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FORCE DEVELOPMENT FOCUS AREA

Fires Summary:

  • Develop and maintain long range precision fires to support  SPMAGTF-CR, MEU, and MEB. Especially fires in support of raids and seizures.
  • Continued development of enhanced munitions - more accurate, lethal, and cheaper.
  • Consider proliferating smaller, lighter, and more mobile systems. Can you make up for fewer larger systems with more smaller systems?  105mm vs 155mm?  Smaller guided rockets vs. HIMARs?          
  • Register requirements for NSFS using ground based systems (existing or new) in a modular capacity.      
  • More integrated use of UAS capabilities and platforms.      
  • Fly from ships, deliver munitions, control fires, acquire targets, collect intelligence simultaneously

Fires: Force Development Focus Area:

Fire support improvements involve platforms, munitions and systems for fire support coordination and responsiveness. The F-35B provides both a significant level of situational awareness as well as being a platform for responsive, scalable firepower. Rotary-wing close air support (CAS) assets and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) and indirect fires add further capability for precise, lethal fires. Enhancements are required to provide responsive, all-weather fire support options to forces maneuvering from the sea and in support of dispersed formations. These capabilities must be scalable in range, portable and lethal, with the ability to incorporate non-lethal operations such as Information Operations, Cyberspace Operations, and Electronic Warfare. Specific considerations for Expeditionary Force 21 include:

  • The capability to employ HIMARS from distributed locations and naval platforms or surface connectors to support distributed maneuver.
  • The continued development of long-range precision fire capabilities for the Expeditionary Fire Support System, the M777, and HIMARS from austere and expeditionary bases.
  • The range and capacity to provide fires supporting multiple entry points from the sea.
  • Enhanced munitions to increase naval surface fires capability and range.
  • Increased capability of sensors to provide a target location of useable accuracy.
  • Increased capacity to employ unmanned aerial system (UAS) from naval platforms and connectors supporting timely target acquisition.
  • Increased capability from UAS to acquire targets, control fires, and deliver munitions.
  • Enhanced ability to leverage joint fires in a timely manner from a distributed or concentrated force.
  • Enhancement of naval surface fires to protect and support maneuver from 65 nm out to sea to inland objectives (including exploration of rail gun and laser technology).
  • Enhanced integration of all systems to neutralize G-RAMM threats.