Compass Points - Call for Fire
Artillery on Target
Compass Points - Call for Fire
Artillery on Target
May 14, 2024
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What quotable US General Officer said, "I do not have to tell you who won the war. You know the artillery did.”
Military forces around the world -- including the US Army -- are learning lessons from the fighting in Ukraine and rediscovering the importance of cannon artillery. For example, the recent Fires Symposium, began with a surprise:
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This week, US Army Europe and Africa Commander Gen. Darryl Williams kicked off the annual Fires Symposium in Lawton, Okla. with, appropriately, a bit of a bombshell.
“Traditional cannon-based mass fires,” he told the audience, “are still the best solution in an EW environment.”
-- Breaking Defense
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Breaking Defense went on to report:
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Williams, a veteran field artillery officer, has had a front row seat for nearly two years assessing some of those challenges and seeing how US provided weapons are working on the Ukrainian battlefield against an adversary with electronic warfare (EW) capabilities. Following decades of investments across the US military in precision capabilities, the claim that simpler weapons may be the best for the modern battlefield raises larger questions about whether the Army has been putting billions over billions of dollars down the wrong hole.
. . . Williams himself called precision weapons “essential,” but cautioned that they cannot “supplant the indispensable volume of… unguided cannon fire,” on the battlefield.
-- Breaking Defense
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Now, new technology is being used to update and enhance the already powerful capabilities of cannon artillery. The Center for Military Modernization has a recent article: "Army Triples 155m Artillery Production, Produces "Course Correcting" Rounds."
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High-altitude drone attacks, AI-enabled targeting, long-range stand-off precision weaponry and the growing promise of EW and cyber weapons may lead some to suspect traditional arms like artillery might be slowly disappearing or on a path to obsolescence.
Interestingly, the opposite is true. Artillery is not only here to stay but massively breaking through with new applications, lethality and technological sophistication. What may have begun hundreds of years ago with cannon fire and been used as an “area” attack weapon decades ago … is now a completely different weapon with precision-guidance, longer-range, course correcting technology and improved targeting. Artillery is here .. and yet it is different in some respects. However, part of this does involve a paradox, as imprecise or dumb rounds capable of bombarding or overwhelming an enemy with 155m artillery is still a useful tactical option in some cases. Certainly the current stand-off in Ukraine has called attention to the enduring value of artillery, and while Combined Arms Maneuver is evolving in concept and application due to AI and other newer technologies to newer forms, traditional fires remains extremely relevant if not critical.
-- Center for Military Modernization
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Is the Marine Corps waking up to the ongoing significance of cannon artillery? The Marine Corps has not announced the return of even one battery yet. The Marine Corps seems to be still fixated on rockets and missiles. Rockets, missiles, and other precision munitions are useful, but should not be developed at the expense of cannon artillery. Military. com is reporting that:
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. . . The Marine Corps plans to retire its HIMARS over the next several years, instead prioritizing other platforms to pick up the capability a mobile rocket or missile launcher would offer, and heading full-tilt toward its coastal mission.
-- Military.com
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Retiring the HIMARS is a perfect opportunity to restore upgraded and enhanced cannon artillery throughout the Marine Corps. The severe reductions in cannon artillery caused by Force Design were never a good idea as Brig. Gen. Jerry McAbee (ret) said in his Military Times article, "Gutting cannon artillery in the Marine Corps’ new fighting plan is a huge mistake."
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Part of what has always made Marines uniquely useful and uniquely powerful is the full MAGTF package of capabilities, including one Marine in the air, and one Marine at a cannon, talking to one Marine on the ground in the middle of a fight. The Marine Corps has been the world's expert on close air support. Pilots take pride in being able to help Marines on the ground. It is the same with field artillery. Cannon-cockers take pride in close artillery support. Marine air and Marine artillery are designed to support Marines on the ground – not just sit and wait for passing ships, Marine artillery wants to support Marines in contact on the ground. That combat support is part of what makes Marine infantry so powerful.
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Cannon artillery was critical to victory in wars past. Cannon artillery is critical in the fighting in both Ukraine and Gaza today. And upgraded and enhanced cannon artillery will be critical to victory in the future. The Marine Corps must look up from its myopic focus on rockets and missiles and rediscover the ongoing power of cannon artillery.
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It was Gen. George S. Patton Jr. who said about World War II: “I do not have to tell you who won the war. You know the artillery did.” If an old ground pounder like Patton can recognize the importance of cannon artillery, it is time for the Marine Corps to bring back full and robust cannon artillery support for every infantry unit in the Corps.
