa dustcloud;atankdriving
in builtup areas mak€s morc noise than one
moving through an open field. US tank
crews must be able to recognize signs-
tures to help locate and identify targets,
Sight, hearing, smell, and sometimestouch
and taste assist in detecting and identif''rng
signatwes that {'ill lead to target locatron,
identification, arrdrapid engagement. Look
for targets where they are most likely to
be employed.
a. Soldier SigndhDes.
* Foxholes
* Ttash
* Tornoutveseiation(usedforcamou-
flase)
b. Trach Vehiele Signatures,
* Tankbacksonground
* Tanktrackandensinenoise
* Dustclouds
* Dieselsmoke
i Inud sha4 repod fotlowed by white
* A brisht whit€ flash at nisht
- Inok for these sisDatues in open
areas,rollins tenair.
c. Antitanh Signaturea.
* "Swish" of missilelaunch
i Lons. Ihin wi.cstrom previously6re"
ATGM'S
* Traceruof slowflyins ATGM'S
* Shary crack of AT sD
* DismountcdBanne"up (o 80 merers
away from lamching rail
Inok for AT cmploymenr in oper
arprswpreranksafelikely tobeused.
d. Artillery Sigtuahtes.
* Inud dull repolt
* Grayish white cloud of srnoke
* Brisht oranseflash andblacksmoke
from airbursts
* Rushinsnoiseheardseveralseconds
prior to impaci of round
Aircraft SiEnahtres.
* Glare of sun &om aircrafl canopies
and rolor blades
* Vapor irails ftom aircraft or 6red
rnissiles
* Dusi and movementof foliase fiom
hoveins helicopt€rs
l,ook fof ihese signacures wher€
-
terain maskssuchasridsesor forest
are available for aircralt to hide
behind.
Obataclea anrl Mines,
* Irose oi disturbed dirt in a regnler
- Expect €mplacementbetween un'
amssablete{ain features.
- hok for positions coveredhy enemy
fire (usualiy infantry with antitank
6-4](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-69-320.jpg)
![FM 11 12
b. Target Area Responsibility.
Crew nembers and tsnk cre*'s must be
given clearly delineated observation
responslbilitieqqothat Ihe la rgetaretris
constantly observed.
r-.'ll
Whethera lone tank...',
.-lF',r
"_ ,A_;-
,.
',
O ' *
, _: ]-
,Lf,,
or with the platoon.
bF'
/-.
/- .b,. .
-r-y ';ro
!ai-461
A dismounted observer equipped with
binoculars and communications to the
tank can provide highly effective target
acquisition information. He is more apt
to hear the enemy before he see6him.
6-6](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-71-320.jpg)
![FM17-12
c, Scdnning Techniques. Ptoptet
scanning t€chniques enable crewmen to
locate and identify targets quickly. First,
without optics,make a quick overall search
for obvioustargets using all your sensesto
det€cttell.taletarget signatures.
If no tsrget6 ale found in the initial search,
and time permits, with the aid ofoptics, make
a moredetailed searchofthe terlain using the
5o-met€rmethod:
(1) Search a strip 50 met€rs deep
f]^m ridht 1^ lafl
(2) Then search a strip from left to
right fadher out overlapping the
first Btrip.
(3) Continue this method until the
entire sector is covercd.
(4) When a suspicious spot is de
tect€d, stop and search it tho
rcughly.
REMEMBER:
tr Initial ecanning is alwaye done
first with unaided vision, then
with magnified optice ftinocu-
lara, rangefinder, periscope, tele
scope).
E Scanning is continuoua. Any-
thing missed on the first or second
scan may be seen on the third or
fourth scan.
C The entire crew rnust look for
likely targets within their as-
Bigtredsectors of reeponeibility.
[1 Shen you suspect Threat air
targets, start by searching ftorE
far t,o Dear.
6-7](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-72-320.jpg)
![FM 17-12
d.. Optics, Daylight sights, binoc-
ularc, and Dighl, .ision devices (passive
aDd infrared) are needed to acquire
targets at ranges greater than possible
with the naked eye. Daylight binocular
efficiency can beincreasedby using only one
eyepieceor cupping the eyepiecesto prevent
stray light from entering the eye.
Buttoned-up, the crew can observe frcm
inside the vehicle usirg vision blocks,peri-
scop€s,thetelescope,therangefinder, and the
gunner's unity window Ttrming off the
illuminat€d reticle of periscopes,telescopes,
or rangefirdem will improve night observa-
tion. Wben firing, keep the illuminated
reticleas&m aspossible.Typesandemploy-
ment of night vision dences are discussedi]l
the appropriate tank supplement.
e. Night Acguiaition, Iatget ^c-
quisitiou techniques at night are similar
to acquiFitiou techniques dudng the
day, At night, whether using daylight optics
orthe unaidedeye,don'tlookdirectlyat an
object, but a few degrees offto the side.
The sides of your eyecare more sensitive to
dim light. When scanning with this off-
centervision, moveyour eyesin short, abrupt,
iEegular movements. At each likely target
area pause a few seconds to detect any
motion.
Sounds and smell can help in acqriiring
targets at night, Sounds carry better at
night in t}le cooler, damper night air. Run-
ning engines and banging grill doors can be
heard for great distances at night. Odors
from dieselfuel, gasoline,cookingfood,or
buming tobacco,after shave lotion. and the
like can betraythe enemyor you.
6-8](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-73-320.jpg)
![cI, FM1t-12
6-5. TARGETIDENTIFICATION
Potential targets should be identiied
beforethey areengaged. This is necessaryso
l}|at Lheappropdate weaponand ammuni-
tion combination is selectedto ensuretarget
deshuction. US tanlers must be able to
recoglrize equipment-oufs and theirs,
friendly and Threot. Friendly foreign
elementsmay be operating with US tankers.
Additionally, we can expect Th:reatforcesto
put into use captured fiendly arrd US
equipnent. Tanks and tank-like vehicleeand
armored pewonnel carriers can be studied
usingGTA 1?-12-8,"ArmoredVehicleRecog-
nition Carde." GTA 44-2-1,"Atucraft Visual
Rocognilion,'covershigh perforDanceair-
cmft and helicopte$.
^6-6. ACQUISITIONREPORTS
Targets that are located Bu6t be
reported immediately.
The report should include the following:
ALERT-Radio call words followed by
word(s)alerting receivinestation
of action being takel erample:..ROMI'O 45 -THIS IS
ROMEO 59-OBSI]RVING
(engaged or destroyed)".
DESCRI PTION-"tlTc, numbel',andactiv-
itv of enemytatget (erample:,,4
TANKS MOVING NORTH-
EAST " or'1 BRDM WITH
ANTITANK MISSII,E.''
LOCATION-Use besl means of locatine
the tarqft tffonplp: .'DlRECi
FRON'T'-TWO THOUSAND''
or "REFERENCE POINT
BRIDGE-RIGHT 30 (MILS)''
or "TREE LI NE-RIGH'I'
I]DGE."
6.7. SUMMARY
E Speed of target engagehent de-
pends on crewrs profrciency in
acquiring targets. Thie includee
the need fot the crew to be eble
to:
a Detect the target
a Locate the target
a Identifr the target as friend
or foe
E Obeervation for targets must be
continuous using all aenses.
! Observation should be carried
out from a coucealed position, if
possible.
E Tank creE'men have distinct
terget area observation reapon-
sibilities.
E Varioue scanningtechniques can
aid target detection.
E Targets can be locat€al at night
using night vision devices or
indirect illunination.
E Once located, targets must be
reporteal idn€diately.
tr Ranked in order of the threat
they preseDt, targels are classi-
fred as:
a Most dangelous
a Dangerous
a Least dengeroua
6-9](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-74-320.jpg)
![c1,FM17-12
7-3. DELIBERATEMETHODS
,,^:. :ich!. Retictes and Mit Reta_.sr. r"ne.Dtnocutarand mil relation
lii,ii'.!"';";3;T::r:::,"f"';,,,.,T"';nlergntotthe LarFetmust beknown. Measure
rft Knownwrdihor heighrwilh thebihocular
ml| scateora sigh( redcje,substitutelhe mil
:ila,rroll,cn9iomeuretheranse.Al"cura.yofLms^m-ethoddependson k-nowledgeof targer
::I]-"::"."
and rhe individuat.sabili,y romakeprcflsemeasurementswiththebinocu-
.,t, Mtl r, tatu a. l.hpmil rsa unrr,t:rngul!r n'ejrsuremnntpquflll,rI ri,.lfirL,t.ir
.rrcrr I lrpn
.,rrpirlrpfoximttslt. milsrn I',D,.Inrt,;rnl,c$ rirrenI/r. Tle rnitisusFdri)
rjrnkllunrrf tr r.,tuse,,1thfprul'j..,ilr,.urn
r,,ns l|rd :rdjusrrnontrcqurred.Tank fir.e.i'nrr'it ,rlUrtrrntnl rs r.r.,du:rrFdin nrilsro(rn ont) n, lhe mil methodof measurcrnenr.
One mil equals
meter at a range
width (or height) of I
of I,0O0 rDeters-
Thi6 relalionis constanlas Lheanalein.
:]::::" "?.
I mjl ro 2 mitsand the rangem^creaseslrom
_1.000Detersro 2,000mel€rs.
.nec.ause
the mil relationi6 constant,otherunrtsot measuresuchasyards.Ieet,orinches
::1,1"^:l!:1ll"rid formerersin expressrDs
.nuu,
or range: however. the relation holdsrrueonry.lltot, W and Rareexpressedin ihesafie untl
_olmcasure. For example,if the
:]:_1".",1
, t.T1ransteareextendparo1,000ydrds. thewrdth betweentheendsofrhesides
1 MILA] 1,OOOMETERSEOUALS1 MEITR.
iilidriltrff$!ifSigriftrHii:
0-6
aool- I 6.)n
2 / A
.2X
or9d
A comparison ot Mits & Dogrees](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-79-320.jpg)
![c1,FM17-1
(2, Determinina range using the
nil rcldtion. Since the relationship of the
angle in mils {rd), the length of the sidesm
thousands (R), and the width betweenthe
endsof th€ sides(W)is constant,width ofthe
targct, range to the target, or mil value ofthe
target can bedetermined if the other two are
tf w = 1, w = Rx/),,
W
R
=w
The mil relation holds true whether the W
factor is in a hoizontal or vertical plane,if
the mil angle is measuredin the sameplane.
: N D I R E C T
MACHINEGUN
: = l/z'*
BINOCULARRETICLE
As a memory aid use
t]re word,, "WORM."
WORM stands for:
TimesI Mlils.
7-6
xn,](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-80-320.jpg)
![CHAPTER 9 cl, FM17,12
DIRECTFIRE
9-1. GENERAL
Tenk weapons are desigred for
direct lhe. Direct fire means you can see
what you're shooting at i,broughthe tank fire
control optics. This chapt€r iliscussesmeth-
ods and techniques for accurately and
quickly engaging talgets in the dftect-fire
9.2, INITIAL F'IRE COMMAND
(IFC)
The tadk comhander (TC) initiatee a
ditect-fire engagement by giving Irn
initial fire colnmatrd. The initia] fir€
crornmand coordinates the crew's effort,
reduces confi$ion, and promotes speed in
target engagement. Only those elements
necessaryfor the crew to load, aim, aad fue
the tank's weapons are given in the com-
mand. Directions toihe driver, while not part
of the initial fire command,arealsoiliscwsed
below.
a. Fire Comrndnd. Theelementsofthe
initial frre command are:
AIERT
A MUNITION. WEAPON.OR
SEARCHLIGHT
DESCRIPTION
DIRECTION
RANGE
EXECUTION
ll
:4.'. t: .
GUNNER
SABOT
TANK
DIRECTFRONT
ONETHOUSAND
FIRE.
9-1](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-96-320.jpg)
![FM 17-12
(4) Ditection. This element is
omitted by the tal1k commanderif he can lay
the gu]r for direction and elevation. If he
cannot Iay the grln, one of the followurg
methodsmust be usedto talk the gunner into
the target area,
I TraDerse methoil, Tlrc tank
commander comm ands
.TRAVERSE
RIGHT (LEFT)," and the
gunner traverses rapidly in the
announceddilection.Asthegun f
approaches the vicinity of the
latget, the command
'STEADY" is given, and the
gunner slows his traverse.
Wheu the gun is laid on the
target, the tank commander
annouDces tt0N"; the glrnner
BtopstraveEing, and the target
should appear within the
gtlrurer's field of view. If the
gunner still cannot see the
target, he will search the area
until he doesidentify t}le taryet,
or the ta[k commander rDust
give subsequentdir'ectioncorrec-
tions.
I neference poirlt and, d,eflection.
Herethe referencepoint must be
one that the gunner can
recogrdzeeasily. The tank com-
mander measuresthe deflection
ftom the refercncepoint {'ith his
binocular ald annornces the
shift. For example, the TC's
cornmand would be
..REFERENCE POINT-
BRIDGE-RIGET THREE
ZERO." The grlnner lays the
aiming cross of his dfuect-flie
sight on the refercnce point,
zeroes the azimuth indicator,
traveEes right 30mils, andlooks
for the target. Small shifts may
be made by using lead lines in
the sight reticle.
Range card d.ata. At night or
during periods of poor visibility
when the TC cannot see the
target but has previously
recordedralge card data, he will
announce deflection and quad-
rant elevation to the gunner.
The TC rcadsthe deflection from
the range card and annornc€s
..DEFLECTION--." ThC
gunner lays the turret for direc-
tion and repeats the deflection
rcading to the TC. The TC then
reads the elevation fiom the
range card and announces
"QUADRANT--." The
gunner indexes this setting on
the elevation quaalrant, centers
the bubble, and rcpeats the
elevation reading to the TC.
This is addiessed in detail in
chapt€r 11, "Range Cards and
Inrlirect Fire," and the ap-
propriate tank supplement.
9-6](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-101-320.jpg)
![c1,FM17.12
(7J Cease Fire. ltre commander
announces"CEASE FIRE" to terminate a
main gun or coaxengagementand "CEASE
ILLUMINATION" to terminate searc}t-
light illumination.
b. Coax Commands- When the com-
mander issuesan inihal 6re codmand for the
coaxial machinegun, "GUNNER-
coAx-TRooPS--,"
(1) Upon hearine "COAX," the
loaderensuresl.hecoaxjalmachinegrnis
loaded,placeethesafetyto theFIREposition
and announces"UP" (only for the initial
burst),
(2) The gunner announces
"IDENTIFIED," when he acquircs the
target. Upon heari]1g "IDENTIFIED"
from the gunnerard "UP" fiom the loader,
the TC commands"FIRE."
(3) The grmrrer annourlces riON
THE WAY" lonly for tbeidtial bursr,.
(4) The commander announces
'CEASE FIRE" to terminate the engage'
ment.
c. Loader's Maahinegun. Seeapptop-
riate supplement.
d. Repeating Cornnadds. Nhe a
crewmemberfails to hearorunderstandany
elementof an initial fire command,he $'ill
announce the element in question. For
example, if the grrnner or loader asks
"AMMO?" the tank commanderrepeatsthe
ammunition element,ag., "IIEAT,"
e, Correeting Errors. To correct an
elror in an initial fire command, the tank
commanderannounces'CORRECTION"
and corrects only the element in error.
He complel€slhe commandby announcing
all elementsafrer the correctedelement- The
tank commandernormally will not corect an
error in the ammunition elementafter the gun
has beenloaded. Inst€ad,he will allow the
gunnerto firc thechamberedround,thengive
an ammunitionchange.It is notnecessaryto
correct an error in sequenceunlessit prevents
the crew fTomproperly performing duties; in
this case,the announcrmentof "CORREC-
TION" will be made and a new fire
command issued,e.g., "GUNNER-ONE
THOUSAND-ANTITANK-
CORREC'T I ON _ GUNNER-HEP-
ANTITANK-ONE THOUSAND-
FIRE."
No attemptwill bemad€tocoirectanelement
that hasbeenunnecessarilyincluded,suchas
direction eleme t included when the tank
commanderhas laid the gurr for ditection.
Theomissionofanelementiscorrectedby the
announcementof "CORRECTION" and
the omitted element.after which the com.
mand is complet€d.
f. Cornmdtrd.sfor the DriDer. Even
though directions to the diver are not part of
the initial fire command,the driver is an
important member of the crcw. This is
particularly true on vehiclesequippedwith
stabilization. Ifthe commanderwantstofirc
fiom a stationaiy vehicle he announces
"DRMR STOP" at any time during the
{ire command. Whenpossiblethe command
"DRMR STOP" should be issuedafte!
"IDENTIFIED" to allowthevehicleto fire
ftom as short a halt as possible. All other
directionsare given by the TC or gunnerto
the driver in the shortestterms.
g. Correcting Malfunctionx. Rnfer
to thetank opeEtor'smalual for misfire and
stoppageprocedures,
9-8](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-103-320.jpg)
![FM 17-12
c. Bdttl.esight to P.ecieion Gun-
nery. Shouldatarget app€arbeyondbattle-
sight range,rangeis determinedand placed
into the fire control system, and the engage-
ment prcceeds using precision technique.
Time is eavedwith t}rercund ple-loaded.This
technique of changing ftom battlesight to
plecrsion gunnery provides for rapid and
accurateengagementsoftargetsencouDtered
beyondbattlesight mnge. It mu6t be re-
i3
membered that once the engagement
becomes a precision engagement, the
gunner's sight pictute beco]meacenter of
mass and not base of target. To change
from battlesight to a precision gurnery
engagement,the TC announcesthe battle-
sight rcund in the ammunition element. llfg
informs the guner that the TC will rangeto
the targ€t and the sight picture will becente!-
of.masslav.
FIRING
BATTLESIGHT
GUNNER_BATTLESIGHT_
TANK-FIRE.
FIRING
PRECISION
GUNNER-SABOT-
TANK-FIRE.
9-11](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-106-320.jpg)
![FM 17-12
TCremainssilentifhefeelsgunnercanappry
80T.
TC issuessubsequentfire commandif he
feelsgunner'ssensingwasjnaccurateorthe
gunnerneedshelpin adjusting.
TCremainssilentsnd gunnerappliesBOT.
TCremainssilenlif-heagreeswirhgunners
observationandwantsthegunnerto naKe
standardadjustment.
7C has observation.
TCissuesa subseque fire commandil his
observationdoeanot agreewith the gun_
ner-s.
TCissuessubsequentfire command,
effective techniquee ofThere are many effective techniquee ol
adjusting fire
D Ift}e gu]ner hasasensing,usebzrsr
otutaryet (Bol-pro ouncedBeeG
T).
tr
D
If the gunner has an ob€ervation o!
Bengingbut the TC feels the sunner
needsassigtance.the TC will issuea
subsequentfire conmand in mils ot
meteE, or target form, a-6aDDroDri-
ate, If the gunDerhas an obeervation
arld is not issued a subsequentffre
commarrdhe will apply the stlDdard
adjustnent (seepara 9€d).
Relay technique (seepara 9€e).
Re-engage(seepara g-8R.
The best technique is the one that aclneves
tarCeJ
!ji,s in minimum time. Adju.6tmeDt
speed d.9p€ngson crew trainirg and tJT€
ammuni-tion being fired, whether the eDgaSe_
Denl,is tsoma-Erovingor stationary veiic-ie,
and wbether battlesight or preciJion tech-
llques are used. While each technrque
discussedhere providee for rapid aud accu-
rateadjustmentof frre,thebeetLechniquefor
eacntype tanh ueapon systemis discussedin
the apprcpfiate tank supplenent-
tr
9-15](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-110-320.jpg)
![FM17 12
b. Burst on Target (BOT). If j.t can
be employed, burst on target is the most
rapid and most accurate method of
direct-fire adjustment. It is especially
effective when engaging a target from a
stationarypositionorwhen thefirinevehicle
is moving diectly toward the target.
(1) After the gunner has made a
preciselay and fired,to apply BOT:
I the gunnerobservesthroughhis
srght!
I relays after firing to maintain
his conect initial sight picture,
I concentrates on the target, not-
ing the point ofthe sight recticle
where the tracer orbursI appears
as it passes,strikes short of, or
hits the target,
I announces his range sensing
and "BOT,"
using the gun controls.immedi
ately moves this point of ihe
rcticle,by the mostciirectroute,
to the center of mass of the
target,
announces"ON THE WAY,"
and fires again.
(41 Accuracl of the burst'on-tarset
method dependson the ability ofthe gunner
to take conect sight pictures and make
precise sensings. BOT is the same with
baliistic (e.g.,M105D teiescope)or nonballis-
tic reticles (e.a..,M32 periscope);the same for
both moving and stationary targets. To
engage moving targets accurately using
BOT, t}]e gunner must track continu-
ously before, during, and after firing.
I
I
(2) Th€
adjusting each
orders"CEASE
ment of firc.
gunner continues to lirc,
subsequent round to the
until the tank commander
FIRE" or takesoveradjust-
(3) While the gunnel.appliesburst
on target, the tank commanderacts as an
observersensingeachround firedfor deflec-
tion and range. Upon hearingthe gunner's
sensingand "BOT," he remainssilentif he
believes the gunner has control of the
situation. The tank comrnander[rust be
preparedto take over adjustmentof fire by
is'uingr subseou"nrfir'pcommandor firrng
from his posifion. Ifthe TC decidesto issuea
subsequentfire command, he must do so
rapidly since,in the absenceofan ovelriding
command. the gunner rvill autonatically
adjust accordingto his sensing.
9-16](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-111-320.jpg)
![cl, FM17-12
c, Subaequent Fie Corn nand,
Whenever the TC thinke the gunner
need6 help in achieving target destruc-
tion, he iseues & aubsequent fire com-
mand. This contaias up to four elemenis-
The alert and et<ecutronelements are
always given. Range and deflection correc-
'tion ale only given ifDece$ary. Subsequent
fire commands must beissuedrapidly by the
TC. A long delay will causethe gunner to
hesitate, ald hesitation on the battlefield can
be fatal.
DON'T HESITATE!
(l) Alert. T-beTC announceshis
range sensing or observationas the alert
(e.€t,"SHORT"). This also notifies the
gunner that a subsequentfrre commandis
beingiesued.
12 DefLection coftection. The de-
flection correction is based on the TC's
deflectionsensing. Ifthe round went left of
the target, the conection is "RIGHT" eo
many mils. If the round went rig,t, of the
target the mrrcction is "LEFI" so many
mils. Because of the accuracy of our fire
control equipment,deflectionerrors should
never be more than 3 mils. Deflection
conections are always anDouncedin mils.
(3) Range correction. T],e "lC
bases his range correction on his range
sensing. If the round went or-rer,he drops
range. Ifthe roundhit siort, he addsrarrge.
4) E.ecution, TeIC coEpletesthe
subsequentfire commandryith acomEand of
execution: "FIRE."
(5) Conections. If the TC makes
an error in the subsequentfrre mmman4 he
amounces 'CORRECTION" and repeats
the entire command. For example,
OVER
RIGHf TWO SHORT
AOOTWOHUNORED DFOPTWOHUNDFED
conhEcTtot{
ovES
RIGHTTWO
DFOPTWOHUNDFEO
FIFE
conREctro|l
'.9
tR
:g
SHOFT
ADDTWOHUNDRED
FIBE
I
(6) Cease Fire. TC announces
"CEASE FIRE" to terminate an engage-
meni.
('7) Lost. With a4 obseruotionof
last the TC can:
I Announce "LOST-FIRE,"
aDd the guDner will take up the
same sight picture to fire the
secondrcund,
I Announce "LOST-CEASE
FIRE," and the TC gives an
initial fire command to rc-
engagethe target, or
I Announce "LOST-DROP
(mils/metprs,/form)-FIRE."
How much the TC will havethe
gunner drop will dependon the
weaponsystem-
(8) Target. With a sensingof tar-
ge, either annouucedby the gunner or sensed
by theTC,tle TC caneitherorder"CEASE
FIRE" if thereis obseruabletarget destruc-
tion, or issue a subsequentfire command of
'TARGET- FIRE"to continuetheengage-
ment with the same sight picture, or
"TARGET-ADD or DROP" ifit is nees-
sary to adjust to the mostvulnemblepaft of
the target.
9-'t7](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-112-320.jpg)
![FM17-12
g, Machinegun Adiuat nent.
(1) Unlike firing the main g]ln, the
pdmary method of adjustment for both
machinegrms is tracet on taqet. '11eTC
firing his machinegtn or the glnaer firing
the coaxial machinegul adjusts tmcels into
the target area.
(2) Should the guner requiie as-
sisJanceiD coax adiustment, the TC issues
directionsin theclearesl,shorl.esitetms,P.g.,
"RAISE IT-BRING IT LEFT."
(3) Should the TC requfue assist-
ance in adjusting caliber .50fire, any crew-
man czm give adjustments in a similar
manner,e.9.,'DROP IT,"
OVER_DROPIT.
,,RAISEIT
BRINGIT RIGHT."
9-24](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-119-320.jpg)
![c1,FM17-12
9.10. NIGIITENGAGEMENTS
Night engagemente require highly
coordinated crew effort, Dueto themany
different t}?es ofillunridation available, the
cIew must b€preparedto engageany target at
night, with aoy t5rpeof illuminahon, usrng
battlesight or precision techniques-
a, Night Vioion,
vision may bethe difference betweenlife and
death, When the gunner announces"ON
THE WAY" the entire crew must close or
cover thei! eyesbeforethe main gun flash to
preserve night vision. [hen using visible
illumination at nieht, the TC should useonly
ode eyeto acquire targets and senseengage-
menk so that when illumination is terml-
nated he will still have night vision in the
other eye.
b. Night In tnirrdtioa. Wbile tank-
mounted searcblights ate Eaponsive, accu-
rate, and destroy the enemy's night vision,
they "spotlight" the illuminating tank as a
talget lor enemy tanks not blinded in the
illumination bean. Therefore,use of tank-
mounted searchlights thould be the last
resort in combat. In order of priority, the
most desirable mean6 of night engagement
ane:
(l) Possiue sr?lrrs. Engaging tar-
gets with passive sights rnaintains night
vision, ensures complete surpris€ in the
initial roundsof an engagement,enablesall
tanksto usetheir weapons(asopposedtoone
or nroretanksilluninating whiletheremam-
derengagetheenemy),and deniestheenemy
obvious,tank-mountedlight sourcesto en-
gage.
9-28
(2 Ind.irect illumination. Use of
mortar or aftillery illumination rounds, pre-
positionedpyrotechnics,or evenhand-held
flares denies the enemy an illuminating
target, prcmotes sulprise, and enablesall
weaponsystemsto eltgageor acquiretargets.
(3, Tank-mounted infrareil search-
IiEht illu:rnination. It 1svalid to assumethat,
on the modem battleffeld,the enemyhas or
leas, the same night vision capabilitiee we
have. l]lerefore, while useoftank-mounted
searchlightsin the infrared modepromotes
surprise and concealmentftom thenaked eye,
eneoy forcesequippedwith in-tssredvision
deviceswill be able to pick up the light and
engage it just as if it were whit€ lisht.
However,wbena targetmu6tbeillunin;ied
using tank searchlights,it is better to use
red light than white light on the battle-
field.
(4, Tanh.mountad,uh;te Wht search.
liAht illumination For all practical pur-
poses,enemysoldiers caught in a white light
beam will be blinded, but the illumiaaung
tank presents a perfect target for enemy
tanks oulside of the beam. All fue com-
mands, methods of adjustment, and t€ch-
niques of engagementusedin daylight fire
apply for night firing as well. Remember,
however, if the target is within your
eearchlight t^nge lou are withirr his
battlesight range.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-123-320.jpg)
![FM 17-1
11.6. RANGE CARD FIRE PATTERNS
Oncewamed o{ oncoming Ttrreat forces,the tank commandershoulduserangecarddata to
lay themain gr]nFeciselyonthemostlikelytargeta!ea. I{the enemyhasdisclosedhis location
by u6ing driving light€ (IR or blackout) or searchlights (IR or whit€ light), US tankers can
engagehirr using direct-frre sights. However,if the enemystill cannot belocat€d, a standard
five-round frrc patt€m fired from therange cardcanbeusedto increasethe probability ofa target
hit. This five-round pattem call be fircd at point or area talgets
a. Poir.t T@rget8. This pattern can beusedwith HEAT ammunition against vehicleaor
convoyai
(2) For eecondround, add 1 mil and frre.
(3) For third lound, drop 2 mils and frre.
(4) For foudh round, add 1 mil, right 5 mils and frre.
(5) For frfth round,left 10nils ard fire.
(1) Fire frr6t lound ftom mnge cald data.
11-10](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-140-320.jpg)
![cl, FMtT-r2
12-6. ANTIPER{IONNELAMMUNITION
hojectiles of antipersonnet (APERS)
rop$ _gre6JJedwitb many subprojec{iles
wtrcb diapeEe to causethe desired effect in
the target area. Uae APERS rouuds
againat maaeed hoops in the open. there
are two t34)es of APERS projectiles
available-caniste! and beehive.
q- Caaistcr. Ihe canister rouDal
tutns the nain gun it|to a "shotgnn" and is
effective again8t tmops i[ t]e open at
relatively short ranges. The subprojectileeor
flechettesarc scatleredat gr€at speedassoon
a6 the pmjectile leaves the muzzle.
OISPERSIONPATIERiISTOSCALE
b, Beehiue. Thebeehiverouad igalso
fiiled reith many flechettes. A mechanical
time fuzeie added,however,which allowg for
effective ta4et engageBentto the maxihum
direct frie range of the gun,
1os'mmGIJN
12-7. ANTIMATERIEL
AMMIJNITION
a, Availuble ?ypes. lLese projec-
tiles have ahigh exploeiveffller and arefuzed
to e4iode when they hit tle target. Two
types of altinateriel rotnils are available-
high explogive (IIE) sDd high explosive
pla8tic (HEP). The conventiona.l HEAT
round for the 15ZEm grm/launcherio conaid-
er€d to be a multipurpoee round and hay,
therefore, lr usedas an antimatedel rouad.
ARNING
Neverfire anyantipor-
Soneltound ovet dte
heads ot exDorod
friendly troops,
12-4](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-154-320.jpg)
![b. Target Effect. AntiD]'ateriel
roundsdestroythe targetwith blast.concus-
sion.cnd fragmentation.High explosive
plastic rounds may be usedeffectivelyto
destroy field fo ifications and some
armord targets, When plastic exploslve
detonatesagainst a hard sudace,the other
side of that surface shatters into small
piece6.This effectis called"spalling" in the
caseof armor and "scabbine" in the cas€of
12-8. SPECIAL PURPOSE
AMMUNITION
Specialpurposeprojectilesincludewbite
phosphoruslWP) and target practic€ (TP)
rounds. TP rounds are used for gunnery
practic€. White phosphorus is used to
hide movement and mark targets. WP
roundsaredesignedto burstwhentheyhit,
formine a thick white cloudofsmoke. When
WP hits 6kin it sticksand burns.
__ c1,FM17-12
1Os-mmHEPcandefeat6 to E Ieerot
reinforced concrete
a, Taxget Effect. 'l'he casualty-
producing€ffectof WPis a directrcsultof its
capabilityto buln. Bestrcsultsareobtained
byfiring into anenclosuresuchasabrurkeror
the groundfloor of a building.
b. Psychological .E/tect. Althoush
WP doesnot havethe destructivecapability
of antimaterielrounds,it hasa muchgreater
psychologicaleffecton enemyhoops.
^rd1(rti r*
..j t:=i
!
1{.," .'
12-5](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-155-320.jpg)
![FM 17-12
12-13. WEAPON
EMPLOYMENT
The foltowing table is a general guide to
priorities of weapon emplo]'ment against
various targets. It should Dotbe expectedto
lE accl[jal,efot eoery situation on the battle
field. Many factors in combat may tlictate
the useof another more appropriat€ weapon.
*TANK wEAPoN TARGETPRIoRITIESA
anklTank-likeVehicle
(SPArtillery,BMP,BRDM)
ATGM,LargeCaliberFieldPieces,Recoil-
less Rilles, Antitank Guns, and Similar
Antitank Devices
Long Range(e.9.,SAGGER)
Short Range{e.9.,RPG)
High Performance
Other {low, slow flying) la arthout
Buildings:
narmoredVehicles
argeffiTEtrnnC6C
(POL,Ammunilion,LighlStructures)
12-9](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-159-320.jpg)
![FM17-12
14-2. GENERAL RULES FOR EMPLOYMENT
When using the coax machinegun, PRIMARY SIGHT
PERISCOPERETICLEcrew should:
E Fire from battlesight against
surprise targets (range and am-
munition preindexed).
