PRECISION STRIKE – A GROWING REQUIREMENT ON THE BATTLEFIELD
By Julian Nettlefold, Editor, BATTLESPACE
09 Apr 08. BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold interviewed Colonel David Challes, Deputy Director Joint Land Forces Engagement about current British Army Precision Strike policy (DDEC(JLFE) and Acting DEC(DTA).
“What has changed from previous conflicts to drive the increased requirement for Precision Strike?”
“The British Army used MLRS rockets with bomblet ammunition during Operation GRANBY in 1991 and 155mm bomblet and HE shells on both Operation GRANBY and Operation TELIC in 2003. However, these were war-fighting operations, where collateral damage was less of a concern. The growth in peace support operations in terrain which contains significant population density (such as Iraq and Afghanistan) has caused all Military Forces to be more cautious in the use of non-precision systems. The targets tend to be smaller and the concerns over collateral damage much greater. In addition, there has been considerable pressure to ban cluster munitions. Thus, in 2007, the U.K. Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne, made the decision to scrap the MLRS bomblet rocket and the RAF’s BL755 Cluster Bomb. Although this decision was mainly driven by the humanitarian desire to cause less civilian casualties it also, axiomatically, reduces the challenges of reconstruction and post-conflict battlefield clearance.” Colonel Challes said.
“Has the introduction of GMLRS in particular enhanced the role of the Royal Artillery on the battlefield?”
“The introduction of GMLRS has certainly changed the manner in which the Royal Artillery operates. It provides a step-change for the Indirect Fire community, giving ground commanders more choice in their deployment and employment of weapons. GMLRS gives us an indirect precision fire capability of up to 70kms, which we have never had before. With the demise of the bomblet rockets the Royal Artillery would have been in danger of losing its rocket capability without the deployment of GMLRS. Now GMLRS in Afghanistan is seen as complementary to the air-delivered weapons, the Attack helicopter, which uses Hellfire, CRV-7 rockets and 30mm cannon and the 105mm Light Gun. All of these are now deployed in a coalition environment using advanced targeting and Forward Air Controller systems. GMLRS has been a great success in Afghanistan and we have used many tens of missiles.”
“Is AS 90 deployed in Afghanistan?”
“No as we do not have a precision 155mm shell at present, thus the 105mm light gun is providing the fire support for ranges from 4-6kms out to about 15km; we also have 81mm mortars for close support.”
“How does the deployment of GMLRS affect theatre operations?”
“Given that precision munitions, by their nature, require fewer munitions to destroy a given target, not only is collateral damage reduced but so is the logistic footprint. ”
“Were the targeting systems deployed up to the job of the accurate Precision Strike Requirements?”
“Before we deployed GMLRS, we realised that there was a shortfall in our targeting abilities. The ground picture provided was not going to be accurate enough to make use of the precision capabilities of GMLRS. Thus, inaccurate target co-ordinates would have been passed to the munition which would then have missed the target; we would have ‘precisely missed’.”
“Do you expect other European MLRS users such as France, Germany and Italy to progress to a GMLRS system?”
“Yes, our European Allies in the MLRS programme do intend to introduce a GMLRS capability, although the British Army chose the American Fire Control system whilst our European allies have chosen to develop their own indigenous system.”
“What systems have been developed to increase the accuracy of precision strike munitions?”
“As well as using the differential GPS system made by Rockwell Collins, we have also deployed a new system using mensurated imagery which has 3D coord