Employment of the Expeditionary Fire Support System

Abstract

Over the past few years there have been many articles published within the Marine Corps Gazette about which system the Marine Corps should incorporate as the Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS). The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) ended any argument in November 2004 when it awarded the EFSS contract to General Dynamics and their partners TDA Armaments SAS and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company for their RT 120mm Rifled Mortar System. The EFSS should be the principal indirect fire support system for a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Although it does not give the lethality of a 155mm, the RT 120mm mortar can bring destruction by way of mass and various ammunitions to the battlefield. It can also give the MEU commander a more deployable and mobile weapon system. With its light weight and low dimensions the commander can vertically lift the EFSS with the Vertical Assault force or it can be transported in a landing craft. With speed and mobility becoming the wave of the future, the MEU commander will need a weapon system to maintain momentum and have the lethality to support the infantry. The mission of the MEU(SOC) is to "provide a forward deployed, flexible, sea-based MAGTF capable of rapidly executing amphibious operations, designated maritime special operations, MOOTW, and supporting operations to include enabling the introduction of follow-on forces." How to employ the EFSS and prepare it for Operational Maneuver-from-the-Sea (OMFTS)? The answer is to replace the lightweight 155mm howitzer aboard Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) with the RT 120mm mortar, allowing the M198 howitzer and 155mm howitzer to deploy with the Marine Expeditionary Force. This will give the MEU(SOC) Commander an indirect fire support system that is lethal, mobile, and deployable.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 08, 2005
Accession Number
ADA506876

Entities

People

  • Timothy M. Slinger

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammunition
  • Artillery
  • Employment
  • Explosives
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Fire Support
  • Firing Rate
  • High Explosives
  • Howitzers
  • Indirect Fire
  • Marine Corps
  • Munitions
  • Naval Vessels
  • Projectiles
  • Warfare
  • Weapon Systems
  • Weapons

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Marksmanship and Weaponry.

Technology Areas

  • Space