I Rangeald indexslowestmuzz]e
velociry main gur ammuritioD
whentine permits.
E FiIe bursts of 20-25rounds (4-5
tracers) except for suppressive
flre.
tr Use infinity sight for area
targeis,
E Use primary sight for point
targets.
E Engage targets at ranges to
900m.
E Continue to move when engag'
rng areaiargeIa.
E When equipped with stabiliza-
tion, continue to move when
engagingpoint targets.
14-2
UNIry WINDOWINFINITYSIGHT](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-174-320.jpg)
![FM17-12
14-8. SPECIAL USES OF MACHINEGUN FIRE
Considering the favorable characteris-
tics of macbinegun fue, the crew is limited
only by t,|eir ingenuity in special employ-
ment of theseweapois. Somespecialuses
a, Ranging. Whelr ranging optics
are damaged, the coax or caliber .50
machinegu may be used as a ianging
g]lll to tracer bu.inout.
b. Desig&aing Targers. Machine-
gun fire can be v€ry effectively uSed by
section arrdplatood leadera to deaignate
targets for t"ank,artillery, or aerial fire
support. Tracera oD target are as effective
as a marlgng iound.
c. Firing Through Cooer, The
TC'a machin€gun can be ueedeffectively
to penetrate moat cover which might be
used by dismounted pereonnel-3mall
treo8, hosty barricade, or lightly cod-
structed buildings. lYeat such cover as a
point taiget.
14-8](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fm17-12tankgunnerymar77pt1-150323230210-conversion-gate01/85/Fm17-12-tank-gunnery_-mar77-pt1-180-320.jpg)
Uploaded bySteve Hagarty
Fm17 12 tank-gunnery_(mar77)pt1
The Threat army fields a large and well-equipped force centered around tanks and artillery. Their main battle tanks include the T-62 with a 115mm smoothbore gun and the T-55 with a 100mm gun, both capable of firing armor-piercing rounds. Heavier tanks like the T-10 mount a powerful 122mm gun. Support vehicles include the amphibious PT-76 with a 76mm gun, the ASU-85 self-propelled gun with an 85mm gun, and the manueverable ASU-57. Threat tactics stress massing these weapons together in depth to overwhelm opponents numerically. US tank crews must understand Threat capabilities to develop tactics to counter their
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Fm17 12 tank-gunnery_(mar77)pt1
- 1. CneNce FM t7-t2 No.r TANKGUNNERY Effectiveuponrcceipt.This changeupdatesFM 17-12,21March19?7.Changedmaterial is indicated by a colored bar in the margin or star (*) preceding the material, Make the following pagechanges. C1 HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENTOFTHE ARMY Washington,DC,29September1978 Insert i, ii 2-5,24 3'3,34 4-9,4-10 4-13,4-14 4-21th 4-23 6-9 7-3thru 7-8 8-3,8-4 8-9,8-10 9-1thru 9-4 9-?,9€ 9-13,9-14 9-17thtrL 922 9-25thru S29 10-3,104 11-5,11-6 11-11,11-12 12-3thru 12-10 13-9,13-10 15-5,15-6 77-',7,r7-8 A-1 Index 1 thru Ind€x 16 ! : Remove i, ii 2-5,2$ 3-3,3-4 4-9,4,10 4-13,4-14 4-21tbtu 4-23 6,9 ?'3 thru 7€ 8-3,8-4 8-9,8-10 9-1tbru 94 9-7,9-8 9-13,$14 9-17thrn g-22 9- thru 9-29 10-3,104 115,11$ 11-11,11,12 12-3tiru 12-10 13-9,13-10 15-5,15€ 15-13,15,14 17.',7,17-8 A-1 File this change sheetin ftont of the publication for referenceplrposes.
- 2. 8yOrderottheSecretaryoftheArmy: BERNARDW. ROGERS Genetal, UnitedStatesAmy . Chiefofstafl Official: J. C, PENNINGTON BI iqadieI GeneI aI, United StatesAmy TheAdjutant General DISTRIEUTION: ActiveAmy, USAR,and,4Rlyc- TobedistributedinaccordancewithDAForml 2-l 1A,Require- mentsfor EngineerBattalion,Armored,Infantry,and Infantry(Mechanized)Divisions{Otyrqr blockno.28);andTankGunnery(Otyrqrblockno.128). Additionalcopiescanberequisitioned(DAForm17)lromtheUSArmyAdjutantGeneralPublica- tionsCenter,2800EasternBoulevard,Baltimorc,MD2122O.
- 3. Field Manual No. U-12 *FM1712 HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Wa,shington,DC, 21 March 197?. TANKGUNNERY Page PARTONE. INTRODUCTION,THREAT, AND STANDARDS INTRODUCTION. THREAT GUNNERYSTANDARDS PARTTWO. PRINCIPLESOF TANK GUNNERY CHAPTER PREPARETO FIRE CREWDUTIES TARGETACQUISITION AND IDEI{TIFICATION RANGEDETERMINATION FIRING POSITIONS DIRECTFIRE STABILIZATION RANGECANDSAND INDIRECTFIRE AMMUNITIONAND TARGETDESTRUCTION SPECIAI,GUNNERYTECHNIQUES. MACHINEGUNS PI-A.TOONFIREDISTRIBUTIONANDCONTROL AERIAI ENGAGEMEI{TTECHNIQIJXS. CHAPTER 1. 2. 3. + Thi6 fi€ld manul Bup€ilede3 FM 17-12,10 November 1972, TC 17-!2-2, Ocaober 1574, TC 17-12-3,30 Jue 1975, TC 17-12-5, 19 S€pt€mber 1975, DA Pa.E360-1a, aDdAsubiscd 1?-12. 1-1 4-l '7-1 6-l 9-1 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 1G1 11-1 12-l 1&1 14-1 16-1
- 4. c1, FM17-',t2 PART THREE.TANK GUNNERY TRAINING CHAPTER 1?. ARMOR IJNIT GUNNERY TRAIMNG PROGR.A.MS 18. INNOVATIW TRAININGTECHNIOUES 19. RANGES Page 18-1 :. 19,1 20. TANK GUNNERYTABLES APPENDD( A. REFERENCES *rNonx SUPPLEMENTS (issuedseparately) * Fut tl-tzl, ranh Gunnery (XMI) (tn be vtblis]ned) FM 17-12-2,Tank Guntuery(M60/M6041/M60AI AOS/M48A5) FM 17-12-3,Tank Gunnery(M60A3,(tobe published) FM 17-12-4,Tank Gunnery(M60A2) Fa417-12-5,Tank Gunnery(M551/M551A1) FM 17-12-6,Tanh Gunnery(M728CEV) FM 17-12-7,Tank Gunnery(TraininEDeuices) Tocomply with guido,nceof the Assists,ntSecretatyof Defense(Manpower atud.ReserueAffairs), this Field Ma.nuaLhas beenreuiewed.for the useof neutral languaga Unlessotheruise noted.,uhere the third person singular is used.in thispublieation,theword"he"wiLlbeunderstoodtostand,for both matcuLineantl femininegenders. 2Ul 1-16 u
- 5. CHAPTER 1 FM17.12 r.1. PREFACE What w;lLthe nett war be lihe? How will tankers have to fight on its battlefields? While no onecan answer these questions for certain, tankers must have someideaof whai to expect-what *'eapons are likely to be on the battlefield, and important chaEcteristics of enemy forces that might beencountered. About ueapons, hno thinga are certarin: E Lo.rg range, high velocity tank cannon and longer raage, accu- ' rate, antitank glided missiles dominate today's battlefield. They are so accurat! that anythiEg they can fire on can be hit;so lethAl j that an,4hing they can hit can be' INTRODUCTION Becauseof these codsidemtions,any vehicle or unit that exposesitself on the battlefield will be destroyedunless: Q . enemyweaponsthat can fire on the exposed elementhave beendestroyed.or l) "uppressed.or @ theenemys.abilityt6fire on the exDosedelementhas beensomehow inhibiied-by lhe cleveruseof lerrain, , smoke,night, fog,badweather, $Ltilg-of any or*all of these. i;:., ,/,t:2rkilled. tr Long range air defens€ cannon and miesilee dominaae the air over today'e bsttlefreld. Any' thing th€y can fire on cao be hit; what they hit can be killed, A bout the enern!, trto things are certain: tr llis equipment ie good, and, in spiteof somedifferencesin sophisti- catio4 and quality, pmbably nearly . as goodas outs, E IIe will outnumber us; he believesA'.. in using ma66esof men and ei his foes, I -1
- 6. FM 17-12 We canaleo be certain that US Armv forcesthat have to 6ght the first battle oi battles of the Dext war will be Feady ortnumbered.Wecan expeo early battlesof tbenextwa! tobeshortand violeDt,with each sidetrying L wir_an advantage thar will give lDe upper hand tn hegotiahonsto end the conflict. Therefoie, WiDning the filst battle or batfles ofthe neit war ia easential. In order to win, US tank crews must outtnaneuver tbe eneby and outghoot him at least 6 to l. Winning agabst heavy oddsand outkill- ing theeneby 5to I will not beeasy,butit can be done. It can bedonebv: tr knowing the enei E understaDding tie battlefield El knowing how to ioaximize the effec- tiveness of our o*n weapon6,while einimizing their I'ulnelability E being absolut€ly convinced that we can alrd will win Four time€ out offrve, the side that fireg 6rst in a tank battle x'ill qrid. th rflg Tankplatooninroverso slope positions engagingThEat First Echelon Fo.ce3 attacking undsr artillery bar16ge; S eco nd Echelon tollowing. 7'.i THE MODERITIBATTLEFIELD
- 7. FM17-12 1-2. PURPOSE Thie manualdescdbes: E T'heenemy threat. tr Standarrls and tests to measure individual, crew, sectioD, and pla- toon pioficiency. E Tadk gunery principles,methods, and t€chniques. D Saople schedulee and suggestion8 for tank glnnery tlairring programs. ! New gunnery tables with tabulated ammunition requirements. i How to setup and usetank range8. tr Tank6 in the US Arroy inventory. D Stantlards and tests to measuE individual, crew, 6ection, arrd pla- toon prcfrciency in conjunction with the apFopriat€ Army Tlaining and Evaluation Ploglam (ARTEP). 1-3. SCOPE This manual has three paytsand sevelal supplements.Part I outlinesthepurposeand soope of the manual, describes the enemy (called the "Thrcat"). and 6et€forth stand- aral-sfor measuring gunnery profrciency. Part II plesent6 tank gunnery principles comrnonto all types of tanks. Part III discussestank gumery fiaining, emphasiz- ing year-rcund proficiency, descibes the Tank Crew Gunnery Skills Test which replacesthe PreliEinary GunneryExamine- tion (PGE),and explains tank gunnery tableg stressingepeedof engagementand accula- cy. Supplementsaddress features unique to eachtype tank currently iDtlte Army invento- ry and the combat engineer vehicle (CEv). Also in this seriesis FM 17-12-?.which deals with tank gulrnery devices. M6OAl | - J
- 8. FM17-12 R€levantparts of TC1?-12.1,"Tips for Tanke*," TC 17-12-2,"Tlaining Tahk and Sheridan Crews to Shoot," TC 17-12J,"Bat- tlefreld Gunnery Techniquesfor Tanke," ald TC 17-125,"Tahk Gunnery Tlainitg," have beenincorporated in this manual. Thie manual ehouldbeueedwith approp- riate vehicle technical manuals. Information found in t,|e vehicle techdcal matnal, such a8 staps for boEsighting, sl,a[dard ?,emmg, and slmchronizatioD of l,an} weapoDssjr$ tems will not be rcpeat€din this manual. Nomal tlistribution of this manual will consist of Parts I tiru III with appendix A, "R€ferences," and the supplement for the type tanL assignedto the unit. The looseleaf format facfitat€s adding not46 and posting change6. Supplementsdescdbing other fanks may be requestedfron the US Army Adjutant Genera.lPublications Centrr, 2800 Eastern Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland n2m. Users of this manual are elrcoutagd to s€nd recommendedchangesor colttdrentsto improve the publication to: Assistant Com- mar!dant, US Army Ardo! School, ATTN: ATSB-TD, Fort lhox, KY 40121. 1-4
- 9. CHAPTER 2 THREAT 2-1. INTRODUCTIONTO THE THREAT The Tbreat Aimy is one of the largest, and oneofthe bestequippedand besttmined armies in th€ world. Basically a mounted force,it is heavy in tanks and artillely. Its weaponscomplementeach other i$ battle, andThreatra.ticsstressmassingweaponsih depth to overpower the opposition- This chapter describesthe Threat in sufficient detailsothat UStankerscantrain to counter Threat strengths and take advantage of TANKS 115-mmSmoothboreGunT-62 Threat weaknessesto win th€ first battle of the next war-outnumbered. Threat weap- ons the US tanker is likely to facein great nr]mbels are discussed,including weapon descriptions, strengths, and weaknesses. Suggestionsfor deleatingeachThreat weap- on will be given. These weaponswill be shown tog€ther in a_ttackand defenseset- tirlgs to givethe US tanker a morecomplete pictureof Threat capabilities. 2.2. THREAT WEAPONS a. Tanhs and Aseault Guns. ltre following pagesillustate Thleat tanks and assault guns, and descibe their strengths aIrdweaknesses, FM 11-12 +6 rolndsperminule 30 nph {48lmph) 310miles(600km)* 'Crursingrangew'thinternalfuellanksonly-
- 10. FM 17.12 10O-mmSmoolhboreGunT-55 3 5roundsperminute 122-mmGunT-10 25 nph (42kmph) 1s5miles(250km)t 2-2 inrernaltuel tanks only.
- 11. FM 17-12 76-mmcun PT-76 0-8rcundsp€. minuta 25 mphl4Oknph) 160mires{260kh). SELFPROPELLEDASSAULTGUNS 85-mm Antitank GunASU.85 I roundsp€r ninut€ 27 mpfi1,14knphl 155miles1250ro)' 57-mm AntitankGunASU-57 30 (mainsun) 28 mph{45 lmd,l 155milesl25Okmf 'Cruisinsrangewathinie,oaltuetranksonty.
- 12.
- 13. c1,FM17-12 At battlesighi ranges,he will see this:
- 14. c1,FM17-12 Thleat main battletank6 aresEaller than the US M60A1. They have a cruising mnge of 500h without external fuel tanks and caD attain speed8of about 30mph. The T-62,the bain8tay tank in the Tbreat srmor€d forceis equipped with a 115-mm smoothbore gun which files boti high velocihr, armoi- pierciug, fin-stabilized, discading-sabot (HVAPFSDS), high explosive(HE), aDdhish explosive antitank (HEAT) rouDds. IMPFSDS is considered the maia tanL- defeating round. T.55tsnks mount a 100-nm gun, which also fues a sabot-t}'pe rcund. Thleat force heary tanks have a slightly shorter crui8ing range than meabumtanks, are much moreheavily armored,and mount a 122-mm gun which fires armor-piercing cappedtlacer ammunition (APC-T)aBwell as HEAT and high explosive (HE). The PT-76, BMP, and BRDM compleErentthe striLing might of the Tlueat tanks. Well.arned fot their size snd weight, airbome assault guns such a6 ASUSS provide mobile armored stliking pow6rto Tbreat airbome and ground fotces. Threat taDk fire conhol ie relatively simple compared to t}rat on US tanle. Currently, most mount Dorangefitrder siroi- lar to US tanks. All Threat tanks are equippedwith excellent inftared night vrew- ing devices,and have a superior underwater snorkeling capability. THREAT
- 15. FM11 12 Strengths ofThreat Main Battle Tanks- Low silhouetle Self-screencapabi|ity................... Simplefire conlrol IR night ision devices.................. Underwa(ersnorke|ing................. High velocity 115-mm APFSDS round makes them harder to hit, makes them hard to acquire, makes them easier to operate and maintain, increase effectiveness at night, permits them to closs water barriers quickly, gives them tank'defeating clout. This round travels one mile every second. Its accuracy gives the T€2 tank crews a better than 50/50 chance of hitting a fully-exposed, frontal, stationary tank in the open with the fiIst round at rangeslo 1,800melers,or a moving target haveling in the open atconstant spe€d at ranges to 1,000meters. lP.. l. I il.l,I ' Snorkelcanbeattached in 15 q|inlltes. J tA'.--. -hF.- t:;;Y''-':. *iF" J{ole. Threatforcesareintroducinga newmediumtank,theT-72. Basicallyamuchimproved versionof the T€2, it has a rangefindet,six setsofroad wheelsand track supportrollers,and crewarrangementsimilar to US tanks. Severaldifferentprototypesexistin limited numbers. 2-7
- 16. FM 17 BUT_ Threat tanksdo have weakne6ses. * Their fighting compadments are .onsiderablysmailerlhan thosein US tanks. The crewis crampedand freedomto mov€is restricted. Crew fatit{uecanbea biggerfactorthanrn US tanks which have moreroom. * Smaller turret interior and larger main gun ammunition (115-mmus 105mm) meansa slowerrate of fire than US tanks. * Becauseof its small fighting com- paltment, the Threat T-62tank has 23fewerroundsof main gun ammu nition than the M60A1. In tank duels,therefore,Threat tanks may run out o{ ammunition soonerthan US tarks. * Some main gun ammunition rs strappedalong the tunet walls, and hits abovethe tunet ring may cause secondaryammunition explosions. * Mosi Threa(lanksslnwa combina- tion of ammudtion and fuel in the right ftont of the hull; a round into this area,and thetankwill probably blow up. * Smallnessof the fighting compart- ment increases crew urlnerability. The gr:rrner sits in the left sideof the turret behind the driver and in front of thetank commander.Aprojectile passing through the left front o{ the hull has a good chanceof hittmg both tl)e driver and gtnner. A projectile passing thrcugh the left flont of the tDrretcouldhit boththe gunner and tank commander. * The tank commander of the T-62 cannot firc the main gun ftom the commander'sposition. FUELT ili l!';..! l;---,' ?::, ii.i.il iii----l | ;-'i li ;< IJ l - (: ti il " -a' i:/)e NER 2-a
- 17. FM t7 12 *B€causeof low silhouette, Threat tanks cannot depress theil main guns as far as the M60-series.This means that in certain situations Threat tanks must be exposedmore than US tanks rvhenfrring themain gun. * Threat tank tunets cannot be tls versednearlyas faslo. as preciseli as US tank tultets. This will enable US tankers to engageflank targets sooner, and track moving targets betterthan Thrcat taDkers. .'fl= !.,--.i& a 2-9
- 18. * Many cur-rentThrcattanks are not equipped with a tangefinder, and their long range gunnery is les6 accurate than oum beyond 2.000meterc. Presently, the stadia reticle is the pdncipal optical aid the Threat tank gunnei has to determin€ range. FM 17 12 Thisisbowrl look[o(heT-62gunner! x.-r-'f;*l,t '.^, ; l:X": -"''i*;,,;:"-,,- : l'; STADIALINES BASELINE 210
- 19. M17 12 * Tofind the range, time permithng, the Threat gunner placesthe target within the stadia and baseIines and readsthe mnge wherc the tank touchesthe stadia line. The stadia line is basedon the he,?it (not width or lelrgL}])ol a fully erposedM60A1 tank. If the US tank is not fully exposed, the gunner cannot range aa accuiately-another reason for US tankers to use hull down positions. Il:re retrcle view aboveillustrates this ranging confusion on two tanks at the samerange. The fully exposedM60A1 can beranged accumtely at 1,600m(topoftunet). Thehull-down M60A1to its right reads about 2,600m. In the heat ofbattle, however,the lhreat gunner employstheEnozing ranEetechnique. Dneto the high velocity (5,340lls) of the Threat armor-piercing round, the projectile doesnot exceed the height ofthe M60A1tank outto approximately 2,000mete$. Thus,in afast moving situahon the threat gunner makesaquick checkwith his stadia rangefinder to seeif youarewithin range, aims at your centerofmass, and fires. On flat terrain, his accuacy is consideledgood.
- 20. FM 17-12 WHEN YOUTRAVEL EXPOSED YOU WILL BE DESTROYED. FoI US tankers to reduce the odds and minimize enemyweaponeffectiveness,th€y muat: E Use terrain to maximum advan- tage at all times, ! Use hull-down f|l.ing positions. ! Move using overwatch. ! Avoid neat geometric forma- tions. ! SuppresslikelJ eDeDypositions using e variety of means-tank, artillery, mortar, air fires, E Obscure targets using tank white phosphorus (WP) or mor- tar./artillery smoke,/WP. ! Conceal their positions using tank-mounted gtenade launch- ers when these are available. E Make sbrupt speedand direction changes while rnoving. b, Antitanh Guided Missiles and. Eochek. ln addition to large numbersof tanks, Threat forces can be expectedto satumte the battlefield with antitank guided missiles (ATGM) and rccket propelledgre- nades(RPG).RPG'sareshoulder-firedinfan- try antitank weapons;cunent modelsare effective at ranges to 500 meters.Threat forceshavetwotypesofATGM's:SAGGERis wire-guided and thus invuherable to elec- tronic countermeasures(ECM);SWATTERis radio-guidedand vulneiable to ECM. ATGM'S aie highly accurateat ranges to 3,000met€rswherethey can defeatall known armor. All are highly mobile. Missiles can be mountedon the BMP armoredpersonnel carlier, the BRDM scoutvehicle,and on helicopters. The SAGGER can be back packed to a firing position by a three-man 2-12 3,O00m 2,500m 2,O00m 1,500m 1,000m Om 'ATGM gunner cannot acquirc his missile fot conrrol
- 21. FM17.12 Vehicle-mounted ATGM's canbe fiied with the crew buttoned-up-with overhead cov€r and protection against small arms fire- ltrey can be remol€ly flred fTomposiuons as far as 80 meters ftom the vehicle mount. The suitcas€ SAGGER may be remotely fired BRDMWITH SWATTER BMP WITH SAGGE from positions15metersfrornthe launchtng rail. R€latively inexpensive comparcd to other tank'killing weapons,ATGM'Scan be expectedin large numbets. Evasive and suppressivetechniquesusedagainstThreat tanks arc also effective aeainst ATGM. le;:.:!'i ' -"=:'" "ii';'tii e"t"i*=; 2-13
- 22. FM17-12 SUITCASE SAGGER In spiteoftheirreliability, mobility, andlong range cffectiveness,Threat antitank weap- ons havetheir weaknesses,Missilesarenot effective at night or in periods of poor visibility. Threat ATGM gr:nners must simultaneouslytrack bothtargetand missile with an opri.al viewer.while flying the missilewith a "joystick" on the controlbox. Missiles have a minimum rangelimitation. 'l'he missilehasto fly about500metersafter launch for the gunner to capture it in his viewerand fly it accuratelyto target. Becausethe missile is highly sensitive to coutse corrections, distractions such as suppressive fire or erratic speed and direction changes by the target will csuse glnners to overcorrect, losing control of the missile. Artillery and mortar suppressive frres will either neutralize the gunner or force him inside a vehiclewhere his field ofview is limited. The targetmustremainin viewto behit. US tankers who move behind cover, obscure themselvesby smoke,or concealthemselves in vegetation rcduce T'hrcat missile and rocket hit probability. Bushes can break guidancewires causingloss of missilecon- trol. Trcesor heavybrush can detonatethe warhead. Since Threat ATGM'S are very slow(12.5s€condsto fly 1,500m;25s€condsto fly 3,000m)fhereis ampletime for a UStank crewto reactifthe missilefiring is observed. Overwatchvehicleshelp provideearlywarn' ing of ATGM launchings. 2-14
- 23. FM 1t 12 .i€ r:l . . ,r:,.."itl ATGM COUNTERACTION DUCK! '6'€ J:* }J;. 2-15
- 24. FM17 12 c. Artillery.Threat lorces are equipped with a vadety of excellent and modem arlillery weapons, ftom light to healX/ mortars and conventional howitzers, to multiple rocket launchers (MRL) and missiles. Most of these are capable of firing conventional and nuclear, biological, and chemi.a- rcunds. ln addiiion ro indireet6rc, Threat artillery car be attached to frontline units to piovide heavy firepower against tanks, bunkers, and strongpoints. Weapons most lrequently used in this role are towed and self'propelled (SP) 122-mm and 152-mm howitzers, the 130-mmfield gun, and 122-mm multiple rocket launchers. 122-mm HowitzerD-3O Max Range 15,30Om Fale ol Fire: 7.8 roundsper mrnute 152-mmHowitzerD-20 Max Ranqe: 17,@Om Rateo, Fire: 4 rounds per minub 2-16
- 25. FM1712 130-mmFieldcun M-46 Max Rangq27,500m Rareof Fire: 5 0 .ounds p€. minde Oneof themorepotentconventional antitank weapons is the T-12 smoothborc100-dm antitank gun found in motodzed rifle divi- sional antit3nk battalions. It fires non- rotating, fin-stabilized APDS and HEAT roundssimilar to the 115"mmrounds of the T 62 tank. Primarily a defensivesystem,the T-12is employedin batterieaof six guns,well forward in tank kill zones-normally on reverse slopee. The T-12 is also used well lorward in the offenseto provide overwatch fires for tank8 and iDiantry. 1oo-mmAntitankcunT-12A PoinlblankFange:1,0OOm 8,500m 7 a foundsperninute 2-17
- 26. FM 17-12 Large numbersof Threat artillery weapons with extendedranges can beusedagainst US tanks. Multiple rocketlauncheE candelver saturationfire.whileconventionalarrilleryis used against targets of opportunity and preselected targets. Itrrcat artillery has considerable ammunition vercatility. All artillery piecesup to and including the 152, mm have specialamor-piercing Uojectiles for direct firc aganst tanks. To counter threat artillery, US tankers must button-up, use hull-dor'n positions when stationary, and move along covered and conceaied routes! A160, shift to alternate firing positions or to new bat!le posilions. Suppressivefires must be used to alestroy enemy gtms or obscurethe view of enemy gunlrers. 122-fifi Long Focket 2O,50Om Shon nocker 11,OoOn 40 rounds pet minute Rocket LauncherBM-21 73-mm Recoilless SPG-9 Max Range 1,960m EfiectiveRangs 1,0O0m Rateoi Flre: 6 roundsper ninlte 218
- 27. FM17-12 Threat artillery hastbrce major weaknesses. Unlesspreplarned, it cannot be massedor shifted as quickly and efficiently as US artillery. Mainly towed,it has limited cross. country mobility, and rcquies more time to change firing positioDs. Lacking overhead cover,all Threat artillerJ'men are vulnerable to indirect suppressive frre. Two new self, prcpelled howitzers (122-mmand 152-mm) are beingintroduced. 122-mm SP Howitzer Max Rangq 15,30Om R.t€ ol Fire: 6-7 roundsp€r ninure Cr!isrnqqange 250km 152-mmSPHowi?er MaxFansa lT.OOOn 8al6ot Fne: 4 rounds!€. hin!€ CruisinsSanse 250km 2-19
- 28. FM I7. d. Aircraft,Threat high performance tactical fighters provide ground armored forcesclosefire and reconnaissancesuppoft, Threat forces also have attack and utility hclicoplers.Threat attack heliccrpl"rs.al though larger thar the US Cobra gunship (AH'IG or AH-IQ), mount machineguns, cannor, ATGM'S, and rockets. Theseheli- coptersareprimarily antita kweapons.The utility helicopt€rcan air assaultinfantry or small commandounits to deshoyandharass from the rcar. Threat electronic warfare (EW) helicopterscan monitor, jam, or send falsemessageson enemyradiofrequencies, US radios can be jammed; only proper radiotelephone discipline and proper authentication can overcome the confu- gion created by false me6sages. .""ftv Mi-24 HIND.A Mi.8 HIP 2.20 Mi-4 HOUND
- 29. FM17 12 MiG-23FLOGGER SU-7FITTER MiG.2I FISHBED su-r1FrsHPoT-c To evade detection by Threat aircraft, camouflage should be used whenever poesible- Heat discipline should be enforced during periods of poor wisibili- ty, Shutting down engines, extinguish- ing open fires, and decreasing r:adio traffic helps prevent detection by air- borne IR cameras. Hull-do*.n oi turr€t- down positions reduce vehicle 6ilhou- ette making ii hard€r to be seen and hit by Threat aircraft, When detected and FOXBAT engaged by attack aiicraft, US tanks should disperse and move following efintic, zig-zag routes, using all weap- ons, including small arm8, to put up a high volume of {ire. The relatively large sizeof Threat helicoptersmakesthem good targeta. All aircraft are !'ulnemble to most tlTes of firc; their effectiveiess is reduced during periods of poor visibility. Thrcat pilots lack battle exp€rience.
