Which are the classes of fire with respect to the gun?

• A. Fixed, traversing, searching, searching and traversing, swinging traversing, free gun
• B. Fixed, aiming, rapid fire
• C. Elevating, depressing, stabilizing, offset
• D. Direct fire, indirect fire

Answer: (A)

When we talk about classes of fire with respect to the gun, we’re describing how the weapon may move while it’s firing and what pattern that movement creates in engaging a sector or target.

Fixed fire means the gun stays put, with no horizontal or vertical movement, firing from a fixed point on a target. Traversing fire involves moving the gun horizontally (traversing) while firing to cover a sector as the target’s position changes left or right. Searching fire is used to probe an area; the gun isn’t fixed on one point, and firing helps reveal whether enemies are present. Searching and traversing combines those ideas: you search the area and also traverse to engage targets you locate. Swinging traversing fire is a rapid, wide sweep in a arc while the gun continues to traverse, useful for quickly scanning a broad field of fire. Free gun means there are no restrictions on movement—the gunner can point the weapon anywhere and adjust aim freely to follow targets or cover the largest area.

These six categories describe the complete set of movement patterns for firing, which is why this option is the best answer.