Indirect or Direct Fire Attacks | Scope of Risk

An indirect fire (IDF) attack is one in which a device such as a rocket or mortar round is fired by launching the round into the air with the aim of it landing on, or near, its target. On striking the ground, the round will detonate, creating a blast wave and throwing shrapnel in all directions, or may not detonate, resulting in unexploded ordnance hazards. There may be no warning of an incoming round, and if a round explodes near personnel or facilities it should be assumed that several more rounds may be inbound.

A direct fire attack is one in which a round is fired directly at the target from a weapon such as a pistol, rocket‐propelled grenade, missile, rifle, or machine gun. Indirect fire attacks provide easy targeting opportunities for hostile groups and have been used by terrorists and insurgents for several decades. In Northern Ireland, terrorist organizations used mortars and rockets to attack military bases with great effect and little risk to the instigators. The ability to target areas or specific structures from a distance and remotely from the weapon system reduces the risk to the user, while concurrently making threat‐reduction measures difficult to implement by security forces, especially in urban areas, where the risk of a retaliatory strike (counter‐battery) incurring collateral damage reduces response effectiveness as well as deterrence to hostile groups.

The risks faced by a company from IDF attacks vary, depending on the operator's skill in targeting effectively (hitting what is being aimed at or getting a general area strike pattern), the size of the target area, the equipment used, and any secondary threats that could result from the attack, especially for facilities with combustible materials (notably oil and gas refineries and storage areas). The risks associated with IDF attacks include:

§  Damage to structures or buildings.

§  Resulting industrial hazards.

§  UXO clearance, fires, and explosions.

§  Follow‐on small arms fire or complex attacks.

§  IDF fragmentation hazards (primary and secondary).

§  Casualty management and evacuation procedures.

Companies can provide adequate risk mitigation and countermeasures to reduce the effects of IDF risks, including bunkers, overhead protection, safe havens, compartmentalization of work sites with blastproof walls, blast films for windows, muster procedures, and medical management areas. An effective warning system and the education of personnel as part of a hostile environment training package are also useful, advising personnel to immediately take cover if they are warned of incoming fire or hear explosions, staying close to the ground and avoiding areas that might pose a shrapnel or explosive hazard.

The effective use of an IDF attack is often hindered by a lack of effective command, control, and communications necessary for coordinated attacks. As a result, IDF attacks are rarely coordinated with the accuracy and timeliness necessary to cause maximum impacts. Many groups tend to favor shoot‐and‐scoot tactics, necessitating quick and therefore inherently inaccurate setup, with a minimum number of rounds fired before moving away from the firing area quickly to avoid being apprehended. IDF attacks present an area risk to companies and can also undermine business activities, as personnel may spend many hours in shelters while the risk is present, which can be both fatiguing and demoralizing. The IMP is designed to provide a systematic manner by which to respond to IDF threats, protecting personnel and allowing business operations to resume quickly and safely once the threat has passed.