Ready to return fire: Artillery unit watches, waits, targets enemy rockets

Army Times ^ | February 23, 2004 | Robert Hodierne

[Cannoneer No. 4]

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ST. MERE EGLISE, Iraq

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Field Artillery & Mortar Ping List ping

[Cannoneer No. 4]

ping

[Darksheare]

M119'ers?!
I'd give my right leg to be there with that howitzer!

[snippy_about_it]

Artillerymen do tend to talk louder than most folks. Peeler, 32, of Humboldt, Tenn., explained: “It’s not the fact that we’re deaf. We just like to talk loud.”

LOL.

I wonder if the pair of Kiowa's took out those trucks?

[Darksheare]

Speak up, I can't hear you, I'm artillery!
What? Don't have to shout, I'm not deaf!
*chuckle*

[Redbob]

You just gotta love computer-directed counter-battery fire!

[snooker]

How close do you think they can get with this counter battery fire?

[Oblongata]

I'm sorry but I have to say I'm not impressed (more like dismayed by this article). I'ts awesome that we can get counterfire coordinates before the incoming shells hit the ground, but what's the point if it takes five minutes to position the guns for counterfire?

Thats enough time for the enemy to dump the launch apparatus (or tow the launch trailer) and change position on the order of miles. To be truly effective we need computer controlled gun placement as well. The tactics described in this article are worthless for fighting hit and run enemy forces.

[CholeraJoe]

Artillery lends dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.

[Arkinsaw]

How close do you think they can get with this counter battery fire?

About as close as a man can run in 5 minutes.

[IGOTMINE]

"Charge eight RAP!" bump

[RedlegCPT]

That is what Paladin is for 45 seconds after receiving data rounds in the tube witing to fire, and that is when it is in a road march, the problem and slow down is when we clear fires. I have been there, when we had data on the guns, and were waiting for an Infantry BN to confirm that the area was clear. 10 minutes later we ended mission with out a round fired. Happens all the time.

A good 119 crew will be laid and ready to fire in about a minute maybe two. There is alot missing in this article as far as how long it truly takes to fire, and the slow downs. If all is working properly, round down range with effects on target in less than two minutes. Which is about the amount of time it takes a mortar crew to displace.

[antiRepublicrat]

Looks like they need to get Paladins and streamline the chain of command's permission to fire.

[American in Israel]

Too bad they do not use this method in Gaza.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The pieces I am most familiar with went out of the inventory back when when prime movers ate hay, so maybe I don't know what I am talking about, but it seems to me the hold up is verifying that the target is not smack dab in the middle of a school playground full of kids or some other public relations disaster/eagerly awaited atrocity.

Maybe an aerial observation system using UAVs and tethered WWI-style balloons and powered blimps and cheap fixed-wing aviation can maintain visual surveillance of the area to be protected and spot the muzzle flash of the second round after the FDC gives them a direction. Then the Quick Reaction bird swoops down and checks it out, takes them out himself if possible, or pulls the trigger on the big guns.

Make sense?

[RedlegCPT]

but it seems to me the hold up is verifying that the target is not smack dab in the middle of a school playground full of kids or some other public relations disaster/eagerly awaited atrocity.

Yup, that is why we now go to war with lawyers and Civial Affairs guys, they help create No Fire areas, and help in decifering the Rules of Engagment. To make sure that does not happen. AS far as the other stuff you were talking about, we kind of do that now with a ground QRF, as mortars and the like quicKly disappear and can hide.