Really bad weapons...

[Fusilier]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

when the Field Artillery started using computers, some of the firing errors would shock you.

I was doing a FTX once and we got to actually call in artillery. Now, I've never had problems figuring out where I am on a map, and on previous exercises I was always able to get the round on target with only 2-3 adjustments.

Got into an arguement with out FO, who swore that our positions was five clicks from where I said we were. Needless to say, the ole E-5 got out voted by the 1st Lieutenant. And we used his grid coordinates to call for fire. As he was completing his fire mission, I had dismounted from his M-113 and stepped into an old foxhole, and was pulling on my kevlar. About the time our Lieutenant finished saying "Get your ass back on the track now Sergeant!" We heard the whistle of incoming artillery. The spotting round struck less than 40 meters from our track.

As you can imagine, the FO was back on the radio screaming "CHECK FIRE! CHECK FIRE!"

And I sat in the foxhole, grinning at the Lieutenant....

That just seems incredibly unsafe and well... dumb - that on a training exercise you actually have the ability to either call in artillery on your own position or can be in an designated impact area during a live fire. No range safety staff either?

I'm guessing the apparent lack of ensuring the safety of its members is a reason for such a high rate of US military training deaths?!?

[Legbreaker]

Sounds like it doesn't it....
The amount of safety staff and checking that's carried out on the range here in Australia makes events like that effectively impossible.

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by Fusilier

That just seems incredibly unsafe and well... dumb - that on a training exercise you actually have the ability to either call in artillery on your own position or can be in an designated impact area during a live fire. No range safety staff either?

I'm guessing the apparent lack of ensuring the safety of its members is a reason for such a high rate of US military training deaths?!?

Like I said in the Post, the Lt (and that new computer) was off by 5 kilometers. THis was back in 1981 and the FX was to teach us old soldiers about the latest advance in calling in fire.

As for the training accidents, the us military does seem to have a lot of them. And most of them are sheer stupid human error.