COLTs: recon and surveillance assets for today's BCTs.

Throughout Army history, the brigades' combat observation lasing teams (COLTs) have been known as the highest trained observers at the brigade commander's disposal. But with the change from traditional high-intensity combat operations to stability operations, COLTs have become a forgotten asset. Instead of occupying observation posts (OPs), they are serving as personal security detachments (PSDs), forward operating base (FOB) and contingency operating base (COB) security forces--even retransmission (RETRANS) security.

The reason commanders are not using COLTs as part of their observation plans is because brigade fire support NCOs (FSNCOs) are not getting involved with manning and training COLTs and then selling the COLTs' capabilities to the brigade combat team (BCT) leadership and the brigade fire support coordinator (FSCOORD).

Before the War on Terrorism (WOT), brigade FSCOORDs could sell the lethal aspects of what COLTs and other observers brought to the battlefield due to extensive training that the brigade FSNCOs planned and executed. Now, with the limited use of lethal fires and the lack of fire support training, brigade FSNCOs and FSCOORDs have neglected the COLTs' capabilities and their abilities to gather intelligence.

In the past, when the fire supporters were assigned to one Field Artillery (FA) unit, it was simple for the brigade FSNCO to be involved with manning and training all fire support personnel assigned to that brigade, including COLTs. Now, with the fire support personnel being assigned directly to maneuver units, it is more difficult for the brigade FSNCOs to accomplish this task, but not less important.

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To become involved actively with the manning and training of fire support personnel and COLTs within the brigade, the FSNCO first must build a good working relationship with the brigade and battalion command sergeants major (CSMs). By doing this, he can convince the CSMs of where the best places are in the brigade to assign fire supporters. Next, the FSNCO actively must get involved with the brigade's planning cell and put specific fire support training events on the brigade's training calendar. This will allow the FSNCO to conduct the fire support training and ensure that the COLTs are trained properly.

According to Appendix F of Field Manual (FM) 3-09.42 Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for Fire Support for Brigade Operations, the COLT's mission is to provide the brigade commander with high-technology observation teams dedicated to executing fires throughout the depth of the brigade's battlespace. This mission includes calling for conventional artillery and rocket fires, providing laser designation for precision-guided munitions (PGMs). Originally conceived to designate for Copperhead, COLTs can provide final ballistic guidance for any munition requiring reflected laser energy.

As a secondary mission, COLTs provide reconnaissance and surveillance for the brigade. It is that secondary mission that has been forgotten and what the brigade FSNCOs must focus their training plans on.

Effective Use of COLTs. With new technology in today's Army, the observation plans in BCTs have replaced the traditional observers with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These UAVs are valuable assets, but their employment is limited by weather conditions and time, leaving gaps in observation plans. This is where the COLTs can be most effective--for example, if weather conditions prevent a planned UAV flight and the BCT has a COLT positioned on an OP watching the same area in which the UAV would have been used. The BCT then can provide and emplace observers on the named area of interest (NAI).

COLTs also can occupy OPs, taking a proactive role in the countermortar and counterrocket fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Too many BCTs are relying solely on radar acquisitions to determine where enemy insurgents are firing their indirect fire systems from.

The Q-36 and Q-37 radar systems are among the best assets the Army has to determine the points of origin (POOs) of enemy indirect fire, but because the enemy must fire his weapons before these systems can acquire the POOs, the BCT has to be reactive in its counterfire drill. This reactive method could cost Soldiers their lives.

If the BCT emplaces the COLTs in positions observing historical POO sites, the BCT can maneuver on the enemy before the enemy can establish a mortar or rocket position. The BCT's posture then becomes proactive and, most likely, more effective.

With new observation equipment becoming available to the fire support community, the COLTs' observation capabilities have improved greatly. New systems such as the lightweight laser designator rangefinder (LLDR) and the fire support sensor system (FS3) have enhanced the COLTs' target acquisition capabilities.

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The LLDR easily can be dismounted and emplaced in virtually any type of terrain. It can detect targets up to 10 kilometers away accurately within 10 meters and has night-vision capabilities. It also is equipped with a laser designator that can paint a target for laser-guided munitions up to eight kilometers.

