All true. The great the range, the greater the dispersion. All sorts of factors:
- Tube sag/vibration/whip
- Meteorological effects acting on the projectile over a longer distance
- Variations in muzzle velocity variance, projectile uniformity, slowing of projectile rotation over a longer flight path
In short, any errors at all are magnified the further you throw an unguided projectile. The old 175mm gun had a CEP of almost 1,000 meters at its max range, so every shot fired was “to whom it may concern”. Good enough to hit North Vietnam, but never good enough for Danger Close.
Of course, we can always try guided rounds but a quarter million each, we don’t get too many rounds.
Really hard to wean the senior army and Marine Corps artillery leadership from excessively long tubes/heavier gun systems. They seem oblivious to the consequences for finding enough geography to emplacement them or the crew loads imposed (12 minute “hip shoots”) or the problems involved in lifting them and their prime movers over long distances.
Need more General Officers with technical degrees, I guess.
Another installment in the game of horseshoes and hand grenades..