What refers to the targeting of enemy indirect fire systems and their supporting elements before they can engage friendly forces?

The correct answer, Proactive Counterfire, refers to the strategy of targeting enemy indirect fire systems and their supporting elements before they have the opportunity to engage friendly forces. This form of counterfire aims to neutralize threats early, thereby preventing potential harm to one's own troops. By taking the initiative to strike at the enemy’s capabilities preemptively, operations can be structured to maintain the element of surprise and protect friendly units from immediate danger.

Proactive Counterfire emphasizes striking first and using available intelligence to identify likely positions of enemy artillery or mortars, effectively disrupting their operational capabilities. This approach is an essential part of modern military tactics, allowing forces to create a safer operational environment by mitigating threats before they can execute their intended attacks.

The other options, while related to fire operations, do not describe this specific proactive approach. Reactive Counterfire involves responding to enemy fire after the attack has occurred, which lacks the preventative aspect of the proactive strategy. Ground Force Suppression focuses on neutralizing threats to ground troops but does not specifically target indirect fire systems. Defensive Operations encompass a broader strategy that includes various methods of protecting forces but does not hone in on the specific act of targeting enemy indirect fire systems preemptively like Proactive Counterfire does.