Czech Army field artillery--developing the future automated [C.sup.2] system.

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Currently, the use of artillery in combat situations is undergoing rapid change. Major emphasis now is being placed on the distance and accuracy of fire, the blast effect on target and the timeliness of calls-for-fire. These rapidly evolving new requirements place new demands on the combat arms capabilities of the Czech Army artillery resources--especially our command and control ([C.sup.2]) systems because these systems dramatically affect the time-on-target and resulting accuracy of fires. Accordingly, developing a new automated fire-control system for the Czech military is a critical element in our ongoing military modernization program.

The present Czech fire direction system, Aspro, does not comply with modern warfare requirements. Therefore, the Czech Army has established an "artillery working group" both to define the requirements for a new automated [C.sup.2] system and to develop an appropriate replacement for the current mechanisms.

The group identified three possible variations of development. The first possibility is to upgrade the current [C.sup.2] system software. The second possibility is to modernize the current system and simply add on some new fire-control mechanisms. The third, and the most drastic, option is to develop an entirely new artillery [C.sup.2] system. The nature of the future system will be determined by the comparison between the capabilities of the existing systems and future requirements.

Ultimately, the political and military goals of the Czech Republic, the government's financial resources and the future artillery requirements of the Czech Army will be the basis for the formulation of our automated system of [C.sup.2] requirements. In the analysis, the future automated system of [C.sup.2] requirements can be separated into seven main sections (see Figure 1).

Command, Coordination and Fire Direction Center. All future fire direction centers (FDCs) controlling multiple artillery units will be equipped with the upgraded automated system of [C.sup.2] assets.

In an artillery unit's firing position, these elements will consist of an FDC of a mixed artillery battalion (multiple systems in the unit), a command post (CP) of mixed artillery battalion and a battery FDC. All artillery reconnaissance centers will be equipped with an automated system of [C.sup.2] assets, including artillery reconnaissance squads, technical reconnaissance squads and radar reconnaissance squads (see Figure 2). Another FDC element will provide [C.sup.2] of artillery units and artillery fire for meteorological squads, survey groups and Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) meteorological watches. Finally, separate survey, meteorological, logistic, medical, veterinary, combat support elements and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) also will be linked into the automated system of [C.sup.2] network.

Figure 1: The future automated system of
command and control ([C.sup.2]) requirements
can be separated into these seven main
sections.

* Command, Coordination and
Fire Direction Center (FDC)

* Configurations of System and
Structure

* Automated System of [C.sup.2] and
Modernization of Artillery

* Automation

* Command

* Fire Direction

* Data Transmission within the
System

In the future, these automated system of [C.sup.2] capabilities will be concentrated in the CPs of the various task forces, such as battalion fire coordination centers (see Figure 3 on Page 34), brigade fire coordination centers (see Figure 4 on Page 35) and division fire support coordination centers (see Figure 5 on Page 36). The automated system of [C.sup.2] must oversee the missions of tactical and reserve CPs.

The proposed system also will have to process reconnaissance data from unmanned aerial vehicles and other reconnaissance sources, such as deep reconnaissance squads, and then retransmit these data to battalion FDCs and battery FDCs.

Configurations of System and Structure. The mixed artillery battalion will be the main fire support resource for the brigade commander, and its function will be controlled by the fire coordination group. Therefore, the future configuration of the automated system of [C.sup.2] must provide command and fire direction for the mixed artillery battalion at the brigade level. The future system will be capable of providing these resources for up to three artillery batteries and one MLRS battery.

The lowest tactical elements requiring such fire support are the reconnaissance squads, technical reconnaissance squads and radar reconnaissance squads, which are controlled by the commanders to whom they are assigned. The automated system of [C.sup.2] at the battalion fire coordination center must be able to communicate with the brigade fire coordination center, battalion FDC, battery FDC and the assigned artillery reconnaissance assets. In the future, the automated system of [C.sup.2] also will be connected with the fire direction system of mortar units.

