Well, this is my first post on a forum. Cut me some slack, please!

I'm a strong believer in using all assets at my disposal. If HiMARS is one of them then I must learn to use it at its fullest. However with a 40 mile range, who has control of them. If it's a Battalion or higher FO then I can see it's usefulness. However, what if it is some scared 2lt who feels he's in over his head trying to manage the additional assets of his platoon and he has found out that the proverbial stuff hit the fan? How does it help him and his platoon when it adds orders of magnitude of difficulty to his job?

Quote Originally Posted by jcustis View Post
Wilf,

In this day and age...in our small wars...we are frequently presented with a tactical problem that doesn't allow for adjusted fires. Pin-point accuracy (yes, a relative term) is required.
This is the problem that Israelis have had recently everytime that they have tried to use their well reguarded prowess. They have the ways and the means to defeat any Mideast power and the HAMAS should be no match for them. However, Hamas hides its assets within centers of civilian populations. The Israelis are hamstrung because they are sensitive to world opinion and one rocket that goes out of its chosen path can ruin their whole day.

Ever since Stalin's Organs and Nebelwerfers, the idea of artillery rockets have had a certain appeal. The Newer versions such as HiMars are unbelievable accurate and have longer ranges than anything before them. However, are they only to be used in Fulda Gap senearios or Afganistan type battles where a little colateral damage isn't a great game breaker? And again it comes down to the skills of the soldier that calls in the mission order. If a unit is that seperated from its parent group, wouldn't a airstrike be a better action? The HiMars rocket system maybe accurate but it's still dumb. It can only react to the coordinates that are given it by who's ever on the ground.

Sorry for the long post. I'm not trying to demean 2lts. God knows, I was there once. However, it is in light of my experiences that I learned to ask questions. Because it is your butt on the line, not the tactical genius that came up with system.