Artillery and Fire Support for the Interim Force

The purpose of this monograph is to examine the sufficiency of proposed field artillery and fire support doctrine and organizations for the Interim Brigade Combat Team (IBCT). The primary research question is: Do proposed changes to fire support doctrine and organizations meet the requirements of the interim force? The question is answered by first identifying the context and threats that provide a basis for IBCT organization and employment doctrine. This context provides a basis for a subsequent description of the IBCT's requirements for indirect fires as stated in its Operational and Organizational Concept. These requirements are then juxtaposed against the proposed changes as outlined in the Advanced Fires Concept. The author's analysis concludes that the proposed changes do not meet those requirements as stated in the IBCT's Operational and Organizational Concept.