The most important capability at the brigade level will be the direct connectivity between the brigade fire coordination centers and battalion FDC. This, in turn, will control the actions of the battery FDC and will permit integrated [C.sup.2] of the assigned artillery reconnaissance assets (see Figure 4).

The future automated system of [C.sup.2] must provide connectivity between the brigade fire coordination centers and the division fire support coordination centers (see Figure 5). This system will permit command of all battalions (mixed artillery battalions and an MLRS battalion) either via the brigade fire coordination centers or directly. The proposed system also must permit the division fire support coordination center to communicate with the artillery reconnaissance assets subordinated to the division commander.

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Because of the different organizational options created by mixed artillery and MLRS battalions, the automated system of [C.sup.2] systems will have the built-in flexibility to provide [C.sup.2] for up to three MLRS batteries in the battalion.

The automated system of [C.sup.2] also must be flexible enough to alter its configuration quickly to conform to the actual combat formations the commander requires. Fire control centers will communicate with either all or only some of the other FDCs, depending on the particular artillery assets reinforcing the task force at the time.

In sum, the new system must be prepared to function in all aspects of combat, including battalion movement, unit dislocation and all activities.

Automated System of [C.sup.2] and Modernization of Artillery. After modernizing and modifying its artillery to a NATO standardized caliber, Czech Army artillery will be able to fire at extended range and simultaneously use current ammunition with enhanced effect in target. These fires will be more accurate and be able to use more types of shells with lethal and nonlethal effect. These evolving factors will affect both the Czech Army artillery's combat-use policy and the tactics of its artillery units and formations.

The proposed automated system of [C.sup.2] will have to provide reliable data transmission over longer distances than presently required. Depending on the width and depth of the task force defense area, this could require communications across 15 kilometers or more. This will require the automated system of [C.sup.2] to have an extremely long-range communication capability, including reliable data transmissions throughout all conditions, such as adverse weather, magnetic anomalies and other communication transmission difficulties. In brief, the new automated system of [C.sup.2] will have to be extremely robust to operate reliably throughout all of these regimes.

In addition, the future automated system of [C.sup.2] will have to enable our artillery units to fire from widely dispersed fire positions. Therefore, the automated system of [C.sup.2] will have to calculate each individual tube's position grid quickly and then calculate the appropriate firing data for each gun separately. A centralized battery system then will determine target data, and a gun system will calculate its own aiming point, including individual gun corrections.

Simultaneously, a common batterywide system will calculate firing data for each gun and then automatically compare its firing solution to that of the individual gun. This centralized oversight capability will permit the battery gun commander to identify errors committed by the individual gun crew and/or to transmit firing data when the individual gun system is out of order.

Finally, the new system must be designed to accommodate the inevitable upgrades that will be required by new innovations, weapons systems, ammunition, maps, etc.

Automation. The Czech future automated system of [C.sup.2] will be automated sufficiently so that human operators will have to intervene only in unusual situations. In normal situations, the system will have to receive enough input information to enable it to select the optimal solution adequately from a variety of options. As advanced as the new system will be, however, only a human operator will be able to authorize a final option or firing solution. In an unusual situation, the operator could make corrections and supervisors could order corrections, but generally the system should be able to function autonomously.

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As envisioned, the new automated system of [C.sup.2] will serve as both a source of raw information and a provider of decision-options for the commander. The system will obtain this information from a variety of human sources (orders, ordinances and reports) as well as obtain data automatically from other systems (such as meteorological squads, survey groups, artillery reconnaissance systems, combat vehicle information systems and operational tactical systems) via the common networking system. Therefore, a fundamental requirement of the proposed automated system of [C.sup.2] is that it must have the capability of sending and receiving data from other automated systems on the battlefield without relying only on manually-inserted information.

Command. The automated system of [C.sup.2] systems will provide fire coordination for both Czech battalions and batteries. This requirement exists because the system must have actual data from valid orders, ordinances and reports to provide the commander with appropriate options. The future automated system of [C.sup.2] eventually will demand complete combat documentation so that it can extract the required data without an operator's help. To satisfy this requirement, it will have to have a seamless connection with all of the other automated centers in the networked system.

