What does the term 'suppressive fire' refer to?

The term 'suppressive fire' is best understood as fire that restricts imminent threats upon friendly forces. This type of fire is employed to reduce the effectiveness of enemy forces and limit their ability to return fire, thereby providing cover for friendly troops as they maneuver. The primary objective of suppressive fire is to deny the enemy the capability to engage friendly forces effectively, allowing for movements that would otherwise be too dangerous under direct enemy fire.

While other concepts like improving troop movement or eliminating enemy positions are critical in military operations, they don’t capture the essence of what suppressive fire aims to achieve. Suppressive fire focuses specifically on neutralizing or hindering the enemy’s ability to target friendly forces, rather than outright destruction or improvement of mobility. Environmental concerns are typically not associated with the tactical application of fire in a combat zone, making that choice irrelevant in the context of defining suppressive fire.