General Charles DeGaulle
The Army of the Future, 1941

Fire support is the collective and coordinated use of indirect fire, target acquisition data, armed aircraft, and other lethal and nonlethal means against ground targets in support of maneuver force operations. The mission of fire support is to destroy, neutralize, or suppress the enemy with indirect fire and integrate all available means of fire support.

Fire support responsibilities focus on close support fires in support of engaging maneuver units, counterfire (the attack of enemy indirect fire support systems), and interdiction (the attack of enemy laterally and in depth). It includes artillery, mortars, other non–line–of–sight weapons, Army aviation, naval gun fire, close air support, and electronic countermeasures.

To achieve the required operational capabilities, the fire support S/SU/ACs will provide unique system capabilities that will enhance the commander’s ability to meet the dynamic requirements of the battlefield. Fire support capabilities include supporting the ability of early entry operations to deploy rapidly and secure the operational area; providing critical elements of the combat power required to defeat an enemy throughout the depth of the battlefield; supporting the commander’s requirement to control the rate and pace of combat activities; supporting critical aspects of the commander’s ability to effect operations against opposing forces engaged in combat actions; and providing essential capabilities in the logistics spectrum to support, rearm, and resupply fire support assets required to sustain the soldier on the battlefield (see Table III–32).

The Army Modernization Plan Fire Support annex provides the direction and focus of our modernization strategy. The cornerstone for the successful implementation of this continuous modernization strategy is our science and technology programs. These programs will focus on system upgrades, new systems, and advanced concepts that will provide quality materiel to commanders that ensure their ability to "fight fire with fire."

Table III–33 presents a summary of ACTDs, ATDs, and major TDs leading to systems development and upgrade. Modernization of the fire support operating system depends upon the development of these key systems for fire support coordination, close support, counterfire, command and control, and target acquisition, as well as munitions and rockets, and their ultimate fielding as a fire support system–of–systems.

As shown in Figure III–20, S&T efforts focus on:

Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) ATD (1995–98). This ATD will demonstrate a significant improvement in the range and accuracy of the MLRS free–flight artillery rocket. Improved accuracy results in a significant reduction in the number of rockets required to defeat the target (as much as sixfold at extended ranges). Other benefits include an associated reduction in the logistics burden (transportation of rockets), reduced chances of collateral damage and fratricide, reduced mission times (resulting in increased system survivability), and increased effective range for the MLRS rocket. The ATD will design, fabricate, and flight test a low–cost guidance and control package to be housed in the nose of the rocket, thus minimizing the changes to the current rocket. A low–cost inertial measurement unit (IMU) coupled with a canard control system will be demonstrated in Phase I, followed by a GPS–aided IMU solution in Phase II. The IMU package will provide a 2 to 3 mil accuracy sufficient for some MLRS warheads with the GPS–aided package providing a 10–meter CEP accuracy for warheads that require precision accuracy. The package to be demonstrated will result in a rocket that is more cost effective and more lethal while requiring no change to crew training procedures or maintenance procedures (during the 15–year shelf life). The guidance and control package will be designed with applicability to bomblet, mine, precision guided submunition, and unitary/earth penetrator warheads. An EMD program is in the POM with an FY98 start. Supports: RFPI ACTD and Guided MLRS.

Precision Guided Mortar Munition (PGMM) ATD (1994–01). The 120–mm PGMM will demonstrate a multimission, multimode, precision munition capable of defeating high–value point targets at extended ranges (12–15 km). Its modes of operation include autonomous fire–and–forget and laser designation for a surgical strike capability. Accuracy improvement, such as GPS/inertial navigation system (INS) technologies, will be developed to further improve accuracy and effectiveness at long ranges. In FY99 demonstrations included both

Figure III-20. Roadmap - Fire Support Modernization
Click on the image to view enlarged version

laser–designated and autonomous fire missions. In FY01 demonstrations included comprehensive hardware–in–loop (including GPS/INS) testing. See the section on Close Combat Light (above), for details. Supports: RFPI ACTD, 120–mm Mortars, and PGMM.

Auto–Registration TD (1996–98). This program will develop and demonstrate an auto–registration system utilizing a digital GPS P/Y code translator (in a NATO–standard fuze) and platform receiver to track artillery projectiles and automatically compute firing corrections. This will provide significant accuracy improvement, at all ranges, for all projectiles on all platforms. The demonstration will take place at Yuma Proving Ground and the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, and will consist of a series of test firings that will compare predicted fire to autoregistration accuracy. Supports: All existing and future 155–mm munitions/platforms.

Rapid Force Projection Initiative (RFPI) ACTD (1995–00). This ACTD will demonstrate a highly lethal, survivable, and rapidly air deployable enhancement to the Early Entry Task Force. It includes an automated fire control system for selected howitzers, the EFOGM non–line–of–sight weapon system, and the IAS as a deep/shallow emplaced sensor. Further details are provided in the section on Close Combat Light (above).

