ANA trains to improve artillery fire capabilities
KABUL, Afghanistan – The Afghan National Army is conducting monthly live-fire artillery training with the assistance of the Australian Mentoring Task Force 2 at Multi National Base Tarin Kot in southern Afghanistan.
“What they are doing is learning to supply direct and indirect fire in support of Afghan National Security Forces,” said Australian Capt. Wade Cooper, MTF-2. “Whether it be providing high explosives in proximity to their Army or providing illumination fires to assist the ground forces indentify friendly or enemy forces.”
Cooper and his four-man team work daily with the soldiers of the 4th Cannon Battery, 4th Combat Support Kandak, as part of the MTF-2’s overarching mission to enable the ANA further develop their security capabilities throughout Uruzgan province.
“They train very hard. They are quite regimented, very loyal and very proud to be a part of the cannon battery,” said Cooper.
The current mentoring taskforce has benefited from the positive rapport established by their predecessors and looks forward to developing the skills of the ANA soldiers to the point where their role is more advisory than hands-on.
The afternoon training focused on direct fire techniques with a 122 mm D-30 Towed Howitzer and high explosive rounds. The ANA were firing at a large metal target on the opposite hillside. After each round, the soldiers tracked the location of the hit in relation to the target and made minute adjustments to the angle of the weapon.
“This is a good experience to work with artillery,” said Hamidullah, an Afghan artillery crewmember with the 4th CS Kandak. “We are very appreciative of the support from the [coalition forces] and know that they put themselves in harm’s way to give us this training.”
“They train very hard. They are quite regimented, very loyal and very proud to be a part of the cannon battery,” said Cooper.
The current mentoring taskforce has benefited from the positive rapport established by their predecessors and looks forward to developing the skills of the ANA soldiers to the point where their role is more advisory than hands-on.
The afternoon training focused on direct fire techniques with a 122 mm D-30 Towed Howitzer and high explosive rounds. The ANA were firing at a large metal target on the opposite hillside. After each round, the soldiers tracked the location of the hit in relation to the target and made minute adjustments to the angle of the weapon.
“This is a good experience to work with artillery,” said Hamidullah, an Afghan artillery crewmember with the 4th CS Kandak. “We are very appreciative of the support from the [coalition forces] and know that they put themselves in harm’s way to give us this training.”
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