Making the right call for artillery fire or air support

摘要

A cornerstone of effective indirect fires or air support missions lies in the role of the Forward Observer/Terminal Attack Controller (FO/TAC) - commonly now seen with the Joint prefix - responsible for the precise location and identification of targets, the command authority to fire, followed by battle damage assessment.rnThe task of the FO/TAC may include the simultaneous coordination and execution of multiple fire missions with different fire units and the ability to call in and direct combat air support (CAS) as well as naval surface fire support (NSFS).rnBut this article is not about these highly trained and skilled ADF personnel, a number now serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan, whose often dangerous role as forward observers makes them in turn a special target of insurgents. It is about new equipment sought under that other aspect of Land 17's BMS-Fires, for which AFATDS was selected for the C2 component.