2004 state of the Field Artillery

FA Journal, Nov-Dec, 2004 by David P. Valcourt, Robert T. Bray, Tommy A. Williams

* The future guided-MLRS (GMLRS) rocket is progressing along two axes: the dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM), or GMLRS-D, and the unitary warhead, or GMLRS-U.

GMLRS-D began live-fire operational testing at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, in October and continues on into November. The high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) fired the rockets while also undergoing operational testing. 2d Battalion, 18th Field Artillery from Fort Sill was the crew for the HIMARS testing.

GMLRS-D has a greatly reduced sub-munition dud rate and, with its precision capability, costs significantly less than the M26 free-rocket to attack targets. GMLRS-D will be available in war reserve stockpiles in early 2006.

GMLRS-U has had two highly successful test firings to date in the point-detonating fuze mode. Future testing also will include the proximity and delay fuze modes.

Congress has funded and we are working to accelerate limited fielding of GMLRS-U for ongoing war operations, also in FY06, with force-wide fielding in FY08, as currently projected.

GMLRS-U is important to the Army as it allows the rocket battalions of the fires brigades to attack at long range with precision for shaping and counterstrike operations with the added benefit of its unitary warhead's being effective against targets in areas of collateral damage concern.

Counterstrike Task Force (CSTF). Enemy indirect fires, primarily rockets and mortars, have become the number one cause of injuries to Soldiers and Marines serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF). Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and direct action account for most other hostile action injuries. The insurgent OIF/OEF indirect fires are characterized by low-volume, shoot-and-scoot delivery.

The Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Futures has focused the efforts of the TRADOC schoolhouses, particularly the FA School at Fort Sill and the Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Bliss, Texas, to work with in-theater leaders and the Department of the Army staff to find holistic solutions to defeat the insurgents and protect our Soldiers.

Initial efforts include a wide array of developmental capabilities. These are providing early warning of incoming rounds to individual Soldiers, improving overhead protection at base camps, intercepting the rounds, improving radar acquisitions of indirect fire and improving counterfire response times.

What is clear is that there is no one solution to defeating enemy fires and protecting our servicemen and Coalition Forces. Our strategy must be layered and redundant.

The CSTF is looking for innovative ideas from the FA, Army and the joint services to defeat OIF and OEF enemy indirect fires--I strongly encourage you to share any expertise you might have to help resolve these challenges. A secure Internet protocol routing network (SIPRNET) will give you more information about the CSTF and the ability to contribute solutions at the CSTF's classified website: https://counterstrike.army.smil.mil. A nonsecure website that provides background information on the CSTF is http://sill-www.army.mil/counterstrike. If you have questions, you can contact a CSTF representative in the Office of the Deputy Commanding General at the Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, at DSN 639-5830 or commercial 580-442-5830 or email the representative at atsf-1 @ sill.army.mil.