kill box

A Kill Box is a three dimensional fire support control measure (FSCM) used to facilitate expeditious air-to-surface attacks, which may be augmented by or integrated with surface-to-surface indirect fires.

In laymen's terms it is a grid superimposed upon a map of the battle area and operations are assigned to particular boxes within that grid. First developed by the U.S. Air Force in the late 1980s, the technique gained notoriety through its use during the first Gulf War (1991). The tactics, techniques and procedures of Kill Box employment were further refined by the U.S. Air Force throughout the 1990s, leading to more efficient prosecution of targets.

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq they were once again used with devastating effect to prosecute the air war in support of the initial invasion. Use of Kill Boxes is now part of Joint U.S. Doctrine and is used by many of the U.S.'s allies.

Types of Killboxes

Blue - permit air-to-surface fires in the kill box without further coordination or deconfliction with friendly forces.

Purple - reduces the coordination requirements for air-to-surface fires, while still allowing surface component commanders to employ surface-to-surface fire. It allows the maximum use of joint fires, creating a synergistic effect and maximum potential for neutralizing enemy forces.

Misconceptions

While engagement authority is automatically granted by the establishment of a kill box it does not relieve the aircrew of the responsibility for complying with requirements such as commander’s designated target priority, Positive Identification (PID), Collateral Damage Assessments, Rules of Engagement (ROE) and Special Instructions (SPINS).

References

Kill box: the newest FSCM from Field Artillery Journal

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