Howitzers on High Ground: Considerations for …

1 Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited Disclaimer: Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies, the US Army Command and General Staff College, the United States Army, the Department of Defense, or any other US government agency. Cleared for public release: distribution unlimited. Howitzers on High Ground: Considerations for Artillery Employment in Southwest Asia A Monograph by Major Joseph A. Jackson United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies United States Army Command and General Staff College Fort Leavenworth, Kansas AY 2009 REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No.

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3 AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 30-11-2009 2. REPORT DATE Monograph, JAN 2009-DEC 2009 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Howitzers on High Ground: Considerations for Artillery Employment in Southwest Asia 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Major Joseph A. Jackson 6. AUTHOR(S) 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER School of Advanced Military Studies, Advanced Military Studies Program Eisenhower Hall Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 66027 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER Army Command and General Staff College ATTN: ATZL-SWD-GD Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-2301 11.

4 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 13. ABSTRACTThe current Army involvement in Afghanistan requires an expanded field artillery arsenal of weaponry and munitions. This expansion should include rockets, medium and light Howitzers , and pack Howitzers . These weapon systems offset the limitations that the rugged mountainous terrain of Southwest Asia and enemy tactics place on the effectiveness of aircraft and infantry. Enemy exploitation of the mountains and the environmental conditions creates a dynamic that increases the demand and reliance for field artillery of all calibers in the region.

5 Historical case studies validate the necessity, utility, and efficacy of artillery use in the region. These studies center on the Soviet Union s invasion of Afghanistan, the India-Pakistan conflicts upon the Siachen Glacier and around the city of Kargil, and the early experience of United States forces during Operation Anaconda. Insights from these examples establish artillery as an essential capability that supports conventional and asymmetrical operations in this region. (Maximum 200 Words) Afghanistan, Field Artillery, mountain warfare, India-Pakistan 14. SUBJECT TERMS 58 15. NUMBER OF PAGES Siachen Glacier, Kargil, Kashmir.

6 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION (U) OF REPORT 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION (U) OF THIS PAGE 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION (U) OF ABSTRACT (U) 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39-18 298-102 ii SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MILITARY STUDIES MONOGRAPH APPROVAL Major Joseph A. Jackson Title of Monograph: Howitzers on High Ground: Considerations for Artillery Employment in Southwest Asia This monograph was defended by the degree candidate on 15-October-2009 and approved by the monograph director and reader named below.

7 Approved by: _____ Monograph Director Lester W. Grau, _____ Monograph Reader Franklin L. Wenzel, COL (Ret) _____ Director, Stefan J. Banach, COL, IN School of Advanced Military Studies _____ Director, Robert F. Baumann, Graduate Degree Programs iii Abstract Howitzers ON HIGH GROUND: Considerations FOR ARTILLERY EMPLOYMENT IN SOUTHWEST ASIA. by MAJOR Joseph A. Jackson, USA, 64 pages. The current Army involvement in Afghanistan requires an expanded field artillery arsenal of weaponry and munitions. This expansion should include rockets, medium and light Howitzers , and pack Howitzers .

8 These weapon systems offset the limitations that the rugged mountainous terrain of Southwest Asia and enemy tactics place on the effectiveness of aircraft and infantry. Enemy exploitation of the mountains and the environmental conditions creates a dynamic that increases the demand and reliance for field artillery of all calibers in the region. Historical case studies validate the necessity, utility, and efficacy of artillery use in the region. These studies center on the Soviet Union s occupation of Afghanistan, the India-Pakistan conflict for the Siachen Glacier and around the city of Kargil, and the experience of the United States in Afghanistan.

9 Insights from these examples establish artillery as an essential capability that supports conventional and asymmetrical operations in this region. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION .. 1 SECTION TWO LEARNING FROM THE SOVIETS .. 6 Artillery Ambush .. 13 Baghlan Province November 1985: Direct and Coordinated Artillery Fire .. 15 Soviet Artillery Considerations for Mountainous Terrain .. 16 Summary .. 17 SECTION THREE INDO-PAKISTANI CONFLICTS: MOUNTAIN WARFARE ON THE SIACHEN GLACIER AND THE KARGIL WAR .. 18 Siachen Glacier .. 18 Kargil 1999 .. 22 Summary .. 28 SECTION FOUR THE UNITED STATES FIELD ARTILLERY: INSIGHTS FROM AFGAHNISTAN.

10 32 The Current Dilemma .. 33 The Warnings of Operation Anaconda .. 36 The Artillery Response After Anaconda .. 38 Summary .. 43 SECTION FIVE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .. 44 Conclusions .. 44 Recommendations .. 49 APPENDIX A .. 55 Overview of Soviet Military Theory .. 55 APPENDIX B .. 56 Soviet Artillery Fires .. 56 BIBLIOGRAPHY .. 58 1 SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION Pre-occupied with protection of our own forces, we have operated in a manner that distances us -- physically and psychologically -- from the people we seek to protect.. The insurgents cannot defeat us militarily; but we can defeat ourselves.