Post by whitehorse on Jul 8, 2020 3:33:44 GMT
The U.S. Army Is Using Satellites for Artillery Shell Targeting
Army howitzers and rocket launchers can use the power of space satellites to fire on targets far beyond line of sight.
BY KYLE MIZOKAMI
The U.S. Army now is pairing space-based sensors with artillery units to allow howitzer and rocket gunners to detect, identify, process, and engage enemy units faster than ever. In tests conducted in Germany, Army artillery units were able to use satellite data for the first time to hit targets beyond the line of sight.
SOME OLD-SCHOOL ARTILLERY
The Legend of Ludgar the War Wolf
The tests, according to C4ISRNet, took place at the Army’s Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. Army M777 155-millimeter howitzers and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems were able to access satellite sensors and use the data to engage imaginary targets. The howitzer and rocket shells used precision guided shells to hit their targets.
GPS satellite.
It’s not exactly clear how the satellites helped the artillerymen hit their targets. The Army says its Futures Command Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) team was responsible for the exercise’s success. Position, navigation, and timing (PNT) is typically associated with the U.S. government’s constellation of 24 GPS satellites. Civilians associate GPS with turn-based directions.
Artillery units, on the other hand, can use PNT to determine their own location on the battlefield, particularly how far they are from enemy targets and to figure out quickly if they have the range to hit them. They can also find their way to firing positions with certainty, and synchronize their timing so they can precisely time their salvoes.
It’s not clear how the Army used space-based sensors in this case, since artillery units already do most of these things. Army artillery units also already use satellite-guided rounds, one example being the service’s GPS-guided M982 Excalibur artillery shell. Whatever it is, it’s a space-based sensor the Army says ground forces haven’t had access to before.
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One possibility is that Army units were able to access data from the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS). Operated by the U.S. Air Force, SBIRS is a network of satellites monitoring the surface of the Earth for the telltale signs of ballistic missile launches. America’s fleet of SBIRS satellites images the entire planet every ten seconds and could quickly determine the location of a ballistic missile launch vehicle.
The ability to locate and destroy ballistic missiles is a known Pentagon priority made especially crucial given the proliferation of ballistic missiles among countries such as Iran, North Korea, and Syria, and even non-state rebel groups such as the Houthis in Yemen.
M777 155-millimeter towed howitzer.
For now, the use of SBIRS is pure speculation, but Army artillery forces have added some new space-based sensor capability. Whatever it is, we’ll probably find out soon enough.
Army howitzers and rocket launchers can use the power of space satellites to fire on targets far beyond line of sight.
BY KYLE MIZOKAMI
an m270 multiple launch rocket system fires during a live fire training exercise at rocket valley, south korea, sep 25, 2017 2nd battalion, 4th field artillery regiment , 210th field artillery brigade, 2nd infantry division rok us combined division, certified 16 crews in five hours as they completed their table vi certification us army photo by sgt michelle u blesam, 210th fa bde paoU.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT. MICHELLE U. BLESAM, 210TH FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE
The U.S. Army is in the middle of a major push to refine artillery and make it shoot farther than ever before.
Long Range Precision Fires allows artillery units to use satellite data to quickly target enemy units at long range.
Tests carried out in Germany for the first time connected space sensors to artillery units.
SOME OLD-SCHOOL ARTILLERY
The Legend of Ludgar the War Wolf
The tests, according to C4ISRNet, took place at the Army’s Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. Army M777 155-millimeter howitzers and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems were able to access satellite sensors and use the data to engage imaginary targets. The howitzer and rocket shells used precision guided shells to hit their targets.
GPS satellite.
It’s not exactly clear how the satellites helped the artillerymen hit their targets. The Army says its Futures Command Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) team was responsible for the exercise’s success. Position, navigation, and timing (PNT) is typically associated with the U.S. government’s constellation of 24 GPS satellites. Civilians associate GPS with turn-based directions.
Artillery units, on the other hand, can use PNT to determine their own location on the battlefield, particularly how far they are from enemy targets and to figure out quickly if they have the range to hit them. They can also find their way to firing positions with certainty, and synchronize their timing so they can precisely time their salvoes.
It’s not clear how the Army used space-based sensors in this case, since artillery units already do most of these things. Army artillery units also already use satellite-guided rounds, one example being the service’s GPS-guided M982 Excalibur artillery shell. Whatever it is, it’s a space-based sensor the Army says ground forces haven’t had access to before.
One possibility is that Army units were able to access data from the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS). Operated by the U.S. Air Force, SBIRS is a network of satellites monitoring the surface of the Earth for the telltale signs of ballistic missile launches. America’s fleet of SBIRS satellites images the entire planet every ten seconds and could quickly determine the location of a ballistic missile launch vehicle.
The ability to locate and destroy ballistic missiles is a known Pentagon priority made especially crucial given the proliferation of ballistic missiles among countries such as Iran, North Korea, and Syria, and even non-state rebel groups such as the Houthis in Yemen.
soldiers with 1st battalion, 37th field artillery regiment, 2nd division artillery, 7th infantry division, joint base lewis mcchord, wash, send a round down range during a combined arms exercise at yakima training center, yakima, wash, feb 24 soldiers fired the m777 howitzer, capable of hitting a target 25 miles away, during the exercise us army photo by sgt cody quinn28th public affairs detachment
U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT. CODY QUINN