How a Fire Support Team assists artillery training
BEMOWO PISKIE, POLAND — The M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer is designed to engage targets from a great distance. Because the crews operating the Paladins may be miles away from the impact area, another team of soldiers is needed to observe the rounds, verify their accuracy, and provide corrections.
At the Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Poland, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, conducted artillery training from Aug. 4–6. Paladin crews fired at targets approximately 10 kilometers away while a forward observer team monitored the impacts and communicated feedback to the artillery units.
The training included Paladin platoons completing Table XII, an evaluation that demonstrates an artillery unit’s tactical proficiency and ability to execute fire missions.
From the Red Diamond observation tower, the sound of artillery fire could be heard across the training area. Before each round was fired, radio communications announced the mission. The Fire Support Team, or FIST, tracked a schedule of target locations, times, and ammunition types throughout the three-day and night exercise.
Staff Sgt. Timothy Cruz, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, led a three-person FIST team during the training. A team from the British Army’s Light Dragoons also participated, using similar equipment to observe rounds impacting targets downrange.
“Working side by side with the British fire supporters was not only fun but very productive,” Cruz said. “Learning our doctrine and watching live rounds impact is such a wholesome experience for both parties. This enabled a lot of cohesion with our counterparts from across the Atlantic.”
The American and British teams shared equipment and worked together to evaluate the artillery fire. Using laser range finders and other observation systems, they determined whether rounds landed accurately or whether adjustments were needed.
When a round required correction, the observers communicated changes to the Fire Direction Center, such as shifting the impact point left, right, closer, or farther from the target. When the round landed as intended, the team could authorize the next phase of the mission.
Observers will then call for “fire for effect,” a command that directs the artillery unit to continue firing at the same location. During training, this confirms that the crews can maintain accuracy and follow proper procedures. In a real-world operation, fire for effect would be used to deliver concentrated fire against an intended enemy position or area.
The coordination between observers and artillery crews is central to the mission.
1st Sgt. Zachary Platt of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery, summarized the relationship between the two specialties: “The 13F finds the target. The 13B delivers the steel. Together, they bring precision and destruction to the battlefield.”
The exercise demonstrated how artillery crews and forward observers depend on one another. The Paladins provide long-range firepower, while the FIST teams provide the eyes, communication, and technical expertise needed to ensure that fire missions are accurate, coordinated, and safe. Through the combined training, U.S. and British soldiers strengthened their ability to work together and developed greater cohesion as allied fire-support teams.
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