Saber Squadron improves sensor-to-shooter fires interoperability

Photo By Capt. Ellen Brabo | Pvt. First Class Johnathan Yi, a fire support specialist, Nemesis Troop, 4th Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, lazes a target using the Fire Support Sensor System during the Dragoon Fury training exercise at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany.  

VILSECK, BY, GERMANY

04.09.2018

Courtesy Story

2d Cavalry Regiment

Written by Maj. James Anderson, Operations Officer, 4th Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment

Fire Supporters and mortarmen from the 4th Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment executed Dragoon Fury as part of Dynamic Front 18, the U.S. Army Europe led multinational fires interoperability exercise, at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Feb. 28 – Mar. 8, 2018. The two-week long exercise served as a validation of new digital fire support equipment recently fielded to the Saber Squadron.

Both the Stryker Mortar Carrier Variants and the Stryker Fire Support Variants saw upgrades with the integration of the Mortar Fire Control System and the Remote Handheld Terminal Unit, respectively. These systems enable seamless sensor-to-shooter communication of calls for fire within the cavalry squadron.

“We were able to use our digital systems to talk not only to our organic assets, but also to higher headquarters including our allies,” said 2nd Lt. Jacob Pachter, a Troop fire support officer, 4th Squadron, 2CR. “We established an uninterrupted digital link between U.S. observers and British guns making the sensor-to-shooter link more efficient.”

During Dynamic Front 18, the Saber Squadron Fire Support Teams served as observers for fire missions prosecuted by the 1st Artillery Brigade, British Royal Army. Observer teams initiated fire missions using the Fire Support Sensor System and digitally transmitted calls for fire to the Saber Squadron Fire Support Cell. The Squadron’s fire support cell conducted clearance of fires and sent missions to the Regimental Fire Support Cell which transmitted missions to the 1st Artillery Brigade using the Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities.

“The complete exercise of the sensor-to-shooter through the multinational field artillery team demonstrates a level of interoperability across allies that I’ve never seen before at a USAREUR operation,” said Capt. Shaun Callahan, fire support officer, 4th Squadron, 2CR. “We’ve validated a truly digital kill chain.”

This fully digital sensor-to-shooter execution proved the effectiveness of the Saber Squadron’s interoperability and digital fire support systems. The Saber Squadron achieved success and demonstrated inoperability in this culminating event for their digital sustainment training progression.

• Date Taken: 04.09.2018
• Date Posted: 04.09.2018 08:45
• Story ID: 272249
• Location: VILSECK, BY, DE