Lesson 1
Select Smoke Pot Positions
Critical Tasks: 031-508-2010
031-508-3060
Overview
combined with suppressive fires, will provide increased
Lesson Description:
In this lesson you will learn how to select smoke pot
opportunities for maneuver forces to deploy. This
positions.
enhances the chances of mission accomplishment without
catastrophic losses in the highly lethal modern battle
arena.
Smoke, dust, and other aerosol obscurants
Terminal Learning Objective:
Action: Select smoke pot positions.
effectively degrade smart weapon systems and visual
Conditions: Given information about and illustrations
target acquisition. Smoke may be used to reduce the
relating to the procedures for selecting smoke pot
ability of the enemy to deliver effective fires and to
positions including a determination of weather
hamper hostile operations. It is used to deny the enemy
and terrain conditions, spacing requirement, and
information on friendly forces (ships, troops, and aircraft),
techniques for emplacement of smoke pots for a
positions, and maneuvers. Hence, the important concept
company-level smoke operation.
of obscuration in support of the combat actions of military
Standards: Demonstrate competency of the task skills
forces under contemporary conditions has been
and knowledge by responding to a multiple-
reinforced.
Smoke agents and smoke-producing
choice test covering the procedures or selecting
substances under development affect existing systems. In
smoke pot positions.
a similar vein, dust, while usually inadvertent and often
References: The material contained in this lesson was
present when not desired, can be used to deny information
derived from FM 3-50 and TB CML 100.
to the enemy and to degrade the performance of target-
acquisition devices.
Introduction
Smoke is a weapon of deception. Deceiving the
Characteristics of Smoke Screens
enemy helps to ensure mission success. When opposing
A smoke blanket is an area smoke seen laid in a
forces can view and monitor friendly preparations, the
horizontal plane. It is designed to obscure a large area
next move can be guessed with surprising accuracy.
and provide protection against aerial observation, or to
Therefore, every effort must be made to conceal forces,
blanket military positions. Properly laid, a smoke blanket
preparations, and movement. While camouflage and
gives a uniformly dense blanket of smoke over the target
night operations support this goal to a certain extent,
area.
smoke provides the means of covering large areas of
A smoke haze has the same characteristics as a
activity at any time of day or night. Smoke can also be
smoke blanket except that a smoke haze is not as dense as
used to cover an unoccupied area by forcing the enemy to
a smoke blanket.
expend forces against a nonexistent operation. Smoke
A smoke curtain is a vertical screen, extending from
pots and mechanical smoke generators are the means by
the surface to a height greater than the target height. It is
which many smoke screens are produced to provide the
placed between friendly and enemy positions to prevent
desired deception.
or degrade enemy ground observation of friendly
positions. It does not prevent aerial observation.
In friendly territory, a smoke generator unit can
Part A - Describe the Purpose of
produce all three types of smoke screens.
Smoke Operations
The deliberate use of smoke and the inadvertent or
planned generation of dust on the battlefield have always
Uses of Smoke Screens
been of concern to units in action. When used to one's
A smoke haze (Figure 1) is used to hinder aerial and
advantage, smoke can significantly reduce the enemy's
ground observation by concealing the location of
effectiveness both in daytime and at night. Smoke,
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