Photo By Master Sgt. David Eichaker | Soldiers with the 197th Field Artillery Brigade, New Hampshire Army National Guard set...... read more read more
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GRAYLING, Mich.—Northern Strike 21-2 offered training in various critical military career fields. One of those, Field Artillery Firefinder Radar Operators, found themselves amongst Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center’s 148,000 acres of training land to hone their skills using highly specialized radar. Having the vital task of detecting enemy fire, the New Hampshire Army National Guard took their mission to heart.
“We trained our Soldiers with collecting and sending target data from the point of origin of enemy artillery down to the fire direction center,” said 1st Lt. Garrett Dupre’, platoon leader with the 197th Field Artillery Brigade, New Hampshire Army National Guard. “Fire direction center would take our target information and send that to friendly artillery, who could take out the enemy threat.”
The coordination involved networking between multiple units in order to respond to enemy fire. Radar operators can receive precision grid coordinates for optimal accuracy from an enemy artillery location, send that information digitally to Fire Control Specialists (FCS) belonging to a field artillery unit through the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS). The FCS would communicate to the field artillery and counter the enemies attempt to attack friendly forces.
“We operate firefinder radars and our purpose is target acquisition for counter-battery fire,” said Dupre’. “That means when an enemy artillery fires at us, our radar picks it up through the computer on board, calculates the point of origin where it was fired from, and predicts the intended point of impact.”
“We can get down to a 10-digit grid coordinate, find the size of the projectile being fired, and project the type of weapon system that’s firing it—a motor, a cannon, or a rocket,” he said.
During Northern Strike, National Guard units integrated and enhanced their digital communications with each other in order to have overall successful training. The New Hampshire Guard members worked with Soldiers from the West Virginia Army National Guard, who supported the AFATDS piece.
“We came up here as guests with the 201st Field Artillery Battalion, West Virginia National Guard,” said Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Childs, platoon sergeant with the 197th Field Artillery Brigade, New Hampshire National Guard. “They never worked with us before and we learned a lot from each other.”
“The Michigan National Guard contacted us to get digital communications running so the radar could talk to the AFATDS - FDC (fire direction center),” he said.
This type of communications technology is beneficial in real-world situations, enhancing communications throughout the unit as information can be sent to multiple users through the Army and other service networks.
“Our systems coordinate fires digitally across the battalion,” said Army Capt. Tyler La Vay, battalion field direction officer 1st Battalion, 201st Field Artillery Regiment, West Virginia Army National Guard. “In war, radar operators would see direct or indirect fire and immediately send us a fire mission, giving it to my section who would disseminate it down to the battery that is munitions capable to fire on that target.”
Indirect fire can come from lengths from beyond the horizon and can make it extremely difficult for the service members in the field to detect how far away the enemy is. The radar has unique ranges that can help counter that.
“We can reach out to 50K in a 90-degree fan or a 60K in a narrower fan, said Dupre’. “It can also do 360 degrees and pick up anything from any direction but that has a much shorter range.”
During Michigan National Guard’s largest joint forces, multinational exercise, units utilized this opportunity to gain additional training and experience. NS21 exercise is designed to challenge the participants with multiple forms of convergence that advances interoperability, gain training and enhance readiness.
“A lot of things were learned as our Soldiers with us are in new positions,” said Childs. “All the leaders are new to the level of leadership they were given, and they were given time with their Soldiers to learn how to lead—especially in the technical side of their role. Even to understand proper preparation as far as equipment comes to getting here and being successful.”
Others had a different learning experience unique to their specialty.
“We experienced an issue that I have not experienced in my career—I had rounds that didn’t go off and couldn’t locate,” said La Vay. “We contacted the 197th and because of them, we were quickly able to locate the duds because we had radar.”
Overall, the training and experience received at NS21 has been accepted.
“It took some work and with committed individuals who wanted to help us and work through it, our training was successful in the end,” said Childs.
| Date Taken: | 08.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2021 09:01 |
| Story ID: | 402910 |
| Location: | GRAYLING, MI, US |
| Web Views: | 330 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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