Synchronizing, Simplicity How Joint Fires Observers Will Cross Domains

Joint terminal attack controllers and joint Fires observer with the Michigan National Guard's C Company, 125th Infantry Regiment, perform tactical movements for a close air support training mission at Grayling Air Gunnery Range, Mich., during Northern Strike exercise. (Master Sgt. Scott Thompson/U.S. Air National Guard)

- Marie Berberea

For joint Fires observers to be effective in the cross-domain fight, they must evolve sequencing processes, synchronize with maneuver and joint assets, and standardize training.

Lt. Col. Nick Sargent, Army Multi-Domain Targeting Center joint integration chief, saw a demonstration of the current Army process during Field Artillery Basic Officer Leaders Course and Joint Fires Observer Course simulation events. A surfaceto-air threat was suppressed with artillery and then students brought in aircraft to accomplish air-to-surface Fires.

“That's inefficient. You’ve got to do it simultaneously to really get after what this is trying to say,” said Sargent pointing to the definition of cross-domain Fires. “This is synchronizing effects in time and space and that's the next level from the JFO perspective. At the moment they're good at doing one or the other separated by time as opposed to massing and then doing things at the same time.”

Massing effects

He presented the Marine Corps’ tactics, techniques and procedures to the Directorate of Training and Doctrine as a lesson learned to improve JFO effectiveness.

“There's a transition that is occurring as large-scale combat operations become the norm. We still have a generation of people who are teaching at the school house here who only know stability ops and [counter insurgency operations]. Therefore it's kind of do one thing and then the other because they've been able to get away with it in a permissive environment. You won't be able to get away with that going forward when the environment is contested or highly contested. You have to synchronize and mass your effects to be successful.”

Sargent said the Marine Corps as a service is more comfortable with cross-domain Fires because of their culture and command structure.