1st AD's revised counterstrike drill for Baghdad International Airport

As the 3d Infantry Division (3d ID) supported attacks throughout Iraq in March 2002, it set the standard for what a heavy division artillery (Div Arty) can bring to the fight. It was successful in all its endeavors and proved its lethality as it helped seize the objective at Baghdad International Airport.

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The 1st Armored (1st AD) began a relief-in-place (RIP) with the 3d ID and the 1st Div Arty began transforming from a wartime headquarters to a reconstruction headquarters. The RIP briefing dominated the first few days of the 1st AD's existence in Iraq. Perhaps the most surprising information not addressed in the RIP briefing was the many indirect fire mortar systems that were spread in and around the airport left by retreating Iraqi soldiers.

The mission of securing the airport was assigned to the 1st AD. As the division transformed, we began to see an increase in mortar attacks around the airport. As a result, the commander directed us to redefine the counterstrike battle drill to meet the threat in our new environment.

This article addresses how the 1st Div Arty redefined its battle drill to combat the threat using all assets and means available.

Revision Process for the Counter-strike Battle Drill. The basic Div Arty counterstrike drill involves the radar, target processing section (TPS), Div Arty fire control element (FCE) and shooter. All elements were included as we refined our battle drill. However, we changed the tasks within the drill to meet the threat.

The defense of Baghdad International Airport was the primary focus for the Div Arty headquarters; there were some 18,000 Soldiers and several civilian contractors from a host of different units and companies who fell under the umbrella of our protection. Within that realm is the security of the perimeter in the form of checkpoints. Initially the focus for the Div Arty was to understand the physical layout of the airport (to address security concerns) and the infrastructure for the many civilian contractors trying to enter the airport.

The challenge was to address the mortar attacks and decide the correct response to those attacks. We initially looked at tasking our direct support (DS) artillery battalions each for one platoon of Paladins, but they were already task organized to the maneuver brigades. For the most part, the DS battalions had their hands full with security and command and control ([C.sup.2]) of the patrols they were conducting everyday in their respective areas of operations (AOs).

2d Battalion, 319th Field Artillery (2-319 FA) from the 82d Airborne Division was tasked to become our general support (GS) asset directly responsible for answering all counterstrike missions in the Div Arty zone. The introduction of the light battery (105-mm) to the 1st Armored Div Arty gave us an asset for the urban environment, an asset able to deter mortar attacks.

The use of the advanced Field Artillery tactical data system (AFATDS), fire orders, live-fire rehearsals and handheld terminal units (HTUs) with battery computer system (BCS) software and the introduction of cross-training between the Div Arty and its newly assigned light battery highlight that, sometimes, we don't train as we may have to fight.

The Div Arty's fire control Soldiers (13D Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems Specialists) began to perform duties that were essentially battalion fire direction tasks, which we had changed to fit the current mission. Understanding battalion-type fire orders became the primary focus for these Soldiers as well as under-standing what their brother 13Ds were experiencing on the gun line.

The 1st Armored Div Arty Soldiers also provided battery fire direction Soldiers training on AFATDS and began to establish the criteria for AFATDS to show the counterstrike picture throughout the division and corps sector.

In turn, the light battery Soldiers offered a glimpse of the training needed to conduct fire missions in their battery fire direction center (FDC) to all the Div Arty FCE Soldiers. The ability to understand each other's jobs allowed both parties to expand their technical and tactical skills.

Concurrently, another problem we faced was the Air Force's clearing of airspace. Baghdad Tower was responsible for clearing local airspace, while Baghdad Radio had the authority to clear a particular altitude. Yet another agency cleared the airspace above Baghdad Radio's altitude. Coordinating with several external agencies to clear airspace for one mission was a task that most artillerymen had never done.

Australian airmen quickly established the parameters for clearance and manned the tower. Their efforts combined with the Div Arty fire control officer's (FCO's) established clear guidance to shoot live counterstrike missions quickly.

Essentially, the airspace over the airport was divided into sections. Smaller sections allowed the air controllers to focus on the vicinity where the mortar was located. Upon request, the air controllers could clear airspace immediately in the smaller area, a distance of up to five nautical miles and an altitude of up to 10,500 feet. In addition, a set of fire orders was established between the air controllers and the Div Arty to better understand what area needed clearance and if the mission was a training or counterstrike mission.

Establishing standard fire orders between the two parties was, perhaps, the Div Arty FCO's most important contribution to the process. This simple act eliminated confusion for all parties involved in the counterstrike drill, especially in the tactical operations center (TOC) and air tower.

The introduction of a judge advocate general (JAG) officer to the TOC empowered the Div Arty commander to make sound and thoughtful decisions about the use of the artillery. The JAG officer also used satellite imagery and computer software, such as the AFATDS' effects management tool (EMT) as well as the automated deep operations coordination system (ADOCS) to help his assessment for the commander.

Battle Drill Revised. The revised counterstrike drill for the TOC included the following.

1. Target acquisition (TA) is sent from the radar section to the TPS collocated in the Div Arty TOC.

2. TPS conducts Level 1 analysis: determines the range of the hostile weapon from point of origin (POO) to point of impact (POI); matches the target description with known enemy mortar ranges; matches the target location with suspected enemy sites; and confirms the impact.

3. TPS then sends the fire mission to the Div Arty FCE. Upon receipt, simultaneous operations occur in the TOC. The mission is sent to the firing battery FDC and a voice fire order is sent with special instructions for fire-for-effect (FFE)/ "Do not load" (DNL)/ three rounds of high-explosive (HE).

Clearing The Mission. The FCE AFATDS is linked to an EMT which is displayed on the large screen showing the fire mission and a running clock of the time it is taking to fire the mission. The Air Force Tower is called to clear airspace as the impact location is verified, using sight and (or) sound. The JAG officer and the S2 then clear the mission using the rules of engagement (ROE).

4. Upon clearance of the mission, the battery FDC is ordered to cancel DNL, and the mission is fired. Mission processing time and clearance of the mission takes less than two minutes.

5. Two teams are sent to the POO and POI after the firing mission. At the POO, battle damage assessment (BDA) is reported to the TOC as well as any physical evidence of the firing position, such as mortar parts, shells or powder increments that could determine the type of system used in the attack. At the POI, a crater analysis is conducted to determine the type of munitions fired, estimated azimuth from the firing position and impact grid to verify the accuracy of the sensor.

The Div Arty and 2-319 FA shot more than 600 rounds in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) during the first six months of the 1st Armored Division's deployment. The Div Arty and 2-319 FA demonstrated their adaptability in using non-standard means to shoot counterstrike in Baghdad.

Sergeant First Class Robert M. Castillo is a Project Officer in the Army's Counter-Strike Task force, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In his previous assignments, he was Fire Control NCO (FCNCO) for the 1st Armored Division Artillery in Germany and deployed with the Div Arty in Operation Iraqi Freedom II. He also served as FCNCO for the 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery (4-27 FA) In Baumholder, Germany; Operations Sergeant for 2-320 FA, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fire Direction Observer/Controller (Wolf Team) at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California; FCNCO for 3-29 FA, also in the 1st Armored Division; and Fire Direction Chief for 1-7 FA in the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York.

By Sergeant First Class Robert M. Castillo

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