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May 05, 2008
Shoot and Scoot
By Pfc. Christopher Grammer
50th Public Affairs Detachment
KUWAIT - “As a unit we provide accurate and responsive fire support for units out there on the ground and make sure they get all the fire support they need to accomplish the mission,” said 2nd Lt. Daniel Duffy, a fire direction officer for the 4-27th Field Artillery Regiment.
The 4th Battalion., 27th FA Regt., used the U.S. Army Central ranges near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, to calibrate the 155mm guns of its Paladins before moving north into Iraq.
“We have several different types of charges and propellants that we use,” Duffy said. “Each propellant is manufactured in different lots so they respond differently, therefore we have to determine how much variance there is between lots so that we can account for that during fire missions and provide more accurate fire.”
The Paladin is the most advanced artillery piece currently in use by the U.S. military today. The development of the M109 series was in answer to the need to have a faster, more reliable, highly mobile and extremely lethal replacement for the Howitzer.
The Soldiers of 4th Bn., 27th FA Regt., have the ability to perform many different fire missions due to the versatility and mobility of the Paladin, and its ability to fire different types of rounds.
Besides conventional munitions the Paladin can fire high explosive, illumination and white phosphorous rounds from a distance of about 30 kilometers away, said Sgt. Christopher L. Brown, a Howitzer crewmember with the unit.
Using “shoot and scoot” methods the artillerymen can lay down heavy fire on an enemy position and move out to another position in a manner of 30 seconds thus protecting the crew.
A Soldier with the 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, gets powder charges ready to use while calibrating the 155 millimeter gun of a M109 A6 Paladin. The artilllerymen have been training in preparation for combat operations in Iraq.
Posted by Wild Thing at May 5, 2008 02:47 AM
Comments
Our artillery rounds are getting to be almost as pinpoint accurate as aerial delivered JDAM bombs.
Posted by: TomR at May 5, 2008 10:29 AM
Maybe when Obama and Clinton bring the troops home from Iraq we can deploy the Paladins on the Mexican border to stop the flow of illegal aliens and terrorists.
Posted by: Les at May 5, 2008 02:57 PM
Tom, these things all the various things about our military are amazing to me. Very impressive....I sure am glad they are aiming them at the enmey (giggle) and not the enemy having these things aimed at us. yikes
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 5, 2008 07:11 PM
Les, oh wow now there is a thought. heh heh
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 5, 2008 07:12 PM
