Which term describes weapons positioned so their engagement envelopes overlap?

• A. Weighted Coverage
• B. Overlapping Fires
• C. Keep-Out Range
• D. Early Engagement

Answer: (B)

Overlapping engagement envelopes describe the situation where weapon systems are positioned so each system’s reach and firing capability intersects with the others, creating a region where multiple weapons can engage the same target. This overlapping of fires provides continuous coverage across the area, reducing gaps and creating mutual support so a target moving through the airspace is likely to be engaged by more than one system as it traverses different sectors and ranges. It also boosts resilience: if one weapon is out of action or limited by geometry, others still cover the critical paths, maintaining effective air defense.

Keep-Out Range is a safety boundary and doesn’t describe how you arrange coverage, and Early Engagement refers to engaging targets earlier in their approach rather than to the spatial distribution of weapon envelopes. The term that fits the idea of multiple weapons sharing the same airspace to ensure continuous, overlapping protection is overlapping fires.