Us field artillery

FA is the principal agency of ground fire support. It is equipped with cannons, missiles, and equipment required for fire control, movement, observation and surveillance, and communication. It provides a powerful means of influencing the course of combat. The efficient exploitation of FA capabilities depends on control, liaison, communication, observation, location and evaluation of targets, surveillance, and logistic support.

FA weapos are classified as cannons or missiles.

FA cannons are classified according to cal as light (120 mm and less), medium (greater than 120 mm but not to exceed 160 mm), heavy (greater than 160 mm but not to exceed 210 mm), very heavy (greater than 210 mm). Very heavy cannons are not employed by active Army field artillery units.

FA cannons are further classified according to their method of organic transport as towed (designed for movement by a separate vehicle generally termed a prime mover), self-propelled (SP) (installed on carriages which provide automotive power for the arty piece and from which the weapon is fired) and aerial (carried on airmobile vehicles). A towed weapon may be auxiliary propelled by a mounted propulsion unit. Depending on the prime mover towed arty may be subdivided into truck-drawn and tractor-drawn. All cannons are considered as short-range FA.

FA missiles are classified as free rockets and guided missiles (GMs). GMs are further classified according to their range capability as short-range GMs (max range less than 100 km), medium-range GMs (max range at least 100 km but less than 500 km), and dong-range GMs (max range 500 km or more).

All FA weapons are also classified according to the method of transportation which can be used to deliver a weapon to a combat area. All artillery weapons can be transported by road, rail, or ship. Weapons that can be moved by aerial transportation are classified as air-transportable, and helicopter transportable.

US ADA

ADA is a separate combat arms branch of the Army since 1968. It has the primary mission of destroying, nullifying, or reducing the enemy air threat. ADA provides many deterrent weapons, not only for the support of land warfare operations, but also for the defense of Continental United States (CONUS). It is equipped with GM systems and the Vulcan 20mm gun system which is used in every division, and other equipment required for the provision of protective AD over the battlefield, as well as over important civil and mil establishments, for target acquisition, fire distribution, communication, and movement. ADA is characterized by its ability to place timely effective fire on fast moving aerial targets.

ADA weapons are classified as guns or GMs.

ADA guns are classified according to caliber and weight as light (under 90 mm), medium (90 mm or larger), heavy (larger than 90 mm).

ADA GMs are usually classified according to the guidance systems they employ.

All ADA weapons are classified according to their mobility as fixed (permanently emplaced for the protection of important areas or Installations), towed, SP, or portable (carried by hand).

ADA guns and some ADA GMs are capable of operating as FA weapons.

1.	Answer the questions.

1. What are the characteristics of US artillery?

2. What are the characteristics of US FA?

3. How are US FA weapons classified?

4. How are FA cannon classified according to caliber?

5. What is the classification of US ADA?

2.	Translate words and word combinations into English

Зенітний, протиповітряна оборона, зенітна артилерія, вогнева підтримка, артилерійська гармата, керована ракета, стаціонарний, переносний, ракета дальньої дії, самохідний.

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