supporting fire

Fire delivered by supporting units to assist or protect a unit in combat. See also direct supporting fire.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

supporting fire - fire delivered by supporting units to protect or assist a unit in combat firing, fire - the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy; "hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes"; "they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire" close supporting fire - fire on enemy troops or weapons or positions that are near the supported unit and are the most immediate and serious threat to it deep supporting fire - fire on objectives not in the immediate vicinity of your forces but with the objective of destroying enemy reserves and weapons and interfering with the enemy command and supply and communications direct supporting fire - fire delivered in support of part of a force (as opposed to general supporting fire delivered in support of the force as a whole)