- 30. FM17 12 2-3. THREATTACTICS a. Offenae. lhreat forces attack in mass,in at least two echelonsat battalion level and above,with a tank company as rcserve. Threat forces normally try to mass sothat th€y have a 5to 1advantage in tanks, artillery, and unit6. The Threat attack arms to penetlate forward positions, seize deep, separat€d objectives to tmp and destroy the defender, ald contiDue the advanc€. A twical attack sc€nario might proceed like this: (l) The attack will begin with a massive rocket and artrllery prcparation to destroy all known and suspected defensive positions. . (2) A tank'heavy spearheadforce pene- trates i,Le defenses,and succeeding echelonsoverwhelm the opponentby attacking objectives deep in the defender's rear arca. (3) At the time ofpenetration, airborne/ airmobile urdts will be inserted to isolate parts of the defensive battle 222 area, eogage reserves,and cause widespread confusion. This force will be equipped with suitcase ATGM's as well as ASU-85's BRDM'g,and SPG9'e[o knockout tanks from the rear. (4) A-foerpenetration, lerk-heaw re- serveswill be6entLhroughthebreak b delensesto maiolain the momen- Ium oI the att"ack,tink up wirh air- landedunits,completedestrucl,ionof enemy forces,and continue l,heat. tack. 2D ECHELON
- 31. FM17.12 - b. Defeaoe.Threat forces alelend omy.asa temporarymeasureto gain time to contlnur the attack. Defenseijl depthis the Keyro d^etenseptanning. A seriesofsecurity ano,,delenalvezones,heavily supportedby arnnery and antitank weapons.weardown anq destroythe attacker,Durnmyposiiions are conshucted toconfusethe attacker. Tank- ied countemttacks are directed against peae- Etanons. US.lankersattackingagainsta Thleat lorce wrlr l1r€1encounl€r the defeDsivespc/riry zone. This zone conlains light recoDnais. sa:f.taqkst. scoutvehicleswith antimnk g!rded rrxsartea.irfanuy, and minefields_ aI supported by long range aruillerv ard aircraftfires..The-security zoneisdesigDedto oarassanctstowthe attacker,and male him oeptoyearlv. Having penetrated the security zode US taDkerscan expectto contactthe Threat folce forward defensiuepositions up to 5 kilome ters in depth. lhis arca will coltain an arIav of enemyplatoonstrongpointsreinforcedbv tank6 and antitanl weapons.Dumry posi- trons€ndequipmeDtwill givetheappearance ol additional sLrength,aod confuselhe attscker. The6eforward defensivepositions lorce En attacker Lodeploy and assault strongpoints, and canalize him into areas designedfor counterattackby tank reservea. Bc.achirg+hemaind.efensiue6ert,UStankers can expecta seriesofbattalion-Bize interlock- lng positions supported by extensive artil- lery. This belt will be strong in antitank weapons. Every man and weaDonstill available to the defensivepositior com- manderwill be usedto stop and destmythe attacker. Tank-heavy reserveswill be called up to crounterattack and destroy attacking eremeits. ADAUMPBELIA : : :
- 32. FM17 12 2-4. SUMMARY Threattank-defeating weapons complement each other and are employed ir interlocking pattems of firc to deshoy the enemy. To maximize the capabilities of US tanks and mininize their vulnerabilities: tr Use terrain to best advantage. ! Move on covered and concealed routes. D Enploy overwatch and suppressive fires. ! Evade enemy fire by varying speed and direction - duck, dodge, and. zig-zag. ! Use hull-down positions when firing, either sta- tionary or mowing. 2-24
- 33. CHAPTER 3 FM1712 r Thcse tasks sill be testc.ddunns the ?dnl Creu G!na..y .S&tlls?.s1. The rcnainder vill be testcd as pdr ofihc fi ng tabtcs. GUNNERYSTANDARDS 3-1. INTRODUCTION TO STANDARDS Mastedng individual skills is the beginning of talk gunnery. Beforea crew can beformed into an effectivefighting team, driver, loader,gunner,and lank commander must each be highly proficient in his job. Effective teamwork is essential to speed of engagement and accurscy of fire- critical elementsof effectivetank gunnery. Gunnery standards for individuals, crews,sections,and platoonsare basedon hitting the target as fast as possible. Standards outlined in this chapter are starhng points lor performance-oriented gunnery which will be testedin the Tank Crew Gunnery Skills Test and duing a multiple engagement, valiable target sequence,combatguDnelycoulse. This chapterd€scribestaskswhichmust be performed correctly by each individual beforehe can be integratedinto a crew. In addition,standardEhavebeensetto measure proflciencyof eachtank crcw, section,and platoon. Although minimum standardsare list€d,the goal is a frrst-round target hit in the minirnum possible tirne. 3-2. INDIVIDUAL TASKS Individual tasksfor crewmembersapply to ali sedesandmodelsoftanks,exceptwh€re otherwise noted. Time requirements for performingindividual skills are setforth in the appropriateTank Crew Gunnery Skills Test. Commandersmay desireto include time standards in all training after baslc individual knowledgeof crew membersrs validated. Nore. In the Iollowing lists sometasksarc repeated. Although the terminology is the same, the actual functions differ from position to position. For example, the Ioader'sand TC's prepare-to'frrechecksare considerablydifferent. In other instances tasks are lepeatedintentionally for added emphasis. Driuer m st be dble to: 1. Perlorm before, during-,and aft€r operationchecks. 2. Accelerate, decelerate,and brake smoothly.* 3. Maintain corect speeds.* 4. Select a mute providing a stable firing platform.+ 5. Selecta firing position.* 6. Performevasivemaneuvers. 7. Usedriver'snight visionequipment. 8. Identify US and foreign equipment from front, side, and hull-down 9. Acquire targets and report them to TC. I0. Senserounds. 11. Useintercomand extemal phone. 3-1
- 34. FM17 12 Loader mustbe able to: Performall dnver tasks. Identify main gun ammunition.* Load the main gun with conventionalammunition. Load the gun,/launcherwith missile (M551and M60A2only).* Apply misfire procedures.* l,oadthe coaxmachinegun.* Correctstoppages.* Perform prepareto-fire checks, including commurrication.* Identify US and foreign equipment ftom front, side, and hull-down Acquiretargetsand rank them,the mostdangeloustarget first. Mount,dismount,andmaintaincoa--r machinegun. Disassemblcand assemblebrcech mechanism,* Disassembleand assemblethe coax machinegun.* 14. Apply rangeestimation-"choking" (M551and M60A2only).* 15. Employ misflie procedures.+ 16. Prepareand userangecard.* Tanh Commander mast be dble to: 1. Pedorm all driver, loader, arld gunnertasks, ? Superviseclew. g Perform prepare-to'fire checks.* 4. Placerangefi[der into op€lationand rangeaccurately.+ 5. Boresightand zeromain gun,coax, and caliber.50machinegunsands€t headspaceand timing on M2 caliber .50 machinegun{M4HAl. M551, CEV). 6. Identify US and foreign equipment ftom front, side, and hull'down 7. Acquiretargets,and rank them,the mostdangeroustarget first. 8. Lay the main gun for direction arrd designat€the taiget.+ l . 2. 3. 5. 6. '7. 8. 10. 11. 12. 1:1. 4. L 14. Borcsightand zercthe searchlight. 15. Us€intercom. 1tj. Usenight vision equipment. 17. Load and cleargrenadelaunchers. Gunner ,rutst be able to: 1. Performall driver and loadertasxs. 2. Performprcpare-to-frrechecks.* 3. Useall firc controlsyst€ms.* 4. Boresightand zeromain gun.* 5. ldentify US and foreigl equipment ftom fiont, side, and hull-down 6. Acquirc targetsand rank them,th€ mostdangeloustarget first. 7. Identify a proper sight pictule and useall sight reticles.* 8. Senserounds. 9. Engagetarget.s.+ 10. tack targetssmoothly. 11. Fire missile (M551 and M60A2 only).** 12. UseIR/passivedtuect'firesights. 13. Operate laser rangefinder, if so equipped,from gunner'sposition. 3-2 Senserounds. UseTC'snight sightssnd handh€ld night vision devices. Operat€searchlight. Givecorrectfrre commands.* Load, clear, fire, and apply immediate action to the TC's 10. l l . 12. 13. machinegun.t 14. Fire the main g]rn from the TC's position,** 15. Pedorm misfire procedures.* 16.l)isassemble, assemble, and maintain the TC's caliber.50 machinegun.* 17. Prepareand userangecard.+ 18. Estimaterange. 19. Operategrenade launchers (where appropnale). rThes€ tasks will be t€st€d durins tbc ?dtA Cpo e@nety ShiltsTtst.Thercmai.derwillb€ tesiedaspart " Commanderon M55r dd M60A2 should nevd atlemptto launcha missilefrom his position.
- 35. ,FM17.12 3.3. CREW STANDARDS Crewetandards for each 6eries and model of tank are the ba8is for all team training; they establish a measuable goal toward which an armor unit commander can diect his training. Times for all vehicles are based on a loaded gun. (Seechapt€r 20 for detailedtiming and scoringprocedures.)Crew standards will be scoredon Tank Gunnery TablesVIIA,B, andVIIIA,B. Whenwhit€light illumination (searchlight only) is employed, daylight standards will be used. MaO-SefieB (except M6OA2) qnd M4aA6 Tanh Creus ,nu8t be able to: E Given an M60-seies tank moving 12- 15 mph, main gun Ioaded and laid no mole than 15o off target, range and ammunition indexed (1,100 meiers/HEAT or 1,600 Eeterc./APDS), engagean arimor-tlDetarget, using battlesight, within 5 seconds during daylight, and within 10 second-sduring darhess under artifrcial illumiDation.+ As a ninimum, a tatget hit should be obtained within 10secondsduring daylight end withiu 15 eecondsat night at ranges to battlesight range. E Given an M60-seriestank moving 12- 15 mph, main gun loaded and laid no more than 15" off talget, eDgageaD armor-tjrpe talget, using precisioDfire, wit}tin 10Becond6 during daylight, and within 15 secondg during darkness under artificial illumination., A6 a Einimud!, a target hit shouldbeobtainedwithin 15secoDdsduring daylight and within 20secondsat night from battlesight rahge to 2,500meters. E Given a moving or a stationary hull- down, M60-seriestank, the crew will adjust, fire a secondround, and obtain a iarget hit within 5 secondsof a first-round Eiss. E Given an M60-seriestank, the crew will engageatrooptype targei, at arangenot exceeding1,600neters, using t}le caliber .50 mschinegunJ or 900 meters using the coax machinegun, within 5 seconds during daylight, and within 10 seconds durilg darkrese under artifi cial illuminatiou.* E Given an M6Gseries tank and a range card prcviously madeby the cre$', the oew will reposition the tank at night, and, using range card deta, hit targets within 5 minutps of reaching the referencedpoeition. E Given an M60-seriestank moving no Eore than 15 mph and a fue command, the c|ew will engagea lightly-armorcd vehicle or aircraft with the calibe! .50 machinegn wii.hin 5secondsduring daylighi, and within l0 secondeduring darkness tnder artifrcial illumination.* M4&Series (exce$ M4aA Tdttk Cre@ mxstbe able to: tr Given an M4&seviestank moving 12 15 mph, main $m loaded and laid no more tian 15oofr target, range and amrounition indexed (1,000 metels/HEAT or 1,000 meteE/AP-T), engage an aimor-tlDe target, using battlesight. within 5 secoodsduring + When whit lisht illmination tu ued, daylisht scori.c tim€8 will be sed. 3-3
- 36. c1,FM17-12 daylight and withinl0 seconds du'rog darloess unde! artificial illumination.+ As a minimnh, a target hit should be obtained within 10eecondsduring daylight and {'itlrin 15 secondsat night at ranges to battlesight range. tr Given an M48-eeriestankmoving 12- 15 mph, main gun loaded and laid no more than 15o off target, engage an armor-t'pe taiget, using precieionfirc, within 10seconds during daylight, arld witlin 15 second6 during alartness under artificial illumination.* As a minimum, a target hit should be obtained within 15secondsduring daylight and within 20secondsat night from battlesighi range to 2,500met€rs. E Given aetationary M4&sedestank in a hull-down position, the crewwill adiust, fire a secondrould, a$d obtain atarget hit within 5 secondsof a frst-lound lniss. E Given alr M48-sedestank, the clew will engagea hoofFtype target at arange not exceeding1,600meteE uaingthe caliber .50or 900 meteE using the coax machinegun, wit.hit 5secoudsduring daylight, and within 10 secondsduring darkness under artiEcial illumination.* E Given an M48-eeries tank and a range card previously madeby the clew, the crew will re-position th€ tank at night, and, using Iange card data, will hit target€ within 5minutes of reaching the referencedposition. ! Given an M4&seriestank moving 12- 15 mph, the crew will engage a lightly- armored vehicle or aircraft with the calibei .50 n ithiD 5 seconddduring daylight, and witldn 10 seconds during darloess under artifr cial illumination,* ammunition and laid no mole than 15" off target, engage an armor-type target, mrng battlesight, within 5secondsduing daylight, and within 10secondsduring darknessunder artifieial illumination.* As a minimum, a talget hit should be obtained within 10 seconds during daylight and within 15 secondsat Dight at ranges to ?00meters. tr Given an M60A2 tank moving 12-15 mph, gur/launcher loadedwith conventional amdunition and laid no more tian 15" off target, engage an arEol-tJrpe talget, uaing precision fire, wii,hin 10 s€conds during daylight, and within 15 8econds during darkness under artiEcial illumination.* As a minimum, a ta.get hit Bhould be obtained within 15eecondsdlringdailight and within 20 secondsat night to 2,000meters. E Given a moving or etationary, hull- downM60A2t,anL,thecrewwill adjust,firea secondround, and obtain a target hit witlin l0 secondsof a firct-Iound miss. tr Given an M60A2 tank, the crew wi]l engage a trooptype target, at a range not exceeding1,600metersusing the caliber .50or 900 meters using the coax machinegu, within 5 secondsduring daylight, and within 10 secondsduring darkness under artificial illumination.+ E Giveu a stationary, hull-down, M60A2 tank, grn./launcher unloaded and laid no more l.ban30" off target,syst€min missile mode, and a fire coomatrd, hit the target with a missile at a range in excessof 2,000rnetcl€. EngageEeDt will b€within 25 eemnds during daylight, and within 30 seconds during darlness under artificial illumination. E Given an M60A2 tank and a runge card previouslymadeby the crcw, the ciew will reposition the tank at night, and,using . When shit€ tight ill@ination is 6ed, daylisht s@riDAtimes wi]l tF used. 3-4
- 37. FM17-12 rangecarddata,hit targetswithin 5minutes ofreachingthe referenc€dposition. E Givenan M60A2tank haveling less than 10mph,the crewwill, within 5 seconds ofa fire command,fire thegrenadelaunchers Bothat the vehicle wi]} beobscuredfrom the front or flank. E Given an M60A2t€nk Eoving 12-15 mph, the crew will engagea lightly-armored vehicle or ailclaft with the caliber .50 machinegun within 5 seconds durrng daylight, and within l0 seconds durinc darknessunderartifrcial illumination.i M661 ARAAV (Sh-erid.an)Creut mua. be able to: E Given an M551 ARAAV moving 12- 15 mph, gun,/launcher load€d with convention al ammunition (800 met€re.HEAT-MP)andIaidnomorethan15o off tsrget,engageanarmor-rypetarget,using battlesight, witiin 5secondsduring daylight, and within 10secondsduringdarknessunder artificial illumination-* A-s a minimum, a target hit should be obtained within 15 eeconde during daylight artd within 20 seronds at night a[ ranges to 800toetefs. tr Given an M551ARAAV moving less than 15 mph, gun/launcher loaded with conventionalammunition and laid no more than 15o off target, engagean armor.type target, using precision firc, within 10seconds during daylight, and within 15 secondg during darkness undel artificial illumination.* As a minimum, a target hit shouldbeobtainedwiLhin20secondsdurins daylight and within 25secondeat night ourio 1,000meters (2,000meters equippedwith laserrarrgefinder). ! Given a moving or stationary,hull- downM551ARAAV, thecrewwill adjust,6re aseond round, and obtain ataryet hit within 10 secondsof a first-round miss. tr Given an M551ARAAV, thecrewwill engage a troolltJTrc target, at a mnge not exceeding1,600metersusing the caliber .50or 900 metds using the coax machinegun, within 5secondsduring daylight, and within 10 secondsduring darknessunderattifrcial illumination-* E Givena stationaly, hull.down.Mbbl ARAAV, gun,zlauncherunloadedandlaid no morc than 30oofftarget, hit the target with a missile at a rang€in excessof2,OOOmete$. Engagementwill bewirhin 25secondsdurins daylight, and within 30 secondsdu-rin; darknessurder artif cial illumination. D Given al M551ARAAV and a range card previously made by the crew, the clew vrill rc-position the vehicle at night, and, using range card data, hit targets within 5 minutes of reaching the referencedposition. tr Given an M551 ARAAV traveline lesslhan 12 mph, the crewwill, within 5 secondsof a fire command,file the grenade launchers sothat the vehicle will beobscured from the front or flank. E Given an M551 ARAAV movine 12- l5 mph, the crew will engage a ligitly- armorcd vehicle or aircraft with the caliber .50 machinegu within 5 seconds durlng daylight, and witlin 10 eeconds durlne darknessunderaitifrcial illumination.* * When wbite light illumination ic used, daylight scorirs dbes wil be ued 3-5
- 38. FM 11-12 3-4. SECTIONSTANDARDS Tank section standards vary according to ttpe vehicles and the tactical situation. Regardlessofmission, several standards are common to all sectrons. Due to the different situations that may be encountered on any range or battlefield, standards will not be sp€cifically defined and quantified. It is implied that another tank section will always be in overwatch ready to provide additional frre supporl lo thc maneuvpring The following standards will be scored on Tank Gunnery Table IX. In any situation, a tank section consisting of2 or 3 tanks, under the section leader's direction should be able to: 1. Engage multiple targets in priority of danger to the section with appropriate weapon. (Time of engagem€nt and range must meet crew standards for the t}?e tank shooting.) 2. Engag€ targets and conserve ammunition byaccurate distribution of fircs. 3. Shift section fircs within 10 seconds to suppress an area target. 4. Employ suppressive fires and maneuver, uerng terrarn to maximum advantage to destroy multiple targets. 3-6. SUMMARY To win in modern war, US tankers must be more knowledgeable, more capable, and better trained then their e emy. After tndiuidual standard.shaue been mel, tanh creus must function toEetheras a leam more efficientLythan in the past. HaL,ing masteredindiuidual and creu standard.s,US tanhersmust be shilled in section and.pLaLoonbdttle runs, Loheretank gunnery and tactics are combined.OnLyafter aII thesestandardshauebeenmetcdn UStankersbe confidentof their read.inessto uin thefirst battleof the nert war. 3-5. PLATOON STANDARDS Tank platoon standards are an extension of section standards since the platoon will normally move by section using overwatch fire and movement techniques as descibed in oth€r tactical hainins literatue (e.s.,TC 17153,FM 711). As with other gunnery standards,time, range,and capabilitieswill vary accordingto t]?e vehiclesin the platoon,but must meet crewstandardslor the type tank shooting. The following standardswill be scoredon Tank GunneryTableIX. In any tactical situation, a tank platoon should be able to: 1. Engagemultipletaryetsin priodty of dangerto the platoon. 2. Shift platoon or section fires to suppress an area target within 10 3. Employ suppressivefres (toinclude supporting fires) and maneuver, using terr ai n to maximum advantage, 36
- 39. CHAPTER 4 FM1t 12 PREPARETO FIRE 4-1. GENERAL To fire quickly and accurately, the tank's turret and associated equipment must be routinely maintained, checked, and aligned. T'hischapterdiscuss€stunet maintenanceand frre control checks,syn- chronization.boresighting.and zeroing. Specialemphasisis given maintenanceand equipmentchecksthat arc faequentlyover- looked. ?zis chapter is utitten uith the M6oAIlanhasmodcl.Forpxacrprocpdurcin performing checks and alignments, tanh creumenmustrcferto the technicaloperc- tar'smanual for theb type tank. 4-2. TURRET AND FIRE CONTROLCHECKS a. Prepare-to-Fire Checfts. All tank operator's manuals prescribe the prcpare-to-firechecks which must be per' formed precisely and accurately before firing. lForeachtlpe rank.scetheappropri. ate supplement.J b. Re-emp hasized Cheche. 'Ihe fol- Iowing checksare onesyou can't afford to overlookin the M60series: 11) Zeroprcssurechech. To pre- vent unnecessary wear on the turret electric motor and sluggish movement of turret and main gtrn during power operation, crew must perform zero pressure check before {iring. Delayed target engagementbecauseof slow g1ln controlresponsccouldmeanthedifferencein whether you or your target fires first. The zero pressurecheckverifiesthat the power controlsystemcontainstheconectamountof hydraulicoil andnitrogenpressure.Withthe tun€t locked, d€pressthe power solenoid plunger, rotate and hold the powercontrol handle either left or right until the pressure dropsinstantly to "0"- Checkthe oil at zero pressureand add or drain as r€quired. 4-1
- 40. FM17 12 (2) Manualeleuationchech. For coirect main gun response duringeleva- tion and depression, craewmust charge elevating system before llring main gun. A preciselay of the main grn is impossiblewith air in the system.Failureto chargethe manual accumulatorwill cause erratic movement. To charge the system, depressthe gunto mardmumand continueto tuln themanual€l€vationpumphandleuntil it can no longer be turned with one hand. Checkfor smoothoperationby elevatrngthe gun. The M551hasan electrictunet system, and manual chargingis not necessary. maint€nance services. TM 750-116lists CAUTION: Elevation Handle Under Pressure (3) Sieht pureirLEchech. To en- eure sights are free of discoloration, moisture, or other foreign matter, crelv must check sights daily. Sights will becomeblurred or discoloredif not purged regularly with dry nitrogen. All tank sights arescheduledfor purging by organizational maintenance personnel during quart€rly proceduresard requirements for purging. If you detect mor€ture or discoloration in youi si,ghts,notify orEdnizationaLmaintenance immedidtely. 4-2
- 41. FM 1t- 12 14)Camputer cheLl?.A crew must perform R computer ( hei k hefore firing to ensure superelevation is introduced into the primary direct-fire controt system and the superelevation actu- ator. Superelevation is produced when range input fr.rm therangefinderis combined with ammunition data built into the compu' ter. The computer distdbutes the combined information through two output shafts. One shaft feeds the ballistic ddve and the other goesto the superelevation actuator. Perform the comDuter check using the operator's manual. the tabularfiringtable. the rangefin' der, and the computer. Ensur€ the output shafts rotate, the inner and outer pointers aligr, and thc data {iom the fldng table and the mils indicated in the computer mil counter windorv are the same for the ammunltion selected. If you detect any errors *'hile performing thc checks,notity your organlza tionai lufret mechadc. 5) Supercleuation chech. To en- sure the main gun and the primary direct-fire control systems receive cor- rect information from the computer, crew must perform superelevation check before attempting to fire. (Do not contuse thi6 operational check *'ith the supereleuation error test'which is pedormed by the organizational turet mechanic.) Before performing the superelevation check, you must have completed the computer check. To conductthis operational check,use your firing table, the computei mi1 counter, the tank's elevation quadrant, and the rangefinder. Place HEP-T ammunition rn the computer, index 1,200m, record the superclevation in the mil counter window a]ld the mil ieading from the elevation quadrant. Increase the range to 1,500m, record both readings and subtract your first readings from the second. If differcnces arc not within plusor minusone mil, notifyorgani- zational mainLenance. 4-3
- 42. FM1112 (6) Slippaee andaccuracy c/rec&s. In preparation for firing in the indirect mode as artillery or fromrange card data, crew must perform slippsge and accuracy checks on the azimuth indicator and unit turret mechanic must perform accuracy check on elevation quadrant. Fire will not beaccurateif there is slippageor slackin the azimuthindicator. Pedorm the azimuth indicator checks using manual haveme for accuracy arrd power traverse for slippage. If there is any slippag€ or slack in the azimuth indicator, notily your organizational turet mechanic. The turet elevation quadrant mustbe zeroedby theunit hrret mechar}icusing a previously calibrated and zeroedgunner's quadrant. CAUTION: Always EnsureManualTraverse Handleis LockedPriorTo Con- ducting SlippageTest. (.7) Stabilization chech. Ao accld- rately fire from a Inoving tank, crei must check stabilization systemdaily. In the near futuie all main battle tanks will be equippedwith a stabilizedgun systemfor accuratelyflring onthemove. A maladjusted or inoperativestabilization systemnegates this advantage. Operator checks include ensuring that balanceknobs are adjusted, lamps illuminate, loss of manual traverse and elevation capabilites occur, and the superelevationactuator ceasesto firnction whenin thestabilizedmode.Performchecks using your operator'smanual. 4-4
- 43. FM17 12 (q Ransefinderchechs. To de- termine range accurately with a yange- frnder, the crew mu6t perform checkout procedures before fi ring. (a) Coincidence rangefin. der. The rangefilder is part ofthe primary direct-frrecontrol system. It inhoducesthe range element into the ballistic comput€r where range is coupled with ammunition data to determinesuperelevation.It is the tank commander'sprimary direct-firesight. The coincidence rangefrder is an accurate ranging instrument when properly placed into operation and checked by the TC. Changesin weather and varying tempera- tures will affect coincidencealignment, so check the rangefnder daily (or when ttre temperatule changes) in accotdance with instructions found in the appropriat€ tank operator'smanual. MAINDEFLECTIONBORESIGHTKNOB IVAINELEVATIONsORESIGHTKNOs VERTICALADJUSTMENTKNOB HOFIZONTALADJUSTMENTKNQB CSKNOB RANGESCALE FILTEFLEVEF SALLISTICCOMPUIERSWITCH RANGEKNOA INSTFUMENTLIGHTPANEL NOTEr AUXILIAFYTEFLECTIONSORESIGITKNOB, AUXILIARYELEVATIONBOFESIGHTKNOB, AND LAMPASSLMALIESAFL LOLAIID OI FEVERSESIDEOF RANGEFINDEF l 2 3 5 6 I 1 0 t l 1 2 1 3 12 l 3 HALVINGKNOB EYEPECE occLuoESKNoB 1 0 L I 1 1 I + I COINCIOENCEFETICLE MAINIBLACKETCHED)GUNLAYINGFETICLE OB AUXILIARY1REOILLIJMINATED)GUNLAYIN6FETICLE lb)' Laser rd.ngefinder. The la- ser ranglng sysrem incrcases first-mund hit probability and assists crcws in getting first rorrnals on the way more rapidly. It is anticipated that this syst€m will also be addedto product-improvedmain battletanks in the near futurc. Referto the appropriate tank opelator'smanual fo} checkoutproce- dures, 4-5
- 44. FM',t112 tata --"4'*/3L-. 9) Recoilex.ercising check. To prevent leaking seals and corrosion of exposed cannon tube surfaces, the recoil mechanism musl be exercised during nonfiring periods. Il sealsdo nor receive lubrication either through firing the main gun, or exercising the system, they become brittle and leak. The machined surfaceofthe grn tube will collect moisture and rust ifnot prcperlyserviced-Checksincludelookingfor leaks and examining your Equipment Log- book (DA Form 2408-4,"Weapons Record Data Cald") for the last listedrecoilor marn 'gunfiring exerciseofyour tank guntube. If ir hasbeenncithcrfirednorexprcisedduring time frames establishedin the operato!'s manual, contact organizationai mainte- 70) Gasparticulatefilterunit. To enaure crew safety, the gas particulate filter unit must be checked during crew maintenance. The gas particulate filter unit installed on your vehicle protectsthe crew from chemical and biological agents. Yourliiemaydependonlhisunirluncrioning properly. Toperformthecheck,turn theunit on, let the motorrun to cleardirt and debris, check the hoses for leaks, connect your tanker'smaskto the particulateunit, putthe maskon,and checkthemaskfor serviceabil- ity. If the unit fails to operate,or youdetect damagedhoses,notily organizationalmarn- 11) Communications.The tank's intercom and radio must be checked daily. To engage targets rapidly tank communications must operate prcpetly- Checksshould include a completeintercom and extemal phone examination. With poweron, placeeachcrewpositionintercom control box through all phasesof operation, survpyrhpconne.ringcablesfordamageor exposedwires,lookfor corrosion,ard ensure "O" rings are presenton cableconnectors. CheckeachCVC helmetlbr condition,€nsure
- 45. FM 17 12 thereisno wateror oilinpadding, andensure microphones mount prcperly in front of mouth. Checkradiosand radio mountsfor properinstallation and needfor spot paint' ing,andthatintelnally mountedcoolingfans rotatefteelywhenactivated.Finally,makea radio checkwith a radio locatedat least 10 milesaway. If any deficienciesaredetected, notify th€ oryanizational field radio repair- c. Night fire control chechs. To engage targets effectively at night, night fire control devices must be checked prior to use. I) lnlryrPd. Thrs nighl wiewing system is install€d on most main battle tanks. It is composedof binocula$, peri scopes,and a searchlight. It will bereplaced in the future by a passive/starlightsystem. Infrared instruments cannot be exposedto direct sunlight when energized.Suchexpo- surecausesinternal damage. (a) Binoculars. To check the binoculars,ensurehatlery is properlyin- stailedin powerchamberand that electrical connectorsareproperlyconnectedand have no frayedor brokenwires.Alsocheckthatno cracksor dentsaie presenton the binocular housing. Ifyou detectany deficienciesor are unabletofocusthebinoculars,tum themin to organizationalmaintenancefor repail (b) Slgifs. Ali optic sights are delicate in design ard must be handled with care. Infrared sights should be installed or removedonly underdirectsupervisionofthe tank commander. Checks made by crew membersincludeluming onpower,focusing the green ring, and repeating the steps for emergencypowermode. Thetank operator's manual provides stepby-step procedures. Ensureyourinfraredsightchecksincludethe driver'snight vision equipment. t. SPaffhlight. Since its in. troductionwith theM60tank,theAN/VSS 1 xenonsearchlighthas beenournightvision work-home.Theinfraredandwhitebearnsof light producedby the xenonsearchlightare sufficient, when coupledwith capability of th€ tank sighting system, to engage targets within battlesight range. Each tank clew must ensure that the xenon searchlight mounted on th€ir tank is operational. The .v'lrlnerabilityofthe searchlightto enemy fire makes it essential that frequent checks be made ofthe searchlight's operational status. If the light fails to illuminate, noti{y organr- zational maintenance. The xenon search- light will eventually be replaced by a more advanced system, POWER CHAMBER ELECTRICAL coNNqcToRs NOTE: Remove battery after use. 47
- 46. FM 1t 12 2)Passirc. A passive sighting systemsimilarto that usedon theM551and M60A2rrll soon be mountpdon a,l main battle tanks. This system providesbetter observation capability than the older rn' fraied systemat similar ranges. (aj Binoculars. Passivebinoc uJars{ill gire tank .rclls thecapdbilir)of vicing lhe battlefieldwirhoutsear.hLighl assistance.Passivebinocularswill amplifl' the dimmest starlight and seeminglyturn night to day. Operatorchecksofthe binocu- lars are limited to turning on the po*er s,!'itchand focusingthe diopter scales. If binoculars fail to illuminate or focus,turn them in for repair. (b) Sigftls. All infraredsights arecomparrhlewiththe pirk searchright. butpassivesightscannotbeusedin conjunc tion with the AN,/VSS-1xenon searchlight discussedabove. Targetacquisitionis possr- bieunderstarlight at battlesight rangesi'lth passivesights. Operator.ecks ol passie sights are limited to operation of the filter. activating potler, both normal and emerg' ency, focusing the reticle and green field of vien'. l{sights fail to operateor focus,notify ihe unit tunet mechanic. tc) NecLrinftarcd l pinh") scarchlight. This searchlight operates rn both a "pink" artdwhitelightmode. Tocheck the searchlight's operation, use the same procedureas for the infraredmodel explained above. (3j Autitiar"- gun laying rcticles. To ensure sighto with auxiliary gun laying reticies are adjusted for night fire, check thatthey are aligned withthe primary gun laying reticles. You will not hit the target firing with improperly aligred auxiliary gun laying reticles. Verify align- ment before darkness each nighi. Use the auxiliary gun laving reticle boresighting knobs to make adjustments and control reticie light intensity with the rheostat knobs. Ensure the reticle looks like- t_ _l_ _|t-+---t- THIS -l NOTTHIS 48
- 47. cl, FMt 7-12 4-A.BORESIGIITING AND SYNCTIRONIZATION a, Boreeighting, Boresighting estab- lishes a convergent relationship betweenthe axis of the tube or banel of a weaponand its direct-fire sight. Boreeighting is thebaeiefor all sight adjustments and must be pmperly performed for each tank-mounted weapon prior to zercing. When a tank has been prcperb bolesight€d, the extendedaris ofthe tube will intelsect with variouo lines of sight at the bo&sight lange (generally as closeto 1,200metersaBpossible). BORELINEOFSIGHT LINEOFSIGHT-FIoHTENOHOUSING LINEOFSIGTIT-LEFIENOHOUSING LIN€OF SIGHT-PEFISCOPE IINE OF SIGHI_TELESCOPE 4-9
- 48. c1,FM17-12 T$o generally acceptedmethods exist for initially determining the cent€rline of the main gun bore prior to aligrring the tube on the aiming point duing the boresighting plocess-the standard two point rcfercnce system employing binocula$ and thread, and a muzzleboresight systememploying an instrument such as the Wataon borcsight device. The two point referencesystem has gained wide acceptancesince it is easy and 3 CAI-IBERS (r2.4INCHESI requiresno specialequipment. Becauseof the slight bending (droop)of the tube caused by unevenheat distribution within the metal, however,theiwo point systemcanbeinaccu- rate since the tlue centercannot be precisely determined. Useof amuzzleboresight devrce compensatesfor most tub€ ilroop and there- forc allows for morc accurate bolesighting. Whenever available, the muzzle bolesight deviceshould be used. lin. oa sishr as detemined tine ol siOht.!der.rminod bythefinal 3 calibers ot tub€ {.ccoonted torwith muz2l6 bor6.i9hl d€vice). Fnins tesis indiclt. th.t rho po.irion ol the linrl lhreo @libers 112,4 incho.) of the tlbe are imponant in dot€minins th. itriko of the rcund. Th6 rwo poinr r€lorence sy.tom N.rlgss our any tube droop bll the mu2zle devic6 .ccuralelv m6ar!rcs the Dosition or lho LINE OF SIGN] BOREIINEOFSIGHT LINEOF SIGHT APPBOX 'I,2OOM b. Syrrchronization. The crew muat ensure sightB are synchronized before ettempting to zero the tadk weaponssystem. S)'nchronizationensures that gun arrd sight.s rcmain sligned when elevated and depressed. A sJmchronization check is performed quarterly by organiza- tiodal mairtenance personnel with assist- Whan prcperly synchronized. lanool light convorg$ d targ€twith linool sishtlhrough bo.6 oliube rlg3rdl€$ ol anceftom the tank clew. Whensight€ arenot synchronized. effective tank gunnery is impossible.The most common method for s,'nchmnization is the outdoor method re- quiring a synchronization ramp and a boresightpanel. A muzzleboreeightshould not be usedwhen checking oynchronization eince tube droop may con@al synchrcniza- tron error. 4-10 BOBE LINEOF SIGHT
- 49. 4-4, ZEROING gfi*ttuffi **-u*$*?*ut*sl"lp f#.'#ifr{*;s$t,tln FM 17-12 H6OAl-'iANK cunocpsPiiiii ac-!!l l- -- eiupePs Pgnat _c74)-- -. - - TCLasaoPL ritiii-ij;iei -i-ottvuadrl- - Eod,P'€i, !o;ilr',.f REd51n 4-11
- 50. FM 11 12 b.SpecialZeroing Techniques. The operator'smanual for eachvehicleoutlines the norrnallyacceptedzercingtechniquesfor thal vehicle. Two cdditi,-,nallcchniques exist.however,whicha)i,-rwforgreatermain gun accuracyin certain situations. These techniquesare outlined belowfor the marn battle tank but can be tailor€d to other fighting vehiclesonce the theory is und€r- stood. (l) lnd.ependent.ero. In this tech- nique,the secondaryand primary sightsare zeroedindependently of each other for a specific round, thus compensatingfor the differentcharacteristicsofeachround- Sinc€ the telescopeis th€ preferredsight for HEP ammunition, greater accuracy can be achievedif the telescopeis zeroedwith HEP independently of the periscope,which is zeroedwith APDS(TPI)S).Thecrewcanstill fire APIIS with thetelescopeor HFiPwiththe periscope.The crewcanusewhicheversight is operational. The procedurefor independ- ent zeroingis prcvidedas a checklistat the end of this chapter. If the independentzero technique is used, the checklist procedure mustbefollowedexactly,includingfiring the HEP zerofirst. This is to prcv€ntth€effectol aphenomenonknowna6"tubememory."The first HEP roundfired after a seriesofAPDS or HEAT roundswill have a higher muzzle velocityandthusimpacthigheronthetarg€t than subsequentHEP rounds. 12) Long runge ?ero. In a combat situation necessitatinglong range engage' ments(beyond2,400mete!6),increasedmaln gun accruacycan be achievedby boresrght- ing and zeroingaf a range of 1,600meters insteadof the usual 1,200meters. This will increase accuracy to approximately 3,200 metersand will maximize battlesight accu- lacy with theprimary armordefeatingrcund. BecauseAPDS (TPDS) shot holes are ex tremelydiffrcultto abserveat arangeof1,600 meters,the zeroingtargetis actuallylocated at a much closerrange and marked m a special pattern. Use of this technique, detailedin anotherchecklistat tLeendofthis chapter,resultsin an effectivezerofor loDg 4-12 ranges.(Seepage 4-23for long range zero [arget.) Jl ZeroLerification. As discussedin paragraph,1'3above,unevenheat distribu tionwithintheguntubewillcausethetubeto droop sliehtly. The exact amount of droop varies,andeachtubemustbetleatedindivid- ually. In most tactical situations,fidng a rvarmuproundis impractical.Gunnersmust, thercfore,beawarethat the first roundfired from a cold tubemay strike as much as one meter (at 1,200 meters) from subsequent rounds at the same range. Adjustments madeonthebasisofthe frrstround,thercfore, tendto beinaccumte. menever the tactical or rang€ situation aliows. a warmup round shouldbefiredto minimizethe effectoltub€ droop. A) Refinementofzero, Refinementof an establishedzeromay becomenecessary dudng the courseof firing to ensulerounds strikewithin 24inchesofthe aiming point at zeroingranges.Ifroundsarestnkingtargek near the zeo range, but are stdking more than 24 inchesoffthe aiming point, another shot grouprnaybefired at theinitial zeroing range a]ld sights refefied Lorefine t}]'ezerc. The new boresightknob settingsbecomethe newlyestablishedzeroand mustberecorded as such. Remember, when re-laying the main g[n, frnal lay is always accom- plished in the same direction, against pressure.
