{"id":87453,"date":"2018-10-08T12:45:04","date_gmt":"2018-10-08T12:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/10\/08\/beyond-line-of-sight-army-precision-fires-tackle-targeting-at-long-ranges\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:36:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:36:46","slug":"beyond-line-of-sight-army-precision-fires-tackle-targeting-at-long-ranges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/10\/08\/beyond-line-of-sight-army-precision-fires-tackle-targeting-at-long-ranges\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond line of sight: Army precision fires tackle targeting at long ranges"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is the Army\u2019s No. 1 priority to develop long-range precision fires that ultimately can exceed 10,000 nautical miles. And while enhanced projectiles can get a munition well out beyond the line of sight, ensuring accuracy and effective targeting will depend on other technologies and operational tactics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army\u2019s Long-Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team, which was formed earlier this year as part of Army Futures Command, is now looking at taking on the targeting challenge as it develops technology across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople who challenge what we are doing, in a positive way, will say, \u2018Hey, how are you going to acquire? How are going to find the targets for systems at these ranges? Are you going to be able to shoot farther than you can see?\u2019\u201d Col. John Rafferty, director of the Long-Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team, told Defense News in an interview ahead of the Association of the United States Army\u2019s annual conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more coverage from the AUSA annual meeting, <\/b>click here<\/b><\/a>. <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initial answer is no, he said. But by working with targeting and intelligence communities as the CFT advances in its own prototyping efforts, and working to refine fires procedures and the sensor and shooter architecture, the Army hopes to get there, Rafferty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The capability is not historically inherent in artillery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rafferty said he\u2019s recently brought to his team an Army military intelligence officer with an \u201cenormous\u201d amount of experience with joint intelligence surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting, and a senior chief warrant officer who was an Army target officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\t