• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

SSG Stephen R. Hekeler has been an Observer/Controller (O/C) at the National Training Center since January, 1998. He has served as Tarantula 27C, the Light Task Force's Fire Support and Light COLT Trainer for over 25 rotations including over 110 force-on-force battles and over 50 live-fire battles. Within his first year serving with the Tarantula Team, SSG Hekeler noticed that the lasing teams he trained were inaccurately engaging targets of opportunity with indirect fires even when equipped with the highly range accurate G/VLLD system. Additionally, the farther away the targets -- the greater the inaccuracies. He discovered that observers are unable to determine accurate grid azimuths to input into the G/VLLD system. The G/VLLD system, range accurate to +/- 1 meter at 9,999 meters, requires manual input of the highest azimuth accuracy possible. Current doctrinal minimum standards are not accurate enough to effectively engage targets at the maximum potential of the lasing system. In response to this deficiency, SSG Hekeler researched and developed the Azimuth Verification Point (AVP) method. Once implemented as an additional step into the existing OP occupation battledrill, the AVP greatly increases the determination of a grid azimuth to an average of +/- 12 mils in error.

PURPOSE: To provide tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) that will increase the accuracy of the G/VLLD and the effectiveness of indirect fires at their maximum observable range.

• STP-13F14-SM-TG, Determine a Grid Azimuth Using an M2 Compass (Task No. 071-074-0002), allows for a +/- 60 mils error in determining a grid azimuth to a target.

• Targets viewed through the 13x optics of the G/VLLD system in daylight and with no obscuration can be distinguished between friend or foe at 7,500 meters.

• Rotational units at the National Training Center (NTC) are not maximizing the effectiveness of their lasing systems. Enemy targets acquired by lasing systems are normally engaged at ranges of 3,000 to 5,000 meters from the OP vs maximizing their systems potential in acquiring and engaging at 7,000 to 8,000 meters.

• During force-on-force battles at the NTC, observer teams have been inaccurate in determining their grid azimuth. An inaccuracy of as much as 120 mils is common. This amount of inaccuracy results in the indirect fires engagement of a target at 7,000 meters being off left or right by as much as 840 meters.

• An observation at the NTC indicated that one observer team was inaccurate with their azimuth during three force-on-force battles by an average of 320 mils. This inaccuracy was directly attributed to declination of the M2 compass in the wrong direction, which resulted in rounds impacting up to 2,240 meters from the target.

• When the AVP system was compared to field artillery battery survey points (OS/EOL), the AVP matched, on average, to these points at +/- 12 mils in difference.

Refer to the graphic, Every Mil Counts in Target Acquisition, below.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To employ more accurate fires, units must effectively use current technology and have the ability to incorporate the AVP system. The AVP is a fixed point on the ground that the observer teams, using the PLGR, can reference throughout their occupation of the OP. This AVP can be an existing terrain feature or a manually installed point established by the observer team. In defensive operations, established maneuver team Target Reference Points (TRPs) can be utilized. In offensive operations, observer teams can establish the AVP behind the OP or on the left or right limit. The AVP system can be applied with the standard MTOE equipment found in Airborne, Air Assault, Infantry, Armor, and Cavalry laser-equipped teams.

Determining accurate grid azimuths is a challenge for observers at the NTC. This is a perishable skill that has to be trained on a consistent basis in various conditions and at various ranges during Home-Station training. Successful units at the NTC have junior leaders and soldiers who can execute these soldier tasks to standard in combat conditions. Incorporating the AVP in training will improve the accuracy of fires at greater ranges.

Issues:

• An operational and stabilized/sandbagged lasing system.
  • G/VLLD/HGSS in the dismounted mode.
  • G/VLLD/HGSS mounted in the FIST-V.
  • MELIOS set on the tripod.
• An operational PLGR set up to record/display in grid azimuth and mils.
• A visible marking device, i.e., chemlight, beacon, or strobe light.
• A fixed point on the ground visible from the OP.
  • Defense: TRPs, trigger points, battlefield debris, and trees.
  • Offense: Because of the tactical nature of the offense, the observation team should establish a point close to their OP. In the desert, such as at the NTC, where trees are almost nonexistent, the team can carry a short u-picket to establish the point.

