What is the difference between Direct Fire and Indirect Fire?

• A. Direct Fire is fired with line of sight at the target; Indirect Fire is fired from assets not in the target’s line of sight (artillery, mortars, etc.).
• B. Direct Fire uses audio cues; Indirect Fire uses visible cues.
• C. Direct Fire is only from aircraft; Indirect Fire is from ground assets.
• D. Direct Fire is for area targets; Indirect Fire is for point targets.

Answer: (A)

Direct Fire is defined by engaging targets you can see, with the weapon aimed directly at the target along the line of sight. Indirect Fire, by contrast, comes from weapons that are not in the target’s line of sight and rely on observers or fire direction centers to lay down fire on the target using ballistic trajectories. This distinction explains field behavior: direct-fire assets (like rifles, machine guns, tanks) engage where you can directly observe the target, while indirect-fire assets ( artillery, mortars, some rocket systems) push rounds to a target you can’t see, using coordinates, spotting, and fire adjustments to hit it.

The other statements aren’t accurate definitions. Audio vs visible cues isn’t the fundamental difference, since both fire methods can involve various cues. Direct Fire is not limited to aircraft; it is routinely used from ground-based weapons as well. And the idea that Direct Fire is for area targets while Indirect Fire is for point targets reverses or oversimplifies how these methods are actually employed.