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EspañolARTILLERY OBSERVER
(Redirected from Forward Observation Officer)
An 'artillery observer' is a soldier responsible for directing artillery fire and close air support (ground attack by aircraft) onto enemy positions. Because artillery is an indirect-fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located tens of miles away. The observer serves as the eyes of the artillery battery, calling in target locations and adjustments to the Fire Direction Center (FDC) via radio or (less commonly) landline. The FDC then translates the observer's orders into firing solutions for the battery's cannons. Artillery observers are often deployed with combat arms maneuver units, typically infantry companies or armored squadrons.
Artillery observers are considered high-priority targets by enemy forces, as they control a great amount of firepower, are within visual range of the enemy, and are often located deep within enemy territory. The artillery observer must therefore be skilled not only in fire direction, but also in stealth and, if necessary, direct combat.
In the British and Canadian armies, an artillery observer is known as a ''Forward Observation Officer'' (FOO, pronounced ), or ''Fire Effects Detachment'' (FED).
In the U.S. Army, an artillery observer is known as a ''Forward Observer'' (FO). A mechanized FO team usually comprises an officer and several enlisted personnel (a technician, a driver/radio operator, plus any extra personnel) traveling in an infantry fighting vehicle. A non-mechanized FO team travels on foot (analogous to light infantry), and generally includes a gunner trained to operate a Squad Automatic Weapon for self-protection.
In the Royal Australian Artillery an artillery observer team is called a ''Joint Offensive Support Team'' (JOST) and is made up of the ''Forward Observer Officer'' (usually a captain), his assistant (usually a Bombardier - two stripes) and two Artillery Signalers (Gunners - no stripes). They are trained in calling in field artillery fire missions as well as naval gunfire and close air support (CAS) missions from the Air Force.
In the Swedish Army, the Forward Controllers are called Fire Controllers (in Swedish: eldledare). Fire Controllers always works as a squad. These are called E-squads, consisting of one Squad Leader, one Assistant Squad Leader, two Fire Control Assistants and two Fire Control Signalists.
Artillery observers carry the (MOS) designation of ''13 Foxtrot'' (13F) in the U.S. Army and ''0861'' in the U.S. Marine Corps. Commonly referred to as FO's (Forward Observers), FISTs (FIre Support Team), or COLTs (Combat Observation Lasing Team), their more general official designation is “Fire Support Specialist”; other designations referring to specific positions held depending on the mission.
For a variety of reasons, the position of Fire Support Specialist is often thought of as among the most dangerous and challenging in the armed forces. Due to the substantial firepower they control, their communications and reconnaissance abilities, and their small numbers, artillery observers of any variety are regarded as targets of very high importance to enemy forces. Their skills in reconnaissance must be met with similarly high intelligence and ability to think quickly in situations of extreme stress, as a minor mental error during a fire mission could lead to the forward observer accidentally ordering an artillery bombardment on friendly forces or even on himself. There exist 2 duties associated with Forward Observer Teams according to general military doctrine and the FIST field manual 6/20. Primary duty consists of bringing to arms all indirect fire assets (artillery, mortars, naval gunfire and air strikes). Secondary duties consist of reporting battlefield intelligence to the command echelon.
Soldiers in this MOS must meet a number of requirements not demanded of many other military careers. The artillery observer must be acutely aware of the position and movements of their own troops as well as those of the opposing forces. Because of the strategic importance of this information, U.S. Army FO's must qualify for security clearance, the [level] depending on their specific position. They must be able to work independently for long periods of time, as some missions can be last for days or even weeks, and because of the clandestine nature of their work and their frequent placement on or behind enemy lines, the ability to operate with minimal support is of great importance. Their physical demands are extremely high as the FO's must survive and fight alongside paratroopers, airmobile infantry, light infantry, mechanized infantry, United States Marines and even United States Army Rangers while typically carrying a much greater equipment load (radios, secure communication equipment, laser target designators, etc.) than the maneuver element they are attached to. As well they must survive in an armored and cavalry environment. Because of this, their grunt/rifleman skills must be on a level that allows them to have an optimal survival rate. They are given exceptionally hard cardiovascular, strength, infantry and United States Army Combatives/United States Marine Corps MCMAP training in addition to their FO training. This is to ensure that they have the capability to perform their more cerebral duties while under the same stress the infantry unit is exposed to.
Fire Support Specialists may be attached to the mechanized infantry or an armored division. When mechanized infantry or armored, fire support teams consist of a driver, a commander, a Fire Support Non-Commissioned Officer, and a Fire Support Specialist of rank of E4 Specialist). This team works within an M7 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, called a B-FIST or Bradley FIST, which is designed for the task of Coordinating indirect fire. FO teams are often attached to Mechanized infantry dismounted teams. In this scenario they break off with small infantry teams and travel on foot akin to light infantry and search for the enemy. They can also break off in two man FO teams and establish an observation post.