- 51. c, FM1/.12 4.5. OTHERFIRING PROBLEMS DRIFT. CANT. PARALLAX, snd DROOP can causeerror when firing. The errora ale usually small when frring at targets within 1,200metem, but increase significantly as rangesto targetsincrease, especiallywhen firing slower arnmunition. Errors caused by drift, parallax, and droop can be minimized by refining the established zero. Corrgcted Sight Picture For Srnall Amount O{ Cant a. Drift. Dift is the deviation of the projectiledght from theverticalplaneoffire. Rotation of the projectiles,causedby the dfling of the bore and the rotating bands, forcesthe projectiiesto drift in the direction of rotation. -'!r Range: b, Cdnt. Cant is causedwhen one track of the vehicle is higher than the othei. As the range to the target increases,csnt causesar increasederlor to deflectionand .-angein the alirectionin which the vehicle is canted. mren cant is unavoidable, the sight pictures illuEtrated should be used to compensate for this error. c. Parallajc. Parallax is the apparert differencein the position of an objectwhen the object is viewed from two different points. Sincetank gun sightsareoffset{Tom the line of sight of the gtntube, the system hasbuilt.inparallaxerrors-boresightingis designedto correctfor this. Alother form of common parallax error results from the gunner failing to position his eyeto the sight in the samemanner for eachsight picturc. This error can be conected by properly adjustingtheheadrest.Parallaxerrorwithin an opticalinstrumentcanbecorrectedbyth€ tunet mechanicadjustingthe sight parailax VERTICALPLANEOFFINT
- 52. c1, FM 17-12 d.,Droop. As mentioned earlier, the bending of the gun tube caused by uneven heating or cooling of the outside surface rs called dmop. The heat ofthe sun strikingthe upper surface oi the gun tube will causethe eun to bend downward, resulting in tube droop. This is particularly a problem with long barreled guns. Excessive alroop can cauae the rounds t,o completely miss the target. You may have to rezero, but before you do, fire a warmup rouna. e. Missile Systezrs. Crews of vehi' cles equipp€d with a missile guidance and control systemm&s,perform a systemcheck- out. Checkoutproceduresaie listed in the appropriate operator's maluals. Drift, calt, parallax, and droop do not affect missile flight. 4.6. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, AND MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES Tools anal supplies must be included in prepare-to-fire checkB. Ttre items authorized operator/crew personnel are listed in the operator's ma]lual and are necessaryto accomplishprescribedmainte- nance and checks. Compare the authorized lists with the equipment you have on board your vehicle. If you 6ld shortages when conducting the check, iequisition the missing items. If you find more than you are author- ized, tum the excessin. Other clews may be short of equipment due to your excess. 4-7. QUARTERLY MAINTENANCE SERVICES Commanders must ensure tank tur- rets receive accurately per:formed Sche- duled maintenance services. The unit which has not performed dealicatedmarnte_ nance by schedulingtime, personnel,tools, and equipment required to perform adequate serviceswill encourrtergunnery problems. 4-8. SUMMARY tr The tank turret and a88ociated equipment must be thor- oughly maintained, checked, and aligleal for the tank crew to edgage Threat targets accurately end quickly. Mainte- nance of turrets, checks and synchronization of frre control syatems must be done in a precise way, following ihe appropriate tank operator's manual, which each tank crerY haa, To frre accurately use yout estoblishad zero. Rezeroing is expensive, and may not be practical in combat. Use your eetablished. zero, ! tr ! 4-14
- 53. FM17-12 CHECKLIST FOR STANDARD ZERO 1.Tank,thisis tower. Perfo.mallprepare-to- Iire checksin accordancewithtable2-1o{your operator's|nanual.Therangetothe boresight target|s_ met€rs. 2. lUpon completion of ptepate-to-lire checks-) Arc you preparedto zero? Ensure that zeroingrouhdsareaboardandthatrounds of the sametypeareof thesamelot number, 3. Areyourbrakeson? Tankchocked? 4. Turn computaron and ensure pointers align. 5. Usingmanualcontrolsonly,layandfirea warmup roundatldesr?ratedarea)-lFirc HEP,if possible.to reducegun tube weaL) 6. LoadAPDS(TPDS)ammunition,indexthal aoundand- metersintothe tire con- lrols. 7. Fire a 3-roundshot groupusing manrial controlsonly. Referto steps7 andI on your checklist.Reloadpriortolayingloreachround. Takeup the samesight picturepriorto each round.Dorotreteryoursightsuntiltoldtodoso bythetower. civ€ mean"ONTHEWAY,"prior lo firingeachround. 4-15
- 54. f M r7 1 8 Reoadandre lay rargelusrngihe "G sr.Jrrlsrothecenieroi lhe bcresrgh1knobs lrack ro the cenier of the palrern IhP, refer yo!r rf e sfor !lroup Dl rllovrng I R e ' a y l o t h e c e n l e ro f l l r el a r g e l G p a l r e f n a f d m a n u a l c o n l r o l s m n f r r m a to n r o u n d 9. With the maingun loaded.re-laytheretrcle armingcrosslo the exaclarmrngpointusedto frre the 3 round shot grolrp Use step 7 procedures. 10. Without distu.bingthe lay of the gun, unlockthe elevalronand defleclionboresighl knobsand movethe gunner'speriscopereiicle aimingcrossto the cenlerof the 3 roundshot groupby rotatingthe knobs. l1 Re Javlhe dimingcrossof the gunner's pe',scopeIo lhe originalaimingpointbv using the manualeievationand traverslngcontrols. Re-layusingslep7 procedures.Firea roundto checkthe accuracyof lhe selting 14. lf il doesnot hit wiihin the 24'inchcircle, loadanotherroundand repeattheprocedure1o completea new 3 roundshotgroup. Usesteps 9lhru 11 to resetthegunner'speriscopereticle. 15. Fie anorhercheck round. lf the round farlsro srrike4/ithinrhe 24-inchcircle,.SfOP Clearall weapons,and requestassistance.lf the roundhitswilhin thecrrcle,proceedio step 16 16. Using manual elevationand traversing controls,re lay lhe gLrnner'speriscoperetacle aimingcrossto the lop leftcornerof thetarget. Ensurelinalmovemenlofthegunisinelevdlion l 'G ' pattern) Withourdisturbingthe layofthe 9un, unlockthe elevaiionand deflectionbore- sight knobs on the telescopeand refer the appropriaterangelineonihe appropriatereticle to the top left cornerof lhe targel. !srngrhe 12 llf second confirn)atton round mtsses c//c/e./Feloadanclre-lay 1ocenter of ihe target an.j i re a th rd conf rmalion round After yo! ' r ' . d r o u d . - i o a d c n J r ' l r ' o t " . . e _ . T h e n r e i e r y o u r s L g h t st o r i r e c e n l e r o i r h e 3 round conlirmat on gro!p rar ay to tfe center and llre a check round llltl)echeckroundfalls wttlttn the circle, conttnue vttlt step 73: il it.Joes not. call a cease fie for lltat tank and provtde 13 Re lay1orhe lpper e{l oi lhe targetand reierali srghlslo the samc armng pornlby nrovrngtheboresghtknobs l /hen reieringthe meterrangeIne ro the rar0etratherrran the 1A (lf yau sense a hi Atnhtnthe 24-hch 12. lf the check round strikes within the ./r./e/ Yo! arezeroed lPtu)ceedtc step | 3 ) 24-inchcircle,proceedto step 16. 11 lU foLt sense ihe roon.l hn odstde th-. c?r./€,1Re oad and man!a 1yre ay to tne center o l l h e t a r g e l a n d f i r e a s { r . o n dc o n f r m a l o n tornl lll n tlits whhtn )e ctrclega ta step 13.1 13. l{ the checkroundIailslo stfikewithinthe 24-inchcircle,loadanorherround.re'laythe gunlo thee.racloriginalaimingpoint,andfire.It the secondroundhitswilhinthe24-inchcircle, you haveattaineda zero. Proceedio siep 16.
- 55. FM17-12 14. Recordthe maingune$ablishedzerofor eachsightintheturretandonDAForm2408-10 inyourlogbook. "G" PATTERN I _t_ 15. Reponanyzerorefinementtothetowerfor record-Clearall weapons,fly- flags. I I N 4-17
- 56. FM17-12 INDEPENDENTZERO 1. Tank,this istow6r.Performall prepareto- firechecksfoundinvouaooerator'smanual.The range to the boresight panel is melets. 2. lupon completion of pteparc-tofite Checks-) A(e you preparedto zeroTEnsure thalzeroingroundsareaboardandlhatrounds of the sametypeareof the samelot number 3. Areyourbrakeson? Tankchocked? 4, Turn c,omputeron and ensure pointers alrgn, 5. Using manual controls only, lay and fr.e a HEP-TP-Twarmup round at (designatedateal 6. Load HEP-TP-Tamhuniton. The rangeto yolr larcet is - meters. Firea 3-round shot group using manual controls and your telescope. Reler to steps 6 and 7 on your ch€cklist.Reloadpriort9 layingfor eachround. Take up the same sight pictureprior to each round. Donotreferyoursightsuntilloldtodoso bythetower. Givemean"ONTHEWAY prior to firing each round. 7. Reloadand re-iav backto the centeroI the target using the "G" pattern. Then rcfer your srghtsto thecenteroftheshotgroupbymoving the boresighlknobs. 4-18
- 57. FM l7 12 8Re ay lo the centeroi rhelargetusrngthe "G ' patlern and manual controls,and t re a conIrmationround. I0 Us'rg procedureoull nedIn sl6p6. re Lay rheappropriaierangelineoftherclescopeio ihe origlnalaimingpointandfire a checkround. 9 llf yau sense a hit witl|n the 24 inch circle,) 11. lf the check round stfikes within ihe You are zeroed. (Praceedto step | 2 ) 24-inch circle, proceedto siep 15 1A lff yousenseahit outsidethecircle)Retoad and manua y re layto the cenlerof the target andf re a secondconfirmationround //l l1hts withtn he ctrcleptoceed ta step 12.) 12. lf the checkroundhits outsidethe circle, loadanotherround,re laythe gun lo the exacl originalaiming point and fire. lf the second roundhrrsw lhrnrhecrrcle,youaveallaineda zero. Proceedto step 15. 11 lI secand check tound ,)?tss-asc]rcle/ Reoad and man!aly re-layto centerot the targetandllfe athirdcheckround Alteryout re theround,reoadandre laytothecenterThen reler yoLr.sights10 the cenler of lhe zeroed confifnrariongroup,fe'layto th€cenler,andiire a check round. (t the check round h/ls withnl the ctcle, proceedto step 72; il it daesnot, calla ceasefire for that tank and proticleasststance) 13. lf rhe second check round misses the cifcle, load another-round and repeat the procedureto completea rehl 3-round shol group. use sieps I thru 10 to reset the 14. Fire anothercheck round. If the round missesthe circle,SfOP.clearallweapons,and .requesiassistance.lf the ro!nd hils insiderhe circleproceedto step15, l2 R".oro)o .r 'lLP esrabLrFd /e-ofor'' relescopeonDAForm24O8-10and n theturret. 13 Manuallyre laygun to paceapproprate range ine of APDS ret cle on larget a m ng 14. Reoadwith APDS (TPDS),indexAPDS ntocomputer,andusing theprimarysrghtiLrea 3 roundshol group 15 Record the ielescope boresight knob seitings,thisasyouresrablishedHEPzeroforthe 16 Usrngmanualconlrols,re layappropflare rangelineofAPDSreticleoftelescopeontarget armrngpornr. 17 With APDS lelescoperetacleon aiming point. unlock perscope boresighl knobs and referaimingcross10targetaimingpoint. 18. LoadAPDS (TPDS)and rndexAPDS into 19 Usrng rhe gLnnpr'speI|scope{r'e d 3-.oundsholgro,p Followprocedure,n sleps 6 and 7. l5 Reloadandre laybacktothecenterofthe 20. Wilh the gun loaded,re lay the aiming target Then reler your aiming cross to the crossto the exactaimingpointusedto firethe cenrerofrheAPDS(TPDS)shotgroupbymovingsholgroup the boreslghlknobs 21. wrthour disrurbingthe tay ot the gun. 4 19
- 58. FM 11 12 unlocktheperiscopeboresightknobsandmove the periscopereticle aiming crossto the center ol the shorgroupby rolalrnglhe knobs. 1 6 F F l d y r o l ' , . c - n l - r o r r re l a r g e l- c n ! l ! e ' ' G p a , r e r na 1 d m a n L d l . o . l - o l . a r d f , r F a check round of APDS (TPDS) 22. Re-laythe aiming cross to the original aimingpointandfirea checkround.Usestep6 1l. lFollow steps9 thtu | | todetermineiftank 18. RecordyourAPDSeslablishedzeroforthe primarysighton DA Form2408 10 andin the lurrel 19. Re layto the upperleft of the targetwrth the primarysight, reler the APDS telescope reticl-a,and recordyourAPDStelescopezero. 23. Followsteps11thru 14todetermineifyou 24. Recod lhe periscope boresrght knob settings, this js your establishedAPDS (TPDSI zerofor the periscope. 2b. He 'ay rhe peflscopeaimingcrossto lhe upDeflefl of lhe tdrqetusinq"G oatternand 26 Unlock lelescopebores,ght(nobs and refer the appropriate rarrge line of the APDS reticlelo lhe samepoint. 27. Record the telescope boresight knob seflrngs:this is youreslablshedAPDS{IPDS) tero tor rhe telescooe. 20 Return your secondary eslablishedHEPzero. s r g h t 28- Turntelescopeboresight your establishedHEPzero. knobsto reapply 29. Youcan now travelwiththe prima.ysight zeroedfor APDS,the primaryarmordeteating round.andthetelescopezeroedforHEP.lfyour periscopebecomesinoperative,the gunner can placethe recordedAPDS seltingon the tele 4-20
- 59. c1.FM 17 12 LONGRANGE ZERO 5. Usrngrnanualcontrolson y, lay and tire a warrnup round at /designatedarea). 5. Load and fire a warmup rcund (towel selects area or targetJ. 6 Load APDS (TPDS)ammuntion, index APDSand 1,600metersintothe fire controls J(p lonq lr'rg. /Fto t1.gat tfo'gat must bp at 5OAm.) 6- Indexthe 1,600 meters in the rangefinder from minimum mechan;cal$op without over- travel. IndexAPDS in the comDuter. 7. Fire a 3-round shot groLrpusing rfanual conlrolsonly. Beferto steps7 and 8 on your checklist Reloadprior1olayngforeachround Takeup the sarnes ght pidure on the alming pointol the zeropanelpriorto eachround. Do not reter yolr sightsuntrlro d lo do so by the tower. Give me an 'ON THE WAY' prior to f ring eachround. 7. Load anothorround and using manual cont.olsonly(butwith turretpoweron)laythe gunner'speriscopereticleaimingctosson lhe aimingpointofthezerotarget{Seepage4-23). Always lay the gln in the samedirection follow;ngtheouterperimeterofthetarget,with the finalmovementin elevation("G'pattern. page4-17). 8. Fire a 3-round shot group using lhe proceduresin step 7 Jor each engagemem- Announce"ON THEWAY" overthe radioprior to firingeachround. OIC CHECKLIST TC CHECKLIST I Tarl. thrsisrower Perfornallprepare-to. firechecksin accordancewith table2 I of your operator'smanual. The rangeto the boresght panelis 1,600meters. 1. Obtain a designatedtarget from the cont.ol tower and verify exact tank-to-larget range. 2. Pefiotm prepare-totire checks including manualchargingotelevationsyslem, 2. lUpon completion of ptepate-to-fire 3. Ensurethal ammunitionis on boardand checks ) Ateyouptep6redtozero?Ensurethal thatall lot nlmbersarethe same, zeroingrounds(APDSor TPDS)areaboardancl ihal roundsare of the samelot number. 3. Are your brakeson? Tankchocked2 4 T!rn lhe computeron and ens!re poinlers alrgn. 4. Turn computer on, press the reset button, and verify that the jnner and outer pointers align. Ensuretherangecorrectionknobissetin accordancewilh tube wear critetion. 4-21'
- 60. c1 FM I7.12 8.Reload and re lay back 1o the strike zone cross usinq the G' pallern. rhen telet yaul 5 , 9 r 5 _ o I F L p n r o 'o f t h e s h o rg , o u pb m o v i n q !he boresight knobs 9. lvith the main gun loaded,tc-lay the reticleaiming cmss to the stdke zonecross. Usestep7 procedures.Withoutdisturbingthe lay of the gun, unlock the clevation and deflectir-rnboresight knobs and move the gunner'speriscop€reticleaiming crossto the centerof the ;l-roundgroup by rotating the I Re'1ay10thearmingpoinlofrhetargetusing the "G patte.n and manual controls.Fire a confirmationround 10. With the main gun loaded,re-laythe periscopeaimingcrosstotheailningpointofthe zeropanelusingstep7procedules.Fireacheck round. 1A. lf you sensea hh whhin the sttikezone,) 11. lfthe check roundslrikeswithin lhe strike You are zeroed. lProceedto step 13.) zone,proce€dto step 15. 11. ll you sensea hh outsidethe st kezone,) Reloadand re-laylo the aimingpoint andfire another check round.f/f it hits within the st ke zone,proceedto step 13.) 12. It the checkroundhits outsid€the strike zone,usingstepTprocedures,relo€dandre-lay to the aimingpointand fire anothercnecK round-lf lhe secondroundhitsthestrikezone. Droceedto steD15. 12. It secondcheck/ound missesstnkezone,) Reload,re-lay,and ii.e a lhird check round. lAftet the thitd checkroundis fired,repeatsteps 8 and 9. ff that checkroundhits the strikezone ptoceedta step 13:if it doesnot,calla ceaselie for that tank and provide assistance.) .|3. lf it doesnorhit the strikezone,loadand tire anotherroundto completearew 3-round shotgroup. UsestepI to resetthe periscope reticle. 14. Fireanothercheckround.lf the round does not hit the strik€ :one, STOP, clea. weapons,andrequestassistance.lf it hitsthe strikezone,proceedto step15, 13. Re lay 10a 1.600meieraimingpoint(on the boresighlpanel)and relerall sights1othe same point by moving the boresightknobs. When referringthelelescoperemembertorefer the 1,600meterrangelineto the targetrather than the boresighlcross. 15. Usingmanualcontrolsand"G" patternre. laylhe periscopeaimingcrosstoa 1,600meter aimingpointon the bo.esightpanel. (Youcan locatea 1,600meterpointbyrangingwithyour range{inder.)Withoutdisturbinglhe layofthe gun,unlocktheboresightknobsotthetelescope and €ngefinderand referthosesightsto the p€riscope.Locktheboresightknobsandensure the aimingcrossesremainat the €xactsame referenceooint. 14. Recordlhe longrangeestablishedzerofor each sighr in your rurret and ol DA Form 2408 l0 of your logbook. 16. Recordestablishedzeroreadingson DA Form 2408-1O. Equipment component Begister,whieh is parlof yourlogbook.andin 4-22
- 61. c1,FM17 t2 I totuc RANGEzERoTARGET STR / t.c (f,) _--,/ IKEZONE DRAWNTOSCAII 36" 4-23
- 62. CHAPTER 5 FM1112 5-1. GENERAL Tank crews nrust be able to engage and destroy targets quickly with a minimum expenditure of ammunition, To acmmplishthis, eachmembelofthe crew must know his particular job sowell that in combathis responsesare neally automatic, Each crewman must be familiar with the dutiesoftheotheftankcrewmensolossofone memberwill not destroythe fighting effec. hvenessof the tank. This chapteraliscusses the general dutes of all tank cewmen. Specihcdutiesfor eachposltiunand series tank are coveredin following chaptersand tank supplements. CREWDUTIES ! tr 5-2. TANK COMMANDER The tank commander comrnands the tank. He controlsthemovementand frreof the tank, through his actions and ord€rs. When targets areto be engaged,the tank commander will: E acquire target tr issue initial fire command E lay main gun near target E determine range to target E command gunner to fire E observe and adjust fire E issue orders to ceaae fire after targ€t has been destroyed E clear and reduce stoppagesaDd _' Jnalfunctions of his machinegun Iire and adjust from his position if gunner cannot identify target fire machinegun mounted at the commander's station Stenade laudcherc (ontanks 5 - |
- 63. FM 11.12 5-3. GUNNER Thegunner-fires and adjusts fire of the main gun and coax machinegun. He is responsiblefor turret maintenanceof th€ tank. lvhen orderedto firc, the gunner*'ill: ! turn on necessary s]vitches ! index ammunition into fire con- trol system J identify target range with laser rangefinder (on tanks soequipped) _takecorrect sight picture fire and adjust as appropriate use auxiliary fire control instru- ments and range cards when firing in indirect mode ! ! ! ! n. 5-2
- 64. FM11-12 5-4. LOADER The loaderselects and loads ammu- nition announced in the initial fire command. He is responsiblefor servicing main gun,coaxmachineg!n.and ammLrni. tion. When firing, the loaderwill: ! know ammunition stowage plan ! load msingun andcheckthepath of recoil I apply proper misfire procedures on main gun E load coax machinegun E reduce coax mschinegun stop- pages and malfunctions by: - applying immediate action - changing barrel 5-5. DRIVER The driver maneuvers the tsnk on the battlelield. He is responsiblefor the automotive maint€nance of the tank. In perfbrminghis duties,the driver will: D constantly s€arch for rout€s and firing positions which provide maximu m protection from enemy fire ! maintain a gtable platform for frring on the move I stop smoothly on command 5-3
- 65. FM 17-12 5-6. CREW Allmemb€rsof the clew assistthe tank commanderin acquiing targets while per- {orming their other duties and assist in obsewingand sensingrounds6red. 5-7. SUMMARY To win outnumberedtank crewmenmust: tr know their individual duties so well that their respons€to situations is automatic E befamilier with duties of all crew members D function as a fe@m 5-4
- 66. CHAPTER 6 FM1712 TARGET ACOUISITION AND IDENTIFICATION 6.T. GENERAL In modern battle w€ should expecta rapid tempoof movementand engagement. Small elementssuch as platoonsfrequently wi)l be required to operaterelatively inde. pendentlywithin irregular battle lines. A]. though Threat targets will be engagedat maximum iang€.US tankersmay oftenfind themselvesintermingledwith Threatunit6as weil as units of friendly nations. Speed of target engagement depends on the cr€w's proficieney in acquiring the tar- get. 'l'o capitalizeontheadvantagesoffiring first, the entirecrewmust be prcficientin: D Detecting the target tr Locating the target ! Identirying the target as friend or enemy This chapterdiscusseslechniquesandmeth- odsof iapidly detecting,locating,andidenti- fying targetsdurirg day and night. US tank crcws must train themselvesto distinguish friend from foequickly and fire first. o- |
- 67. FM17-12 6-2. CI"ASSIFICATIONOF TARGETS To defeatmultiple targets on the battle- freld, US tankers lDust engage targets in order of the threat theyrepresent. Targetsate c)aaaifredasnast danEerous,dangerous, and, least dangemua. Moat Dangeroua, A target that sees you, has the capability of kiJling you, arld appea$ to be preparing to engageyou is the tnost dangerou& Tlds taiget is your greatest threat and muat be engaged quickly, If there is more than one, engage the closest first. 6-2
- 68. FM17-12 Dqngerous. A targ€tthat cad kill you but al4)arently doesnot s@yo.riBdangeroua. Engage this target as soon as possible after de8troying oll most dangeroua talgeta. Leogt DanEerous, A target that does not have the immediate capability ofkilling you bul can rcport you !o largetsthai can is least ilongerous. Engage this ttTe target as soon as possible after all alangerouE targeta are destroyed. 6-3
- 69. FM 17-12 6.3. TARGETSIGNATURES Most weaponsand vehicleshave tell- tale signatures, a result of design or the envircnmentin whichtheequipmentisused. For example, fir.ing a tank main g]rn on dry sandysoilraisesa dustcloud;atankdriving in builtup areas mak€s morc noise than one moving through an open field. US tank crews must be able to recognize signs- tures to help locate and identify targets, Sight, hearing, smell, and sometimestouch and taste assist in detecting and identif''rng signatwes that {'ill lead to target locatron, identification, arrdrapid engagement. Look for targets where they are most likely to be employed. a. Soldier SigndhDes. * Foxholes * Ttash * Tornoutveseiation(usedforcamou- flase) b. Trach Vehiele Signatures, * Tankbacksonground * Tanktrackandensinenoise * Dustclouds * Dieselsmoke i Inud sha4 repod fotlowed by white * A brisht whit€ flash at nisht - Inok for these sisDatues in open areas,rollins tenair. c. Antitanh Signaturea. * "Swish" of missilelaunch i Lons. Ihin wi.cstrom previously6re" ATGM'S * Traceruof slowflyins ATGM'S * Shary crack of AT sD * DismountcdBanne"up (o 80 merers away from lamching rail Inok for AT cmploymenr in oper arprswpreranksafelikely tobeused. d. Artillery Sigtuahtes. * Inud dull repolt * Grayish white cloud of srnoke * Brisht oranseflash andblacksmoke from airbursts * Rushinsnoiseheardseveralseconds prior to impaci of round Aircraft SiEnahtres. * Glare of sun &om aircrafl canopies and rolor blades * Vapor irails ftom aircraft or 6red rnissiles * Dusi and movementof foliase fiom hoveins helicopt€rs l,ook fof ihese signacures wher€ - terain maskssuchasridsesor forest are available for aircralt to hide behind. Obataclea anrl Mines, * Irose oi disturbed dirt in a regnler - Expect €mplacementbetween un' amssablete{ain features. - hok for positions coveredhy enemy fire (usualiy infantry with antitank 6-4
- 70. M 17-12 6.4. TARGETACQUISITION a,Obeerudtian Positionr. Acqui- sition mu8t be continuous whether halted or moving. When moving, u8e tuEet-down orhull-down routesto maintatl a low tank profrle. When noving turet-dom and observation is Easked by t€Eain, obeet- vation is still continuously maintained by overwatching tankg, To leducevulnerability E'henstationaiy, a US tank crew mu3tr d Use (in orderof pviority): Hide pobiaione with dis- mountedobserver. IrNret-dotDn poaitians, Hull-danon ooeitions. ts/ t*,t..-r"" o* of camoufrage. E/ R"do". -o".-.rrt and listen, / K""p .adio on low volume. / *o"". emoke emission fton heat€rs and exbaust. / se alte to move rapidly to a X X X X X Disrupt the natural vegetation atound your posihon Move aror:ld excessrvely Buitl firee, etrite matches,or tttr on lights Shout, yell, talk loutlly, or slam hatches or gxiUdoors Run engine unnecessarily or lev engine to high rpm's
- 71. FM 11 12 b.Target Area Responsibility. Crew nembers and tsnk cre*'s must be given clearly delineated observation responslbilitieqqothat Ihe la rgetaretris constantly observed. r-.'ll Whethera lone tank...', .-lF',r "_ ,A_;- ,. ', O ' * , _: ]- ,Lf,, or with the platoon. bF' /-. /- .b,. . -r-y ';ro !ai-461 A dismounted observer equipped with binoculars and communications to the tank can provide highly effective target acquisition information. He is more apt to hear the enemy before he see6him. 6-6
- 72. FM17-12 c, Scdnning Techniques.Ptoptet scanning t€chniques enable crewmen to locate and identify targets quickly. First, without optics,make a quick overall search for obvioustargets using all your sensesto det€cttell.taletarget signatures. If no tsrget6 ale found in the initial search, and time permits, with the aid ofoptics, make a moredetailed searchofthe terlain using the 5o-met€rmethod: (1) Search a strip 50 met€rs deep f]^m ridht 1^ lafl (2) Then search a strip from left to right fadher out overlapping the first Btrip. (3) Continue this method until the entire sector is covercd. (4) When a suspicious spot is de tect€d, stop and search it tho rcughly. REMEMBER: tr Initial ecanning is alwaye done first with unaided vision, then with magnified optice ftinocu- lara, rangefinder, periscope, tele scope). E Scanning is continuoua. Any- thing missed on the first or second scan may be seen on the third or fourth scan. C The entire crew rnust look for likely targets within their as- Bigtredsectors of reeponeibility. [1 Shen you suspect Threat air targets, start by searching ftorE far t,o Dear. 6-7
