The Survey Experience During Operation Iraqi Freedom

Abstract

In March 2003, the survey platoon of the 320th Engineer Company received orders to deploy to the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations and support Operation Iraqi Freedom. As the only V Corps geodetic survey element, the platoon was called to complete a very unique mission for an Army that depends on absolute positioning and the Global Positioning System (GPS) for fighting a high technology war. The platoon deployed as a three-squad element, ready to support field artillery in the combat support role and the aviation assets in the airfield safety survey role. The platoon deployed a noncommissioned officer (NCO) with the company advance party, whose primary mission was to initiate survey planning and integrate assets early into the fight. Once the company main body arrived in theater, the platoon was tasked to immediately send a survey field enhancement module (SFEM) into the V Corps 41st Field Artillery Brigade (FAB). Once stability operations began, the surveyors switched missions to complete the geodetic safety surveys of the major airfields to be used by V Corps or coalition forces.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA596497

Entities

People

  • Aaron Wolf
  • Vilen Ayvazov

Organizations

  • United States Army Engineer School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Artillery
  • Artillery Units
  • Combat Support
  • Department Of Defense
  • Engineers
  • Geodetic Surveys
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Iraqi-War
  • Joint Military Activities
  • Landing Fields
  • Military Aircraft
  • Munitions
  • Unexploded Ammunition
  • United States Central Command
  • War
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Geodesy
  • Military Science
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.

Technology Areas

  • Space