ATP-3-09-02 Field Artillery Survey Download
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Survey Operations 16 February 2016 ATP 3-09.02 3-5 MULTIPLE LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEM (MLRS) SURVEY 3-21. The survey mission in multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is to provide timely survey control within prescribed accuracies. Numerous alternate position areas are essential for survival, and all require the same survey as the primary position area. Each system has individual requirements that vary slightly from other FA systems. These differences are due to equipment design, number of launchers, and auxiliary equipment requiring survey control. POSITION NAVIGATION UNIT (PNU) 3-22. The position navigation unit (PNU) provides launcher position and navigation data. During fire missions, the PNU provides the fire control system (FCS) with location, attitude, and launcher rate data for use in computing ballistics and aiming the launcher module (LM). The PNU contains an embedded GPS receiver to enhance its inertial performance and provide effective land navigation for the launcher. The reference package of the PNU is capable of alignment on the move, a process that takes approximately 15 minutes as long as the vehicle remains in motion. Stationary alignment time can be as long as 5 minutes or as short as 2 minutes and 30 seconds, depending on initialization data and conditions. The position determining system (PDS) requires manual updating only in the event that GPS is not available to the system. GPS enables effective land navigation of the launcher in the absence of SCP information. In the absence of GPS information, the PNU provides free inertial navigation or navigation with the aid of existing odometer encoder inputs. SURVEY METHODS 3-23. Survey personnel must begin survey operations as soon as the requirement for survey is identified. The goal is to establish survey control prior to occupation by delivery and/or acquisition platforms. In a GPS permissive environment only a few initialization SCPs across the AO are critical and SCPs in position areas for artillery (PAA) will not be an urgent priority. However, operations in a GPS denied/degraded environment will require establishing survey prior to occupation. FA surveyors must provide the most accurate survey data possible within the constraints of the battlefield. In a GPS denied/degraded environment, the commander may have to accept survey accuracies that incur risk (increased error). field artillerymen and leaders must advise the commander of the effect of inaccuracies regarding fire support— for example, in a GPS denied/degraded environment where conventional survey means may be required and survey closure error is excessive, the ability of a fire support unit to achieve desired effects on a target may require adjustment of fires to account for non-standard conditions, adding to the total mission time. Survey control can be determined by hasty survey techniques found in ATP 3-09.50. MLRS OR HIMARS ELEMENT 3-24. The MLRS is a fully tracked, highly mobile, rapid-fire, free-flight rocket system that is designed to complement cannon artillery and supplement other fire support systems. The high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) is the wheeled variant of the MLRS. FABs and DIVARTYs may be assigned or attached MLRS or HIMARS battalions as needed. MLRS and HIMARS batteries are organized so that each is a relatively self-sufficient unit. Each MLRS and HIMARS firing battery has two firing platoons with three launchers per platoon. Each MLRS M270A1 launcher and HIMARS is equipped with a stabilization reference package and position-determining system (SRP/PDS), which is an onboard navigational system. The SRP/PDS provides direction, elevation, location, and launcher can’t angle data to the fire control system. Once updated at a SCP, the SRP/PDS continuously carries accurate location data that are used by the fire control system to compute fire missions. The survey team must provide update points for the SRP/PDS. SURVEY REQUIREMENTS 3-25. The battery operations officer directs and monitors survey operations. The primary responsibility of the IPADS or IPADS-G team is to establish SCPs throughout primary, future, and alternate locations. Each platoon could occupy from three to six new positions per day (see figure 3-2 on page 3-6).