Adjustment-check and Observation of Fire for Effect – with a German Radar

Szöveg: honvedelem.hu | 2019. március 7. 15:45

The thundering sound of the D-20 howitzers was heard for the first time during the multinational exercise ”Dynamic Front 2019” on the Grafenwoehr training area in Germany. Before the live firing phase, the artillerymen from Tata carried out the adjustment-check, and based on the meteorological data received, they delivered controlled fire on a target. They performed these tasks in co-operation with the German and the American artillerymen.

The weather conditions were not favourable for the soldiers this time either, the visibility and the detection distance were drastically reduced in the impact area, which was shrouded in mist and fog. The target detected by the optical reconnaissance squad could only be observed for the duration of one fire on it; the fog coming down made the further task-execution impossible. The problem could be solved with the ABRA (Artillerie Beobachtungs Radar) radar system capable of detecting moving targets, stationed at the section of the observers.

Following the discussion with the Commander of the German 131st Self-Propelled Artillery Division, the coordinates of the designated target were cross-checked with the radar operator staff. The points of the next fire on the target appeared on the radar screen, and these coordinates were forwarded to the Hungarian side. Thus one of the training objectives was completed, i.e. the fire of a Hungarian artillery subunit was being observed with another nation’s equipment. The outcome of the successful task-execution was that the German Division Commander offered the ABRA radar for the next parts of the exercise for the observation of the Hungarian firing tasks.

Following the adjustment-check, the Hungarian artillery subunit received meteorological data – complying with the NATO standards – from the Commander of the Division Artillery of the US 1st Cavalry Division. With the help of this report, the Hungarian battery could open fire on an earlier detected target.

According to the observation of the offered radar, the fire hit the target, which means that the Hungarian artillery subunit is capable of executing firing tasks based on the METCM report complying with the NATO standards.