[Ragtime Cowgirl]

For the first time in about nine years, III Corps Artillery at Fort Sill is hosting a Joint Close Air Support live-fire exercise. Soldiers from Fort Bragg, N.C., will parachute in. Navy F-18 Hornets and Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons will be used to drop ordnance, including the Navy’s MK-83, a 1,000-pound bomb.

“We want to show that we can realistically coordinate and provide fire in support of joint operations safely,” said Capt. Albert Huang the operations officer for the 212th Field Artillery Brigade.

The exercise, which continues through May 7, will also integrate multiple launch rocket systems, cannon fires and troops from Fort Hood, Texas, and the Marine Corps.

 

 

http://sill-www.army.mil/

    Bang!

[Lokibob]

Years ago, Ft. Sill used to have a live fire exercise monthly and it was open to the public on a Sat.

Talk about shock and awe. They took all the graduating classes and let them actually fire the bullets. Each battery had a target and fired on that one in a field, I'd guess 1 mile square.

The targets were abandoned cars found on Ft. Sill. LOL

They even fired a Little John rocket (that tells you how long ago this was).

As a finale, they had a TOT (time on target). That was when all the bullets from all the guns hit the targets at the same time.

I'll never forget that demonstration.

Can't imagine what involving the other services would do more impressively.

[Darksheare]

FAMPL ping.
Joint combat training with LIVE bombs.

[BlueLancer]

They regularly have live-fire exercises for aircraft .. bombing runs and Warthog chaingun .. here on Fort Hood, as well as artillery and mortar live-fires. We live about 14 miles away and when they're really tuned up, the ground shakes and rolls like a ship in heavy seas.

The noise and shaking doesn't bother the wife or I, and our cat takes it in stride as well. Nothing like the sound of freedom to help you fall asleep.