Fire support teams designated to work with infantry companies and platoons play a more direct action role, performing their duties without the aid of a vehicle. Each infantry platoon is assigned a Forward Observer in the rank of E-5 Sergeant, along with his Radio/Telephone Operator (RTO) and a SAW Gunner (see above). These FO's fall under the auspices of the Fire Support Officer and Fire Support Non-Commissioned Officer who work at company-level.
Fire support teams designated to work with cavalry troops also play a direct action role. Due to the smaller platoon size in a cavalry troop the forward observer often fulfills the role of both a FO and a scout. As with the infantry the FO and RTO are assigned to be a Platoon Leader's personal asset.
One specialty of a fire support team is to act as a COLT/STRIKER(Combat Observation Lasing Team). The COLT is a high-technology, deeply inserted, observer/reconnaissance team often called on to maximize the use of smart laser-guided munitions such as the M712_Copperhead. COLTs are regularly equipped with a GLLD, a device used to assist any munition which requires reflected laser energy for final ballistic guidance. These teams typically work closely with attack aircraft to guide air-delivered laser-guided munitions.
All US Army 13-series soldiers attend training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, regardless of specialty. The training for 13F's has recently been revamped, eliminating separation between basic training and job training. Recruits complete both Basic Combat Training and their job instruction not only at the same facility, but with the same cadre, all in one long training period. Marines receive their forward observer schooling at Fort Sill as well, though their initial boot camp training is completed elsewhere.
A ''Joint Fires Observer'' is trained as a universal observer. The JFO is forward deployed and can call in artillery fire, just like a Fire Support Specialist. In addition, JFOs are trained a less extensive version of the JTAC course so they can call air support.
As the US Army is transitioning its large division-based structure to more mobile brigades under its Army Transformation program, it plans to reduce heavy artillery and depend more on air support. Because of this the Army wants 4000 JTACs assigned to ground units. The US Air Force believes such difficult to produce specialists (currently only 700) should not be organic (permanently assigned) but instead liquid, assigned only when needed. The JFO comes in as a compromise between the Army and the Air Force.
★ Field artillery team
★ Forward air control
★ Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team
Danish artillery observer
An 'artillery observer' is a soldier responsible for directing artillery fire and close air support (ground attack by aircraft) onto enemy positions. Because artillery is an indirect-fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located tens of miles away. The observer serves as the eyes of the artillery battery, calling in target locations and adjustments to the Fire Direction Center (FDC) via radio or (less commonly) landline. The FDC then translates the observer's orders into firing solutions for the battery's cannons. Artillery observers are often deployed with combat arms maneuver units, typically infantry companies or armored squadrons.
Artillery observers are considered high-priority targets by enemy forces, as they control a great amount of firepower, are within visual range of the enemy, and are often located deep within enemy territory. The artillery observer must therefore be skilled not only in fire direction, but also in stealth and, if necessary, direct combat.
In the British and Canadian armies, an artillery observer is known as a ''Forward Observation Officer'' (FOO, pronounced ), or ''Fire Effects Detachment'' (FED).
In the U.S. Army, an artillery observer is known as a ''Forward Observer'' (FO). A mechanized FO team usually comprises an officer and several enlisted personnel (a technician, a driver/radio operator, plus any extra personnel) traveling in an infantry fighting vehicle. A non-mechanized FO team travels on foot (analogous to light infantry), and generally includes a gunner trained to operate a Squad Automatic Weapon for self-protection.
In the Royal Australian Artillery an artillery observer team is called a ''Joint Offensive Support Team'' (JOST) and is made up of the ''Forward Observer Officer'' (usually a captain), his assistant (usually a Bombardier - two stripes) and two Artillery Signalers (Gunners - no stripes). They are trained in calling in field artillery fire missions as well as naval gunfire and close air support (CAS) missions from the Air Force.
In the Swedish Army, the Forward Controllers are called Fire Controllers (in Swedish: eldledare). Fire Controllers always works as a squad. These are called E-squads, consisting of one Squad Leader, one Assistant Squad Leader, two Fire Control Assistants and two Fire Control Signalists.
| Contents |
| Forward Observers in the US Marine Corps/US Army |
| Joint Fires Observer |
| See also |
Forward Observers in the US Marine Corps/US Army
Artillery observers carry the (MOS) designation of ''13 Foxtrot'' (13F) in the U.S. Army and ''0861'' in the U.S. Marine Corps. Commonly referred to as FO's (Forward Observers), FISTs (FIre Support Team), or COLTs (Combat Observation Lasing Team), their more general official designation is “Fire Support Specialist”; other designations referring to specific positions held depending on the mission.