- 73. FM 17-12 d.. Optics,Daylight sights, binoc- ularc, and Dighl, .ision devices (passive aDd infrared) are needed to acquire targets at ranges greater than possible with the naked eye. Daylight binocular efficiency can beincreasedby using only one eyepieceor cupping the eyepiecesto prevent stray light from entering the eye. Buttoned-up, the crew can observe frcm inside the vehicle usirg vision blocks,peri- scop€s,thetelescope,therangefinder, and the gunner's unity window Ttrming off the illuminat€d reticle of periscopes,telescopes, or rangefirdem will improve night observa- tion. Wben firing, keep the illuminated reticleas&m aspossible.Typesandemploy- ment of night vision dences are discussedi]l the appropriate tank supplement. e. Night Acguiaition, Iatget ^c- quisitiou techniques at night are similar to acquiFitiou techniques dudng the day, At night, whether using daylight optics orthe unaidedeye,don'tlookdirectlyat an object, but a few degrees offto the side. The sides of your eyecare more sensitive to dim light. When scanning with this off- centervision, moveyour eyesin short, abrupt, iEegular movements. At each likely target area pause a few seconds to detect any motion. Sounds and smell can help in acqriiring targets at night, Sounds carry better at night in t}le cooler, damper night air. Run- ning engines and banging grill doors can be heard for great distances at night. Odors from dieselfuel, gasoline,cookingfood,or buming tobacco,after shave lotion. and the like can betraythe enemyor you. 6-8
- 74. cI, FM1t-12 6-5. TARGETIDENTIFICATION Potentialtargets should be identiied beforethey areengaged. This is necessaryso l}|at Lheappropdate weaponand ammuni- tion combination is selectedto ensuretarget deshuction. US tanlers must be able to recoglrize equipment-oufs and theirs, friendly and Threot. Friendly foreign elementsmay be operating with US tankers. Additionally, we can expect Th:reatforcesto put into use captured fiendly arrd US equipnent. Tanks and tank-like vehicleeand armored pewonnel carriers can be studied usingGTA 1?-12-8,"ArmoredVehicleRecog- nition Carde." GTA 44-2-1,"Atucraft Visual Rocognilion,'covershigh perforDanceair- cmft and helicopte$. ^6-6. ACQUISITIONREPORTS Targets that are located Bu6t be reported immediately. The report should include the following: ALERT-Radio call words followed by word(s)alerting receivinestation of action being takel erample:..ROMI'O 45 -THIS IS ROMEO 59-OBSI]RVING (engaged or destroyed)". DESCRI PTION-"tlTc, numbel',andactiv- itv of enemytatget (erample:,,4 TANKS MOVING NORTH- EAST " or'1 BRDM WITH ANTITANK MISSII,E.'' LOCATION-Use besl means of locatine the tarqft tffonplp: .'DlRECi FRON'T'-TWO THOUSAND'' or "REFERENCE POINT BRIDGE-RIGHT 30 (MILS)'' or "TREE LI NE-RIGH'I' I]DGE." 6.7. SUMMARY E Speed of target engagehent de- pends on crewrs profrciency in acquiring targets. Thie includee the need fot the crew to be eble to: a Detect the target a Locate the target a Identifr the target as friend or foe E Obeervation for targets must be continuous using all aenses. ! Observation should be carried out from a coucealed position, if possible. E Tank creE'men have distinct terget area observation reapon- sibilities. E Varioue scanningtechniques can aid target detection. E Targets can be locat€al at night using night vision devices or indirect illunination. E Once located, targets must be reporteal idn€diately. tr Ranked in order of the threat they preseDt, targels are classi- fred as: a Most dangelous a Dangerous a Least dengeroua 6-9
- 75. CHAPTER 7 FM1712 7.T. GENERAL T(, take advantage of battlesight gunnery, US tankers mustat aglance be able to determine ifthe target is within battlesight range. Belond battlesight range.it may benecessaryto estinale range becausethe rangefind€ris inoperative. This chapter discussesvarious methodsof deter- miningrange. Imtnediatemethodslobeuscd witb battlesight gunnery are discussedlbl" lowedbv themoretime-consumingdeli6?rdte ,?ellods.(Chapter9,"Directl'ire,"discusses battlesighlgunneryin detail.) RANGE DETEBMINATION FirstRoundOver 7-2. IMMEDIATE RANGE DETERMINATION METHODS a. Main Gun Battlesight Method. This is the simplest and fastest method frrr verifl ing range. T!invollFs engngIng the targetat the sametime a tangebracketto the target is being determined. Use a standard fire command with battlesight information indexed and ammunit)on loaded. When a standard fire command wrth ammunition elementis announccd,thc Bun- ner automaticallr_ aims center-of-mass. Iire. ll thc round hits short. lav at the top of the Ifthe round hits the target high ot gocsover, re iay at the base of target and continue to fire. This is eflective at ranges to 1,900 meters with APDS or 1.J00 meters lvith HEAT. target.lnd fire again. GUNNER SABOT TANK FIRE Adjustmenl 7-1
- 76. FM17 12 b. RecognitionMet tod. Range de- termination by recog[ition is simple and amazingly accu:rate, This method is based on target visibility. It can be used by the naked eyeor sightmg tbrough a magni{ying instrument- With the naked eye,or sighti:rg tbrough instruments with 7{ powermagnifi- cation, the following targets a:rerecognizable to the nnges indicated in the table below.For example,if you can seeit is atsnk, it is within 1,500meter€;ifyou canseethecrewmembers, it is within 500 meters. 4Aen using this dethod, however,you must take into account the sizeald clarity ofthe target in relation to its background. Some tigbt and terrain conilitions make a target seemcloser,where as other conditions will make it seemfurther TankCrewMembers Troops,Machinegun,Mortar, AntitankGun,AntitankMissileLaunchers ank, Armored Personne Caftier.ltuck, by Model APc,Truck SEEMSCLOSER Brightclearday Sun in frontot target Higherelevations Largetargets Erightcolors- (white,red,yellow) Contrast Lookingacross ravines,hollows, rivers,depression SEEMSFARTHER Fog,rain,hazytwilight Sunbehindtarget Smalltargets DarkColors Camouflagedtargets 7-2
- 77. cI, FM17-12 I c. CoaxMethod, Because of the similarities of superelevationangles, the coax machinegun can be employedeffec- tively as a ranging gun to 900meters(hace! bumout) whenfrring 105-mmHEP and 152- mm HEAT-MP. d. Cupold-mounted Machinegun < Method. On tanks so equipped, the caliber .50 machinegun can be used as a ranging gun out to 1,600 met€rs (tracer burnout). The tank commanderfires the caliber.50machinegunfromtheM36ballistic reticle,observingtherangeontheieticleused to hit thetarget.Usinghis periscope,hethen announces the range, and the gmne! observesthe tracers. GUNNERCOAX_ PC FIRE_ GUNNER_HEAT_PC CAL.50 RANGING- ONESIXHUNDRED_FIRE. 7-3
- 78. c1,FM17 12 e. Whenusing immediate methods to determine range remelnber; The main gun method tells you if the target is within battlesight range. It will giveyou about a S09oprobability ofa first-round target hit out to a range of approximately 1,9OOmeters with APDS or 1,40Ometers with HEAT. The recognition method is quick and gives you a good idea ofthe range to the target, remember-if you can tell it is a tank with your naked eye, it i6 l.r'ithin battlesight range (SABO'f ,/1,6o0 meters, HEAT,/1,1O0 meters). TTrecoax method lets you suppress your target while you are getting the rangeto the target to engage with the main gun. The caliber.S0 method letsyousuppress the target while range is being deter- Ininedl This method works best if the cupola is locked and aligned with the Inarn gun. 7-4
- 79. c1,FM17-12 7-3. DELIBERATEMETHODS ,,^:. :ich!.Retictes and Mit Reta_.sr. r"ne.Dtnocutarand mil relation lii,ii'.!"';";3;T::r:::,"f"';,,,.,T"';nlergntotthe LarFetmust beknown. Measure rft Knownwrdihor heighrwilh thebihocular ml| scateora sigh( redcje,substitutelhe mil :ila,rroll,cn9iomeuretheranse.Al"cura.yofLms^m-ethoddependson k-nowledgeof targer ::I]-"::"." and rhe individuat.sabili,y romakeprcflsemeasurementswiththebinocu- .,t, Mtl r, tatu a. l.hpmil rsa unrr,t:rngul!r n'ejrsuremnntpquflll,rI ri,.lfirL,t.ir .rrcrr I lrpn .,rrpirlrpfoximttslt. milsrn I',D,.Inrt,;rnl,c$ rirrenI/r. Tle rnitisusFdri) rjrnkllunrrf tr r.,tuse,,1thfprul'j..,ilr,.urn r,,ns l|rd :rdjusrrnontrcqurred.Tank fir.e.i'nrr'it ,rlUrtrrntnl rs r.r.,du:rrFdin nrilsro(rn ont) n, lhe mil methodof measurcrnenr. One mil equals meter at a range width (or height) of I of I,0O0 rDeters- Thi6 relalionis constanlas Lheanalein. :]::::" "?. I mjl ro 2 mitsand the rangem^creaseslrom _1.000Detersro 2,000mel€rs. .nec.ause the mil relationi6 constant,otherunrtsot measuresuchasyards.Ieet,orinches ::1,1"^:l!:1ll"rid formerersin expressrDs .nuu, or range: however. the relation holdsrrueonry.lltot, W and Rareexpressedin ihesafie untl _olmcasure. For example,if the :]:_1".",1 , t.T1ransteareextendparo1,000ydrds. thewrdth betweentheendsofrhesides 1 MILA] 1,OOOMETERSEOUALS1 MEITR. iilidriltrff$!ifSigriftrHii: 0-6 aool- I 6.)n 2 / A .2X or9d A comparison ot Mits & Dogrees
- 80. c1,FM17-1 (2, Determinina rangeusing the nil rcldtion. Since the relationship of the angle in mils {rd), the length of the sidesm thousands (R), and the width betweenthe endsof th€ sides(W)is constant,width ofthe targct, range to the target, or mil value ofthe target can bedetermined if the other two are tf w = 1, w = Rx/),, W R =w The mil relation holds true whether the W factor is in a hoizontal or vertical plane,if the mil angle is measuredin the sameplane. : N D I R E C T MACHINEGUN : = l/z'* BINOCULARRETICLE As a memory aid use t]re word,, "WORM." WORM stands for: TimesI Mlils. 7-6 xn,
- 81. c1.FM 11.12 To determinerange, the anele and the width (or height) mu6t beknown. The sketch below depicts a situation in which the tank com- mander must determine the range to the iarger, , Problem ri 5 LriEaEI s Plocedure The enemy tank is approximalely6.5 meters long (W). Using h s binocular,the iank com manderdeterminesthallhe lank measures5Di ln length Y{ Substrrutingthetwo knownvaluesforW andnl, R=W=65=13 n1 5 SinceR rs in thousandsof meters,mulriplyby 1,000 1.3 x 1.00O= 1.300 meters,the rangeto the The iable beiow shows the rcsuits of this .nmlurarion for Threar tanks ar various ranges. Find the length or width of your targetandgoacrosstothecolumnforthemil measurementto find the range. RANGE DETERMINATION MIL RELATION MII ANGLEMEASUFEMENT 1 2 6 7 a 1 0 Threat Medium Tank Length:6.5meters 6.500 3300 2,24n I 600 1 1 0 0 900 800 700 700 Widlhr 3.5meters 3.500 1,800 1,2(n 900 7U 600 500 400 a@ Threat Tank Length:7.5meters 7 500 3.800 2,54O 1.9001,50C 1.300r 100 900 800 800 Width: 3.5 meters 3,500r.800 t,200 900 70c 600 500 400 400 4m N.lrs. I lLng€ figur€s on table ae ruundcd olf 1othe ncarest hudft(l neters. T.nk mcasuremeoLsar. rouded off to lhe nearest halfmeter. 2. This tatle should bc placcd mnlenicntly near the lenk commander's losition in the tank. 7-7
- 82. c1,FM17-12 b. Miacella.neoua Equipment ReadilyAvail.oble. By knowing the mil value at arm's length of varioua pieces of equip- ment and the actual size oftar:gets, you can determine range rather quickly with a reasonable deglee of accuracy, 13 grainFlechette Dogtag Hole 7.62-mrnRound
- 83. FM 17-12 EXAMPLE At arm'sleneth, the hole in your dog tag Is approxinately 7 mils. Ajr enemy tank is approximat€ly ? metels long. If you can see the entire tank inside the dog tag hole, a 7d rb.r-.9 7-9
- 84. FM17-12 c. Flash-Bang. Inthis technique range is determined by measuring the tihe between the flash and the gun report. Sound travels through the air at a fairly constantspeed,about330meterspersecond. Comparatively,light travelsin notime at all. Range can be determined if you can seeand iear the action. For example,whenyou see the flash or smokeof a weapon,orthe du6tit raises, immealiately start counting seconds. When you hear the weapon fire, stop and multiply the number of seconds by the constant.330meters.For example,if you stopcountingat3 seconds,therangeisabout 990metrs. Unforiunately,if the enemyis thooting at you, you may feelthe impact of his round penetrating your tank before you heattbesonndof his g'un.(Remembersounil ttuuelsat 330metersper second.A T-62tank rcund trauelsat 1,500metersper second..) d, When uBing delibelate methods fetuember: E Sigbl reticle and Inil relatioB is relatively complex. tr To determine range, you mn6t know actual size of the target. Above all, remehber a mil is a me(er a( a thousand meters. tr Available equipment aechnique is a simplilied rnil relation tech- nique. It i8 only as accurate as you are in measuring the target. E Flash-bang i8 an estimation techDique at beat. This requires training to become profrcient. 7-4. OTIIER METHODS a, Sta.d.iaReticle, The stadia retide can also be usedto determinerange. Fot more detailed infordation on "choking," see the appropriat€ tank Bupplement. b. Intelligenae, Maps and informa. tion from fiendly troops are other sourcesof range information. Such information is however,onJyas accurateas the source. sH! 7-10
- 85. FM 17-12 7.5. SUMMARY EIf you have time, range to the brget, then shoot. E If you do not har/e time to range, use the range determination method you find fastest, and get the first rcund off in any engagement. E The fastestmethod fo! determining rangeis to lay on thetarget and shoot. This is the dain gun battlesightmethod. tr Battlesight gunnery is only effective when you are within battlesight range--1$00 meters or closer. O If you miss q'ith the first round, make the necessaryadiustment with the semndround. E Range determination by the recognition method is simple and surprisingly accuate. E Both the coax and cupola-bount€d machineguns can be usedlor ran ging to the raDgeof tracer bur:nout.This method has the added advantage of suppressing the target while determiniDg range. E Deliberate range determination methods are based on the use of sight reticles and the mil lelation as measuled with optics or estimatedusing miscellaneousequipment. tr Other methods for determining rang€ include "flash-bang" "chok- ing" the target Fith the Btadia reticle, and uee of intelligence sour@6. 7-11
- 86. FIRING POSITIONS 8-1. GENERAL Tosurvive and win outnumbered on the modern bettlefield, US tankers must u6e all available cover and concealment-whether stationary or movrng. This chapter discussesusing terrain to complementtank weapons. 8-2. DESIGN CHARACTERIS. TICS OF US AND THREAT TANKS Because the US main battle tank is nearly three feet taller than the Threat T-62 tank, the M60 must use terraln more cleverly. As illustrated in chapter 2, the M60 can depress its main gun twice as far as the Threat T-62. In selecting frring positions, US tank crews must take advantage of this design characteristic. When in a stationary position and contact with Threat forces is not likely, the tank cobmander should ,ride his tank completely behind cover and dis- mount a crewman lo observe lor possi- ble targets. Wl)enu6ingthis techniqueto observea targetarea,rotatecrewmembersto thedismounredobserverpositionfrequently. "-E CHAPTER 8 FM 1/-12 t- For gyeatestsecuity use wirc commumca- ''Ylll*-&-r,, -- -- -:i../l /a4. " *-.*l ..ai T, .-..-tb, 8-l
- 87. FM 17-12 8-3. TURRET-DOWN POSITION Evenin the mostintensecombatsitua' tions a tank i.ill not needto fiie constantly. Most of the time the tank crew will be obseruingto acquiretargets. A turret-dou)n positionconcealsmostofthe tankbut leaves the tank commander'scupolaexposed.The main gun andcoar<machinegrnaremasked, but the commander'smachinegun can be fircd. Stationary or moving, use turret- down positions when observing and acquiring targets, 8-4. HULL-DOWNPOSITION The best firing position is one that provides cover, concealment, maximum fieldsoffite, and covercdroutesinto and out of the position. This positionshouldbelevel ad dry. A hull-downpositionconcealsand protectsthe tank hull but permitsmain gun direct fire. Use hull-down positions for all direct-fire tank gun engagements. !,^ -_"t' ,, LX|1 .': "../,' h IT -:4a-- 1.,,./ .rjtI1 6 - Z l ,
- 88. cl,FM17.12 |' --Ir *rr- -<.rtL,4r__ .f,4- ..$-. .-"r..r,_ 8-5. MOVING FROM TURRET-DOWN TO HULL.DOWN POSITION TC comrnands "DRMR MOVE OUT-GUNNER TAKE OVER." The driver moves the tank forward slowly. the gunner levels the gurl arld looks through the telescope.Whenhe can seethe talget without any obstruction, the gunner commands'DRIVER STOP." If the tank commanderthinks that a round fired from the main gun may not clearthe terrain in front of th€ tank, he will order the loader "CHECK MASK CLEARANCE." T'heloaderopensthe breechand looksalong the bottom of the rnain gun tube. If any portionof theterrainmaskis visible,thetank positionis adjust€d. 'l ,,. -t t . ) I t _D , Ei uE I - Fa ,- -1 iI t, ..{ll 8-3
- 89. c1,FM17 12 8-6. PRIMARY,ALTERNATE, AND SUPPLEMENTARY POSITIONS For every primary position at least one alternateposition mustbeprepar.ed. Depending on terrain and mission, a supplementary position may be as- sigred as well. a. Primatry Positiotr-tank's mam firing position to coverthe assignedtarget area or mos! likely enemyavenuesof ap proach. b- Altenuf,te Position-covers the same target areas as the primary position; usedwhen tle primary positionis receiving intensiveflre:alsoconfusesenemyastoexact location of eachtank. c. Supplernentary Position-coverc target arcas oI enemyrcutes of advancethat cannot be engaged from the primary or altemate positions(usuallyflanks or rear). I ---'4 AL'Fff ATE -rt .r.;irg'- -. .- ... .n,-J:-.- "*---: , -r rt. ,- _,- 4_*. €UPPLEMENTARY Select end prepare alternete and supple- mentary positions ae catefirlly ae you do the primary position. A range card should bepreparedforeachpositio.Thereshouldbe coveredand concealedroutesinto and out of eachposition. 8-4 _-- _ > _ _ , -
- 90. FM17-12 8.7. IMPROVING THE POSITION Thebetter the frring position, the greater the advantsge to the def€nder. Every effort should be made to make each firing position as pedec'tas possible. If a positionis to beoccupiedfor a long periodof time, €xt€nsiveimprovementscan be made using heavy equipment. 8-8. NUCLEAR POSITION The nuclear position is ueedwhen the tank commande!has beeninforme{that a nuclearblastwill occur.Toprctecthisvehicle altd crewfrorn the blast and flash of anuclear detonation, the tank commander will: tr Position vehicle behind the best available cover, with the frontof th€ vehicl€ orienteal toward the expected blast. tr Rotate the turret and point the gun away fi'om the blast (to prctect the Bighta). tr L tr Lock the turret end brakes. Secure loose equipment in the tank to avoid equipment damage or crew injury. Remove all exterior componenta which could be damaged by the blaet, and eecurethem insid€ the tank (watercaDs,duf{lebags,etc.). Secure antennas. R€move all combustibles from outside vehicle. Clos€ and lock all hatches and close ballistic shields. Al€rt the crew to brace for the shock and protect their eyes. ! E tr 8-5
- 91. FM17 12 t-9. DEFENSIVEOPERATIONS Ina defensive situation, the tank commander must select positions which afford mar.imum protection while al- lowing him to engage the enemy. ) SELECTPOSITIONS SIOESOFA HILL, *te'*3 Selection of combat positions begins when the tankplatoon leaderassigns amission and geneBl location {or each tank. The ranx commander then must select the €xact location of his 6ring position so he can accomplish the assigned mission. ND PREFER r-Y.oNTH 'i il AVOIDSWAMPYAREASAND HILLSIDES, AREDRYAND LEVEL. SELECTPOSITIONSWHICH E-6
- 92. ) SELECT COVEREDAND CONCEALEDROUTESINTOANDOUTOF THE POSITION DO NOTSELECTPOSITIONS FM17-12 FEATURES. R A I N , i i t , t )F tiu.tltil!}"' NEVER "SKYLINE" VEHICLE. a-7
- 93. FM 17-12 At nightor during periods oflimited visibility taEks should be positioned where they can immediately engage posaible targets using the observed fire technique or the range card. T'hetank crew should not assume that darkness will hide their tank. Night vision devicesavail- ableto Ttrreat forces,suchaspassiveviewers, can turn night into day. Even the talk's red dome light is a giveaway when viewed by passive devices. Noise can be heard farther during l.hestillnessof thenighr than during daylight. Other devices can pick up heat from hot or even cooling engines or frres. When occupying night hull-down 6ring positions- AVOID UNNECESSARY MOVEMENT AVOID USINGANY LIGHTOR HEAT SOURCE rlrlr I r lr lr ll 8-1O. OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS Ihe fluid nature of offensive operations and the extended range of the modem battlefield complicates the processof choos- ing firing positions. On the move, tank commander and driver must constantb/ aearch for covered and concealed hull- down routes and positions, Plan before you move. I'hink aa you move. Never outrun yorar overwatch. Overwatching elements may provide warning of Threat ATGM launching. Never. let your lead elements run beyond overwatch radge. Ilds applies at night as well as duing the dav. 8-8
- 94. c1,FM17-12 When engaging atarget the tsnk com- mander should move into a hull-down position, stop momentarily, and lire. If €ngaged by the enemy when moving, return fire immediately, and, ifequipped with 8tabilization. contiDue to move seeking additional cover. If not equipped with stabilization, seek cover quickly, stop, and fire, 8-11. TANK ARMOR PROTECTION Whenever possible the tank com- mander and loader should keep their hatches open (uabuttoned). This will enablethem to better observethe target area and control the tank. Thele will be situa- tions, however,whenthe entire clew should have all hatchesclosed(buttoned-up)- -Mic Enemy contact unlikely- Movements in rear areas. Operatingunderartilleryair bursts. Undersuppressivetire. (Friendlyor en6my) In an NBCenvironment. When enemy contact i9 expected. whilotiring. 8-9
- 95. c1,FM17 8-12. SUMMARY ! Towin the 6rst battle outnumbered, US tankers must take advantage of available terlain. ! In offensive or defensive situations, the tank commander must Fotect his vehicle from enemy observation and direct fire by exposing it only when firing or overwatching the advanceof other friendly forces. tr US tanks should observefrom hidden or tunet-down positions, and use hulldov,n positions for all direct-fire tank gun engagements. E Depenalingon mission and te[rain, US tanLs will prcpary primary, altemate, and supplementary6ring positions. Thesepositions shouldbeimproved.as possible tr Special preparation is necessary to preparc the tank for an anticipatednuclearexplosion. tr In defensive positions, the tank commander must sel€ctpositions which afford maximum pmtection while allowing him to engage t,Leenemy: a Select&y andlevelpositionsbelowthecrestofhills, Feferably on the sides of bills. O Have coveredand concealedroutes into and out of positrons. a Avoid prominent terrain. O Avoid unnecessarymovementand h€at and light generation wbile in positions. u During offensive operations both TC and driver must constantly searchfor coveredand concealedhull_downpositionsand routes. ! Wheneverpossrble.the tank should movewith the clew unbuttoned. 8-10
- 96. CHAPTER 9 cl,FM17,12 DIRECTFIRE 9-1. GENERAL Tenk weapons are desigred for direct lhe. Direct fire means you can see what you're shooting at i,broughthe tank fire control optics. This chapt€r iliscussesmeth- ods and techniques for accurately and quickly engaging talgets in the dftect-fire 9.2, INITIAL F'IRE COMMAND (IFC) The tadk comhander (TC) initiatee a ditect-fire engagement by giving Irn initial fire colnmatrd. The initia] fir€ crornmand coordinates the crew's effort, reduces confi$ion, and promotes speed in target engagement. Only those elements necessaryfor the crew to load, aim, aad fue the tank's weapons are given in the com- mand. Directions toihe driver, while not part of the initial fire command,arealsoiliscwsed below. a. Fire Comrndnd. Theelementsofthe initial frre command are: AIERT A MUNITION. WEAPON.OR SEARCHLIGHT DESCRIPTION DIRECTION RANGE EXECUTION ll :4.'. t: . GUNNER SABOT TANK DIRECTFRONT ONETHOUSAND FIRE. 9-1
- 97. c1,FM17-12 (1) . lertThe first eleEent ofthe initial firc clew of an iEmealiate engagement. When firing hie machinegun the TC anrrounces an only. Since the TC is the only crewman capable of aiming machinegiun,to alert the crew that he will engagea target, "CAl- .60" or "M60," asappmpriate. T'heglnnerassistsin fire wbile the loader assumesthe TC's acquierhon sectorof When he has completed the engagement he will aDnouce PLETE." (2)Ammunition, oeapon, or searchlight. ment ofthe fire commandinforms the cre* what ammunitron to be employed,and if the aearchlight will be used.
- 98. c1,FM17-12 If the cobmanderchoosesto engagethe taryet with the main gun he will anDouncethe ammunition as follows: AMMUTIIITIO Announcad as 1O5-mm Highexplosiveplastic,HEP-T-"HEP" Hrghexplosrveanlilank,HEAT-T-"HEAT ' Armor piercing,discardingsabot,APDS-T- "sABOT" (pronouncedSAY-Bol Anripersonnel,Beehiv" "BEEHIVE" Antipersonnel,Beehive{wrthrange settingon fuze)-"BEEHIVE TIME" Whitephosphorus-"SMoKE" 152-mm Highexplosive,antitank HEATMP, ,,HEAT" .,CANISTER" ,,MISSILE" Antipersonnel,Caniste Shillelaghmissil 9-3
- 99. c1,FM17-12 r At niehtif the TC wants the gunnerto usehis passivesights or if the target is illuminated or will be illuminated with visible light, no searchlight elem€nt need be given, and the gunner will use his M32 (e.s., ..GUNNER-SABOT- TANK--"). If infrared il- lumination is used, the searchlight element is "RED LIGHT" (e.e., "CUNNER- HEAT-RED LIGHT _ ANTITANK__'). r When firing the coaxial machinegunthe TC announces ,,coAX." r At nicht whentheTC is required to illuminate a target he wili announce"WHITE LIGHT" or 'RED LIGHT" as the search' lig ht element (e.c., ..GUNNER-WHITE LICHT--"). Unless the TC says"STEADY" following the rvords "WHITE,/RED LIGHT," he will u6etbeflicker techniqueof illumination. That is, when one tank is il luminating, light is on for ten secondsand off for fiveseconds. When two tanks are il luminating, they alternate periodsof illumination with the light on for t€n secondsand off for ten seconds."STEADY" meansthe illumination will be constantand will notceaseuntil the TC says "CEASE ILLUMINATION!'' r If the tank is required to il- luminate its own target,the TC announcesthat in this element of the fire command (?.9., "GUNNER-SABOT- WHITE (RED) LIGHT-SELF ILLUM_TANK--." Self illumination is the least desirable meana of illuminating targets at night for engagement. 9-4
- 100. FM 17-12 (3 Desoiptinn.The thid elerdent of the initial fue command identifres the tsrget to the gunner, and if there arc several eimilar tageta, tels the gunner which taryet to engag€frst. Mosttargets encounteredcan be desig[ated by using the following terms: TYPETARG OUNGEDAS Ahy tankor tank-likevehicle Any umrmoredvehicle Any halftrackor aamoredpersonnelcarrier Helicoplersor anyrotarywing aircraft All fixedwing aircraft Per9onnel Anylypeol machinegun Any anlitankgunor towedanillerypiece Any othertarget "TANI( " "TRUCK" "PC" "CHOPPER'' "PLANE" "TROOPS" "MACHINEGUN" "ANTITAiIK" Brielosrpossible termwhichclearly describestarget Targets which may be combinations of the above, euch as a fouck mounting a missile system, will be identifud by combining terms, e.9.,"TRUCK MOUNTING ANTI- TANK." Wl1euthe $nne! 6eesthetarget he will announce"IDENTIFIED." In c&8€of Drultiple target8 the tank coDmauder will Bpecify which target wiII be eu- gag€d by the gunaer, e€., 'FIRST TANK" or "LEFT TR PC." If the target is doving left to right or righi to left, the tank coErmanderanDouncea 'MOVING" prior to the descriptiou ele ment. This notifies the gunnet that he must uee eomet5rpeof lead to hit the terget. The amormt of lead requircd will depedd upon uuzzle velocity of the ammunition fired. kad for each twe tank weapon 8ystem i6 ad- dressedin the alpropriate tank supplement. Ihe amount ofleail applied is measuredAom target cent€r of mass, not from the leading edge.
