Chapter 2
FIRING BATTERY AND BATTERY FDC ORGANIZATION
The FA cannon battery is firing unit within the cannon battalion and is organized in one of two ways: a battery-based unit (3 x 6 organization) or a platoon-based unit (3 x 8 organization). In either case, they have the personnel and equipment needed to shoot, move, and communicate. This chapter describes the organization of the firing battery and the battery FDC.
2-1. Firing Battery Organization
a. The organization of all cannon batteries is basically the same. Differences in organization stem from differences in weapon caliber, whether the weapon is towed or self-propelled (SP), and whether the battery is in a divisional or nondivisional battalion. The cannon battery is organized as follows:
(1) Battery-based unit--consists of a battery headquarters and a firing battery.
(a) The battery HQ has the personnel and equipment to perform command and control; food service; supply; communications; nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC), and maintenance functions. (In some units, food service, communications, and maintenance may be consolidated at battalion level.)
(b) The firing battery has the personnel and equipment to determine firing data, fire the howitzers, and resupply ammunition. (In some units, ammunition assets may be consolidated at battalion level.)
(2) Platoon-based unit--consists of a battery HQ and two firing platoons.
(a) The battery HQ has the personnel and equipment to perform command and control, food service, supply, communications, NBC, and maintenance functions. (In some units, food service, communications, and maintenance may be consolidated at battalion level.)
(b) Each firing platoon has the personnel and equipment to determine firing data, fire the howitzers, and resupply ammunition. (In some units, ammunition assets maybe consolidated at battalion level.)
2-2. Battery or Platoon FDC
a. The battery or platoon FDC is the control center, or brains, of the gunnery team. The FDC personnel receive fire orders from the battalion FDC or calls for fire from observers and process that information by using tactical and technical fire direction procedures (Chapter 1). The battery FDC performs the technical fire direction, while the battalion FDC performs tactical fire direction. If the FDC is operating without a battalion FDC, the battery FDC conducts both tactical and technical fire direction. The battery FDC receives the call for fire and converts the request into firing data. The firing data are then sent to the howitzer sections as fire commands. In addition to an FDC, USMC batteries have a battery operations center (BOC), which is organized and equipped to perform technical fire direction. BOCs enhance unit survivability, simplify displacements, and enable split-battery operations. In battery positions, BOC personnel may augment the FDC to facilitate 24-hour operations.
b. The FDC is organized to facilitate 24-hour operations (Appendix A). Duties of manual FDC personnel are described below:
(1) Fire direction officer. The FDO is responsible for all FDC operations. He is responsible for the training of all FDC personnel, supervises the operation of the FDC, establishes standing operating procedure (SOP), checks target location, announces fire order, and ensures accuracy of firing data sent to the guns. USMC batteries also include an assistant fire direction officer-assistant executive officer (AFDO-AXO). The AFDO-AXO leads the BOC, assists the battery commander during displacement and stands duty in the FDC to enable 24-hour operations.
(2) Chief fire direction computer. The chief fire direction computer is the technical expert and trainer in the FDC. He ensures that all equipment is on hand and operational, supervises computation of all data, ensures that all appropriate records are maintained, and helps the FDO as needed. He ensures smooth performance of the FDC in 24-hour operations and functions as the FDO in the FDO's absence. The equivalent USMC billet description is operations chief.
(3) Fire direction computer. The fire direction computer operates the primary means of computing firing data. He determines and announces fire commands. He also records mission-related data and other information as directed. The equivalent USMC billet description is operations assistant. There is an operations assistant in both the FDC and the BOC.
(4) Fire direction specialist. There are two fire direction specialists per FDC to facilitate 24-hour operations. In a manual FDC, they serve alternately as horizontal control operator (HCO) and vertical control operator (VCO). The equivalent USMC billet description is fire control man. There are five fire control men in a USMC FDC and three more in a BOC to facilitate 24-hour operations. These fire control men may perform the duties of the HCO, VCO, radio operator, or driver as needed in either the FDC or BOC.
(a) The HCO constructs and maintains the primary firing chart and determines and announces chart data.
(b) The VCO constructs the secondary firing chart checks chart data, plots initial target location on the situation map, and determines and announces site.
(c) The radiotelephone operator (RATELO) or driver is normally the operator of the FDC vehicle. He maintains the vehicle and the FDC-associated generators. In a manual FDC, he may also act as the recorder.
2-3. Definitions
a. Fire direction is the employment of firepower. The objectives of fire direction are to provide continuous, accurate, and responsive fire support under all conditions. Flexibility must be maintained to engage all types of targets over wide frontages, to mass the fires of all available units quickly, and to engage a number and variety of targets simultaneously.
b. The fire direction center is the element of the gunnery team with which the commander directs artillery firepower. The accuracy, flexibility, and speed in the execution of fire missions depend on the following:
- Rapid and clear transmission of calls for free.
- Rapid and accurate computations.
- Rapid and clear transmission of fire commands.
- Integration of automated and manual equipment into an efficient mutually supporting system.
