Reflections of a Battery Operations Officer

NTC Rotation 24-03

By 1LT Michael Potts

Article published on: February 1, 2026 in the 2026 e-Edition of Field Artillery

Read Time: < 13 mins

On January 3rd, 2024, 2nd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery Regiment (2-18 FAR) conducted a no notice Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) to the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California. The EDRE saw over 100 pieces of equipment and over 200 officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and enlisted service members mobilize several hundred miles to test the worldwide expeditionary capabilities of a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) battalion. These are the lessons learned of a battery level fire direction officer (FDO)and his team.

JBC-P

The operation started with an advanced echelon (ADVON) element from each battery conducting a reconnaissance, selection and occupation of position (RSOP) of their respective position areas for artillery (PAA). This included a 20-kilometer movement out of the Rotational Unit Bivouac Area to a release point and a further movement from there. Alpha battery’s movement from the release point was approximately an additional ten kilometers.

A communications check was conducted prior to movement with the primary communication platforms, Joint Battle Command – Platform (JBC-P) and alternate, frequency modulation (FM). Both communication platforms were fully operational prior to movement.

Once at the release point, the alpha battery element conducted a communications check with the lead battalion element prior to pushing out to their PAA. It was at this point when the alpha battery element realized that their JBC-P transceiver lost connection to the network and was operating in a degraded “terrestrial orphan” status. Alpha battery maintained voice communications with the battalion and pushed on.

Upon arriving at their designated PAA, alpha battery re-established voice communications with the lead battalion element using a VRC-92F and two High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) whip antennas. Unknown to alpha, the lead battalion element then relocated out of communications range. Alpha battery tried unsuccessfully to re-establish communications with battalion for the remainder of the day until they rejoined the rest of the battery upon their arrival at the PAA.

Proposed Solution

The lack of long-range communications equipment greatly hindered alpha battery’s attempts to re-establish voice communications with battalion. Having only four operational JBC-Ps in the battery ruled out bringing a spare JBC-P.

JBC-Ps are an exceptional communications platform when fully mission capable. However, most service members currently do not have the expertise needed to troubleshoot the platforms or conduct field expedient repairs. Signal Support System Specialists (25Us) assigned to the S6 are often too overtasked to be able to assist in troubleshooting of such platforms between running retransmission and troubleshooting upper/lower tactical internet at the main command post.

The Mission Training Center has classes on the operation and use of JBC-P but does not offer classes on the installation or troubleshooting of these systems. Field Service Representatives (FSR) are also overtasked, with the one at Fort Sill pulling double duty as the FSR for both JBC-P and Harris high frequency (HF) systems. Additionally, many Soldiers discount the effectiveness of JBC-P due to the frustration that stems from their knowledge gap that exists in the system.

A potential solution is to have the JBC-P fielding team conduct a course on installation and troubleshooting of these systems. This would create an understanding of JBC-P at every echelon and build confidence in the Soldiers of their issued equipment. This would lead to the ability to conduct repairs in the field while freeing up S6 and the FSRs to manage more pressing concerns.

However, in the interim, a standard operating procedure (SOP) implemented to great effect after the initial movement on day zero was to outfit each ADVON vehicle with an OE-254 omni-directional ground mount antenna which provided a much greater range than the HMMWV whip antennas ADVON was previously outfitted with. Though the OE-254 provided a vast improvement to the HMMWV whip antennas, it was not without its limitations.

Ground Mount Antennas

Fire direction centers (FDCs) within a MLRS battalion are spread across the battlespace. It was not unusual for FDCs to be 15 – 20 kilometers away from each other due to operational requirements imposed by the launchers. This was compounded by the aggressive terrain of NTC with major terrain features such as the Granite Mountains blocking line of sight between FDCs.

Weather effects also played a critical role with communications. Fog, low cloud ceilings and precipitation reduced communications range at times degrading or dropping voice and digital communications altogether. The OE-254 system also started to show its age with systems in alpha battery’s inventory initially fielded in 2016. It was not uncommon for crews to switch between components or systems in an attempt to re-establish communications or be forced to relocate altogether due to the limitations of their equipment.

Proposed Solution

The OE-254 takes a two-man crew ten minutes to emplace, can only be connected to one radio and can only operate on very high frequencies (VHF). The total weight of an OE-254 system is over 40 pounds. The batteries’ FDC typically had to emplace at least two OE-254s, one for digital communications and one for voice communications to their higher headquarters. Several new ground mount antenna systems, however, promise to deliver better performance such as the RAMI254-EXT LB or System IAM-7M.

The RAMI254-EXT LB is made by the manufacturer of the current OE-254 and is RAMI’s solution to a potential replacement for it. From RAMI’s website, the RAMI254-EXT LB “…is comprised of fewer piece parts, allowing for quicker assembly and erection, along with being capable of VHF, UHF, and L-Band operation modes.” The RAMI254-EXT LB is also capable of connecting to two radios simultaneously, effectively halving the time required to emplace an FDC. This also reduces precious space required to transport long range communications and frees up space for other mission essential equipment.

