Which scenario uses direct fire?

• A. A soldier fires a rifle at a target visible through the rifle's sights
• B. An artillery battery fires at a target not visible
• C. An airstrike hits a distant location
• D. A mortar round impacts through smoke

Answer: (A)

Direct fire means engaging a target with a weapon along the line of sight, where the shooter can see the target and aim directly at it. In this scenario, a soldier firing a rifle at a target visible through the rifle’s sights fits that definition because the shooter and target are in line of sight and the shot is directed straight at the target.

The other situations involve indirect fire: artillery firing at a target that isn’t visible, an airstrike delivering munitions to a distant location, and a mortar round whose aim is determined from a distance and travels to a location not in the shooter’s direct view. These rely on observers or pre-planned coordinates and fire trajectories rather than a direct line-of-sight engagement.