Fire Direction Control Course

Fire Direction Control Course

Behind every effective mortar mission is a process that turns target information into usable firing data.

The Fire Direction Control Course teaches students how fire missions move from observer information to firing solutions. Designed for mortar crews, crew chiefs, and indirect fire personnel, this course focuses on the systems, procedures, and calculations used to support mortar operations from the Fire Direction Center.

Students learn how to organize information, process missions, and support gun crews through structured procedures and communication.

Topics include:

  • FDC responsibilities and workflow
  • Understanding fire mission processing
  • Building firing data from observer information
  • Grid, Shift, and Polar mission processing
  • Fire commands and communication flow
  • Direction and range determination
  • Plotting methods and target tracking
  • Manual fire direction concepts
  • Digital fire control systems
  • Introduction to ballistic corrections
  • Mission management and multiple target tracking
  • Common FDC errors and troubleshooting

Students will complete practical exercises processing simulated fire missions and working through realistic indirect fire scenarios.

Course Information:

  • Format: Classroom / Tabletop
  • Length: Approximately 6–8 hours
  • Live Fire: Not Required
  • Mobile Training Available