- 101. FM 17-12 (4) Ditection.This element is omitted by the tal1k commanderif he can lay the gu]r for direction and elevation. If he cannot Iay the grln, one of the followurg methodsmust be usedto talk the gunner into the target area, I TraDerse methoil, Tlrc tank commander comm ands .TRAVERSE RIGHT (LEFT)," and the gunner traverses rapidly in the announceddilection.Asthegun f approaches the vicinity of the latget, the command 'STEADY" is given, and the gunner slows his traverse. Wheu the gun is laid on the target, the tank commander annouDces tt0N"; the glrnner BtopstraveEing, and the target should appear within the gtlrurer's field of view. If the gunner still cannot see the target, he will search the area until he doesidentify t}le taryet, or the ta[k commander rDust give subsequentdir'ectioncorrec- tions. I neference poirlt and, d,eflection. Herethe referencepoint must be one that the gunner can recogrdzeeasily. The tank com- mander measuresthe deflection ftom the refercncepoint {'ith his binocular ald annornces the shift. For example, the TC's cornmand would be ..REFERENCE POINT- BRIDGE-RIGET THREE ZERO." The grlnner lays the aiming cross of his dfuect-flie sight on the refercnce point, zeroes the azimuth indicator, traveEes right 30mils, andlooks for the target. Small shifts may be made by using lead lines in the sight reticle. Range card d.ata. At night or during periods of poor visibility when the TC cannot see the target but has previously recordedralge card data, he will announce deflection and quad- rant elevation to the gunner. The TC rcadsthe deflection from the range card and annornc€s ..DEFLECTION--." ThC gunner lays the turret for direc- tion and repeats the deflection rcading to the TC. The TC then reads the elevation fiom the range card and announces "QUADRANT--." The gunner indexes this setting on the elevation quaalrant, centers the bubble, and rcpeats the elevation reading to the TC. This is addiessed in detail in chapt€r 11, "Range Cards and Inrlirect Fire," and the ap- propriate tank supplement. 9-6
- 102. c1,FM17-12 (51 Eawe. Ift}Ie TC can ac- curately deterroinerange to the target witi a vehicle-mountedrangefindet and that lange can beautomatically placedin thefire control Executibn. After the crew responds to t}te first frve elements of the initial fire comrDand (the loader say6 "UP" indicating properammu- nition ha8 been loaded and the gunner says "IDENTIFIED"), the TC will give the execution elemeDt, "FIRE." Upon hearing the comdand "FIBE," the grrnner ensrues that he has the eight laid correctly, announces !'ON THE WAY," and ffres. Ifthe tank commsnder wiehest delay the fire, he will announce 'AT MY COMMAND" and, when ready, will announce .FIRE." If the tank commander must engage the target due to the system, the TC will not announct lange, In all other precision engagements ralrge rMill be aloounced including soroeapecial vehicle-pecutiar6ituations, such as firing IIEP from the M60A1. If determined by a langefinder, range is given to the Desr€st50 6eter€. If the range is estimated, it will be annouDced to the neareot 100 mete$. Numbers are announcedin evenhunalredsor ttrousanis, otlterwbe digit by digit. For exarlpre: ouncad as 900nL- -- ---"N|NE HUNDRED" 2.@O ,.TWOTHOUSAND'' ,,TH 1,100rn----"ONE ONE HUNDRED" 85dm---"ElclfT FIVEZERO- 3,050m- (6) I gtaner's failure to identify the target, or inabiliw to fire, he announces"FROM MY POSI- TION," takes coE€ct sight pic- tures using tie taDk command- er's direcrfire sight, aDnounceg "ON THE WAY," andfiies. If the gunne! does identify the target, he announces 'IDEN- TIFIED." The tank com- mander can then Eturn adiust ment of ffre to the gunner or coEplet€ the engageEreDtfrom his position. For ovetall contml and to eneure continuoug ac- quisition, the TC should retun adjustment to the gunner by commandi:og"FIRE." I The TC announces "FIRE" for the ffIst routtd filed. Thegunner then announcea "ON THE WAY" prior to firing. For subsequent rounds, the guruler announcea after hearing the loader an- nounce "UP." The guaner con- tinues to firc and the loader cnntinues to load until the TC announces "CEASE FIRE.', q-7
- 103. c1,FM17.12 (7J Cease Fire.ltre commander announces"CEASE FIRE" to terminate a main gun or coaxengagementand "CEASE ILLUMINATION" to terminate searc}t- light illumination. b. Coax Commands- When the com- mander issuesan inihal 6re codmand for the coaxial machinegun, "GUNNER- coAx-TRooPS--," (1) Upon hearine "COAX," the loaderensuresl.hecoaxjalmachinegrnis loaded,placeethesafetyto theFIREposition and announces"UP" (only for the initial burst), (2) The gunner announces "IDENTIFIED," when he acquircs the target. Upon heari]1g "IDENTIFIED" from the gunnerard "UP" fiom the loader, the TC commands"FIRE." (3) The grmrrer annourlces riON THE WAY" lonly for tbeidtial bursr,. (4) The commander announces 'CEASE FIRE" to terminate the engage' ment. c. Loader's Maahinegun. Seeapptop- riate supplement. d. Repeating Cornnadds. Nhe a crewmemberfails to hearorunderstandany elementof an initial fire command,he $'ill announce the element in question. For example, if the grrnner or loader asks "AMMO?" the tank commanderrepeatsthe ammunition element,ag., "IIEAT," e, Correeting Errors. To correct an elror in an initial fire command, the tank commanderannounces'CORRECTION" and corrects only the element in error. He complel€slhe commandby announcing all elementsafrer the correctedelement- The tank commandernormally will not corect an error in the ammunition elementafter the gun has beenloaded. Inst€ad,he will allow the gunnerto firc thechamberedround,thengive an ammunitionchange.It is notnecessaryto correct an error in sequenceunlessit prevents the crew fTomproperly performing duties; in this case,the announcrmentof "CORREC- TION" will be made and a new fire command issued,e.g., "GUNNER-ONE THOUSAND-ANTITANK- CORREC'T I ON _ GUNNER-HEP- ANTITANK-ONE THOUSAND- FIRE." No attemptwill bemad€tocoirectanelement that hasbeenunnecessarilyincluded,suchas direction eleme t included when the tank commanderhas laid the gurr for ditection. Theomissionofanelementiscorrectedby the announcementof "CORRECTION" and the omitted element.after which the com. mand is complet€d. f. Cornmdtrd.sfor the DriDer. Even though directions to the diver are not part of the initial fire command,the driver is an important member of the crcw. This is particularly true on vehiclesequippedwith stabilization. Ifthe commanderwantstofirc fiom a stationaiy vehicle he announces "DRMR STOP" at any time during the {ire command. Whenpossiblethe command "DRMR STOP" should be issuedafte! "IDENTIFIED" to allowthevehicleto fire ftom as short a halt as possible. All other directionsare given by the TC or gunnerto the driver in the shortestterms. g. Correcting Malfunctionx. Rnfer to thetank opeEtor'smalual for misfire and stoppageprocedures, 9-8
- 104. FM17-t2 9-3. CREWDUTIES In respoDseto each element of the shown in the table belou,. Crewdutiesunique iaitial fire command, each caew member to eacht54etank arelisted in thesupplement hae specific crew duties he muat Der- fo! that tank. form. Crewdutiescommonto all tanks arc INITIALFIRE CREWDUTIESIN RESPONSETO INITIALFIRECOMMAND COMMAND ELEMENT ISSUEDBYTC TC GUNNER LOADER DRIVER GUNNER ALERT Lays g!n for deflection. Ensuresturret Checksthetur- ret ring and ensures turret is notlocked. lf moving and stabilized,con- t|nues movrng, attempl8 to orient hull to- wardtarg6tand grvestne gun- ner as stablea plattorm as possible. lf moving and not stabilized, looksfora hull- down position, orienls hull toward larget, stops upon commandofTC, anoattemptsto sens6round. lf stationary, at- temptstosense round. SABOT AMMUNITION,/ WEAPON Turns on ap- propriate swtlcnes. LOaOS- gUn, cnecks switches and path ot recoil. gun rs readyto be Iired. Preparestoload suosequent TANK DESCRIPTION Looks through sight and tries to tindtarget. DIRECTFRONT DIRECTION (optional) lI needed,talks gunnerintotar- gerarea. lf issued, tra- verseslurret In search of tar- get. Upon seeing target says ,,IDENTI. FIEO." THOUSAND RANGE (optional) lf needed,an- nouncesoeter- minedrangeiif not needeo, ranges to the target or vera- fiesrange. lf needed, places an- nouncedrange in lir€ control system; if not needed,deteF minesrangeor ti.esfromrange indexed. FIRE EXECUTION Assumes posi- tion to sense roundtired. Takes correct sight picture, announces,,ON THE WAY," and Braces. Brac6s E lf suner @moi identify ta4et he an- B For coax €nsasemdts, upoD hedins nounce3"CANNOT IDENUF'r." "COAX," the loader ensm8 the oax E TCcomhan.bdrivertosiopthevehiclely rnachinegunis loadeddd thesaletyisiD announcins"DRFERsToP"anytime FIRE Dosition, md t}lo aDnou@s prior to th;@Dhard of ex@tion. "UP." 9-9
- 105. FM17 9-4. PRECISIONGUNNER Piecision gunneryia the most accu- rate type of direct fire end should be usedwhen time permits (tank in defense or overwatch or when target is beyond battlesight range). Using the tank's com- pletefire conhol system,precisiongunnery candestmyany targetthat canbeseenonthe battlefield. Onceatargetisidentified,theTC or gunnerrangeson the targetas accurately aspossible,alrdrhegunnermakesa precise lay. T'hegumer moveshis aiming crossto thecent€Iofmass,makingthelastmovement of his reticleup to the aiming point for the first round. Ttrisupwardmovementreduces the effect of any slack in the fire control system.If leadis requfued,thelastmovement may be in deflectionto apply conectinitial leadbeforeengagingthetarget. If aroundis preloaded, engagementtime is greatly de- creased.When using precision g:unnerya short halt is suggested. 9-5, BATTLESIGHT GUNNERY Battlesight gunnery is the most rapid method of engaging an enemy target and is preferred when quick target engagement is required, and when the target is within battlesight range. The oddsare four to onethat the rankwhich fires6rst will be rhevicrorin a tank duel. Battlesightgunnerycombinesthe relatively flat trajectoriesof our main gun rounds with their superiortarget-defeating capabilityto reduceengagementtimeswhile maintaining a relatively high probability of first-round hits. Battlesight gunnery con- sistsof a pre-loadedroundin the gtrn,range eitherpr+indexedin thesystemorthegunner firing usinga ballisticletrcle,andreferringa specificportionofthe reticletothebas€ofthe visibletarget. The command"BATTLESIGHT" iepiaces the ammunition elementin the initial fire cornmand.This tellsthegunnerthetargetis within battlesiehtrange,battlesightammu- nition will befired,theTC will notrange,and the gunnermustlay onbaseofvisibl€target. 9-10 q. Recommended Battlesight. Each weapon system has a specific battlesight whi.h has beenpre-computedto maximize ballistic characteristicswith target effect. Recommend€dbattlesights for each type tank for armor-defeating}oundsarelistedin the appropriatesupplement. b. Considerations. The primary con- siderationin deterrniningbattlesight is the tlTe of target expectedto be engaged.For example,a flechetteround would be a good battlesight ammunition to useif the antic- ipated targetis Threattroopsand not tanks. Target size is another consideration. The Threat main battle tank is 2.4 meterstall, tully exposed,or 0.8metelstall in hull-down posirionwirh hatchesclosed.Combining target sizeand ammunitionballistic charac telistics,foundin theappropriatefiring table, a battlesightrangecanbedeterminedwhich *.ill optimize hit plobabilities out tothe range desired- BATTLESIGHT
- 106. FM 17-12 c. Bdttl.esightto P.ecieion Gun- nery. Shouldatarget app€arbeyondbattle- sight range,rangeis determinedand placed into the fire control system, and the engage- ment prcceeds using precision technique. Time is eavedwith t}rercund ple-loaded.This technique of changing ftom battlesight to plecrsion gunnery provides for rapid and accurateengagementsoftargetsencouDtered beyondbattlesight mnge. It mu6t be re- i3 membered that once the engagement becomes a precision engagement, the gunner's sight pictute beco]meacenter of mass and not base of target. To change from battlesight to a precision gurnery engagement,the TC announcesthe battle- sight rcund in the ammunition element. llfg informs the guner that the TC will rangeto the targ€t and the sight picture will becente!- of.masslav. FIRING BATTLESIGHT GUNNER_BATTLESIGHT_ TANK-FIRE. FIRING PRECISION GUNNER-SABOT- TANK-FIRE. 9-11
- 107. FM 17-12 d. ChangingBattlesight Ammuni- tion. Whena taryet appearsfor which the battlesighrarnmunition maynorbeappropri- ate,the TC has two choices: (1) If the target is classifiedmost dangerous(r.a,it seesyou,hasth€capability of k ling you,andappearstobeprcpa ngto engage you), fire the battlesight round and thenfirethemostappropriateroundtoensure [argetdestruction, .r$9. (2) If the tarcet is cla8sifieddanger- ous(1e.,it can kill you but apparentlydoes not seeyou),the TC will give an initial fire commandtoreloadthegllnwithlheappropri- ateround and flre. (3) Whenthe loade! reloadsthe gun with a different round he will announcethe newbfpeofammunilion andthen.,UP." ln this example, the loader's ,""oonu" l! ..HEP-UP.'' GUNNER_BATTLESIGHT_ ANTITANK_FIRE_ FIREHEP_ ONETHOUSANO, GUNNER_HEP-PC ONETHOUSAND_FIRE 9-12 *FK$
- 108. c1,FM17-12 9.6. SENSINGS ANDOBSER- VATION IJ the fust round fails to destroy the target, sensings and observation enable the crcw to determine target hits and adjust subsequentmunds. d. Sensing. A sensing is a mental notation by the gunner or TC of where the rcund goesin relation to the tatget aJldthe target aiming point in the reticle at thetime of firing. the most accurate sensing is when the gunner can seethe tracer of the rou:nd being 6red as it passesby the targer, or strikes the ground short of the target, or asit strikes the target. There are three defleclron aensmes: -and four rangesensings: ,*rt ORT TARGET 9-13
- 109. c1,FM17 12 b. Obqeruatiort.I'here is a differ- encebetweensensing and observation.'An oberoation is nade vthen the effects of the round are seen,but not clearly enough to be absolut€ly certain ofthe location of the strike of the round in rclation to the taiget, or when tle round is ,ost. that is. thereis no indication of where the round went. An observation of lost means t,|at neither the tracer nor the effects of the round was seenafter firing. 9.7. DIRECT FIRE AD.'UST- MENT Tlre ult imate goal in tank gunnery i s to achieve a rapid, first-round, target- ilestructive hit. If a hit is not achieved on the first rounal, an ob6ervation,/ sensing and an adjustment must be made to hit the target with the seconal round. TC and gunner observatron/sensing combi- nation and Eethods of adjustment are discussedin detail in following para$aphs. &, Senaing dnd Obseruatian. The gunner will attempt to aen6e every rounal frred. He will aunounce his aensing,/observation in every case, If the guner has a senshg be will apply burct o[ target as a means of adjustment unless gtven a subsequent 6ie conomand. He will announce his sensing (and BOT) to the TC (e.g.,"SHORT-BOT," telling the TC t,|at this is a sensing and he can apply burst on target). If the guner does not have a sensing,hemayonJyhavean observation,in which casehe will announce only ttre range observationfor the rourd (e.S.,"OVER"). The TC will also attempt to sense every round lired. Upon hearing the gunner's sensing or observatronthe TC may remain silent and allow the gtnner to apply BOT as a standard method of adjustment (when announced by the grnner), or issue a subsequent fire command if he feels the glnner's sensing was inaccurate, or the gumer needshelp in adjusting. Immediately after announcing his observa- tion or sensing the gururer will apply BOT or standard adjustment,announce"ON TIIE WAY," and fue. If during this processthe gunneris issueda subsequentfire command, he will then comply with t}rat command.(The st€ndaid adjustment is discussedin para 9- 8d.) 9-14
- 110. FM 17-12 TCremainssilentifhefeelsgunnercanappry 80T. TC issuessubsequentfirecommandif he feelsgunner'ssensingwasjnaccurateorthe gunnerneedshelpin adjusting. TCremainssilentsnd gunnerappliesBOT. TCremainssilenlif-heagreeswirhgunners observationandwantsthegunnerto naKe standardadjustment. 7C has observation. TCissuesa subseque fire commandil his observationdoeanot agreewith the gun_ ner-s. TCissuessubsequentfire command, effective techniquee ofThere are many effective techniquee ol adjusting fire D Ift}e gu]ner hasasensing,usebzrsr otutaryet (Bol-pro ouncedBeeG T). tr D If the gunner has an ob€ervation o! Bengingbut the TC feels the sunner needsassigtance.the TC will issuea subsequentfire conmand in mils ot meteE, or target form, a-6aDDroDri- ate, If the gunDerhas an obeervation arld is not issued a subsequentffre commarrdhe will apply the stlDdard adjustnent (seepara 9€d). Relay technique (seepara 9€e). Re-engage(seepara g-8R. The best technique is the one that aclneves tarCeJ !ji,s in minimum time. Adju.6tmeDt speed d.9p€ngson crew trainirg and tJT€ ammuni-tion being fired, whether the eDgaSe_ Denl,is tsoma-Erovingor stationary veiic-ie, and wbether battlesight or preciJion tech- llques are used. While each technrque discussedhere providee for rapid aud accu- rateadjustmentof frre,thebeetLechniquefor eacntype tanh ueapon systemis discussedin the apprcpfiate tank supplenent- tr 9-15
- 111. FM17 12 b. Burston Target (BOT). If j.t can be employed, burst on target is the most rapid and most accurate method of direct-fire adjustment. It is especially effective when engaging a target from a stationarypositionorwhen thefirinevehicle is moving diectly toward the target. (1) After the gunner has made a preciselay and fired,to apply BOT: I the gunnerobservesthroughhis srght! I relays after firing to maintain his conect initial sight picture, I concentrates on the target, not- ing the point ofthe sight recticle where the tracer orbursI appears as it passes,strikes short of, or hits the target, I announces his range sensing and "BOT," using the gun controls.immedi ately moves this point of ihe rcticle,by the mostciirectroute, to the center of mass of the target, announces"ON THE WAY," and fires again. (41 Accuracl of the burst'on-tarset method dependson the ability ofthe gunner to take conect sight pictures and make precise sensings. BOT is the same with baliistic (e.g.,M105D teiescope)or nonballis- tic reticles (e.a..,M32 periscope);the same for both moving and stationary targets. To engage moving targets accurately using BOT, t}]e gunner must track continu- ously before, during, and after firing. I I (2) Th€ adjusting each orders"CEASE ment of firc. gunner continues to lirc, subsequent round to the until the tank commander FIRE" or takesoveradjust- (3) While the gunnel.appliesburst on target, the tank commanderacts as an observersensingeachround firedfor deflec- tion and range. Upon hearingthe gunner's sensingand "BOT," he remainssilentif he believes the gunner has control of the situation. The tank comrnander[rust be preparedto take over adjustmentof fire by is'uingr subseou"nrfir'pcommandor firrng from his posifion. Ifthe TC decidesto issuea subsequentfire command, he must do so rapidly since,in the absenceofan ovelriding command. the gunner rvill autonatically adjust accordingto his sensing. 9-16
- 112. cl, FM17-12 c, SubaequentFie Corn nand, Whenever the TC thinke the gunner need6 help in achieving target destruc- tion, he iseues & aubsequent fire com- mand. This contaias up to four elemenis- The alert and et<ecutronelements are always given. Range and deflection correc- 'tion ale only given ifDece$ary. Subsequent fire commands must beissuedrapidly by the TC. A long delay will causethe gunner to hesitate, ald hesitation on the battlefield can be fatal. DON'T HESITATE! (l) Alert. T-beTC announceshis range sensing or observationas the alert (e.€t,"SHORT"). This also notifies the gunner that a subsequentfrre commandis beingiesued. 12 DefLection coftection. The de- flection correction is based on the TC's deflectionsensing. Ifthe round went left of the target, the conection is "RIGHT" eo many mils. If the round went rig,t, of the target the mrrcction is "LEFI" so many mils. Because of the accuracy of our fire control equipment,deflectionerrors should never be more than 3 mils. Deflection conections are always anDouncedin mils. (3) Range correction. T],e "lC bases his range correction on his range sensing. If the round went or-rer,he drops range. Ifthe roundhit siort, he addsrarrge. 4) E.ecution, TeIC coEpletesthe subsequentfire commandryith acomEand of execution: "FIRE." (5) Conections. If the TC makes an error in the subsequentfrre mmman4 he amounces 'CORRECTION" and repeats the entire command. For example, OVER RIGHf TWO SHORT AOOTWOHUNORED DFOPTWOHUNDFED conhEcTtot{ ovES RIGHTTWO DFOPTWOHUNDFEO FIFE conREctro|l '.9 tR :g SHOFT ADDTWOHUNDRED FIBE I (6) Cease Fire. TC announces "CEASE FIRE" to terminate an engage- meni. ('7) Lost. With a4 obseruotionof last the TC can: I Announce "LOST-FIRE," aDd the guDner will take up the same sight picture to fire the secondrcund, I Announce "LOST-CEASE FIRE," and the TC gives an initial fire command to rc- engagethe target, or I Announce "LOST-DROP (mils/metprs,/form)-FIRE." How much the TC will havethe gunner drop will dependon the weaponsystem- (8) Target. With a sensingof tar- ge, either annouucedby the gunner or sensed by theTC,tle TC caneitherorder"CEASE FIRE" if thereis obseruabletarget destruc- tion, or issue a subsequentfire command of 'TARGET- FIRE"to continuetheengage- ment with the same sight picture, or "TARGET-ADD or DROP" ifit is nees- sary to adjust to the mostvulnemblepaft of the target. 9-'t7
- 113. cl, FM17 l9l Rangechangetechnique.This technique ehould only be applied when using a ballistic reticle such as the M105D telescope becsuse the vertrcal range line ie gtaduat€d in meters. It is, however, accurate at all ranges, battle- sight or precision. With a nonballistic reticle the gunner would have to convert range in meters to mils. Amount of initial rangecbange$'ill dependon equipment M6OHEAT RETICLE. TC'SRANGEAND DEFLECTION SENSING: TC'SSUBSEOUENT FIRECOMMAND "SHORT- RIGHTTWO_ ADD TWOHUNDREO- FIRE." ----J-- ---+----8 ,12 -8 l6 -24 '.20 24 +- '28 . -32 --l- .36 I '24 . -32 + .36 GUNNER'S INITIALSIGHT PICTURE. GUNNER'SNEW SIGHTPICTURE. 9-18
- 114. cl, FM17 12 (1O)Mil chanee techni.que. 'Itis technique is simple and accurate at all ranges,but requ estheglnner to remember the mil relation ofhis reticle. Mil changesarc given whenusing a nonballisticreticlesuch as tle M32 periscop€. Ml changes rcqutue theTC ro-convertrangechangestomils. Mjl changes.lorrangeand weaponsyslemscan De rounctrn the supplemenlfor eachtype tank. Someexamplesare: 9-19
- 115. c1,FM 17 12 (1L)Taryet fotm technique. TaI- get form is a simple method of adjust- lnent which applies only to battlesight gunnery. One form is the visibleheight of the vehicle. TABGETFOBM TECHNIOUE Target form can be usedwith ballistic and non-ballistic reticles. Form changes are given to change elevation. The word "FORM" is addedafter the change. Form changesare always given in one-halfform increments. Deflection conections are still givenin mils. Someexamplesare: 9-20
- 116. cr. FM l7-12 APDSBATTLESIGHTUSING M1OsDTELESCOPE TC'SRANGEAND DEFLECTIONSENSING shon,tight SUBSEOUENT FIRECOIVMAND "SHORT.LEFT TWO_ ADD ONE.HALFFORM_ GUNNER'SINITIAL FIRE," GUNNER'SNEW SIGHTPICTURE SIGHTPICTURE
- 117. c1,FM17-12 d., Gunner Standard.Ad.jushnent. This techniqre is automatically applied by the gunner when he has an observa- tion only, and when the TC does not issue a aubsequent fire command. If the gunner's observationwae ouer or lost l}re guner drops his sight picture a grven number of mils/mete$/form. The exact amount to add or drop is dependent ou the sight, ammunition, and Lankused. Particu- lars v/ill be found in the apprcpriate tank supplement. The glr|rrer continueswith this method until he can senseand apply BOT, or until the TC issues a subsequent fire com- mand, For examDle. HEAT(M60A1) GUNNER'SINITIAL SIGHTPICTURE GUNNER'SNEW SIGHTPICTURE PRECISION HEP{M6OA1) GUNNERS INITI NER'SNEW SIGHTPICTURE SIGHTPICTURE 9-22
- 118. PRECISION HEAT(M60All e, Re-ldy Technique.If the cunner b€lievesthat his roundstruckthetarget,but isin doubtofttrissensinghemayr+layusing the same sight picture and fire another round. He would announce "TARGET" after the first round was fired, and, in the absenceof a subs€quent6re commandfiom the TC, usethe re-laytechnique.Thieis the sameprocedurethegunnerwouldapplyifthe TC announced"TARGET-FIRE" or if the gunner had a sensing and announced .TARGET-BOT," f. Re-engdge. The commandermay at any time decideto re-engageatarget. This meanahe will announce"CEASE FIRE," andissuea newinitial fire commandasifthe target had not beenengagedbefore. This may be desirablewhen (1) ltrere is a major errorin range. (2) First azd secondroundsarelosr. (3) Hi6 fire controlsystemprovides him with a rapid and accurate means of re-€ngaging (laser rangefinder-equippedtanks). FE.LAY TECHNIOUE GUNNER'S OBSERVATION target TC'S COMMAND GUNNER'SINITIAL SIGHTPICTURE _24 GUNNER'SNEW SIGHTPICTURE 9-23
- 119. FM17-12 g, Machinegun Adiuatnent. (1) Unlike firing the main g]ln, the pdmary method of adjustment for both machinegrms is tracet on taqet. '11eTC firing his machinegtn or the glnaer firing the coaxial machinegul adjusts tmcels into the target area. (2) Should the guner requiie as- sisJanceiD coax adiustment, the TC issues directionsin theclearesl,shorl.esitetms,P.g., "RAISE IT-BRING IT LEFT." (3) Should the TC requfue assist- ance in adjusting caliber .50fire, any crew- man czm give adjustments in a similar manner,e.9.,'DROP IT," OVER_DROPIT. ,,RAISEIT BRINGIT RIGHT." 9-24
- 120. c1,FM17-12 9-9. MULTIPLE TARGETENGAGEMENTS To win outnumbered US tankers will be re quired to engage mor€ than one tsrget at the 6ame time. a. TC Machinegun and Main Gun or Codx Engagement. The TC can issue an initial 6re commandfo! engagementwith the main gun or coax then fire at a secondtarget with his machinegun. In this situation, or any other time the TC feels that he will not be able to assist the glnner in adjustment, he will announce "FIRE AND ADJUST." This informs the gunner that he will not be receiving a subsequentfire command and must complete the engagement on his own, employing standardadjustmentt chniques.Beforethe TC fires his machinegun engagementhewill announce"CAL .50" or "M6O." Whenthe TC t€rminates his engagement he will an- nounce "TC COMPLETE." Ilt this situa- tion if the guner sense8torge,andobserves target destruction he may say "TARGET- CEASE FIRE," notifying t}te TC that the main grn or coaxial machinegun is free for anothermission. GUNNER BATTLESIGHT TANK FIREAND ADJUST cAL.50 9-25
- 121. cl, FM17-12 b. MultipleM&in Gun or Cooz En- gagenTents. These engagements, e6pe- cially if they.aremultipletarrkengagements, require lapid fire, target destruction,and quickshifts to newtargets. When outnum- bered, multiple tank tergets must be engaged with rapid, effective, sequen- tial fire. The tank coEmanderengagesthe most dangeroustarget firct, then observtrg the target area, selectsthe next mostdanger- ous target, shifts 6re on destructionof the first target, and so on. Beyondbattlesight range, the tank commander oay re-rangeto eachtarget if range betweentargets appears to be signifrcantly different. i, _*:: @ nu""aa-"ot LES,GHT-LEFrrANr @ roerurrrreo Qur @r'". @orurxruv Qu, @rornur-"ot @ rancer-cerurERrANKO TDENIrFTED@ FIRE @orur". *nv Q ue@ rane.r-aor 9-26
- 122. c1,FM17-12 @f5sBk-*o,-r,o*"-r,".@o"r".*o" Q u, @ro^nar-"o, @ ,o"e.r-".o". ,,", Tc-Tank Commander G Gunn€r L-Loader 9-27
- 123. c1,FM17-12 9.10. NIGIITENGAGEMENTS Night engagementerequire highly coordinated crew effort, Dueto themany different t}?es ofillunridation available, the cIew must b€preparedto engageany target at night, with aoy t5rpeof illuminahon, usrng battlesight or precision techniques- a, Night Vioion, vision may bethe difference betweenlife and death, When the gunner announces"ON THE WAY" the entire crew must close or cover thei! eyesbeforethe main gun flash to preserve night vision. [hen using visible illumination at nieht, the TC should useonly ode eyeto acquire targets and senseengage- menk so that when illumination is terml- nated he will still have night vision in the other eye. b. Night In tnirrdtioa. Wbile tank- mounted searcblights ate Eaponsive, accu- rate, and destroy the enemy's night vision, they "spotlight" the illuminating tank as a talget lor enemy tanks not blinded in the illumination bean. Therefore,use of tank- mounted searchlights thould be the last resort in combat. In order of priority, the most desirable mean6 of night engagement ane: (l) Possiue sr?lrrs. Engaging tar- gets with passive sights rnaintains night vision, ensures complete surpris€ in the initial roundsof an engagement,enablesall tanksto usetheir weapons(asopposedtoone or nroretanksilluninating whiletheremam- derengagetheenemy),and deniestheenemy obvious,tank-mountedlight sourcesto en- gage. 9-28 (2 Ind.irect illumination. Use of mortar or aftillery illumination rounds, pre- positionedpyrotechnics,or evenhand-held flares denies the enemy an illuminating target, prcmotes sulprise, and enablesall weaponsystemsto eltgageor acquiretargets. (3, Tank-mounted infrareil search- IiEht illu:rnination. It 1svalid to assumethat, on the modem battleffeld,the enemyhas or leas, the same night vision capabilitiee we have. l]lerefore, while useoftank-mounted searchlightsin the infrared modepromotes surprise and concealmentftom thenaked eye, eneoy forcesequippedwith in-tssredvision deviceswill be able to pick up the light and engage it just as if it were whit€ lisht. However,wbena targetmu6tbeillunin;ied using tank searchlights,it is better to use red light than white light on the battle- field. (4, Tanh.mountad,uh;te Wht search. liAht illumination For all practical pur- poses,enemysoldiers caught in a white light beam will be blinded, but the illumiaaung tank presents a perfect target for enemy tanks oulside of the beam. All fue com- mands, methods of adjustment, and t€ch- niques of engagementusedin daylight fire apply for night firing as well. Remember, however, if the target is within your eearchlight t^nge lou are withirr his battlesight range.