Execution:

The AVP is established during the "position improvement" phase of the OP occupation battle drill (Security, Location, Communication, Terrain Sketch, Observation and Position Improvement (SLoCTOP)).

The lasing team needs to determine where to establish the AVP. Refer to the AVP Equipment Options graphic below.

• During offensive operations, or in a reconnaissance and surveillance role, the AVP needs to be established closer to the OP. It should be positioned under the cover of darkness, and can be placed behind the OP, perhaps in the vicinity of the OP's hide position, if unable to move forward of the OP. Taking these precautions will minimize movement in the area of the OP and reduce the risk of detection.

• During defensive operations, the AVP can be established either locally or out in the engagement area during engagement area development. Refer to the Field Artillery Observer Terrain Sketch below. The following steps detail a team employing the AVP near to their OP. If employed in the engagement area, the team can apply the steps to an existing feature, i.e., TRPs, trigger boards, or battlefield debris.
  
  • The lasing team places the PLGR on the laser in the "averaging mode," averages the satellite "hits" to 500 times and "marks as waypoint" in the PLGR naming it "OP1." This takes 7-10 minutes.

  • One member of the observation team moves down either the left or right limit lines of the OP's observation fan for a distance of 150-300 meters. Verifies with hand-and-arm signals (or predetermined infrared flashes with PVS-7s (if at night) that he is at a point visible from the OP and pounds a short u-picket stake into the ground. He tapes the chemlight in the "U" of the picket oriented back toward the OP, masking the chemlight on the enemy side. The PLGR is then set on the picket and set in the "averagingmode" to average 500 times. This will take approximately 10 minutes and the soldier should take up a good prone position and pull local security. Once complete, he marks as waypoint in the plugger naming it "AVP1." The soldier returns to the OP.

  • A waypoint-to-waypoint (OP1 to AVP1) "distance calculate" is done with the PLGR to determine the grid azimuth from the OP to the AVP. The G/VLLD is then oriented on the AVP, and this azimuth is manually inputted into the traversing unit of the G/VLLD tripod. The AVP and data is recorded on the terrain sketch. If placed to the rear of the OP, the data is recorded in the margins of the terrain sketch.

  • The lasing team should orient the laser to the AVP every two to three hours and verify the azimuth. The traversing unit can "drift" off azimuth as much as 3 mils an hour. If there is a more than 5-8 mil difference, the traversing unit is realigned to the original AVP azimuth (ref: TM 9-2350-266-10, pg 2-286, para 16). The traversing unit drift is very common in older and heavily used units.

MELIOS: To correct any azimuth inaccuracy in the MELIOS, the 12-step alignment method should be applied prior to stabilizing/sandbagging the tripod. When manually inputting the declination into the Compass/Vertical Angle Measurement (CVAM), only add or subtract the difference necessary to bring the MELIOS on-line with the grid azimuth to the AVP. Although more accurate than the operator using an M2 compass, the CVAM (+/-20 mils) can be taken to further accuracy with the AVP (+/-12 mils).

FIST-V Turret Operations: The North-Seeking Gyro integrated into the head of the FIST-V, which gives the G/VLLD orientation, has been found to quite accurate. But changes in its accuracy have been noticed each time it is updated and realigned. The AVP can be employed to provide an azimuth to reference the system on/after realignment of the North-Seeking Gyro (NSG). Although there is no way of manually altering the azimuth in the turret system, discrepancies can be noted by the operator and applied to the grid conversion.

The Fire Support Observer is responsible for one of the five requirements of accurate/predicted fire: target location. All of the efforts made by the artillery battalion to mass fires at a specific place and time depend on this one responsibility held by the observer team. The AVP increases the accuracy of target location and the overall lethality of the lasing team. An increased range from observers to target areas, while maintaining accuracy, improves the survivability, flexibility, and force protection of these valuable teams.

References

TM 9-2350-266-10

Glossary

SLoCTOP	Security, Location, Communication, Terrain Sketch, Observation and Position Improvement
G/VLLD	Ground/Vehicular Laser Locator Designator
MELIOS	Mini-Eyesafe Laser Infrared Observation Set
CVAM	Compass/Vertical Angle Measurement
AVP	Azimuth Verification Point
HGSS	Hellfire Ground Support System
NSG	North-Seeking Gyro
FIST-V	Fire Support-Vehicle
PLGR	Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list

Enter Your Email Address