If required, who develops and approves a PLA plan before CAS employment?

• A. Supported commander
• B. Joint operations center
• C. Fire support coordinator
• D. Higher headquarters

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that who has the authority to drive and approve how CAS is used rests with the commander who owns the operation. The PLA plan for close air support is the roadmap that shows where, when, and how CAS will be employed to support the mission, and it must reflect the commander's intent, priorities, and risk tolerance. That decision resides with the supported commander, who has the operational control to authorize execution and accept the associated risk. The fire support coordinator provides expert input and helps integrate fires with ground operations, but does not grant final approval. The joint operations center helps coordinate resources and actions, and higher headquarters may set constraints or provide overarching guidance, but the authority to develop and approve the CAS plan falls to the supported commander.