What is the primary purpose of interlocking fires in machine gun employment?

The primary purpose of interlocking fires in machine gun employment is to ensure that every area is covered without gaps. This tactic is crucial for maintaining effective fire coverage across a battlefield, allowing multiple machine guns to create overlapping fields of fire. By coordinating the positions of different machine guns, units can effectively eliminate any potential blind spots that might allow enemy forces to advance. This overlapping fire ensures that if one machine gun is suppressed or fails, the others can still maintain effective coverage, contributing to a more robust defensive posture.

While other choices like creating a defensive line, reducing ammunition expenditure, or providing enfilading fire are important aspects of machine gun employment, they do not specifically address the fundamental purpose of interlocking fires, which is to establish comprehensive and continuous coverage of an area. This lack of gaps in coverage is essential for maximizing the effectiveness of the machine guns and safeguarding friendly forces.