The [FS.sup.3] can be mounted on the M707 Knight vehicle and identify targets up to a range of 20 kilometers away with an accuracy of one meter. It also has the same designating capabilities as the LLDR along with night vision.

Even older equipment can be used effectively--equipment such as the AN/TVQ-2 ground/vehicular laser locator designator (G/VLLD) and the MARK-7 hand-held laser device, that the majority of COLTs have while waiting to be fielded with the new LLDR and [FS.sup.3] systems.

The G/VLLD can be mounted on the M707 Knight vehicle as well as dismounted in various types of terrain. It has the capability of locating targets up to a range of 10 kilometers with an accuracy of 10 meters and can designate up to five kilometers. It also can be equipped with the AN/TAS-4D or 4B thermal night sight that can detect a target's heat signature up to a range of five kilometers. The MARK-7 can locate targets up to a range of 10 kilometers with an accuracy of 10 meters.

Although these older systems are not as accurate as some of the Army's newest technology, they still can be valuable assets in the BCT's observation plan and in the proactive countermortar/counter-rocket fight.

COLTs have a rich history of being highly trained observers and intelligence gatherers. But in the counterinsurgency fight, their excellent reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities that can help win WOT have been forgotten, leaving COLTs to perform other missions.

Brigade FSCOORDs must sell the COLTs' capabilities and ensure COLTs are used to their fullest potential.

Sergeant First Class James A. Brandt, Field Artillery (FA), is a Combat Observation Lasing Team (COLT) Observer/Controller at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California. His previous assignments include being a Company Fire Support NCO for 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, at Fort Lewis, Washington; a COLT Chief for 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, at Fort Stewart, Georgia; and a Forward Observer for the 9th Infantry Regiment at Fort Ord, California, and later at Fort Lewis, Washington. He has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as the Company Fire Support NCO for C Company, 52nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment (C/52-3IN), 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis; and Operation Just Cause as a Forward Observer/Radio-Telephone Operator for A/2-9 Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division from Fort Ord.

By Sergeant First Class James A. Brandt, FA

RELATED ARTICLE: Oklahoma ARNG Tests HIMARS Air Mobility

The Oklahoma Army National Guard (OKARNG), 1st Battalion, 158th FA(1-158 FA), tested the air mobility capability of the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) on 25 April.

The 1-158 FA, with assistance from the 58th Airlift Squadron from Altus Air Force Base, loaded three HIMARS launchers and two high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs) onto two US Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft in less than 30 minutes and then flew from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to Fort Smith, Arkansas.

To replicate Iraq- and Afghanistan-like conditions, most of the flight was flown at a low-level in an attempt to evade "enemy" radar and anti-aircraft fire. At the Fort Smith airport, the five vehicles were unloaded from the aircraft in less than 10 minutes, and the convoy drove to Fort Chaffee for a successful live-fire exercise before returning to Fort Sill.

The 1-158 FA is among the first units to receive HIMARS. Nearly 20 years ago, the 1-158 FA was among the first FA units to receive the M-270 Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) that they used in support of Coalition Forces during Operation Desert Storm (ODS).

After ODS, the Army saw the need for a new rocket-launch system as effective as the M-270 MLRS, but not as large and heavy. On 12 April, after 10 years of development, Lockheed Martin began full-rate production of the HIMARS launcher at its manufacturing facility in Camden, Arkansas. The OKARNG 1-158 FA has been assigned nine of the 114 HIMARS vehicles built to date.

HIMARS can be airlifted by a variety of aircraft while the M-270 can only be loaded on one US Air Force aircraft--the C-5 "Galaxy." HIMARS is built on a wheeled rather than a tracked chassis. It has a single rather than a dual six-pack of rockets, but HIMARS can launch the entire MLRS family of munitions. The rockets are contained in a launcher housing mounted on a medium tactical vehicle 5-ton truck chassis.

CPT Geoffrey J. Legler

PAO, 1-158 FA

Oklahoma Army National Guard

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