Artillery Intelligence. Battery Management and Artillery Intelligence

For the effective conduct of hostilities, information about enemy positions is extremely important. One way to obtain such information is artillery reconnaissance, whose emblem (sight, two cannons and a bat) reflects the concealment and effectiveness of the actions of this kind of troops. The actions of such units are extremely important in the context of both the offensive and defense, and there are many reasons for this.

The essence of the process

This type of intelligence is necessary for the accurate operation of artillery in combat. Therefore, scouts are tasked with extracting and processing information about the enemy and the terrain where he is located.

Important information is about the main targets of damage, including control points, base camps, as well as resistance centers and strong points that form defensive lines. Do not remain without attention and the position of fire weapons. These are mortars, combat vehicles, tanks, guns, congestions, columns of armored and motor vehicles, as well as regular formations and separate groups of infantry.

Battery Management and Artillery Intelligence Can fully work when the network of observation posts and posts are being deployed, where radar and sound techniques are used to obtain the necessary information. In addition, object detection devices, as well as reconnaissance groups, can be used.

As a result, after performing the work described above, which is meant by artillery reconnaissance, it will be possible to maintain an accurate fire, which allows to destroy obstacles, closures and positions of the enemy as a whole.

Importance of intelligence

Fire cannons can be considered effective only if it is conducted on specific actual targets in the territory of the enemy. Using this principle, during the offensive, it is possible to significantly slow enemy forces, destroying firing points and knots of resistance. If the enemy goes into defense, then the artillery must accurately work on the firing positions and attacking enemy units, which represent the greatest threat.

To implement such schemes of combat, artillery reconnaissance means are simply necessary.

When not only targets for firing guns are determined in a short time, but also their activity, nature and significance, the enemy troops will be inflicted maximum damage.

Artillery Intelligence Structure

It is worth repeating once again the fact that artillery can not function normally without the AR. And in order for the guns to fire accurately and hit the actual targets, various reconnaissance units that use air and ground resources are used. But the types of technical means used need special attention. They are divided into the following types:

• Opto-electronic reconnaissance;
• Radio engineering;
• Sound;
• Optical;
• Radar.

In the case of opto-electronic reconnaissance (here, too, optical), divisions of artillery, reconnaissance units, commander's command vehicles and points in which there is access to all data from various sources are used. The optical method of obtaining information is oriented to the opening of all enemy control points, as well as positions, positions of the front edge, firing points, strong points, areas of location of manpower and tanks. The basis for the successful operation of heavy guns and not just this is the artillery reconnaissance. The photos obtained with the help of optics make it possible to study in detail the location of the enemy and make an effective plan for the offensive or defense.

To conduct sound reconnaissance, special platoons and batteries are used, which use sound metric systems. As tasks, the intersection and fixation of the positions of the batteries leading the fire, as well as mortars, rocket launchers and field artillery are determined.

Radar reconnaissance is carried out with the help of appropriate equipment necessary to detect the enemy's starting (firing) positions and ground moving targets. At the same time, the speed of movement is determined and the service of firing your own artillery is carried out.

Platoons of electronic reconnaissance are engaged in detecting and fixing the exact coordinates and characteristics of the active radar enemy stations. Moreover, the monitoring of the operation of these objects, target designation and subsequent monitoring of the results of the fire of their own implements are carried out.

Organization of AR

There are a number of key principles on which artillery intelligence is built. They underlie the effective operation of heavy, light and infantry weapons.

As a starting point for the process of organizing the work of artillery, the decision of the combined arms commander is determined.

Thus, the management process of the AP includes the following elements:

• The definition of all relevant objectives and key intelligence tasks;
• Drawing up of the order of the actions directed on reception of the necessary information;
• Submission of applications to the headquarters above, and setting tasks for the performers;
• The process of withdrawal and deployment of reconnaissance units;
• Practical work in preparation;
• Monitoring readiness for action and providing assistance if necessary.

The organization of artillery reconnaissance begins from the moment when the main combat mission is reported to the command.

Objectives

In the framework of certain processes, artillery reconnaissance is oriented to the fulfillment of various urgent tasks. They look like this:

• On the way to the desired positions before the procedure for deploying the lateral or lead detachments is launched, it is necessary to identify the ways in which artillery can easily pass through.
• After the advanced guarding units have deployed to the battle formation, thanks to the intelligence, it is ensured that the guns are hidden and quickly distributed in those positions that will ensure maximum fire support for their own troops, minimizing the extent of defeat from enemy strikes. For this purpose, the Artillery Intelligence Department Must find observation points that allow to determine the location of enemy troops and organize a qualitative observation of both the movements of the enemy and the maneuvers of their own units. After this, constant observation is established in the found and occupied positions of reconnaissance.

• Determination of the most successful positions for their guns and identification of ways that will allow to conduct the necessary maneuvers with the greatest degree of secrecy.
• After carrying out the work described above, artillery occupies certain positions previously defined. Observation of the enemy's troops and their own does not stop.
• The next task is to search for additional observation points that will allow us to identify new enemy units or assess the positions of troops during the battle, coordinating the fire.
• When all the tasks described above are achieved, artillery reconnaissance Continues to look for firing positions, as well as hidden paths leading to them, in which there may be a need in case of movement.

Naturally, all actions must be accompanied by a constant connection.

Intelligence objects

As mentioned above, AR is focused on collecting data about the enemy. To more effectively find the right information, the military initially sets the task of identifying priority objects in the territory occupied by the enemy. These are the following ground targets:

• Radar stations of anti-aircraft and field artillery, as well as tactical and army aviation control bodies;
• Fortification objects of the terrain, fences and structures;
• Anti-aircraft, rocket and mortar platoons, as well as specific batteries;
• Separate fire weapons and companies of motorized infantry, tank and other troops;
• Helicopters, for the location of which the advanced landing sites were selected;
• Points intended for the management of weapons, brigades, battalion and other units equal to them;
• Separate landing and landing craft, ships and transport vessels.

