A few days ago, at the Al Qalail polygon in Qatar, the “NASR 2021” exercise, organized by the Command of the Terrestrial Operational Support Forces (Support COMFOTER) and conducted by the Artillery Command jointly with the Qatar Emiri Land Forces ( QELF). The purpose of the exercise was to verify the level of preparation achieved by the Artillery Command through the deployment of an Army Corps Joint Fire Support Element (JFSE) deployed outside the national territory.
Articulated in a main Command Post, activated in Bracciano by the Army Simulation and Validation Center, and in an advanced one located in Qatar, the JFSE was found to be suitable for the use of fire in general support provided by the 5th Terrestrial Rocket Launcher Artillery Regiment ” Superga ” and the 1st and 3rd Land Artillery Regiment (mon.) Of the Alpine Troops Command (COMALP). The JFSE also coordinated the activities of the 132nd “Ariete” Artillery Regiment, in direct support of the maneuvering forces.
The sharing of command and control and fire management systems functionally distributed in Bracciano, Qatar and in the Monte Romano Polygon according to the concept of distributed command post, was guaranteed thanks to the digital satellite connections created by the 2nd Alpine Transmission Regiment.
Four maneuvering companies and an artillery battery of the Qatar Land Forces also took part in the exercise, carried out in full compliance with the regulations for combating the spread of CoViD-19 provided by the local authorities. logistic.
In particular, the operational validation of the new long-range artillery ammunition for Vulcano 155 mm howitzers was carried out, organized by the IV Logistics Department of the Army General Staff and concluded with a positive outcome. In particular, the ammunition, in the Guided Long Range version, guided by GPS, highlighted the exceptional accuracy on the points determined by a Special Forces Team of the 185th Objective Acquisition Regiment, specialized in the conduct of the terminal guide of fire (TGO – Terminal Guidance Operation) which controlled the MLRS fire of the 5th Rgt. “Superga” and PZH in MSRI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) mode.
The validation activity highlighted the effectiveness of the new ammunition, which can draw targets set over seventy kilometers away. It was also possible, for the first time, to use the Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) firing procedure of the PzH2000 weapon system which allows five shots fired from the same piece to arrive at the target at the same time.
This mode is the most effective expression of the “shoot and scoot” technique, which allows the weapon system to deliver the massive volume of fire and immediately leave the position to escape the possible counter-fire action of the enemy, even before the shots fired have arrived on the target.
Finally, the crews of the Counterfire Radar Artillery Hunting Radar (ARTHUR) of the 5th “Superga” and the 132 ° “Ariete”, an indispensable tool for long-range artillery systems to locate and neutralize the enemy artillery, also used to follow the trajectories of the shots fired and check the points of impact.
Attending the most significant moments of the exercise, the Commander and Deputy Commander of the Land Operational Forces and Army Operational Command (COMFOTER COE), General of the Army Corps Giovanni FUNGO and General of the Army Corps Carlo LAMANNA and the Commander of the Support COMFOTER, General of the Army Corps Massimo SCALA. The Italian delegation was welcomed, as well as by the Military Attaché for Italy in Qatar, Colonel Angelo DEL LUNGO and by the Commander of the Brigadier General Artillery Fabio GIAMBARTOLOMEI, by the Commander of the Qatar Emiri Land Forces, General Saeed AL-KHAYARIN who he complimented the excellent work done and the professionalism shown by the staff of the Italian Army in putting into practice and metabolizing the procedures envisaged, underlining the importance of the indissoluble combination of technical preparation and integration of capabilities.