Critique of the Capabilities of the Field Artillery Battalion (8, Sp) to Accomplish Its Nuclear Mission

This research examines the capabilities of the field artillery battalion (8", SP) to accomplish its nuclear mission. A typical European scenario is used as a vehicle for analysis of the present battalion organization and two alternate battalion organizations. This scenario envisions a massive attack by an aggressor force in an area defended by a U. S. division. Twenty-six hours after the attack begins, nuclear release is received for the division sub-package with a sixty minute pulse beginning four hours later. The three battalion organizations are analyzed for their ability to survey, compute the firing data, communicate, transport, assemble and fire the nuclear weapons. Only one of the battalion organizations is found to be adequate; however, it does not make the most efficient use of men and materiel. Neither of the other two battalion organizations can perform the complete nuclear mission. Utilizing a combination of the present organization and the organization which can accomplish its nuclear mission, an optimal organization is proposed. This organization retains the sub-elements in the present organization that can adequately perform their tasks related to the nuclear mission and modifies the sub-elements that are found to be inadequate. The resulting battalion organization has one less individual, the same number of vehicles, and a few additional items of equipment.