Define fire support coordination measures (FSCMs) and give two examples.

• A. Measures for coordinating medical evacuation.
• B. They only apply to naval operations.
• C. Established procedures/boundaries for coordinating fires; examples include Free Fire Area (FFA) and Coordinated Fire Line (CFL) or Restrictive Fire Line (RFL).
• D. They are purely verbal guidelines with no formal procedures.

Answer: (C)

Fire support coordination measures are formal procedures and boundaries that organize how fires from different weapons systems—artillery, mortars, close air support, naval gunfire, etc.—are employed so they deconflict with friendly forces and with each other. They provide clear rules about where, when, and how fires can be used, reducing the risk of fratricide and ensuring coordinated effects on the battlefield.

Two common examples are a Free Fire Area, which designates a defined area where fires can be employed without asking for additional coordination, and a Coordinated Fire Line or Restrictive Fire Line, which creates a boundary that requires fire coordination or imposes restrictions to protect adjacent units or sectors. These are formal, codified measures, not informal or purely verbal guidelines, and they apply across joint and combined operations.