- 124. cl, FM17.12 I 9-11. SUMMARY ETo win outdumbered, UStankers will be required to engage more than one Threat target at the aame time. tr The goal of tank gunnery is to achieve a rapid first-round, target-destructive hit. tr The initiat lire commaDd in- clud€s elements of: a Alert a Ammunition, Weapon, or Searchtght a Description a Direction a Range a Execution E Each member of the crew haa specific crewduties to performin response to elemente of the lir'e coEmand. E Precision gunnery is the most accurate tl"Ire of direct fire and should be used when time per- mits. tr Bsttlesight gundery is the mo8t rapid method of engaging tar- gets within battlesight range. Sensings and observations must be accurate to permit accurate adjustment of tank frre for sub- sequent rounds. Both gunner and TC will attedrpt to sense every round fired. Burst on target is the moat accu- rate method ofdirect-fire adjust- ment. The TC must iseue a subsequent fire command when he thinks the gunner needs assistance in adiusthent. This includes range change, mil change, and target form adjustments. The gunner's standard adjust- ment is applied by the gunner when the TC does not issue a subsequent fire coEmand. Re-lay technique may be used if the gunner doubts his sensing, Night engagements require higl y coordinateal crew effort. Passive sights or inilirect illumi- nation should be used at night in preference to direct searchlight illumination. tr ! tr tr D tr 9-29
- 125. CHAPTE R lOFM1712 STABILIZATION 1O-1. GENERAL Previous chapters have shown that ar exposed,stationary tsrget is a "sitting duck,' on the modern battlefield. On the move, tanks are much lessvulnerable to enemvfire. Stabilization enables the tank crew to engage Threat targets accurately and quickly with the main giun and coax while moving. All US main battle t€nks eventually will be equipped with stabiliza- tion. This chapterdiscussessiabilizationin general terms. Speciic requirements for each tJDe tank equipped vrith stabilizatroll are covered in the appropriate tank supple ment. 10-1
- 126. 1O-2. UNIQUE FEATURESOF STABILIZATION FM 1'1-12 I'he gunner or tank commander must maintain an accurate sight picture ueing his power control. Stabilizationdoesnot keepthe gun on the target; the glrnnet does. The stabilization systemmerely keepsthe gun parallel to the line on which it is laid. (Manual controls areinoperable in stabilized mode.) Each tank has a speed at which normal vehicle vibrations are minimal. Speedof least vibration will normally be between 5 and 15mph, but varies with eachvebicle and also depends on the terlain over which the vehicle havels. Hard sudaceterIain usually requires lower speed to minimize vibration than soft smund. More exchangeof information among crew members is requiredwhen iiring on the move with stabilization than when {iring {rom a short halt. Stabilization systems must be properly servicedand adjustedtoachievehigh hit percentageswhen shooting on the move. GUNNER SREAKINGRIGHTI 10-2
- 127. FM 17-12 1O-3. WHENTO FIRE WIIILE MOVING Firing on the moveis lessaccuat€ fhan ffling from a halt. Howeve!, to halt and fue takea time, and a otationary tank is more likely t behit than a moving tanL. R€mem- bering that flrc tanL that firee first will suvive to fite again, the TC ehould basehie decieion whether to firc ooving or fto6 a short halt on hoE' dangerous the target is. For best target hit r€sults, do not engage point tjt e tsrgets on the move beyond battl€sight range. Good results can be obtained with stabilization against areatjrpe targets beyond battlesight tange. If the tsrget is moving, halt brielly to engage. lf (le target is halted, coDti.nue to move and engage. When this "sholt halt" technique ie employed,the TC should continle to movein the dtabilized modeuntil his gunner has acquired the target and announced"IDENTIFIED." At this point, the TC should command the alrive! to sto), pdor to issuing the comm'nd to fu€. Based upontarget effectand his owntank's vulDela- bility to eneEy fire, tle TC may aheucontinue the engagement ftom hia halted positioo or commaDdthe driver to moveoutimmediately after ibe gunner,fues. Ttis technique mini- mizes expoaure at a halt. Ttris i8 a rule of thumb only. The probability of hitting a moving target ie highe! firing from astatiod- ary tank tlun firing ftom a moving tank, If the ttrreat is a sedous tbreat, aDd €ngaged you firgt-within battlesight range J^)u should coDtinue to move. Stabilizationnaybeusedatnight. When used at Dight, however, stabilizatioq should be employed wit} the short halt method of engagement. ll tho target i6 dangerdus enough 1o engage with battlosight it should be engagedwhilemoving. Whil€6ng8gingthetarget,soekahull-downposition contrnuethe engagement. lf te.rsin pgrmits hull-down or tun€t-down travel, halt briefly and fiIo. 10-3
- 128. FM17-12 10-4. CREW RESPONSIBILITIES Accuratefiring wbiiemovingis affected by the terrain, tank speed,and the coopera- tion and abiliryofthe crew. The following crew responsibilitres supplement general crewdutiesstatedin chapter5. Tanh CommantTer. The vehicle cornmander musl control the driver, keep the gunner oriented, 6enserounds, and issue necessaty fire commands. He mustalsoobserveasmuchofthesunotnding raEqin qq n^.cihla Gunner. TIte gunner must develop a "feel" for the moving tank. He must neverlosethepositionofthegunin relationto the hull. He must also remain alert to the different sounds of the engine and trans- mission. Ttese soundstell him the type of terrain over which the vehicle is traveling and allow him to anticipate vehicle move- Driuer. The rlriver should think of his vehicle as a gun platform and make evely effort to maintain ao steady a platform as possible while the g:unner lays and Iires. He should know the best speed for his vehicle as describ€d in para gtaph 102. The driver must time his gear and dircction changesso that they occur immediately after firing and will, therefore, notinterferewith accuracy.Hemustkeepthe grnner informedof any obstacleinthetank's path which might affect gun accuracy. He announces"DEPRESSION" or "TURN," and, after the depressionor turn has been negotrated,heannounces"STEADY" totell the gunner that he again has a stable platforrn. The grmnermustassumehehasa stableplatformunlessthedriverinformshim othenrise. Lodder. The loader must not be- come hypnotized by the constantly mov- ing breech. Hemustuseany halts to getrid ofexpendedbrasswhichcouldgetinthe way of the turet dng. When it is necessaryto workon lhecoaxmachinegunwhilemoving in the stabilized mode, the loader should announce"STANDBY REQUIRED?" and after TC's apprcval,the loaderswitchesthe stabilization emergencyshutoff to standby mod€. Whentheloaderhas-finishedworking on the coax,he announces"STAB" to aled the crew, and switches back to stabilized mode. 1O-5. STABILIZEDGUNNERY TECHNIQUES Most stationary gunnery techniques remain unchanged when firing from a moving tank equrpp€dwith a stabilizer. The major differenceis leadingtargets. Lead must be used when firing on a target from a moving vehicle. The speed of the firing vehicle, tim€ of flight, and the angleofengag€mentall affecttheamountof leadrequired.Whena roundis firedfromthe flank of a moving vehicle,that round will ddft in the samedilection and at the same speedas the vehicle. 10-4
- 129. FM 17-12 TiDe offliAhtisthetiDe it takesthe pmjectile tn movefrom the 6ring veb,icle to the target and +,heangle of engageEent is the angle found b€tweedthe centerline ofthe hull and tlrc gun whenlaid ontarget. Thelonger thetirneof flight a.ndthe larger the angle of engagement,the greater the drift. tr When firing on the move from a stabilizeal vehicle, the grrdner must apply lead tf hfu gun tube iE closer to the 3 or 0 o'clock lrositiona tJmn to the 12 o! 6 o'clocl lro8itiona. When the gu|t is trred from the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock poeitioE, tJre rcund will alrift the mo8t. NO DRIFT If a lead is required and the gunner is trever6ing left to keep his sight on target, hemuetleadleft. Ifhe is traversiDg right to keep hi8 sight on target, he muEtlead light. This is true whetherthefiring vehideismovingorthetargetis movingorboth arje movtng. The ahount of lead to apply when shoothg at a stationariy target fon, a mdying vehicle is the Bam€a8x'h€n .hooting dt a moving target fton a stationarjr vehicle. tr o EATEST NO DRIFT 10-5
- 130. FMt7-12 10-6, SUMMARY tr Stabilizationeuablea the tank crew t engage Th8at talgetg accutat€ly and quickly with tl|e tuain guDand coax while Eoving. E More eicbange of cew inforaation is oecessarywhen firirg ontlre Eove, and crew respoasibilitiee arc gte.atcEtban non-stabiliz€d engagEbents. E Firing onthemoveis lessac:qrtatethan firingftorn aehort halt, and area tqrgeta rl€ morc apFopriate than point talg€ts for stabilized gunnery. E However, if the target is dangelous eDough to engage with battleeight techaique, it should be en8agedwhile moving. 10-6
- 131. CHAPTE R 11FM17-12 RANGECARDSAND INDIRECTFIRE 11-1. GENERAL Every UStank i6equippedwith auxiliary fire controlinstrumentsthat enablethecrew to engage targets which cannot be seen becauseof insufficientillumination, orwhen the target is masked by tenain such as a rnountain or dense forest. This chapter discussesusing the6einstruments for !re- paring mnge cardsand in firing indirectas artillery. pr",.@ , ! I il'r.{l GUNNER'S OUAORANT ELEVATION OUADRANT AzIMUTH INDICATOR 11-2. AUXILIARY FIRE CONTROL INSTRUMENTS The tanL auxiliary fire contml instruments arel Azimuth Indicator-used to measure existingdeflectionofthe gunand lay thegun on an announced deflection. Eleuation Quad.rant-used to measure elevafionof the gun and lay the gun on an announcedelevation. Gunner Quadtant-used to checkthe accuracyof the elevationquadrant. 1'l-1
- 132. FM17-12 11-3. TANK RANGECARDS A range card is a sketch or dragram of a tank position on which possibletarget areas and t€rrain featues have been plotted in relation to thetank. Primarily, therange card €nablesthe crewto engagewith the auxiliary fite control instruments tsrgets that cannot beengagedwith the dilect'firc sights because of poorvisibility or whereindirectillumina. tion i6 not avarlable. It is the tank crcw's firc plan. A range card must be Eade for each primary, alternate, and supplementary position in the defense ot for any static po6itioD wben enemy contact is possi- ble. As a minimum, a range card must contain all in{ormatron neededby the crcwto engage a target during perio<ls of poor visibility, and beunderstoodby all crewmen. Before markhg the rallge card, the tank @mmander select€a firing position that is hull-d,oun, a d covers the assigled target STONEHEDGE ROAD BAAN.ORCHARD RANGECA6D FEFERENCE POINT ROAD CHUBCH 11-2
- 133. M 17-12 a. Typesof Ra.nge C@rds. Both the circular and sketch range cards arc usedby tanke$ to engage possible lbreat targets. the tank commander decideswhich tpe of Iange card to usebased on: tr Terrain. ! Assigned sectol of fire. E Distribution and nomber of targets. A circular ranEe card is used when: E Terrfi is relatively openand freldof view is good. D Assigled sector of fire is wide. tr Possible targets are few in number and likely to be well distdbuted. A circularmnge cardis simply preparedand ea6yto read, however,only onefiring position canbeplotted on the card. The center of this range card represents the tank firirrg position and each of the five concentric circles represent range values. The outer circle is given a range equal to the most distant possible target in the tank's sector of fire and serves as a deflection scale conesponding to the azimuth (52) rlsot ca[o, rANK RANGE 30 I t - J
- 134. FM17-12 A ehetch ranEecard is used when: a Tenain is denseand field of view is limited. n Assigned sector of fire is narrow. E Possible targets arc nurerous and likely to be located clo6etogether. Thetank commanderprcparesonly a simple drawing of his sector without using lange circles and a d€flection scale. Because it is not drawn to scale and the terrain features and targets are splead out, a sketchlange card is bestto plot closemultiple targets. The sketch range card may beused to plot multiple positions (primary and alter- nate). a OAR,N Et.ro6E :S 11-4
- 135. , FM 17-12 b,Ringe C,ard.Ddtd, The basic range card data is: (64) o .. CARD, IANK RANGE 2 (34)-- __822_4_292 Q.) Ranee card ilentification. A letterin theupperright corner(Pforprimary, .4 for altemate,Sfor suppletDentary)identi- fes thefiring positionfor whichthecardwas prepa!€d.Adilitional positioneareitlertiffed by addinganumb€rtotheletier(e.9,S1,S2). (2, Sectorof rcsponsibirity.Double lines drawn to targeis on the range card lepr€sentright andleft settorsofrerponsibil- ity. Targetsmay beplottedoutof sectorbut neverelgagd without permissio[ (3) RanEecard.efercncepoint- A. terrain featur€ or man-madeobject seen through the direcffrrc sight and serving as the starting point in det€rmining deflectionto all targets is labeledthe range card reference poiDt. It rtrust: a Bein the centerof assignedsector. i Not be a target. E Not be easily destroyedby 6re. D Have a readily definable vertical angle on which the gunner caDlay hie sight. d t0 $.r9 (62)TRON' 160) 2A' (36) REAR R *Ef 1r-5
- 136. Cl, FM 1712 (4) Target referencepo;nt informa.. ,ron. For themngecardreferencepoint and each target referencepoint plotted on the range card,four essentialelementsof infor- mation must berccorded: . TARGETIDENTIFICATION_abTief word or s}'mbol description ofthe target. Targe! referencepoinl,s are grven in alfanumeric coding (e.9.,T48 or T49). For coding and fire planning, seechapter 15. a DEFLECTION-measuredright or left from the range cardrefercncepoint (0)on t}!e azimuth indicator. a RANGEmeasuredusingthe range- finder or estimated using one of the 11-6 ranging techniques discussedin chapter 7. a QUADRANTELEVATIONangle of elevation (+)or depression (-) measured using the elevation quadrant, when the $m is on the target referencepoint and the bubble is centered,may also be measuredusing the gunner'squadrant. fugardlesaof Lhetyae raagecard used, the necessan/dat6 computedfTom the tank fire control equipment (deflection, quaabantelevation,range)is tle same. However,specifictechniquesfor obtain. ing this data aredependentuponthe tlTe of tank. Thesespecific techniqueswill be coveredin lhe appropiateiank supple- ment,
- 137. FM 17-12 11.4. PREPARINGFIRING POSITIONSFOR USE AT NIGHT a, Purpose of Marking Tanh PoBi- lion, A-ftera crewhascompleuedpreparing the rangecard,they mark the positionofthe tank. AJterwards, during periods of low visibility, the same tank or a tank from a relief unit can reoccupythe firing positibn and usethe preparedrang€card. b, Method l-used when there is flat terrain to the ftont. (1) Hovrta mark theposition: (a) Completethe rangecard. (b) Emplace two aiming stskes with filtered flashlights attachedand dircctedaway ftom enemy view. When equipped with passive sights, lights may not be needed. a Stake one is placed at the center of the tank touching the hull, and high enough for the driver to see. a Staketwois placed2G25 meteB in ftont of the tank on line with stake oIIeand the centerofthe tank. fAA AMNG I{EARATMII{G (c) The gunner lays on the far aiming stakeand recordsthe deflection r€ading on the Iange card. (2) How to mo'e ;nto a matked poeition: (a) T:rn on filtered flashlights on the aiming stakes. (b) Line up the tank with the two lighted stakesby: a Marking thefront center of the hull with whit€ tapeor chalk. t Moving the tank until thetapeand bothstakes are in line and hull touchesthe stake. Lay the direct-fire sight on the far stake. lndex the deflectiod reading fo! thefar stake,taken ftom the rang€ card,on the azimuthindica' tor usingthe resetterknob. The tank is now ready to fire fTomthe range card. (c) (d) RANGECARO REFERENCE POINT ':-:= ST WH|'E CTTALX ORTAPE 11-7
- 138. FM17-12 c, Methad 2-nsedwhen lev€l tenarn to the front is less than twenty met€Is (on a cliff or hish hill). one and on line with them. (f) Record the deflection tead- ing of the azimuth indicator. (2) How to moue into a narhed pos;t;on: (a) Stretch white tape between the two ground stal<es to help position the t€nk track. (b) Ttrrn on the flashlights of the two aiming stakes. (c) Move the turret to the angle of the aiming stakes. (d) Move the tank up next to the tape. Stop th€ tank when the gunner seesthe far light in line with the near light. neset the azimuth indicator to index the prerecorded deflection to the aiming stakes. I'he tank is now ready to fire from the range card. (1) How ln ma* theposition: (a) Completethe range caid. (b) Emplace two aTorrndstakes on either the right or left side of the tank, fTontandrear, at the outside edgeofthe track as the track leaves the grcund. (c, Empl^ce aiming sLakeone with frltered flashlight 3060 metels away at an angle greaterthan 100mils ftom the direct front or rear of the tank. Movethe turret to line up the aiming crossofthe periscope with the aiming stake. Emplace aiming stake t@o with flashlight half way betweenthe tank and stake (f) (9, (d) r1-8
- 139. FM 17-12 11-5. WIIENTO ENGAGE TARGETS WITII RANGE CARD DATA ll,hen firing ueing range card data during periods of poor visibfity, the tank (thmander must consider: E Disclnsure of positian-dre& Ete will pinpoint a tank and force it to move to an alternat€ poaition. D EJapenditurc of annunitiorL- exb6aive amount€ of Eain gun artrmulition Eay be Deedealto achiev€ atarget hit Daingrange card data. E lttiss;on-control of ffring nay be given each TC or retained by the sectioD or platooD leader or the @!|lpany conluander. Waming of approaching Thr€at largets may DeSrven Dy: lf Targel inporlance-T)teat t:.ahB for example, are much Eore imDort- ant lhan a rrconnaissance oafuil. GROUNDSUBVEILLANCE SIGNA!D€VICESGROUNDSENSORS AERIAIFLAAES LISIEIIINGPOSTS 11-9
- 140. FM 17-1 11.6. RANGECARD FIRE PATTERNS Oncewamed o{ oncoming Ttrreat forces,the tank commandershoulduserangecarddata to lay themain gr]nFeciselyonthemostlikelytargeta!ea. I{the enemyhasdisclosedhis location by u6ing driving light€ (IR or blackout) or searchlights (IR or whit€ light), US tankers can engagehirr using direct-frre sights. However,if the enemystill cannot belocat€d, a standard five-round frrc patt€m fired from therange cardcanbeusedto increasethe probability ofa target hit. This five-round pattem call be fircd at point or area talgets a. Poir.t T@rget8. This pattern can beusedwith HEAT ammunition against vehicleaor convoyai (2) For eecondround, add 1 mil and frre. (3) For third lound, drop 2 mils and frre. (4) For foudh round, add 1 mil, right 5 mils and frre. (5) For frfth round,left 10nils ard fire. (1) Fire frr6t lound ftom mnge cald data. 11-10
- 141. c1,FM17-12 b, Area T.trgets.T'hispattern is best,usedwith HEP or HE amr:nunitionagainst large formations ofinfanhy or pelsonnel c:lrderc. Becauseof the hajectory ofHEP ammunition, the size of the pattem ri/ill be affected by the mnge to the target. To maiotfi the pattem beyond 2,000m,the adjustmentsmust be changed. c. M551 and M60A2 Area Targets. I'1rcalea fire pattern for the M551 or M60A2 using IIEAT-MP consistsof only three rounds becauseof thelarger casualty radius ofthat round. Like the firc pattern in HEP, the HEAT-MP pattem is affectedby range. To ensurethemosteffective pattem at all ranges make adjustments shown below: *+-*".t. Targetsat 2,000metersor less: r Firefirst roundfrom range data, I Forsecondround,add 1 mil fire. r Forthirdround,drop2 mils fire. a Fortourthround,add1 mil, 50 milsand fire. ! Forfifthround,left1O0mils fire. *PI +-*trJ {:it,r /'t' Targetsbeyond2,000m: card and and flgni and I Fire first round from rangedata card I For secondround,add2 mils and fire r For third round,drop 4 mils and fire. r Forfounh round,add2 mils,right 25 milsand fire. a Forfitthround,lett50 milsandfire. * r*& Targetsat 2,000m or less: ! Fire first roundfrom rangecard data. I Forsecondround,drop1 mil,right 50 milsandfire. I Forthirdround,left100milsand fire. Targetsbeyond2,00Om: r Fire first round from range card data. I For second round, drop 2 mils, right25 milsand fi.e. I For third round,left 50 mils and tire. l1-11
- 142. c1,FM17-12 11-7. TANK INDIRECTF'IRE TaDk weapons and qfrfrrnition are designed to beusedin the direct-fire mode. In rare situatrons, however, tanks may frre indirectly as artillery, just as artillery, irr unique situations, may deliver dlect flre. Most tank ammunitron pierces armor by using a steel penetrator (APDS) or jet of gas (HEAI). When frred with the high angle and trajectory chamcteristics of indircct fire, these rounds strike the ground almost perpendiculaily, burrowing into the earth with little blast effect. White phosphorus (WP)is usedoDlyfot smoke and has liEit€d destructive capabfities. Therefore,the only tank roundseffectivefol destructive indirect fire are 105-mmHEP and 152-mE HEAT-MP. Certain consialerationB muat be met before using tsnks as ertillery piece6: E Artillery and mortars are not available to fire the indiiect mission. tr Tenain prohibi{s using the tank in the direct-fire mode. tr Ttbe life rertraining on tank gun tubeis not lessthan 50%sothat whenindirect'frre role is completed.there is tube life left for direct fire. tr Ammurrition stockpiles exist. E Fire direction center (FDC) tie-in and survey control personnelare provided the frring tank unit. tr Range to target doesnot exceedthe limitations shown in the chart below: Os-mm HEP-T(M393A2) M6OA1: 9,603m@ 42' (746.7mils) 7,642.n@ 20" 52 mm HEATMP-T(M409) M60A2: M551: 8,865m@ 40" (711.1mils) t,328m @ 20" The maxamumelevationfor a tank gun systemis 20o (355.6mils). To obtain additionalrange,a ramp mustbe used. 11-12
- 143. 1712 11-8. PREPARATION F'ORFIRINGAS ARTILLERY @. Selactian atral Occup.rtion of Firing positiorrs, The t€nk unit commandereelects and occupiesa frring position and lays the tank grms parallel. Considerins t}le immediat€ indirecLfire mission, futr:re offensive operatiors, and security, the unit commanalerselectsa firing position that is: (1) Incated 60that fires can be placed on targets in the assigned sector. (2) Open enough to permit fue in any dircctioD (6,400mil traverse.) (3) tevel and on so[d ground. (4) Adaptable to proper ali.speEionoftanks. 14Om BASEGUN CONTROLVEHICLE Fia diEc{ion @nte. (FDCI)aay be6lo@t€d with tue control of6q (FCO)or FCO may beti€atiD by wireto d FDCsuprDrtibBseveEl banqies. 2. StasseriDc tank! provid€ fia @verasein deprh, penfts tuins to the flmks, and p4vides trdsrv€ defeme asainst enemyfia. r1-13
- 144. FM17-12 b. Determining MinimurnEleuation, As soonas the frring position is occupi€d,each tank crew must determine minimun elevation. This is the lowest elevation at which t}Ie tank can fire a jound that cleals ftontal masks and allows for the safety oftroops occupying these masks. (1) If the mask is unoccupied by ftiendly tioops, the ctew d€termines the minimum elevation by adding the angle of sight to mask, the elevation for range to mask, and a 2-mil clearancefactor. Whenthemask is occupiedby ftiendly trcops, an adalrtronalhoop safety factor must beincluded. STEP1 ANGLEOFSIGHTTO MASK: Open breech. Sightalongbottomofthetube until lineoIsightjustclearshighestpan of the mask. Traverse gun betlveen limits of tiringsectortoensurehighestpart of the mask has been selected. Measure existing elevation using gunner'squadrant. Recordto nearestmilthe angleof sightto mask. STEP2 ELEVATIONFOBFANGEMASK Determinerangeto mask(survey or rangefinder). Obtain mil elevationfor known rangefromtabularfiringtable(or ballisticcomputer). Recordto nearestone-tenthmilas elevationfor rangeto mask. 11-'t4
- 145. FM17-12 Add 2-mil clearancefactorto ensureclearanceof the maskin depth when firing. STEP3 CLEARANCEFACTOR: STEP4 TROOPSAFEW FACTOR: EP5 MINIMUMETEVATIO Mils obtained by dividing 5 meters by known range to mask in kilometerslprovidesclearance of 5 meters abovemask). Total of mil factors obtained in steps 1 thru 4. lf the sum is fractional,roundoff to the next higherwhole mil. (2) Whenmore than onetank will befirirrg in the.indirect role, the highest minimum elevation reported will beestablished asthe minimum elevation for the tank sectionor platoon. When a tank commander or gllnner rcceives a quadrant elevation that is below established minimum elevation,hewill ceasefire and announce "BELOWMINIMUM ELEVATION." 11-15
- 146. FM 17.12 c. LaJ)inga Single Tanh for Direc- tion. Methods used by a single tank for indirect fire vary iittle from the methodsfor high explosivedirectfire engagements. (1) To lay one tank for initial direclion,the tank c"mmanderslandsbe- tweenthetank and thetargetandcommands "LAY ON ME." The gunner lays the verticallineofthe sight ontheTC and zeroes the azimuth indicator. If the TC lr.ill be observingto thefront,thetankis nowlaid for direction. If terrain to the front of the tank prevents the observer(TC) from standing betweenthe tank and the target, he must positionhimselfbehindthetank,onlinewith thetarget.Inthat case,afterthegunislaid on him, he commands"RIGHT (LEFT) THREE TWO HUNDRED," to lay for direction. (2) After the firct indiiect engage ment, the crew can usethe first target as a referencepoint for subsequentshifts to other targets. The tank commanderdirectethe gunnerto zerotheazimuthindicatora11erthe first fire missionand shift to the next target by rneasuringmils from the referencepoint- The command for subsequenrshills is: ..REFERENCE POINT-RIGHT (LEF"T) (mils measured)." -.-. 't ' ALTERNATE TWOHUNDRED 11-',t6
- 147. FM17-12 d.. Laring TanhGuns Parallel. (1) Whenlaying tanks parallelon a gtid azimuthusingan aiming circle,theunit commanderwill: (e) (0 G) Alert the gunnerc with the command "AIMING POINT_THIS INSTRU- MENT." Sighton thetelescopelensof each tank using the upp€r motionof the aiming circle. Announcegun d€flectionfor each tank by reading the azimuth and micrometer scales. The command is: "NUMBERONE (orTWO, etc.)-DEFLECTION ONE SIX OND FOUR." The deflection announced mustbelessthan 3,200mi1s. Thereforc,it is always read from the lowet scale. (b) (a) Set up the aiming circle at least ?5 meters ftom the nearest tanks and away from all magaetrc atfrac- trons. Subtractgivengrid azimuth in mils from the declination constant marked on the aiming circle. (For a nega' tive angle add 6,400mils to the declination constant beforesubtracting.) Settheresulton theazimuth and micrometerscales, Centerthe magrreticneedle usingthelowermotionofthe aiming circle. The 0-3,200 mil linenowpointsalongthe givengtid azimuth. (d) ELEVATIONMICBOMFTEFKNOB ELEVAIIONI/lICNOMETEFSCALE MUTHSCALE AZIMUTHMICFOI,1ETE8 SPRINGPLATE BASEPLATE AIMINGCIRCLEM2 KNOA 11-17
- 148. FM17-12 (.2 At POINT-THIS ner will: (a) thecommand "AIMING INSTRUMENT," thegun- Sight on thetelescop€rcflec- tor ofthe aiming circleusing (b) Zerothe azimuth indicator. (c) TYavercethe turret until the announceddeflectionis or th€ azimuth indicator. (d) Zero the azimuth indicator again before moving the gun. When each tank has completed this procedure, €mplaceaiming stakes,and the unit is readyto fire. (3) Tolay tanksparallelwithoutan ailning circle (reciprocallaying), the ba6e tank (numberthreetank in a platoonoffive tanks) is usedto perfom the functionsof an aiming circle. AIMINGCIBCLE The TC of the base tank pointsin thedirectionoffire and announceshis existing azimuth indicator reading: ..NUMBER TWO_DE- FLECTION ZERO SE- VEN ZERO THREE." The TC of the number two tank announcesdeflection and diection to his gunner: "DEFLECTION-ZERO SEVEN ZERO THREE RIGHT." The gunner of the number two tank indexesthe given deflection on the azimuth indicator scale oppositeto the direction of fire (0703 left). The gunner of the number two tank then traversesthe turret dght until zerois read on the azimuth indicator. Both tanks are now laid parallel. The crew of the basetank repeatsthis proce- durc to lay the g1ln of the tank on the left. Tanks two and four then lay tanks one andfivein thesamemanner. (d) (e) (0 (a) The base tank is laid for direction the same as a singleelement. (b) The TC of the base tank commands "NUMBER TWO-LAY ON ME." Both gunners trave$e until the telescopesare aligned on eachother. RECIPROCALLAY 1l-18
- 149. FM 17-12 11-9. MISSIONFIRING a.Initial Fire Command. Tbe inatirect-firecommandis basedon theinitial requestof the observerand origuates at the frre direction center. The inalircct-fire com- mand consistsof six el€mentsissuedin the same sequenceas a direct-frrecommand, Theseelementsare: (1) Alert elemett-alerts theunit to t|e fire mission and designatesthe tanks to firc. Normally, the base tank frres the adjustmentwhile theremainderofthe tanks applydeflectionandelevationcommandsbut do not file. Exanp le: "PLATOON ADJUST- NUMBER THREE.'' If morethan onetank is to fire, thenumbers are given. Exatuple: "NUNIBERS TWO AND THREE." If the unit is to fire simultaneously, the unit size is given followed by the wolds "firc mission." EtampLe: "PLATOON-FIRE MIS- SION." The alert elementalso indicatesif volleyor salvo firc is to beemployed. Volley frre is the rapid firing of a specified number of rounds by each tank. Salvo fire is the successive firing of eachtank in two-secondintervals, udess otherwise specified in the alert. The side of the unit given in the alert will fire the first round Example: "PLATOON-SAM RIGHT-FIVE.SECOND INTER. VALS.') (2, Ammunition elenlent-staLes tJT€ of ammunition to be 6red and the number of rounds to be fired in "flrc for effect." Etample: "T$IO ROUNDS HEP." (3) DescriptiotL element-indicates type of target. (4) Direction elemeat- announces deflectionleft or right of the reglshation or zerodeflectionpoint. Etample: "DEFLECTION-TWO THREE ONE FOUR.'' The normal pattem of fue (parallelshea0is equalto t}Ie patt€rn ofthe firing tanks. When another pattern is desirable,the FDC will give eachtank a different deflection in "fire fo! effect." 15 Range element-announces gun tube clevation to the nearest mil if the elevationquadrantis used. If eachtank has a gunner'squadrant,elevationis announced to the nearest tenth of a mil. Erampl.e: "QUADRANT-PLUS ONE slx slx." (6 Etecution element-i^dicztes when to fire. Tanks fire only at the mmlland of the frre contrcl officer (FCO). The com- mand to fire is precededby "AT MY COMMAND" togiveeachtank timeto apply the prior elementsof the 6rc commandto the gun. Eaample: " AT MY COMMAND-FIRE." b, Subeequent Fite Command* S:ub- sequent fire conrmands will usually be requiled to adjuat rounds. As eachcorrection is given, all tanks apply it to their gtns even though the basetank is firing the adjust- ment. Thisensurcsthat all tanksarereadyto firc for effect as soon as the adjustment is completed. Normally, only the alert, direc- tion, and rangeelementsare changed. c. End of Missiorl When the fire mission has been completed,the TC's an- nounce "ROUNDS COMPLETE." The FDC will then command"CEASE FIRE- END OF MISSION." d, Creut Firing Duliee, In 6ring, driverscarlbeusedasammuaitionbearersor radiotelephoneoperators.Inaders and gun- ner8 aerye their normal roles in the tank crew. Tank commandels6erveaagul section commanders. 1r-19
- 150. FM17-12 11.10. SUMMARY tr Tanke[xiliary fire control instruments are uaealto prepare and fire from range card data or fiie in an indirect role. Range cards shoulal be prepared for every stetic position occupied, to include primary, alternate, and supplementary positions. Certain basic data should be recoraled for every ffring poaition: O Range card identification O Sector of reeponsibility a Range card reference point a Target reference point iDforhation Rsnge card data can be recorded on ciicular or sketch range cards, whichever is more appropriate to the Eituation and larget area. Firing positions should be marked precisely 60 that reliev- ing tanks can move into the same positiona and frre fiom a prepared r:ange card {,ith Ininimum delay. Standard range card fire patterrts ensure maximum target ar€a effect with a minimum expenalitur€ of anlmunition. Theae patterns will vary with the smmunition being fired. When artillery and mortara are not available to lire indir€ct-fire mfusions, tank guns can be u6ed. Special preparatron i8 required for firing tanka in platoon-size batteries in the indirect role. tr D D ! tr 11-20
- 151. CHAPTER 12 FM17-12 AMMUNITIONAND TARGETDESTRUCTION 12-T. GENERAL To produce desired target effect every tank commander must know available tJ4)esand capabilities of tank ammunition. Although tank ammurution may differ depending on the type tank, ammunition charact€ristics and eff€ct$ are similar, Tbis chapterdiscussestant ammu- nition in general. Ammurftion unique to each type tank is coveredin the appropriate tank supplement. 12-2. AMMUNITION CLASSIFICATION Conventionalmain gun ammunition rs classifiedaccordingto type and use. Type. E Se,.uice-combatammunition. L Target practice-ainmunition which has flight characteristics similar to serviceammuniLion,butnoexplosive in the Fojectile; used for gunnery practice. E Blnnk-has no projectile; used as a noisemakeronly. E Dummy-has no propellingor explo. sivecharge;usedforloadingpractice only. Uee. a Annor defeatinc-Annor pielcjd)g discarding sabot (APDS), ar.mor piercing (AP), high explosive anti- tank (HEAT or HEAT-MP); used against all tank or tank-like targets. E Antipersonnel-antipersonnel (APERS and CANISTER); used against troops in the open. a Antimate eL-high explosiveplastic (HEP), hieh explosive (HE), high explosive antitank multipurpose (HEAT-MP); used against Dnar- Dror€d or lightly armorcd vehicles, troops in the op€n, buildings and field fortifications. l) Specialpurpose Whit€ phosphorus (WP)-used for marking and screening. Target pnctic€ (TP)-used to rcplace serviceammunition in rangefiring, Blank-used in ceremoniesand tacti- cal field haining (90-mmonly). Dummy-used for inshuctron only. 12-3. GUIDED MISSILE A guided missile is dilect€d to its target by a devicewithin themissile,orby aradroor wire link to themissile. Missilesareclassed accordingto thelocation of larmcher,location of the taryet,and mission. I'hey arerefened to by number, modifrcation, letier, and popdar nanle, In this chapter, "missile" qrill mean the Shillelagh Missile, a surfaceto sudace, high explosive, antitrnk guided missile. 12-1
- 152. FM 17-12 12.4. COMPONENTSOF MAIN GUN/LAUNCHER AMMUNITION a. C,onuentional Arnrtu nitian. A completeroundof conventionalammunition has all parts necessaryto fire the iound one time. PFOJECTILE{mayconta'ns luze). b. Mixeile. A guided missile has sevenbasicpartsnecessarytofire,guide,and firnction onetrme. PROPELTANTloaded into case. lls burnins caues rhe projectjleto leaverhe case 8nd hove ttuard the tdrget. PEIMEBcaues rhepropel16nrrobeginburningwhengun is CAsEcontainingpropellanr t SIREAI,{LINEOSHAPE STAAILZINGFINS ELECIRICA!POWEFSYSIEM cltoANcEsysrEM PRoPULsloNsYsrEMSAFETY/aRI,|NGsYsrEMCONTFOLSYSTEM r2.5. ARMOR-DEFEATING AMMUNITION Armor-defeating projectrlesuse either kinetic or chenical energy to produce the desired effect on armorcd targets. a. Kinetic Energy Sounds. Kinetic energyis a combiration of mass(weight) arrd epeedofthe pmjectile. No explosiveis needed for penetratilg the target. Armor piercing di8cardingsabot(APDSr,andarmorpiercing (AP) are both kinetic energy rounds. Uee kin€tic ener:gy rounda against taDks or heavily arrnored vehiclee. liloraizg Neverfire APDS overtheheadsof exposedfriendly troops within 1,000m.
