COAST ARTILLERY, JOURNAL - Air Defense Artillery

I-INTRODUCTION.
Fire Control Method for Mortars
Prepared by the
COAST ARTILLERY BOARD
under the supervision of the Chief of Coast Artillery
1. In 1923 the Coast Artillery Board initiated a Project (No. 117)
to develop an improved fire control system for mortars. An allotment
of ammunition was obtained and the system was tested at Battery Anderson,
Fort Monroe. The system was also tested in the Coast Defenses of
Balboa, and later at Fort Monroe again.
2. The probability that the proposed system would apply not only
to mortars but to the 16-inch and 12-inch long-range guns was indicated
by the following indorsement, dated May 26, 1924, from the
Officeof the Chief of Coast Artillery to the Coast Artillery Board:
2. The 16" and 12" long range guns will undoubtedly be fired by Case
III. It has occurred to this office that the data to be obtained from the test
for mortars might be applicable to long range guns.
3. It is, therefore, desired that consideration be given to the possibility
of applying to fire control methods for long range guns the data to be determined
from these tests.
3. The objects of the development have been to obtaina.
A practicable fire control system in which the delay now occasioned
by a relay would he reduced to a minimum.
b. A practicahle fire control system under which the rate of fire of
mortars could conform more nearly than at present to the time necessary
to perform the operations of loading and careful laying.
II-DISCUSSION.
A-PRELIMI!liARY CONSIDEIVI..TION
4. A primary consideration is that the system developed should
accommodate itself progressively to the state of training of troops.
Highly trained organizations have fired battery salvos with mortars
every thirty seconds and without relay. Such performances are exceptional
hut they are, nevertheless, indicative of the rate of fire which can
he attained with fixed seacoast mortars. The present mortar fire control
system prO\ides an obsen-ing interval of thirty seconds, a predicting
interval of one minute, and a prediction every minute. The present
system can he used with facility by inexperienced troops after a moderate
amount of training, hut, as the state of training improves, a more
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