Field Artillery in Military Operations Other Than War: An Overview of the US Experience
Abstract
One of the principal developments in European military technology during the 13th and 14th centuries was the advent of artillery tubes that used gunpowder to launch their projectiles at enemy targets. Initially, these artillery pieces were extremely large, heavy, cumbersome, inaccurate, and unreliable. Over the ensuing centuries, however, continuous technological breakthrough resulted in smaller, lighter, more accurate field guns that could, using many refines techniques, fire a variety of munitions over longer ranges. As the guns became more versatile and mobile, their utility expanded: besides their initial use as siege and garrison weapons, they quickly became fixtures on the conventional battlefield as well. Over the course of several centuries, commanders and other military specialists made adjustments in artillery techniques and placement that, given improvements in accuracy, weight, mobility, range, vulnerability, and target acquisitioning, employed the pieces in ways that would wreak as much havoc while enjoying as much protection as possible.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA445156
Entities
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College