Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Leticia Samuels | Soldiers assigned to the 5th Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment, park a M142...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – “Fire mission!” Can be heard throughout the Sicily Drop Zone during the 5th Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment’s, live fire training exercise, with the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), here July 31, 2015.
The battalion’s Soldiers conducted familiarization training on the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a light multiple rocket launcher mounted on a medium tactical truck frame, which can carry six rockets or one MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Missile.
“We are conducting our first live fire mission in about four years,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. James Jordan, the Alpha Battery, 5-113th FAR operations officer. “It’s a big thing to be hoping back into the field artillery mission.”
During the past year, the battalion completed numerous certifications, including Drivers Visual Enhancer training, communications training and HIMARS simulation training for each crew assigned to the battalion’s two batteries.
“In the radio aspect of it, making sure you can talk digitally or via voice is your biggest issue,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Smith, an Alpha Battery Fire Direction Control chief. “Making sure you can communicate properly is the first step.”
A formation of approximately 14 HIMARS ready themselves in a line formation. Once alerted, by voice communications, the three-man crews react to each training scenario. The crews, a driver, gunner and crew chief, operate a Harris Radio, Blue Force Tracker and the Drivers Visual Enhancer (DVE) allowing the crew members to communicate and operate in different field conditions.
“It [the HIMARS] enables us to be more of a presence in the warfighting function,” said Sgt. 1st Class, Elliot Westbrook, the battalion fire direction control chief.
The responsibility and operation of a HIMARS is led by the crew chief, whose priority is to ensure the safe operation of communication equipment, troubleshoot faults and make sure the Soldiers operating the vehicle understand their duties and responsibilities.
At the battalion level, the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) receives a mission from forward observers that are located in remote locations down range. After the TOC Soldiers receive these coordinates they’re relayed to the individual battery.
At the battery, a data specialist repeats the coordinates to the HIMARS crews on the battlefield. While communicating the coordinates at the battalion, battery and HIMARS crews an echo is heard by each group verifying the mission.
“It’s for safety, redundancy, and clarity,” said Jordan. “To make sure that everybody is on the same sheet of music, and everybody is on the same page.”
Once necessary information is configured it is then relayed to the HIMARS crew members manned with the Harris Radios and enable crew members to safely and accurately fire a live rocket down range destroying a simulated target for each mission.
“It’s a pretty big rush, you have all that fire power behind you,” said Spc Brandon Owens, an Alpha Battery gunner.
This live fire training exercise prepared the battalion to be a ready, relevant force.
“You’re saving lives on our side and it’s a big force multiplier. We can really change the way a battle is going,” said Owens.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2015 16:36 |
| Story ID: | 172801 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 314 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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