"We Can Not Take Your Call for Fire Right Now" - Does the Global War on Terrorism Signal the Demise of the Field Artillery?
Abstract
The United States Army began transformation to meet the needs of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Senior leaders within the military initiated the transformation from a division-based organization to one built around brigades. This transformation initiative demonstrated that change could be rapid. For some in the Field Artillery (FA), the concern was that the change was too rapid and that it reduced the artillery available to support maneuver units. To make the necessary changes to support a Modular, brigade-based Army, the Army embraced Joint interdependence. This monograph focuses on the following research question: Does the reduction of FA batteries within a Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) reduce the effectiveness of fire support for full-spectrum operations? To answer this question, the author used a modification of DOTMLPF as the framework for analyzing the issue of transforming the Fires battalion within an HBCT. The monograph provides an overview of Joint and Army doctrine, including the efforts of the Department of Defense to update doctrine for the GWOT and achieve Joint interdependence; discusses the impact of the 2x8 arrangement for the Fires battalion; examines training issues associated with restructuring the Fires battalion within the HBCT; describes developments in FA precision weapons; and discusses the effects of transformation on soldiers in the Fires battalion and the HBCT. The author concludes that the Army-directed changes to the structure of FA battalions within an HBCT are a positive step toward Joint interdependence. The GWOT is not the demise of the Field Artillery, just an opportunity for the Field Artillery to evolve.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA450156
Entities
People
- Mark E. Brock
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College