The Rolatube IAM-7M is a 15.9-pound system that can be deployed by a two-man crew in under five minutes, is capable of both VHF, ultra-high frequency (UHF), and dual-band frequencies. It also “delivers significant increases in range capability and performance for VOR communications compared to traditional equipment” according to Rolatube’s website. The IAM-7M is also compact, measuring 10” x 12.5” x 10 when stowed, again saving precious space during transportation. The IAM-7M, unlike the RAMI254-EXT LB, is only capable of connecting to a single radio. The biggest disadvantage of the IAM-7M is cost. A recent quote provided to alpha battery from Rolatube is $9,000 a system, over 4,000 dollars more than the existing OE-254 system.

Situation Updates

NTC 24-03 was a complex, rapidly evolving scenario where 2-18 FAR provided long range precision fires in support of 1st Armored Division (1AD) and other allied units. As such, enemy and friendly situations changed with notional maneuver-based triggers which drove changes to friendly unit positions, high payoff targets and attack guidance.

The primary plan to disseminate such updates was via free text through JBC-P. However, with the limited number of operational systems dispersed throughout the battlespace, it was difficult to create a shared understanding within the formation of how the operation was progressing.

This led to confusion about which phase of the operation the battery was in or what targets to prioritize based on the high payoff target list. Updates were only passed down when the battery commander or operations officer was able to travel the 15 kilometers to the main command post to receive an update in person from the intelligence section.

Proposed Solution

It is imperative that all units are synchronized in their efforts throughout all phases of the operation. As such, a daily situation update should be passed via voice or Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) free text at a minimum. This allows battery commanders and operations officers to focus and prioritize their efforts in line with the appropriate phase of the operations order.

FSCMs

During NTC 24-03, the battalion operated in a direct support role to 1AD and their associated DIVARTY. As such, FDCs were required to keep updated digital and analog trackers of the current division operational picture. This included several hundred square miles of battlespace with over 500 fire support coordination measures (FSCMs). These FSCMs were transmitted via AFATDS from battalion FDC to battery FDC, and from battery FDC to platoon FDCs, a process which took several hours to complete. Once the FDC received their FSCMs, they were required to update their analog trackers, a process which took several more hours to complete. In total, it would take approximately 12 hours to complete a FSCM scrub from when battalion would initially send down new FSCMs to when the platoons would complete their analog products.

These FSCM scrubs would happen daily each time requiring FDOs to reverify the FSCMs drawn on their analog trackers and draw any new ones sent down. The process was not only time intensive and labor intensive, but it also severely restricted the FDO’s ability to declare a mission safe.

Proposed Solution

In a MLRS battery operations center (BOC), a safety data calculator is connected to the AFATDS via LAN to import all required data to produce a “Safety-T.” This is an accepted process in the MLRS community and carries little to no risk of data loss between computers.

The proposed solution is to connect the AFATDS to a printer via LAN loaded with acetate to print off clear overlays for FSCMs. Optimally, all three FDCs within a firing battery would be issued a printer. This not only leads to redundancy in the event a printer is non-mission capable, but it would also eliminate the need for a runner to carry overlays to each FDC, which at times are tens of kilometers apart.

If it is not possible for each FDC to have its own printer, BOCs at a minimum should have a printer. BOCs would then be able to make copies of overlays to have a runner deliver to their subordinate platoon FDCs.

If neither option is possible, the battalion FDC would be able to make copies of overlays to deliver to each battery and platoon FDC. This would require the battalion FDC to create six copies of overlays in addition to any copies they would like to keep in their FDC. Battalion would then have to send a runner to the BOCs, or vice versa, and the BOCs would distribute the overlays from there. This last option has no built-in redundancies and would be the most time-consuming of the three options. It would also take resources away from BOCs that could otherwise be tactically fixed in operations.

Though the practice of manually drawing overlays in degraded operations is not to be undermined, being able to expediently print overlays of FSCMs would vastly reduce in position ready to fire times for a firing battery. It would enable firing batteries to quickly overlay much larger sections of the battlespace, ensure that batteries could provide timely and accurate fires on demand, ensure a second independent check would be available at every FDC and be more accurate than what a field expedient hand drawn overly could provide.

Closing Comments

NTC 24-03 was a challenging and rewarding experience which tested how a MLRS battalion would perform during worldwide expeditionary operations. Though overwhelmingly successful, alpha battery and 2-18 FAR learned valuable lessons that will shape their SOPs and the way they train moving forward.

JBC-P is a valuable tool to coordinate over long distances throughout the battlespace. More training is needed to use these systems to their full potential.

Long-range communications are a necessity with the distances MLRS FDCs are expected to operate at. Ground mount antenna systems make a valuable redundancy in the event JBC-Ps are rendered in-operable. However, more modern technology and systems would make formations more lethal and allow Soldiers to focus on fire direction instead of repeatedly relocating for better reception or constantly troubleshooting communications.

Situation updates are required to synchronize efforts in time and space. Leaders at all echelons must be kept apprised of updates to better support the maneuver commander. FDOs must be kept updated on the location of friendly and enemy locations to be able to violently execute the high payoff target list.

FSCMs are an integral part of the Field Artillery. FDOs must be able to quickly and accurately declare a mission safe to provide fires in support of the maneuver commander. Though the importance of being able to hand draw FSCMs should not be understated, Field Artillery units should leverage available technology to expedite their emplacement times.