Once the automated system of [C.sup.2] is connected to these other sensors and reporters, it automatically will provide the commander with the data and options he needs to select the appropriate firing solution or tactical deployment. This capability will enable the commander to make swift, coordinated and coherent decisions for initiating combat actions, troop movements, arranging logistic support, etc.

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The future system also will need to have the capability of producing a graphic output or combat overlay that will give the tactical commanders a map depicting the current disposition of friendly forces, enemy units and other important conditions.

The proposed automated system of [C.sup.2] will be able to provide secure data transmissions from company to brigade levels as well as from sensor to weapon systems. Today, the data transmission between these levels is provided by our Combat Vehicle Information System and Operational Tactical System, while the Aspro system provides data between the fire coordination centers. This currently requires a dual-transmission system, so we now must decide if we want to retain this duality feature as a requirement for the new automated system of [C.sup.2].

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Fire Direction. The future system will be able to function as a stand-alone fire-direction system. In that capacity, it will exchange and share data among all the different fire direction elements of the mixed artillery battalion and its separate batteries.

Of course, the system also will have to provide permanent storage of all this data, for example, data from firing tables, guns data and so forth. In addition, it simultaneously must ensure a continuous data flow to the commander to provide him with fully integrated information to facilitate his combat planning or action. The system's capabilities to compute firing data automatically are in agreement with other requirements.

Data Transmission within the System. This system, except for the other described tasks, also will ensure communications connections among the other system elements too. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to insert a precisely defined connection net into the system. The connection net first will have to identify all the network elements. In addition, it will be necessary to assess which document (command, order, ordinance, report, etc.) must be sent to which particular workplace. Simultaneously, it will be important to identify certain deputy officers or workplaces in the system in case a primary commander or workplace will be out of order. Ultimately, the transmission system must transmit data reliably to all recipients within the required range in all conditions and automatically confirm whether or not the data/message was received. The system, as designed, will issue a confirmation automatically after the intake operator (the receiver) processes the message.

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Fundamentally, the automated system of [C.sup.2] must ensure the safe, reliable and confidential transmission of data throughout the system.

Accurately identifying and certifying the base requirements for the automated system of [C.sup.2] will facilitate its optimum functionality and ensure the more effective execution of fire support in the Army of the Czech Republic. The automated system of [C.sup.2] accelerates activities which an operator would make routinely, but will still allow the human element to solve a problem creatively.

The accurate determination of these system requirements is the beginning of a solution. Accordingly, it will be necessary to specify the maximum number of details at all levels. A final realization of the new automated system of [C.sup.2] will be the result of a cooperative effort among members of the Department of Fire Support Control of University of Defense, future users and experts from the technical institutes.

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Lieutenant Colonel Josef Vondrak is the Deputy Chief of the Department of Fire Support Control at the University of Defense in Brno and previously the Deputy Chief of the Military College of the Land Forces in Vyskov, both in the Czech Republic. He has served in a variety of positions in the Army of the Czech Republic, including Chief of Staff for an artillery battalion; Chief of a fire support group; Staff Officer; Chief of Reconnaissance; Chief of Staff for the 77th Artillery Training Center, 7th Mechanized Brigade; Battalion Commander; Battalion Deputy Commander; Battery Commander; and Fire Group Commander. He holds a master's degree in Weapons Systems from the Military University of Ground Forces in Vyskov.

Colonel Ladislav Potuzak is a Professor of Military Science for the University of Defense in Brno, Czech Republic. He also served as Vice Dean of Research and Deputy Chief of the Department at the Military University of Ground Forces in Vyskov and as Group Head and a Lecturer at the Military Technical College in Martin, Czech Republic. He also has served in command positions with tactical units for the Army of the Czech Republic. He is a graduate of the Higher Artillery Training Center in the town of Martin and the Military University in the town of Brno.