Photo By Spc. Corey Foreman | Maj. Mark Moretti (left), brigade operations officer in charge with 2nd Infantry...... read more read more
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FORT STEWART, Ga. (Aug. 26, 2016) – Soldiers of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division conducted live-fire training with the Javelin surface-attack guided missile and launcher Aug. 26 at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
“The purpose of this exercise is to certify the Soldiers on the Javelin and be able to engage targets down range,” said Sgt. 1st Class Luis Robles, primary Javelin training instructor for 2nd IBCT.
According to the U.S. Army field manual for this weapon system, the Javelin surface-attack guided missile and launcher is a fire-and-forget, man-portable, medium antiarmor weapon consisting of a command launch unit and a round. Its top-attack and direct-attack modes and its 2,000-meter range enable the Javelin to defeat current and projected enemy armor threats. The Javelin is operated by an individual Soldier or in crews of two or three. Soldiers can use the Javelin during the day, at night and during limited visibility conditions.
Robles explained the brigade had three Javelin rounds available and developed this training to familiarize Soldiers with the weapon system prior to firing them.
About 41 Soldiers from across the brigade certified with the weapon system using a virtual simulator, but only the top three fired live rounds.
“We first conducted a written test,” Robles explained. “It consisted of 25 questions on the capability of the weapon system. Then, we moved to the virtual simulator which allows the Soldier to fire using a simulation Javelin to practice many different scenarios.”
“It was hard to choose the top three,” said Robles. “We conducted different exercises and tests to determine who gets to shoot.”
This exercise gave Soldiers new knowledge on a system that may not be familiar to them.
“The training was phenomenal,” said Sgt. Rashad McCants, team leader with Bravo Troop, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd IBCT and one of three Soldiers selected to fire a live round. “I learned a lot. Anytime you get to step out of your unit and go into a classroom to learn something is always a good time.”
The Javelin is effective, but can be hazardous without a knowledgeable operator.
“Being able to use the virtual trainers and learn how to properly track and engage targets is definitely crucial before firing this weapon system,” McCants explained.
“This weapon system is not very complex, although it is dangerous,” said Robles. “We need to teach the newer generation of Soldiers how to use this weapon, as it is very lethal.”
Safety precautions require instructors to be thorough while teaching their classes.
“The instructors were great,” said McCants. “They took their time and made sure everyone understood the material.”
Firing the Javelin is something not every Soldier experiences during his or her career.
“It's breathtaking,” McCants explained. “You get to do it on the virtual trainer, but that is nothing compared to actually seeing the rocket fly through the air.”
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.30.2016 16:58 |
| Story ID: | 208533 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Spartans annihilate targets with Javelin, by SPC Corey Foreman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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