155–mm Automated Howitzer (AH) TD (1994–01). This program will demonstrate an automated, digital fire control system for a 155–mm towed artillery system. The digital FCS has self–location and direction determination. The FCS performs onboard ballistic calculations that provide the system with greater responsiveness, accuracy, lethality, and survivability. The advanced fire control technology supports the RFPI ACTD and subsequent ACTD. Automation such as self–location and direction determination are expected to increase efficiency, responsiveness, and accuracy. Supports: LW Howitzer 155 Program and RFPI ACTD.

Decision Aids for Advanced Artillery and Armament Decision Aids TD (1994–00). The initial demonstrations evaluate a prototype decision–aid system for self–propelled artillery, utilizing artificial intelligence and advanced computing techniques. The system consists of two decision aid modules: reconnaissance, selection, and occupation of position (RSOP) and self–defense. It will reduce planning time required for movement to a new fire position, decrease response time to a new mission, and increase self–survivability capability. The follow–on demonstration (armament decision aids) will build upon previously developed technology and link the individual fire support platform to the digitized battlefield. This demonstration will allow individual or groups of fire support platforms to operate, as needed, outside of the traditional fire support C² structure and fully exploit new plans, procedures, and tactics of the digital battlefield. Benefits will include improved situational awareness, synchronized movement with maneuver forces, and, ideally, fratricide avoidance. Supports: Crusader.

JPSD Precision/Rapid Counter MRL ACTD (1995–98). This ACTD will demonstrate a significantly enhanced capability for U.S. Forces Korea to neutralize the North Korean 240–mm MRL system. Because of the brief time in which this target is expected to be exposed and vulnerable to counterfire, near–continuous surveillance and near–instantaneous target acquisition will be required, as well as the employment of innovative target attack means. Smart munitions for the MLRS family of submunitions (MFOM) will be demonstrated through simulations in the ACTD to include smart munitions for increased effectiveness and coverage. Project management and funding will continue through FY98. Supports: Precision Strike.

Ducted Rocket Engine (DRE) TD (1996–98). The DRE program is a joint R&D effort with Japan to develop and demonstrate a ducted rocket engine for a medium surface–to–air missile that will significantly increase the intercept envelope against aircraft and cruise missiles when compared with surface–to–air missiles utilizing current solid rocket propulsion technology. It is the first developmental program under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense/Japan Defense Agency Systems and Technology Forum (S&TF). The component technology development and engine demonstration effort is focused on the design and testing of a minimum signature, insensitive munitions–compatible booster, having supersonic air inlets, and a solid fuel gas generator providing high–impulse, minimum signature ramburner operation. Performance data acquired from the DRE program integrated tests may provide a basis for the design of a future, operationally deployable surface–to–air or long–range surface–to–surface missile system. Supports: Future missile systems, Battle Command, Depth and Simultaneous Attack, Early Entry Lethality, and Survivability Battle Labs.

Multimode Airframe Technology (MAT) TD (1995–98). This TD will provide the battlefield commander with a long–range (40+ km) precision–guided artillery weapon that will provide light forces with surgical kill capacity against heavy armor, helicopter, and bunker targets. Further, it will provide extended–range and precision terminal homing capabilities, enhanced survivability and lethality, jam–proof datalink, and low–signature turbojet launch using GPS/IMU for navigation. Supports: RFPI ACTD and JPSD Precision/Rapid Counter MRL ACTD.

Integrated Sensors and Targeting TD (1999–02). This program will develop a leap–ahead targeting upgrade to the suite of integrated RF countermeasures (AN/ALQ–211) and suite of integrated IR countermeasures (AN/ALQ–212). Apache Longbow AH–1D aircraft will have precision geolocation and targeting of emitters on the battlefield. Using its integral variable message format (VMF) interface to onboard communications systems, Apache Longbow will be capable of providing command posts, fire support units, and ground vehicles with real–time coordinates with friend or foe classification of radar emitters on the battlefield. Supports: PM–Airborne Electronic Combat’s (AEC) EMD Technology Upgrades to the AN/ALQ–211 and ALQ–212.

Advanced Sense and Destroy Armor (SADARM) Sensor TD (1998-01). This program will demonstrate the application of a common aperature LADAR/IR transducer to enhance the current smart submunition (SADARM) sensor suite for use in gun launch environments. The enhanced sensor suite performance will greatly reduce cost per kill for the basic SADARM. Support: SADARM improvements.

Future Direct Support Weapon TD (1998-01). This program is to demonstrate the viability of a 5000–lb 155mm towed howitzer. The program consists of two major phases with the first phase to demonstrate a 6750–lb towed howitzer, then a 5700–lb howitzer in second phase. This program will leverage technologies such as electro–rheological fluid and recoil management, advanced materials and structures to reduce system weight. Support: 155mm towed howitzer for light forces.

Table III–34 shows the correlation between the Fire Support S/SU/ACs and other AMP annexes.