- 153. c1,FM17 12 (1) Rangetothetargetis important when firing kinetic €nergyroundssincethe speedand, therefore,killing power ol the projectilebecompslessat lungerranges. (2) Thickness and slope of the armor areimportant. A sheetofarmor plate may beonly foruinchesthick,but,ifthe plate is sloped,the projectilemust penetratemore than fourinchesto gocompletelythroughthe plate.Furlhermore.slriking al an oblique angle, pen€tuationis more difficult.'fhis effectis calledeqziualentthickness. (3) Penetration by any kinetic en- ergy projectilecausesseveretarget damage. Damage is causednot only by prcjectile penehationbut alsoby concussionofthe hit whichshattersarmorplateandinteriorturet (4) Kinetic energy rounds are the most accurateof all tank main glln alnmum- tron- APDScan penetrateany known armoron the battletietd. explosionis forcedagailst the target ln a high speedjet 6tream. This jet ofhot gaeses penetratesarmor and causes:,nteriordestruc- tion dueto the heat of the gasseg,blast,and flagmentation ofthe projectileand armor. (2) RanCeto thetarget ienot critical when employing a HEAT projectile. Target effect is caused by the exploding projectile rather th an by thespeedwith which it hits the target. b, Chemical Encrgy Rounds. Pro- jectiles which use chemical energy rather than kinetic energy depend on a shaped charge of high explosiveto producetarget effect. High explosiveantifank (HEAT) is a chemical}ound. The Shillelaghmissilealso usesa HEAT warhead. The primaryuse of HEAT ammunition is to destroy all tJrpes of armored vehicles. (l) Whena chemicslenergyprojec- tile explodes,most of the energy of that The HEATroundcan oenetraleanv knownarmoron the battlelield. COPPERCONE POINT.INITIATINGSASE DETONATINGFUZE ENEBGYPFODUCED 8Y OETONATION :,i
- 154. cl, FMtT-r2 12-6. ANTIPER{IONNELAMMUNITION hojectilesof antipersonnet (APERS) rop$ _gre6JJedwitb many subprojec{iles wtrcb diapeEe to causethe desired effect in the target area. Uae APERS rouuds againat maaeed hoops in the open. there are two t34)es of APERS projectiles available-caniste! and beehive. q- Caaistcr. Ihe canister rouDal tutns the nain gun it|to a "shotgnn" and is effective again8t tmops i[ t]e open at relatively short ranges. The subprojectileeor flechettesarc scatleredat gr€at speedassoon a6 the pmjectile leaves the muzzle. OISPERSIONPATIERiISTOSCALE b, Beehiue. Thebeehiverouad igalso fiiled reith many flechettes. A mechanical time fuzeie added,however,which allowg for effective ta4et engageBentto the maxihum direct frie range of the gun, 1os'mmGIJN 12-7. ANTIMATERIEL AMMIJNITION a, Availuble ?ypes. lLese projec- tiles have ahigh exploeiveffller and arefuzed to e4iode when they hit tle target. Two types of altinateriel rotnils are available- high explogive (IIE) sDd high explosive pla8tic (HEP). The conventiona.l HEAT round for the 15ZEm grm/launcherio conaid- er€d to be a multipurpoee round and hay, therefore, lr usedas an antimatedel rouad. ARNING Neverfire anyantipor- Soneltound ovet dte heads ot exDorod friendly troops, 12-4
- 155. b. Target Effect.AntiD]'ateriel roundsdestroythe targetwith blast.concus- sion.cnd fragmentation.High explosive plastic rounds may be usedeffectivelyto destroy field fo ifications and some armord targets, When plastic exploslve detonatesagainst a hard sudace,the other side of that surface shatters into small piece6.This effectis called"spalling" in the caseof armor and "scabbine" in the cas€of 12-8. SPECIAL PURPOSE AMMUNITION Specialpurposeprojectilesincludewbite phosphoruslWP) and target practic€ (TP) rounds. TP rounds are used for gunnery practic€. White phosphorus is used to hide movement and mark targets. WP roundsaredesignedto burstwhentheyhit, formine a thick white cloudofsmoke. When WP hits 6kin it sticksand burns. __ c1,FM17-12 1Os-mmHEPcandefeat6 to E Ieerot reinforced concrete a, Taxget Effect. 'l'he casualty- producing€ffectof WPis a directrcsultof its capabilityto buln. Bestrcsultsareobtained byfiring into anenclosuresuchasabrurkeror the groundfloor of a building. b. Psychological .E/tect. Althoush WP doesnot havethe destructivecapability of antimaterielrounds,it hasa muchgreater psychologicaleffecton enemyhoops. ^rd1(rti r* ..j t:=i ! 1{.," .' 12-5
- 156. c1,FM17-12 12-9. IDENTIFICATION OFMAIN Ammunition is identified by shape, color code markings, and to indicate primary uses. Ammunition is identifred by markings on the outsideof its packing containers. Once removedfrom its packing,it is identifiedby colorand markingsfoind ontherounds. The lot numberofthe ammmition is oneofthese markings. This is stenciledon theprojectile GUN AMMUNITION and stampedon thebaseofthecarfridgecase arrdon its packingbox. Lotnumberinforma- tion is requiredfor records,reportsof condi- tion, furctioning, and accidentsin whichthe ammunition is involved. To obtain the gteatest accuracy in firing, successive rounds should come from the same amlnunition lot, whenever pr.acticable. 1 5 2M M BLACK ".^*Hffig COLOFSINDICATING PFIMAFY USE. BIACK - Armor Deieallng OLIVEDFAB - Anripersonne/Maleriel LIGHTGBEEN- Smoke WHITEDIAMONOS- A.l personnel G R E E N BLACK 105,MtVI COLOBSIIIDICATINGFIILERO8 CHABGE. WHITELETTER$- Inert YELLOWLETTERS- HiqhExplosiveFiller FEOLETTERS- IncendiarylT6cer) YELLOWBAND- Smal Hgh Explosive Charge BBOWN Low Explosiveandlor NoE: All targelpracticero! ndshavelightblue 12-6
- 157. c1, FM 1l12 12-10. BATTLESIGHT AMMUNITION d. Battlesight. One round of am- munition designed to defeat the mo6t probable threat target should be loaded into the chamber as the battlesicht round. No onespecificroundwill bp ade- quate in every situation. For instance,if tanksarctheprimarythreat,APDSshouldbe carded as the battlesight round. If massed troops posethe major thrcat, however,the +r{a.i.qirtF. APERSround might well be used. b. Multiple Threats. Tarrks iD ^ platoon may load different battlesight rounds to counter a multiple threat, For example,if the threat includes tanks and lightly armoredvehicles,the platoonleader may orderhis heavysectionto loadAPDSfor battlesight and his light section to load HEAT for the lightly armoredtargets. E*, ^ a.-- 12-1
- 158. c1,FM11 12 12-11. AMMUNITION STOWAGEPLAN Theammunition stowage plan should bc identical for all tanks in a battalion-size unit. This stowage plan should include location of all ammunition authoized for the basic load by tpe and number of rounds. All ammunition loaded aboard the tank should be stowedin racks accordingto the stowageplan. The storvage plan not only servesas a guidefor theinitial stowageofammunition. but alsoservesasan aid to the crew,by indicating the numberof rounds,by type.thal havebeen6red.During darkness,when the useof lights insidethe turret wouldreducethecrew'snight visionor give away th€ tank's position,the stowage plan assiststhe loader in locating rapidly that type of ammunition announcedin the initial fire commsnd. 12-12. MACHINEGUN AMMUNITION IDENTIFICATION o. Linh Belts. Machinegunammuni tion is beltedin disintegratingmetallic link belts (MLB). Machinegun ammunition should be linked together in a ratio of4 nontracer to 1 tracer to permit adjust- ment of fire, Units equipped with M85 machineguns must ensure that caliber .50 ammunition is linked together with the clip-type link rather than the closed loop link, b. Identification, Machinegun am- munitionis identifiedby type,caliber,model, and lot number. A coiorcodeon thebullettrp identifiesthetype. Markingsarealsolocated on packingcontaineB. IDENTIFICATION TYPEOF CARTRIDGE OFMACHINEGUNAMMUNITIONEY COLOBCODE. TRACERAURNOUT cAL .50 7.62-MM none none none none 1,600m 2,2oOm 900m none nono none none COLOROFTIPOR BAND ON BULLET ArmorPiercing..................... BLACK ArmorPiercingIncendiary...........SILVER ArmorPiercinglncendiatyTracer.. . . REDAND SILVER Tracer(M17). . . . . . . . . ... . .. . . . . . . . RED Ball................. NOTPAINTED Fransrble...........................GBEENANDWHITE Dummy ammunitionis identifiedby corrugatedor perforatedcartridgecases. Blank ammunitionis idenritiedbya coloredplugin plac€oI a bullet(anexceptionisthe 7.62-mm blank,which hasan elongatedcase)- One example ol lhe ready rack where lhe Threat targel is multt- ple. 12-A
- 159. FM 17-12 12-13. WEAPON EMPLOYMENT Thefoltowing table is a general guide to priorities of weapon emplo]'ment against various targets. It should Dotbe expectedto lE accl[jal,efot eoery situation on the battle field. Many factors in combat may tlictate the useof another more appropriat€ weapon. *TANK wEAPoN TARGETPRIoRITIESA anklTank-likeVehicle (SPArtillery,BMP,BRDM) ATGM,LargeCaliberFieldPieces,Recoil- less Rilles, Antitank Guns, and Similar Antitank Devices Long Range(e.9.,SAGGER) Short Range{e.9.,RPG) High Performance Other {low, slow flying) la arthout Buildings: narmoredVehicles argeffiTEtrnnC6C (POL,Ammunilion,LighlStructures) 12-9
- 160. 12.14. CARE, IIANDLING,AND STORAGE OF AMDIUNITION Periodrcpreventive maintenance and inspection ierequiled to oaintain cleanliness snd serviceabilityof amuunition. Ther€subjectsarecoveredin detsil in the tcchnical manual for each t3rpevehicle. c1,FM17 12 12-16. SUMMARY D Eyery TC tnu3t know tJrc tlape€ and cspebiUties of available admunition. E Tank ammudition is design€d fo!: engaging as'ide v.riety of targeta. tr Within their effective range8, APDS end HEAT caD defert any klown armor on tJrc bettlefreld. tr Special purpose rouual8 are designed to defeat other battlefiold targetd. E The rouud of &nmunitior deeigned to defe.t the most probable lhreat target should be preloaded ae the battle- sight roulrd. tr Tanks in a plotoon may load different bsttl€sight rounds to connt€r a nultiple threBt. tr Uniforu atowage plans facilltate firhg fast by eneuring that loaders know where every round ie located, 12-10
- 161. CHAPTER 13 FM17-12 SPECIALGUNNERYTECHNIOUES 13-T. GENERAL To obtain maximum destructionof un_ usual targets in minimum time, special gunnery techniquesmay be required. This chapter discusses bdttle-effectiLtespecj,l gunnerytechniques. 13-2. SPECIAL TECHNIQUES FOR DIRECT FIRE AND ADJUSTMENT Becaus€of obscurationin the vicinity of the firing tank, the high velocity of certain ammunition,multipleimpactsin thevicinity of the target, or any combination of these factors, adjustm€nt of fire may be very difficult. To enhanceourcapability of rapid targetdestruction,it may benecessaryforan observer to announce corrections for Lne firing tank. Some methods are discussed below. a. Obseruer Method, Vlhen.eyer feasible, disnounted observers should assist iD ocquiring aDd deslroing Threat targets. An infantryman, forward observer,or dismountedcrewmancanactas arr observer for the firing tank to senseand adjust fire. The observermust beableto see th€ target area from his concealedposition and have communicationswith the tank, preferablywire. Upon impact of the initial round, the observer,using his binoculars, sensesthe round for deflectionand range rclativ€ to the gun-targetline and transmits this sensing to the firing tank. The tank commanderof thefiring tankthen allowsthe gunnerto apply BOT or issuesa subsequent fire commaad for the next round. For maximum effectiveness,the observershould be no more than 50 metersfrom the 6ring tank. Adjustmentoffire is continuedin this manneruntil the targetis destroyed.
- 162. FM 17-12 b. RodarMetlwd,Grounal surveil- lance radar equipmelrt usealin cgniunc- tion with a platoon leader's defeneive fire plalt can help the platoon effectively engage targete at night aud during other periods ofpoor vieibility. The radar seti6 positioned to cover likely avenues of ap proach into the platoon sector, at least 50 meters apay from Aretaoks iD a coveredand concealed pogition. lbe eet is laiil on a ref€sencepoint and a radar surveillance card is prepared noting the teference point, com- pany and platoon desigEatedtarypts, and the right and left !€sior limits of the platoon. When targetd are detected, the radar team reports to tlre platoon leader,by wire orradio, the terget degcliption, deflection in mils to target ftom the referenc€point or company/ platoon designated talgets, and range to taiget. Using t}ris information, the platoon leader then igsues a fire coemand to his platoon to engage and destroy the target. c. Ground Sensor Method, TeUS Army haeavailable many othel surveillaDce, target acquisition, and night obsewation devices (STANO devicee). Unattended g"ound aensors,especially those that have been hand-implanted, can al6o b€ used to pinpoint Threat personneland equipmentfor tank direct-fire engagementa. lhea€ aenaot6 detect enemy plesenceby movement, sound, vibration, pressure, magnetic distorbance, inftar€4 a.Ddol,ber means. Althoueh air- droppedsensor can betapiilly emplo5redaad can give early s'arning o{eneDy approachas well aBindicate typ€ and number of vehicles or pe$onnel, direction and speedof havel, they cannot pinpoint locatione of specific enemy vehicles. However, hand-emplaced senaoracoverjedby tsnk di?ect fire caa give exact ts't$et locations, enabling US tauk cl€ws to fire accurately and destroy Threat fonnatione without requiring illumination. (For more inlormation s€e FM 31-100, STANO Operutions, and TC 3&2, "STANO Capabilitiea within Army Units.") 13-2
- 163. FM17-t2 d, Ttoo-Tanh Method.,s,ensing s fired round through the same tJ4reoptie8 will provide a basis for accurate @rrec- tions. For maximum effectiveness, tanks should b€no morethan 50metersapart. This mioimizes differencesin their sight pictures. Two options are available; both must be pEcticed to ensue undelstanding and to develop skillfu I application: Option 1-tuo-tank butst on target /3O?. Both tanks index ran8leannounced by the firing section leader (platoon leader, platoon sergeant, or seDior tgnk com- mander). Tank I commences firing on command of the section leader. Tank 2 lays its glln with the coEect initial sight picture and sensesthe round fted by lank 1. Ifthe target is not destroyed,t}Ie gunner of tank 2 applies BOT and fir€s a secold louDd. Tanks continue to alteinate fires ultil the talget is d€stIoyed. ADJUSTMENT Optinn 2-fiing tank and,obseruing t@41. Onetank is designatedby the section leader as the firing tank and t}re othe!, the observing tank. When t}re firiag tank 6res, lhe tank commander of the obsewing tank aensesthe round, using his binocularo, and then hansmits the sensing to tlle tank comrlrande! of the firing tenk. The talk commander of the firing tank then issuesa aubsequentfire commandto his gunne!. This prccedure is continued until the target i8 de8troyed- This method is not as rapid ae two-tank BOT, but do€shave the advantage of disclosing only one tank's position. I J-J
- 164. FM 17-12 r3-3. FIGHTINGWITH A THREE.MAN CREW This paragraph applies to tanks equippedwith 90-mmand 105-mmgiuns. FoI other vehicles seethe apprcpriate tank sup_ plement. d. Creu Preparatior.. Due to casu- alties, a clew may find itseu fighting with only l,hreemen. To overcomethis handicap, the crew must reorganize in order to fight effectively. Regardlessof which crew mem- beris not available, the crew must perform rn the tbiee key positions-tank commander, loader, and driver, Although some brief familiarization may be necessary in th€ repositioning of crew memberc, a cro6s- tmined clew can adapt quickly to eme}. gencies. b, Vehicle Preparation. Alter the t€nk crcw is reorganized, the following must be accomplished: (1) Theballisticcomputerisindexed to correspondwith the battle- sight ammunition. (2) The followinc switches are tuned on: r TURRET POWER r MACHINEGTIN (Mechanl- cal safety is placed to the SAFE position.) (3) For tanks equipped with stabili- zation, the turet should be placed in the stabilized modein accordance with normal operat- rng procedures.This allowsthe tank commanderto fue in stabi- lizedmodeor tum off the stabi- lizer fiom his position and fire from a stationary platform (4) Thebackrestisremovedftomthe gunner'sseat. c. Creu Dutiee. Crew duties are modified to compensat€ for the loss of the gunner. The driver's and load€r's clew duties 13-4 lemain the same as when fighting with a four-mancrew.However,the driver's target acquisitionbecomesincrcasinglyimportant duringengagements.Thetank commanderis requircdto assumethe responsibilitiesofthe gunner. Upon acquiring a target, the tank commander determines whether or not the target should be engagedwith battlesight or precisiontechnique. (1) BattlPsBht engagenPnt. Iludng abattl8ight engage- ment the tank cornmander iss ues the command .BATTLESIGHT." After the initial laying ofthe gun, the tank commander sights through the range- finder aod obtains a precise lay on the target with theaid of the override contml. I'he tank commander an- nounces"ON THE WAY" and fires from the override control. Firing continues until the tank commanderannounces .CEASE FIRE." (2) Precisia4 engagemenL During a precision engage- ment, the tank commander issues the command "LOAD (type ammuni- tion)," ie., HEAT, HEP, SABOT. Aft€r the initial laying ofthe gun, the tank commander sights through the range finder and ranges to the tareet. Next, the tank commander indexes in the ballistic com- puter the ammunition to be fired. (al (b) (d) (a,l ft) (c)
- 165. 17-12 (d) The tankcommander again sights thmugh the range, firrder, obtains a preciselay, announces..oN THE WAY," pauses, and fires u-singthe override control. Firing continues until "CEASE FIRE" is an- nounced by the t€nk com- mander. 13-4. FIRING TABLES a. Tebula.r fnformation. Tali,k 6ring tables give the crewimportant ballistic data for eachiound ofammunition available for th€ir weapon systems. Knowing the ballistic characteristics of rounds and fire confrol system configurations, the crew can use the weapons syst€m mole effectively. Firing tables can be requisitioned on DA Form 125?. 13-5
- 166. FM17 12 This isan exampie of the data found in all gunnery firing tables. The data columns may differ slightly among various rounds of ammunition and typ€ weapons system. RANGE-tank'to target range. SUPERELEVA|ION-angle the gun must be raised above the gun-tatget line of sight to ensurea particular pmjectile hits the target. Dx/DsE-number of meters a one mil elevation change will make in linear range on the gaoundatagivenrange and superclevation. DH/Dx-change in height (in meters)ofa particular projectile for a 100-meter change in linear range on the ground. DRIFT-number of mils a projectile will move to the dght dueto spin imparted by gun fifling. TIMEoF FLIGHT-amount oftime it takes a projectile to reachthe rangelisted in the range column. MA-XIMUMORDIr_ATtl maximum height of the projectile above the gun line ol sight. R.ANGETO MAXIMUMORDINATE-Iange wheie the maximum ordinateis reached. Out to this rang€, the projectile is ascending; beyond this range the projec tile is descending. ANGLEoF l'ALL-number ofmils between projectile bajectory at impact and the hodzontal plane. REMATNINGVELOCTfY-speed of the pmjectile in meters per second at that range. ; t! t J - o
- 167. FM11 12 (l) Drrl.ftcn tima permit..the amount of drift of a specificround can be found in the tabular firing table. To do so, stalt at the rangecolumn(for example,HEP ammunition at 1,800metersrange)and read acrossto the driil column (in this example, drift is 1.1mils). This readingtellsyor.rhow muchto theright the roundwill drift at that range.Tocompen- satefor drift, combinethis ddft data,!'ithth€ effectsofparallar. (Parallaxis dependenton the frre conhol systemof a particular weap- onssyslemandcanbefoundn thpapproprj- ate tank supplement.)Applying this correc- tion to his non-ballistic reticle (NI32 pedscope),the gunner can increasehis hit probability. 2) Supereleuatian. To obtain the supereievationreadingsfor eachround at a specificrange,merelyenterthe tableat that rangeandmoveacrossto thesuperelevation; for eriampleenterat 1,600metersandmoveto 21.6mils. ing a computercheck. Exact proceduresare outlinedin eachtank operator'smanual. (3J Battlesight. A battlesightcan bedetcrnin"df"r aspec'fic rourdof.mmuni- rionfromrhptabularfiringreblesb5 using the maximum ordinateand rangecolumns. !'or example.if weexpecttoencountertargets of a particulartype and size,suchas2 meter high fortifications,HEP shouldbethebattle- rig1.tamnunition.To dctelminethcrang" for the battlesight setting, read do*.n the maximum ordinate columnto the height of r h , ' d f " e r S i n . e t p " e : s n 4 . L r y l e l e r marrimum odinat€ entry. use 1-9meters (the ne:.rl"*.r' reading. Readleli to rhe racge column-E00 meterc. Set this range on the rangefinder with HEP pre-loaded and in- dexedin the computer. lemembef, usebase- of'target la)r! t ;; I ;: .l-#il ," Th formation is uiredri6en perforin t 4 ,.lF ! !i:l ; i I -a,)?tL {4. ti4.' , 13-7
- 168. FM 17-12 (4, Longra.nge Eunnery. VaiD.g long range gunnery techniques, targets that can be viewed through the dhect- fire sights beyond 4lO0 meteia cai be engaged alrd de6l-oyed. Special tech- niques ar€ tequir€d becausethe fire control systemof the tank is not designedto rangeon targpts beyond 4,400 meters or apply more tian 99.6mile ofsuperelevation. In order to use fhis teclhique Buccegsfirlly, acturate tank-to-target range must be hown. Then the correctsuperelevationrequirement canbe detennined using the ffring table. Dueto the low rnuzzlevelociw and weight ofthe 152-mn HEAT, round, do not frre the M60A2 or the M551in diect fire beyondthe systemslange of 3,000mete!6 for the M551 or 4,000meters for the M60A2. To trre HEP in long mnge, direct-fire engagementsat r€nges beyond 4,000met€rs the gun requires morethan 100mils superele- vation: therefore: Determine range to the target. Ioad IIEP and lay on target. Use Firing Table 105-A-2 to determine sup€relevation needed. Shut off coltrput€r. Manually place 99 mils super- elevation in comput€r. Center bubble in elevation qua- drant using micrometer knob. SubtEct 99 mils from required superelevation. Add difference to elevation qua- drant rcading using micrometer knob. Manually elevategun until bul> ble is cent€red. Fire. Note. Aftet manually adding elevation, your sights will no longer be properly laid on t€.rget. Adjustments 6ust be made with whatever poltion of the reticle is on the talget. The followi:rg exampleshowshow to engage a target at 5,000meters with HEAT: ails?-Det€rmine mnge to target by means othe! than the lang€finder- 5,000m- sEco.vr-lrok at the HEAT-T 6ri-og table. It shows range to 5,000m which requircs superelevationof 75.6 lDlls. ?HIRD-Idex HEAT into computer and manually index ?5.6rnilo using the superelevation hand cranL. aour?E-Load HEAT. FIFIE-I.ay aimiDg cross on tatget and fire- I I t I I 13-8
- 169. c1,FM 17-12 13.5. SPECIALTARGETS a, Fortificdtions, Openings are the most nrlnerable points oD a fortifrca- tion. When HEP or HEAT rounds strike aDopening, part of the explosive force i8 directed ineide the fortification. TANKFtRtNGl FIRSTFIRES . Destroy hardenedfortificatrons (reinforced concrete)by firing an APDS round to pene- trateandweakenthewallsfollowedby aHEP roundfor concussionandfurtherdestr-uction effects.Shouldtheantimaterielroundsprove - ineffective, armordefeating ammunition may be used. APDS will penetrate most @ncreteor heavily-woodedfbrtifications at normal ranges.Attack earthenfortifications with APDS or HEAT. TANKFIRING'- SUBSEOUENT ROUNDFIRE s 13-9
- 170. c1.FM17-12 b. Built upAreae Tte@t modern buildinge in cities in the s.rrne nanner aa fortifications, In all cases,the desired effect is ftagmentation inside the structure to cause casualties.UseAPDS against hoopsin heavily reinforcedbuildiogs or in basements.UseHEp againstsofterparts of a building--upper flools of brick or concrite block. Kinetic energyrounds striking a wall at anglescausemore internal fragmentationthan roundsstriking a wall at aright angle.The"scabbing"thrownby anerplotlingH-Eproundfliesoff at a right angle regardless of the angle of impact. KINETICENERGYROUNDEFFECT HEPAOUNDEFFECT 13-10
- 171. FM 17 12 Rubble,duetoits thicknessafld irregularsurface,formsa nearlyimpenetrablecover. ,l,roops barricaded behind such a strong point should be engaged by impact and concuesion frre using HEPoTHE. Thechoiceofammunitionforengagingfuoopsii fortificanonsorcities dependsprimarily on ammunitionavailability andtargetr.ulnerability;however,antimateriel roundsareprefenedbecauseoftheir g:reatercasualty-producingeffectandtheDeedto conserve armordefeatingammunition for useagainstarmoredvehicles. 13-'11
- 172. FM 17 13-6. INDIRECTSEARCHLIGHTILLUMINATION Wh€ncloud cover is dense enough and low enough, the xenon searchlight can be usedfor indi€cttargetillumination. In a turret-down position, a white light beam can bereflectedoff the cloud cover into th€ target area without exposing the illuminating tank to enemv dtuect fire. This technique can provide adequate white tight illunrination for daylight or passive night vision siEhts. Indirect IR illunination is not effective- 13-7. SUMMARY tr By using special glnnery techniques, US tankers can get daximum effectiveness from the tank's weapons and am- munition. ! Special techniques for direct fire acquioition and adiust- ment include: a Observer method (dismounted observer) a Radar method a Ground sensor rnethod a Tvo-tank method a Fighting v.ith a three-man crew a Indirectsearchlightillumination fl Firing tables contain g:unnery information on drift, super- elevation, battlesights, and long range glnnery ! Specialtechniquesarerequfuedagainstfortificationsandin built-up areas. 13-12
- 173. CHAPTE R 14FM17 12 MACHINEGUNS 14-1. GENERAL Tank machineguns are primarily offensive weapons anal should be em- ployed to destroy ulrarmored area and point targets, to Buppresslikely enemy position6, and to conaluct reconnais- sance by frre, Machineg:uns are suit€d to theserolesbecauseoftheihighvolume offlrc and inherent projectile dispersion. The US tanker should u-sethe tank's machineguns to engage dismounted idfantry, crew-served weapon6, ATGM teams, trucks, thin-skinned armored vehicles, lightly conatructed cover, and aircrafh. This chapterdiscussestheemploy- ment of tank machineguns. Particular te- sponsibilities and characteristics assocrated with stabilization are addressedin the appropdate tank supplement. The use of tank machinegtnsagainstaircraftis covered in chapt€r 16, "Aerial Engagement Tech- niques." M50/ M60A1/M60A1AOS COAX MACHINEGUNANO FIRECONTROLEOUIPMENT NITYSIGHI IN SCOPE ../ . RANGEFINDEF SwlTCHES L HANDLE ZeroCoaxat 800m with HEPindexedin computer. COMPUTER 14-1
- 174. FM17-12 14-2. GENERAL RULESFOR EMPLOYMENT When using the coax machinegun, PRIMARY SIGHT PERISCOPERETICLEcrew should: E Fire from battlesight against surprise targets (range and am- munition preindexed). I Rangeald indexslowestmuzz]e velociry main gur ammuritioD whentine permits. E FiIe bursts of 20-25rounds (4-5 tracers) except for suppressive flre. tr Use infinity sight for area targeis, E Use primary sight for point targets. E Engage targets at ranges to 900m. E Continue to move when engag' rng areaiargeIa. E When equipped with stabiliza- tion, continue to move when engagingpoint targets. 14-2 UNIry WINDOWINFINITYSIGHT
- 175. FM 17-12 Whed usingthe cal .5Omachinegun, the TC should: E Estimat€ lange to target and u6e theballistic reticle or leafsight to eneure the fust burst is in the IArge! area. 0 Uselow rat€ of fire for all targets except ailcraft. E Fire bursts of 10-15rcurd8 (2"9 tracera). M85 FIRECONTROLEOUIPMENTM60,/M6OA1,/M60A1AOS PERISCOPE& MOUNI FIRINGTEIGGEBISWITCHI ELEVATINGHANDIE tr Adjuet elevation ueing manual elevation hanalle. E Adju6t deflection using TC over- ride (exceptirr multiple machine- gun engagenents). The grmner can adjuet for deflection after he has identifred tle talgets, if re- quired. D Engage target8 at langes to tracer burnout. E Continue to move when engsg- rng area targets. FIRINGSAFEWSWITCH MANUALTRAVESSINGHANOLE POWERCONTBOLTIANDLE oc's ovERRtoE, ER.50I4ACHINEGUN azrMUTHLOCK& TNTERLOC(- | +-J
- 176. FM17 12 r4-3. AREATARGET ENGAGEMENTS Using the "2" pe.tterln will proviale adequate coveiage for most area tar- gete. When using the "2" pattern, openfire on the near edge of the target aDd let the movement of the tank walk the burst across the width of the target O , forming the bottom of the "2". then haverse the bulst back acrossthe target i,orhe far edgeusing turret movemen! O . 'Itris forms the mid- dlebar of lhe "Z '. Finally, usemovemeDtof the tank to walk theburst again acrossthe far side of the target @ , completing the "2" paEern, LEGEND o o o TURRETSTATIONARY TURRETTRAVERSING TURRETSTATIONARY o TARGETAREA o TAFGETAFEA uil 14-4
- 177.
- 178. FM11-12 14-4. POINT TARGETENGAGEMENTS For tanks without stabilization, point targets, moving or €tationar.y, should normally be engaged with either machinegun from a short halt. For'tanks equipped with stabilization, TC machinegun engagements may be fired fromashorthalt. Ifthe targethas apparentspeed,apply a fivemil leadfor the first burst. 14-5. SUPPRESSIVEFIRE ENGAGEMENTS Tank suppressivefire is diiect firc broughtto bearon known or likely enemylocationsto degradeoneor moreofthe enemy'sbasiccombatfunctionsof moving,shooting,observing,or communicating.When possible, tank suppressive fire should be accomplishedusingthe machineguns. This mnserves main gun ammunition. Suppressionis not judged by a minimum or maximum number of rounds fired, but by effectiveness.TaJlk rnachinegun suppressivefire is usuallyeffectiveinburstsof10-15rounds(2-3tracers)everytenseconds.This m€ansa sustainedrateof fire ofapproximately60roundsperminute. No patternis prescribed, but,to beeffective,eachburstshouldbewithin 12mete$ ofthe targetarca. In densetenain or areasof high enemytroopactivity, suppressivemachinegunfire canbeusedby overwatching tanks to fire on and aroundthe maneuveringtanks. Considerablymorepowerful,the cal .50 machinegunis moreeffectivethan thecoa-{in a suppressionml€ at longerranges. To conserve cal .50ammunitionfor longerrangeengagem€nts,coaxfire shouldbeusedwithin 900meters, and cal .50suppressiveflre engagementsshouldbe limited to oneminute or less. cAL.50 14-6
- 179. FM17-12 14-6. RECONNAISSANCE BYFIRE To conaerve main gun ammunition, tank machineguns should be extensively employed in recomaissance by fire to cause a hidden enemy to react. File asingle burst while constantly observing for possible enemy movement or retum fire. I4-7. NIULTIPLE ENGAGEMENTS To win outnumbered, US tank crew6 must be able to engage multiple targets aidrultaneously. Always engagethe mostdangeroustargetfirst. Thetank con)mandermav engageonetarget with the cal .50machinegun while the gunner destroysanothertarget with tbe main gur or coax machinegun. 14-7
- 180. FM17-12 14-8. SPECIAL USESOF MACHINEGUN FIRE Considering the favorable characteris- tics of macbinegun fue, the crew is limited only by t,|eir ingenuity in special employ- ment of theseweapois. Somespecialuses a, Ranging. Whelr ranging optics are damaged, the coax or caliber .50 machinegu may be used as a ianging g]lll to tracer bu.inout. b. Desig&aing Targers. Machine- gun fire can be v€ry effectively uSed by section arrdplatood leadera to deaignate targets for t"ank,artillery, or aerial fire support. Tracera oD target are as effective as a marlgng iound. c. Firing Through Cooer, The TC'a machin€gun can be ueedeffectively to penetrate moat cover which might be used by dismounted pereonnel-3mall treo8, hosty barricade, or lightly cod- structed buildings. lYeat such cover as a point taiget. 14-8
- 181. FM17-12 d. Incend.ia4lt Effects.Nlecbi'l€- gun tracer ammunition, particularly armor-piercing incendiary trscer (API-T) can set fire to any readily combu-6tiblematerial 6uch as dyy grass, gfain, dried brush, or wood. Firedemesa particularareato €nemyuse,andsmokeftom a buming freld can be used to screenmove- rnenta, |'.dii|*-_* ld'*' **g.-'* "* e. Riaochet Fire. This frre should be best employed during fighting in built-up areas. Machinegun fire can be delivered around cornerc by ricocheting it from buil<lings,walls, or stleets. It is particu_ F;.,.7i: larly effective in suppressing sniper fire, and although not particularly acdrrate, the psy- chologicaleffect on the enemyis consider- able. Yfitfr:! {i'*;i' 14-9
- 182. FM17 12 14-9. SUMMARY ITank machineglnE er€ usedto destroy unar:mor€d area and point targets, suppreaa enemy positions, ond cohduct reoonnaissance by fire. r To defeat theThreat, it will be necessary to engagemultiple targ€ts simultaneously, r With stabilization, keep noving when engaging point targets-if possible, I Without stabilization, engage point targets from a ahort hslt, I While moving, use ihe "2" pattern on atea targeta. I To conserve main gun ammunition, fire machineguns in 10- 16 round bur.sts every ten secondg for suppresBing likely enemYPositions. r Tank machineguns can also be used for ranging, designat- ing targets, frring through cover' in@ndiary effects, and ricochet frre. 14-10