Infantry Warfighter Forum Symposium IWFF

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Counter Fire Mission LSA Anaconda Dec 2005 Nov
2006
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Pre Deployment
4ID, 3 BDE AOE MECH, 1-12 IN BN. Modular
conversion to a RSTA 2/9 CAV Trained as
Infantry Conducted minimal 11C training based
on previous deployment combat patterns
(assumptions) Wrote detainee SOP for B Troop,
and acted a mobile Detainee facility (Mortar
Carriers) Conducted Bio-Metrics training and
Language training in the section Feb 2005 MFCS
instal/OPNET. Only 4 of 6 vehicles in Squadron
on hand. conducted a three day LFX in support of
PLT and TRP movement on Table XII. (Had total
faith and trust in MFCS as a system) August
2005. MRX, NTC Received 2nd MTR Carrier gun
system (received a Degraded system from the
NTC) Nov. 05 Arr. Kuwait Conduct LFX at Udari
Range First round 30 Meter accuracy Initial
mission remain with SQDN vicinity FOB Hunter
(Samarra). Dec 05 Rcv. Change of mission
Detach B Troop, attach to 3-29 FA, move LSA
Anaconda (Balad ), conduct counterfire mission.
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LSA Anaconda
Balad Airbase is located in Northern Iraq
approximately 68 kilometers North of Baghdad.
25 square kilometers
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Thunder East
Central Weapon system, primary crew from
1-8 Infantry 11C pure (rotated out in 6 week
shifts) Maintained a four man crew and vehicle on
site 500m from my CHU and TOC Co-located with a
Q-37 Radar (Emergency Commo) Busiest gun. Had
many NIAs directly across TE River. CHU, 20K
gen, 6 berm with trench, 10,000 Sand bags, 6
reinforced concrete Ammo bunker 12 T-barriers.
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Thunder South
Farthest Gun from TOC 15 Min. ride.3 man crew
mixed 11C 13B No vehicle Least fired gun due to
terrain and lack of good POO sites Significant
NO-Fire-Fire Area along the entire western
sector Fired several Illum. Mission ISO joint
US/Iraqi Army patrols (coordinated) Located close
to S-ECP. (emergency Communication) CHU, 20K
gen, 6 berm with trench, 10,000 Sand bags, 6
reinforced concrete ammo bunker, 12 T-barriers.
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Thunder North
Medium Distance from TOC, 10 Min trip. 3 man
crew 11C/13B No vehicle Middle gun as far as fire
missions. Covered the largest sector. Could
fire MAX RG In a 180 degree arc. Covered a 14x7
KM half bubble. Located close to N-ECP.
(emergency Communication) CHU, 20K gen, 6 berm
with trench, 10,000 Sand bags, 6 reinforced
concrete Ammo bunker,12 T-barriers. Gun was
located under one leg of airfield. Fire
clearance issues and noise to crew.
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CHALLENGES
Communication digital connectivity should be the
standard at home station. Prior to combat ops.
2-9 had never interfaced digitally with the
AFATADS. It took us almost 60 days in combat to
figure this out, develop SOPs and execute CF to
standard. Not having MFCS trained maintainers at
the location of the guns. Our DS BN was at FOB
Warhorse, Our BMT maintained direct contact with
PM and received the MDL and training disks. He
then used discovery learning to get to a point
where he was able to load the MFCS with new
updates. Vehicle maintenance (services) and
deadline issues This challenge forced us not to
get to comfortable with the box We had to
practice and execute degraded operations When
the Mortar Carrier was down. Ammunition count
MFCS is very smart, if you tell it you only have
5 rounds of Lot XYZ and then you try to enter
into a 6 round FFE. It rejects the mission.
This is OK in training, but really frustrating in
CF. We solved this by putting 999 as our round
count.
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Success Stories (cntd)
24 Mar 2006 T- East No further attacks from this
NIA
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Success Stories
22 May 2006 T-North CF No further attacks from
this NIA
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B L U F

• Our Ah Ha moment occurred before combat
• Fired over 2500 Rounds
• 95 HE in counter fire role
• 5 Terrain denial or Illumination IR/conventional
• MFCS was FMC at least 90 for 11 Months.
• Replaced one CI.
• Fixed two CIs locally.
• No other MFCS component failed.
• 20-30 Meter accuracy Determined from patrols
  going to impact sites and using PLGR on crater
  center of mass

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Questions?