MCWP 3-16.1 Artillery Operations.pdf - Marine Corps Community ...

Mission
CHAPTER 2
REGIMENT OPERATIONS
SECTION I. REGIMENT
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The mission of the artillery regiment is to furnish
close and continuous fire support by neutralizing,
destroying or suppressing targets that
threaten the success of the division.
Functions and Employment
Each MAGTF’s GCE has an artillery component.
At division level, artillery is organized into an
artillery regiment. The artillery regiment and its
elements can employ with and support the GCE of
any MAGTF. Artillery supports the operations of
other MAGTF elements as required.
The standard artillery regiment will have a
headquarters battery and four artillery battalions
to support the GCE of a MEF. See figure 2-1.
Figure 2-1. Artillery Regiment.
The headquarters battery has functional staff
groupings to assist the regiment commander
control operations and provide combat service
support (CSS) and administrative support of the
regiment. See figure 2-2 on page 2-2. Headquarters
battery provides the equipment and personnel
for the regiment’s command echelons. It also
provides personnel and equipment to the division
FSCC. Headquarters battery personnel may be
employed to augment an artillery battalion
operating independently of the regiment.
The regiment headquarters may be employed in
two echelons: a main echelon, which has the staff
and equipment to direct tactical operations; and
the rear echelon, which has the staff and equipment
to direct sustainment operations. A forward
echelon may be formed from the staff and equipment
of the main echelon for incremental
displacement of the main echelon. Combat operations
centers (COCs) are formed at each echelon
to plan, direct, control, and coordinate assigned
functions for the commander. The regiment
commander positions himself where he can best
exercise C2 of the regiment and function as both
the division artillery officer and FSC.
The regiment commander organizes for combat
based on the GCE commander’s guidance. Each
artillery battalion is then assigned a tactical
mission, which defines its inherent fire support
responsibilities. The regiment main COC
performs tactical fire direction, targeting, and
counterfire functions. The hub of artillery operations
is the FDC, normally located at the main or
forward COC. Communications are established
with subordinate units and higher/supported unit
headquarters. Normally, one of the artillery
battalion COCs will be designated as the alternate
regiment command post (CP). A regiment COC,