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The Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) has made its impact on the Royal
Artillery. As when gunpowder lifted the range of the bow and arrow to that
of the cannon, currently modern technology both in space and on the ground
is showing signs of yielding ever greater range and accuracy to the
artillery.
Greater ability to fix locations in depth and the ability to fire
projectiles accurately over longer distances is transforming the horizons
for modern artillery. Base bleed ammunition reduces drag by burning
chemical compounds at the rear of the projectile and results in greatly
increased range. Similarly, technology has discovered that there is an
optimum relationship between projectile range, diameter and barrel length.
Longer ranges had used to mean greater beaten zone or dispersion of the
fall of shot.
Micro technology now makes it possible for on-board computers and
navigation systems to provide a long range shell with a once only
correction, which brings the round back onto a more precise route to the
target. Re-barrelled British Artillery will enter the next decade capable
of firing accurately to double present ranges.
Rocket artillery is reaching ever further towards the enemy rear areas.
The next generation of rocket artillery rounds is looking beyond a range
of 80 kms and designers are also looking at precision guided terminal sub
munitions. In addition, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are flying deeper
into enemy territory and sending back ever more accurate target data which
will be used by the artillery of the future.
The Indirect Fire Precision Attack (IPFA) project is designed to give the
Royal Artillery the ability to strike out to targets at ranges of 150 kms
with pinpoint accuracy - up to four times the range of current in service
systems. IPFA is one of a number of projects that have been designed to
give the artillery dramatically increased range and effect on the target
area.
The manned aircraft could carry a man and deliver a weapons load with
pinpoint accuracy (in the right conditions) far beyond the range of an
artillery observer. This situation is about to be reversed, and there will
probably be little support for sending a man where an artillery
observation vehicle can go for a fraction of the cost, and a similar
likelihood of striking the target. This is likely to happen within the
next decade and the term ‘Depth Battle’ will have real meaning for the
Artillery. Once this happens they will have an increasingly important role
in shaping the future battlefield. Attacking an enemy with ground troops
in the field will be less costly if all his command and control
headquarters up to 100 km behind the lines have already been identified
and destroyed.
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