Force Structure Matters: The US Field Artillery in Operational Art

In 2014, the US Forces Command (FORSCOM) implemented the activation of the division artillery (DIVARTY) and field artillery (FA) brigade force structure. The purpose for the implementation was to establish command relationships to exemplify mission command that produced trained and ready FA units capable of providing synchronized strategic, operational, and tactical level effects in support of combined arms maneuver and wide area security. This monograph analyzes the effectiveness of the US Field Artillery force structure and the ability to meet the required capabilities that enable commanders to exercise operational art. First, the monograph evaluates the fires capability requirements outlined in the US Army capstone concepts. The monograph assesses the effectiveness of the surface-to-surface indirect fire systems available in achieving the capability requirements and identifies any shortfalls. Then the monograph assesses how the field artillery enables operational art and Unified Land Operations (ULO) through the evaluation of specific elements of operational art and tenets of ULO. The monograph then analyzes two case studies, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Anaconda. Operation Desert Storm was a demonstration of the successful employment of artillery and how the artillery enables operational art. Conversely, Operation Anaconda involved no US artillery although the adversary possessed indirect fire capabilities. The use of the case studies highlight the utility of the artillery in operational art while also addressing limitations and planning considerations. The monograph concludes with an analysis of the US Field Artillery force structure in achieving the fires capability requirements.