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Services Unite to Frame Joint Tactics, Integrate Joint Fires

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060309-12
3/9/2006

By Mike Grunden and Dan Broadstreet, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (NNS) -- Fire support experts from all military services gathered at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City’s (NSWC PC) Expeditionary Warfare Integration Facility (EWIF) Feb. 13-17 to implement joint tactics, techniques, and procedures (JTTP) that will improve combat efficiency and effectiveness in today’s global war on terrorism.

“These tests are establishing a way for all the services, all the components, land, sea and air, to work better together so we can integrate joint fires against the enemy,” said Air Force Col. Gary Webb, speaking as a representative for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. Webb is joint test director for the Joint Fires Coordination Measures, Joint Test and Evaluation Program.

Webb emphasized that developing standardized procedures for all services would expedite our military’s response time.

“It will also save lives, both of the enemy and our own,” said Webb.

NSWC PC Joint Test and Evaluation Project Engineer, Mike Grunden, said the standardized tactics being developed would define what are officially termed “kill box” procedures.

Grunden described the kill box as a three-dimensional fire support coordination measure, which is used to facilitate joint expeditious air-to-surface attacks that may also be integrated with surface-to-surface indirect fires.

“The goal of the kill box is to effectively fulfill support requirements with maximum flexibility while reducing the risk of fratricide,” said Grunden.

Webb and Grunden described the event as an overwhelming success, surpassing all test objectives; providing a quantitative analysis of the performance of the draft kill box JTTP in different scenarios; providing a quantitative analysis of the ability of command, control, computers and communication (C4) systems to support the draft kill box JTTP; creating a final C4 systems view architecture diagram for kill box planning and implementation; and further refining the draft JTTP to ensure that it is compatible with C4 systems that are used to plan and implement kill boxes.

“What I’ve worked to facilitate happening here is framing an attitude,” said Webb. “We’re framing a way for all the services and components to integrate joint fires.”

Webb concluded the week’s activities by commending NSWC PC Commanding Officer Capt. Vito Jimenez’s staff and facilities.

“Our tests were highly successful - far exceeding my expectations and it’s because of the expertise provided by EWIF,” said Webb. “I don’t think it could have been done anywhere else.”