- Efficient use of communications equipment.
2-4. Relationship Between Battery or Platoon and Battalion FDC
There are two modes of operation under which fire direction can be conducted: battalion directed and autonomous.
a. Battalion Directed. In battalion-directed operations, calls for fire are transmitted from the observer to the battalion FDC. The battalion FDO is responsible for tactical fire direction and selects the unit(s) to fire. A fire order is transmitted to the firing units that are responsible for technical fire direction. The battalion FDC is responsible for transmitting all fire mission related messages (that is, message to observer, ready [if applicable], shot, splash, and rounds complete) to the observer. The firing units are responsible for transmitting all fire mission related messages to the battalion FDC.
b. Autonomous. In autonomous operations, calls for fire are transmitted from the observer to the firing unit FDC. The firing unit FDC is responsible for tactical and technical fire direction. The firing unit is responsible for transmitting the message to observer, ready (if applicable), shot, splash, and rounds complete to the observer. The battalion FDC and the battalion fire support officer (FSO) monitor the calls for fire. The equivalent USMC billet description for FSO is artillery liaison officer. The battalion FDC may take over control of the mission if the target warrants the massing of two or more batteries. The battalion FDC monitors the battery's message to observer (MTO) to ensure that the battery has selected the appropriate ammunition and method of fire. The battalion FDC may change the battery's plan of attack. If the target requires battalion fire, the firing unit FDO can request reinforcing fires from the battalion FDC.
2-5. Battalion FDC Personnel
A battalion FDC is composed of a fire direction officer, a chief computer, an assistant chief computer, three computers, a horizontal control operator, a vertical control operator, and a radiotelephone operator. USMC battalion FDCs are composed of a fire direction officer, operations chief, two operations assistants, and 10 fire control men to facilitate 24-hour operations. The operations chief is the equivalent of the chief computer, and the operations assistants are the equivalent of the assistant chief computer. The fire control men may perform the duties of computer, HCO, VCO, radio operator, or driver as needed.
a. Fire Direction Officer's Duties. The FDO's duties are as follows:
(1) Is responsible for the overall organization and functioning of the battalion FDC.
(2) Coordinates with the battalion S3 to ensure that all information regarding the tactical situation, unit mission, ammunition status, and commander's guidance on the method of engagement of targets and control of ammunition expenditures is known and ensures that all information is passed to battery FDOs.
(3) Ensures that all communications are properly established.
(4) Coordinates with the chief computer concerning data input, chart verification, transfer of registration corrections, average site or altitude, terrain gun position corrections (TGPCs) sectors, and any other special instructions.
(5) Inspects target locations and monitors messages to observer when a mission is received by a battery FDC and intercedes when necessary.
(6) Controls all battalion missions.
b. Chief Computer's Duties. The chief computer's duties are as follows:
(1) Serves as the battalion FDO's technical expert (the actual supervisor and/ or trainer of battalion FDC personnel) and assumes the duties of the battalion FDO in his absence.
(2) Ensures that all battalion FDC equipment is operational and emplaced correctly.
(3) Ensures coordination of all data throughout the battalion, to include current registration settings.
(4) Ensures that the HCO's and VCO's charts include all pertinent known data.
(5) Ensures that the situation map is properly posted, to include fire support coordinating measures and the current tactical situation.
c. Assistant Chief Computer's Duties. The assistant chief computer's duties are as follows:
(1) Monitors all operations performed by the HCO.
(2) Supervises maintenance and care of the generators.
(3) Assumes the duties of the chief computer when he is absent.
d. Battery Computers' Duties. The battery computers' duties are as follows:
(1) Provide communications link with the battery FDCs.
(2) Monitor the appropriate fire direction net for their battery.
(3) Exchange information with the battery FDCs and pass battalion fire orders to the battery.
(4) Record all data pertinent to fire missions that are sent to their battery.
(5) Compute data for their battery when directed by the chief computer.
(6) Use their fire direction net to communicate with the observer when battalion missions are conducted.
(7) Assume the duties of the assistant chief computer when he is absent.
e. Horizontal Control Operator's Duties. The HCO's duties are as follows:
(1) Plots known data as directed by the assistant chief computer.
(2) Determines chart data as appropriate.
(3) Maintains equipment and associated generators.
(4) Plots the initial target location when a mission is received.
f. Vertical Control Operator's Duties. The VCO's duties are as follows:
(1) Plots known data as directed by the assistant chief computer.
(2) Plots the initial target location when a mission is received.
(3) Checks chart data with the HCO.
(4) Plots the initial target location on the situation map and determines and announces site for the appropriate battery.
g. Radiotelephone Operator's Duties. The RTO's duties are as follows:
(1) Establishes and maintains communications on the battalion command/ fire direction (CF) net.
(2) Determines and transmits the messages to observer when battalion missions are conducted on the battalion CF net.
(3) Encodes and decodes messages, target lists, and fire plans.
(4) Ensures proper authentication of appropriate messages and all fire missions.
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