PPT Slide
development (R&D), personnel, and experimentation. Today, the Field Artillery leads the Army in the number and diversity of developments. At the same time, resources are severely constrained and will remain so for the foreseeable future. In fact, if the downward trend in the availability of R&D is not reversed, the vision of fires in 2020 will never materialize. As a result, the Roadmap effort looks for innovative methods to conduct research and development for future fires.
The FA attacks targets using different type of weapons and munitions. From light towed howitzers and high mobility rocket systems (HIMARS) for contingency forces, to the self-propelled cannons (Paladin and eventually Crusader), along with the versatile MLRS of heavy forces, the artillery influences the close fight and adds depth and simultaneity to combat. These weapons fire myriad types of munitions from HE, DPICM,FASCAM, APAM - and soon, a suite of smart munitions - SADARM and BAT. SADARM is well on the way to fielding in 1999 giving the Army its first true fire and forget munition.
Supporting and sustaining FA is a multi functional operation including the logistics of moving large quantities of heavy ammunition and bulk fuel along with technical functions such as survey and meteorological support, and other functions associated with fire control.
All of these system and functional components are controlled, linked, and coordinated through a fully digitized system of command, control, and communications. For these reasons, modernizing and developing the FA System of Systems requires a balanced approach in the Roadmap strategy. Capabilities concerning lethality or range must invariably take into account target acquisition or C2 abilities and limitations. Similarly, actions or issues involving ammunition supply and distribution will affect requirements for weapons/target pairing or required effects on a given target.
Modernization Goals. The overriding goal of the Roadmap is to first preserve and protect our programs and developments required for Army 21, and second to define future operational capabilities and insights required for the Army After Next. In achieving these goals, several broad objectives must be pursued with equal intensity across the DTLOMSS:
- Enhance Accuracy and Lethality. As a system of systems, the FA has weapons ranging from air-dropable cannons to self-propelled howitzers and the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) firing a variety of projectiles and warheads, the FA ensures timely
SECTION 1 - Establish a Common Grid
Modernization Challenge - The System of Systems. The challenges associated with modernizing the FA are unlike those of any other branch or BOS. Fire support is the aggregate of a complex system of systems and functions. For example, the artillery acquires target through many target acquisition systems, some of which are FA systems such as Firefinder radars, but most come different Army and joint organizations, e.g. UAVs or JSTARS.