Impact of Precision Guided Munitions on Planning Operational Fires

Abstract

The emergence and future military dominance of precision guided munitions (PGMs) significantly influence time, space, and force operational fires planning factors, but have not significantly changed the theory and objectives of operational fires. PGMs reduce the time needed to deploy operational forces and the time required in achieving decisive results. Precision enhanced operational fires now eliminate previous geographical limitations on operational fires. The improved accuracy of PGMs translates to reduced air power platforms to achieve desired results. The greatest danger in the advance of PGMs is the flawed assumption, leading to inadequate planning, that precision enhanced fires can deliver quick unilateral decisive victory. Operational fires theory and objectives are enhanced, but not revolutionized by PGMs. Operational commanders should apply existing theory and objectives with significantly enhanced time, space, and force operational planning factors to maximize planning operational fires.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 17, 1999
Accession Number
ADA370732

Entities

People

  • Rodney O. Anderson

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Artillery
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Guided Missiles
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Precision-Guided Munitions
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Satellite Guided Weapons
  • Second World War
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Strategic Security Studies
  • ballistics.

Technology Areas

  • Space