Artillery intelligence makes an autopsy of all these objects. Under the autopsy, it is worthwhile initially to understand the detection, and after recognizing and determining the coordinates of the key targets of the lesion.

It is also necessary to maintain a regular assessment of the nature of AP facilities, which can change periodically. It is possible to change and the degree of detail of goals.

How is the battery explored?

Active part is played by the division (battery). And for its use there is a certain algorithm of actions, based on a number of necessary tasks.

First of all, we are talking about the designation of the reconnaissance zone and the determination within its borders of the area of special attention. The identification of this sector is made in full accordance with the task assigned to the division and the capabilities that the intelligence staff has.

The artillery reconnaissance battery uses the above-mentioned area of special attention to concentrate funds and efforts in those areas where important objectives are likely to be located. The size of such a sector may be limited by the capabilities of the units.

As for the objects of reconnaissance, the efforts to determine them are most relevant when conducting a battle in a city or in the event that an organization needs to break through a fortified area. Work with specific objects is also relevant in the case of preparing an offensive, the main purpose of which is to quickly obtain information about carefully disguised enemy structures and specific weapons located in them.

The direction of reconnaissance is necessary in those cases when there is a counterattack, the pursuit of the retreating enemy is being carried out, or an offensive is being developed in the depth of the enemy defense.

How is the AR in the offensive?

With such actions, the main resources are concentrated in the direction corresponding to the main strike and predetermined breakout areas, as well as their flanks.

In this case, the control battery and artillery reconnaissance forces the units to identify the following elements:

• Coordinates of high-precision weapons, nuclear attack weapons and areas of their location;
• Grouping and composition of the enemy on the flanks and in its lane, if possible, determine the strategy of the enemy's actions;
• The nature of the water obstacles in the direction of the movement of their own troops within the offensive and the patency of the terrain as a whole;
• The coordinates of the points of command of arms, troops and radio-electronic means;
• Support points, outlines of the front edge, the location of fire weapons, features of anti-tank equipment, engineering equipment of the area, as well as the system of obstacles and fire;
• Landing sites for army aviation and airfields of basing.

When organizing an offensive and supporting it with artillery resources, all commanders should personally supervise the results of the fire of guns (heavy, medium, infantry), the actions and position of their own troops, especially those that fire on objects under fire.

In the offensive, the basic resources available to a platoon of artillery reconnaissance, Are used to perform the following tasks:

• At the right time, the deployment and deployment of reserves to conduct counterattacks, as well as the second echelons;
• Artillery reconnaissance also reveals the remaining combat capability and new targets, among which the most important are anti-tank weapons, mortar and artillery batteries.

With regard to the movement of AR funds in the face of an offensive, it is carried out in such a way that close interaction with the military units and the process of conducting fire remain uninterrupted.

Conducting reconnaissance in defense

When troops have to defend themselves, artillery reconnaissance units first of all extract information about those enemy facilities that are on the outskirts. The same algorithm is used in case of the introduction of the enemy into the defense and the reflection of his attack.

In such conditions, the main resources of the AR are aimed at revealing the following elements of the enemy's troops:

• Control points;
• Mortar and artillery platoons;
• Radio electronic means;
• Motorized infantry units and tank columns located on the routes of extension, the boundaries of deployment and the subsequent transition to attack.

When the enemy takes active actions, the AP determines the coordinates of the enemy's advanced objects, especially heavy equipment. Also, service is carried out for firing guns at targets previously detected.

If the adversary is advancing, the artillery reconnaissance stations after the authorization of the chief Are assigned to positions that were previously prepared. Such actions are also made in the case of the introduction of enemy forces into the defense.

When the artillery supports its own defending forces, the commander first clarifies the actual tasks, and then concentrates the efforts of all units of the AR for the following purposes:

• Detection of radar and enemy control points;
• Fixing the reserves approach to the wedge site;
• Determination of the fact of the withdrawal of enemy artillery to new positions;
• Receiving information about the direction of the enemy's offensive and the coordinates of the objects that managed to get in.

If counterattacking operations are carried out, the priority for the AP is the opening of those objects that will need to be neutralized first. In the rest, the algorithm of reconnaissance operations remains the same as during the offensive.

Unmasking signs

Artillery reconnaissance, whose emblem has long earned respect, uses a number of proven methods to identify existing guns and mortars, among others. Artillery, the leading fire, is found on the following grounds:

• Dust that rises within the firing position after the completion of the shot (provided that the ground is dry);
• Sound shots and shine;
• Smoke, lifting after a shot from a hidden gun, acquiring the appearance of translucent clubs and rings.

If the observation is conducted at night, then to determine the enemy positions can be a short glitter, resulting from the release of the flame from the guns, which do not have a flame arrester. As for the sound, the shot is heard at a distance of 15 km, moving artillery makes itself felt over 2 km (dirt road) or 3 km (highway).

As for the detection of mortars, this is not an easy task. The bottom line is that they do not have pronounced demasking features and are installed in trenches, hollows, large funnels and other places that are difficult to see. For the opening of such positions, observation of smoke after firing, short flashes and sound is used.

Results

Obviously, the artillery reconnaissance is largely responsible for the effective defeat of enemy positions with the help of heavy and medium guns. Chevron This kind of troops is associated with accuracy, rapid fulfillment of tasks and high professionalism. This is not surprising, because in real combat conditions, intelligence data that such units extract, can quickly neutralize the enemy and protect their own positions.