For a variety of reasons, the position of Fire Support Specialist is often thought of as among the most dangerous and challenging in the armed forces. Due to the substantial firepower they control, their communications and reconnaissance abilities, and their small numbers, artillery observers of any variety are regarded as targets of very high importance to enemy forces. Their skills in reconnaissance must be met with similarly high intelligence and ability to think quickly in situations of extreme stress, as a minor mental error during a fire mission could lead to the forward observer accidentally ordering an artillery bombardment on friendly forces or even on himself. There exist 2 duties associated with Forward Observer Teams according to general military doctrine and the FIST field manual 6/20. Primary duty consists of bringing to arms all indirect fire assets (artillery, mortars, naval gunfire and air strikes). Secondary duties consist of reporting battlefield intelligence to the command echelon.
Soldiers in this MOS must meet a number of requirements not demanded of many other military careers. The artillery observer must be acutely aware of the position and movements of their own troops as well as those of the opposing forces. Because of the strategic importance of this information, U.S. Army FO's must qualify for security clearance, the [level] depending on their specific position. They must be able to work independently for long periods of time, as some missions can be last for days or even weeks, and because of the clandestine nature of their work and their frequent placement on or behind enemy lines, the ability to operate with minimal support is of great importance. Their physical demands are extremely high as the FO's must survive and fight alongside paratroopers, airmobile infantry, light infantry, mechanized infantry, United States Marines and even United States Army Rangers while typically carrying a much greater equipment load (radios, secure communication equipment, laser target designators, etc.) than the maneuver element they are attached to. As well they must survive in an armored and cavalry environment. Because of this, their grunt/rifleman skills must be on a level that allows them to have an optimal survival rate. They are given exceptionally hard cardiovascular, strength, infantry and United States Army Combatives/United States Marine Corps MCMAP training in addition to their FO training. This is to ensure that they have the capability to perform their more cerebral duties while under the same stress the infantry unit is exposed to.
Fire Support Specialists may be attached to the mechanized infantry or an armored division. When mechanized infantry or armored, fire support teams consist of a driver, a commander, a Fire Support Non-Commissioned Officer, and a Fire Support Specialist of rank of E4 Specialist). This team works within an M7 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, called a B-FIST or Bradley FIST, which is designed for the task of Coordinating indirect fire. FO teams are often attached to Mechanized infantry dismounted teams. In this scenario they break off with small infantry teams and travel on foot akin to light infantry and search for the enemy. They can also break off in two man FO teams and establish an observation post.
Fire support teams designated to work with infantry companies and platoons play a more direct action role, performing their duties without the aid of a vehicle. Each infantry platoon is assigned a Forward Observer in the rank of E-5 Sergeant, along with his Radio/Telephone Operator (RTO) and a SAW Gunner (see above). These FO's fall under the auspices of the Fire Support Officer and Fire Support Non-Commissioned Officer who work at company-level.
Fire support teams designated to work with cavalry troops also play a direct action role. Due to the smaller platoon size in a cavalry troop the forward observer often fulfills the role of both a FO and a scout. As with the infantry the FO and RTO are assigned to be a Platoon Leader's personal asset.
Basic concept of how the FO calls in and adjusts Artillery fire on a target
One specialty of a fire support team is to act as a COLT/STRIKER(Combat Observation Lasing Team). The COLT is a high-technology, deeply inserted, observer/reconnaissance team often called on to maximize the use of smart laser-guided munitions such as the M712_Copperhead. COLTs are regularly equipped with a GLLD, a device used to assist any munition which requires reflected laser energy for final ballistic guidance. These teams typically work closely with attack aircraft to guide air-delivered laser-guided munitions.
All US Army 13-series soldiers attend training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, regardless of specialty. The training for 13F's has recently been revamped, eliminating separation between basic training and job training. Recruits complete both Basic Combat Training and their job instruction not only at the same facility, but with the same cadre, all in one long training period. Marines receive their forward observer schooling at Fort Sill as well, though their initial boot camp training is completed elsewhere.
Joint Fires Observer
A ''Joint Fires Observer'' is trained as a universal observer. The JFO is forward deployed and can call in artillery fire, just like a Fire Support Specialist. In addition, JFOs are trained a less extensive version of the JTAC course so they can call air support.
As the US Army is transitioning its large division-based structure to more mobile brigades under its Army Transformation program, it plans to reduce heavy artillery and depend more on air support. Because of this the Army wants 4000 JTACs assigned to ground units. The US Air Force believes such difficult to produce specialists (currently only 700) should not be organic (permanently assigned) but instead liquid, assigned only when needed. The JFO comes in as a compromise between the Army and the Air Force.
See also
★ Field artillery team
★ Forward air control
★ Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team
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