antiartillery

Antiartillery refers to systems and tactics designed to detect, locate, and neutralize enemy artillery fire. The primary goal of antiartillery operations is to reduce the effectiveness of enemy indirect fire weapons, such as howitzers, mortars, and rocket launchers, thereby protecting friendly forces and assets. These operations aim to deny the enemy the ability to conduct sustained bombardment and to disrupt their offensive or defensive operations.

The process typically begins with intelligence gathering and surveillance to identify potential enemy artillery positions. Once located, various methods can be employed for neutralization. These can include direct fire from counter-battery units, air strikes by aircraft or drones, or the use of artillery or rocket systems to engage enemy guns. Electronic warfare and jamming can also play a role in disrupting enemy communications and targeting systems.

A key component of antiartillery is counter-battery radar, which can detect the outgoing rounds of enemy artillery and calculate their trajectory to determine the origin point. This information is then rapidly relayed to friendly artillery units or attack aircraft for a retaliatory strike. Tactics such as camouflage, deception, and rapid redeployment of friendly artillery are also employed to minimize their vulnerability to enemy counter-battery fire. The effectiveness of antiartillery measures directly impacts the survivability and operational freedom of ground forces operating in areas of artillery threat.