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Breaking Defense - 05/10/2024
Taking aim: Army leaders ponder mix of precision munitions vs conventional
Three four-star US Army generals this week weighed in with their opinions about finding the right balance between conventional and high-tech munitions - but the answers aren't easy.
By Ashley Roque
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Military.com - 05/15/2024
Marine Corps Continues Path to Retirement for Artillery System that Has Seen Heavy Use in Ukraine
By Drew F. Lawrence
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Warrior Maven - 05/10/2024
Army Triples 155m Artillery Production, Produces "Course Correcting" Rounds
By Kris Osborn, Warrior Maven - Center for Military Modernization
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Military Times - 07/08/2022
Gutting cannon artillery in the Marine Corps’ new fighting plan is a huge mistake
By Brig. Gen. Jerry McAbee (ret)
Allow me to make one editorial comment upfront. I believe the Military.com article is wrong about the Marine Corps intending to divest HIMARS. From everything I’ve seen, the Marine Corps intends to keep 7 HIMARS batteries - - 4 on the West Coast and 3 on the East Coast.
The gutting of Marine Corps cannon artillery in the active force (from 21 batteries to 7 batteries) was done to help offset the cost of 14 Naval Strike Missile Batteries and 3 TLAM batteries. The misguided decision to jettison 67% of the artillery is stunning. It is arguably the biggest mistake in the history of the Marine Corps. It is compounded by the total divestments of tanks and bridging and significant reductions in assault breaching and aviation. Marine infantry can neither accomplish its mission nor survive without close, continuous, accurate, and all-weather cannon artillery support. Don’t take my word for it. Take the word of Major General James Livingston and Colonel Jay Vargas. They survived the battle of Dai Do. They know. Please take time to read the hyperlinked article: The Battle of Dai Do and Marine Corps Force Design 2030 by Major General James Livingston, USMC (Ret) and Colonel Jay Vargas, USMC (Ret).
The Marines have learned the hard way on countless battlefields that the minimum direct support artillery needed to fight, win, and survive is 1 battalion for every committed infantry regiment. For better information read the hyperlinked article: The Dangers of Overselling Insufficient Fire Support in the Active Force by Brigadier General Jerry McAbee, USMC (Ret), Colonel Stephen Baird, USMC (Ret), and Colonel Michael Marletto, USMC (Ret).
Today the Marine Corps has 7 active-duty cannon artillery batteries to support 3 Marine Divisions, barely 2 batteries per division. Do the math. Enough said.
The wars in Ukraine and Gaza are proof positive that cannon artillery is as relevant today as ever. Someone inside the Marine Corps needs to tell the emperor that he has no clothes on before it’s too late.
The Problem of Mass
The four potential adversaries of the United States are: People's Republic of China, Russia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Democratic Republic of North Korea.
All four are talking and acting in aggressive manner.
All four have and are engaged in supporting one another. Potential for global war.
All four are nations and militaries that invest in and rely on the principle of mass.
Russia's Military: According to the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), "Russia plans to expand its active personnel force to 1.5 million by 2026, which will make it the third largest in the world, after China and India." Plus 2 million reservists.
PRC Military: The PLA is the world's largest military force (not including paramilitary or reserve forces) and has the second largest defense budget in the world. Over 2 million active and over 500,000 reserves.
Iran's Military: Over 587,000 actives and 200,000 reserves.
North Korea's Military: As of 2021 it is the second largest military organization in the world, with 29.9% of the North Korean population actively serving, in reserve or in a paramilitary capacity: 1.3 Million actives and over 560,000 reserves.
The United States and its regional allies will have a difficult time stopping aggressive acts by only one of them. Coordinated action by two or more makes it exponentially more difficult.
Conducting a credible counter-offensive to end war and re-establish some degree of global deterrence is nearly impossible, especially after the previous Commandant's destructive "divest to invest" which, always a bad idea, was implemented at a most volatile and unstable time. The inept withdrawal from Afghanistan coupled with perceptions of declining national/international leadership and national will have significantly lowered the deterrent threshold.
Our adversaries can count. No amount of clever rhetoric is going to change the arithmetic.
Expensive (and frequently sensitive) precision will not offset MASS, especially resilient, all-weather mass.
Our Nation's fine young Americans may soon be thrust into combat without adequate combat and combat service support. They and their company grade and junior field grade leaders will pay the price.
Rhetoric continues to risk wars we don't want and may not be able to win. Force providers need to use every neuron, every dollar, every minute to build credible counter-offensive capabilities. Speaking bluntly: "Stop talking (cheerleading) and start building."
Significant and immediate investments in artillery are essential if the few infantry we have are to survive their first engagements.