The Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery

The Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery is a support unit of the Para-Commando Brigade with a dual character. It can be either:

• deployed as an artillery unit, thereby enhancing greatly the firepower of the Brigade
• called upon as an infantry unit

The Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery is unique in the whole Belgian army because it is the only unit to possess towed 105mm guns : the GIAT LG1 MkII.

Organisation

The Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery has the same structure as a classic field artillery battery :

• a small staff
• one fire battery consisting of two platoons with   six guns each

Since the Battery has to be able to work as an autonomous unit, it disposes of supplementary means :

• a liaison and observation detachment
• a command post for the calculation of the firing elements
• an ammunition section
• a medical section
• a personnel section.

In the infantry configuration, the Battery consists of a company staff and two rifle platoons with as principal weapons two MILAN's, two 60mm mortars and one .50 machine gun.

Personnel

All soldiers of the Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery are fully qualified Para-Commandos and wear the green beret.  After their arrival in the unit the soldiers receive a specific formation as gunner. After six weeks, a life-firing exercise is executed to evaluate their knowledge in the field.  After this, they are regarded as fully trained gunners.  During the following years they are offered the possibility to become drivers,  radio operators, motor-cyclists or topographers. Because the soldiers must be capable to work both as artillery soldiers and as infantry soldiers, some of them are also formed as sniper, Milan operator or mortar personnel. The officers and non-commissioned officers start their career in the Artillery School where they receive  a field artillery as well as an anti-aircraft artillery formation.  After a successful stay of six months at the Commando Training Centre (Marche-Les-Dames), they are also fully qualified infantry officers and non-commissioned officers.

Equipment

Since the end of 1997, the Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery is the proud owner of 12 new GIAT towed 105mm guns.

• They replace the old  towed 105mm guns of the fire battery, that went back as far as 1942. The GIAT guns have the following features:
  • a range of 11,5 km with conventional ammunitions
  • a range of 17,5 km with the long-range ammunition
  • weighs 1520 kg
  • can fire 12 rounds/minute
  • is airmobile

In less than 60 seconds the gun can be transformed from transport position to firing position. Only three soldiers are needed in a crisis to operate the gun, in peace time five soldiers are allocated to each gun.  The GIAT LG1 MkII's are towed by the UNIMOG 1.9 t trucks.

• In the command post the firing elements for the guns are calculated by ruggedized laptops with the "Artyfire" program especially designed for the new GIAT guns. Each command post has two laptops in his shelter.
• The fire coordination centre also has two laptops. 
• The forward observers use a Laser Oldelft to determine distances up to 10 km with an accuracy of 10m. They do not have special night vision equipment to adjust the fires at night though.
• The survey team uses the director (gonio and gyro) but also the new Global Positioning System to get a fix and a direction on a position.

Missions

 

The  Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery has four principal missions:

• delivering fire support to the Para-Commando Brigade and the units of the Multi National Division
• being the artillery counselor in favor of the supported units
• being the technical advisor of the mortar platoons of the Para-Commando Brigade
• providing an infantry company in support of one of the infantry battalions during humanitarian missions or missions of the United Nations

The yearly training program is packed with infantry exercises as well as artillery exercises. Nevertheless, the Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery continues to fulfill her tasks with pride and dedication.

History

In 1972, colonel Segers proposes to form an artillery unit of 1 platoon inside the Para-Commando Regiment to enhance the firepower available to the Allied Command Europe Mobile Forces. On 14 May 1973 this unit is created at Brasschaat for a trial period under the command of commandant Henrot.  The soldiers come from disbanded 4"2 mortar platoons of the infantry battalions, supported by a number of instructors of the Field Artillery School.  After having earned a solid reputation during the first exercises, the unit is officially recognised as an independent unit within the Para-Commando Regiment.  The cap-badge, especially designed for the battery, replaces the Regimental cap-badge on 11 May 1983.  Since 1 January 1994, the Battery consists of two platoons of six guns each. The organisation has been constructed in such a way that each platoon can operate as an independent fire-unit, and that the Battery has the technical possibilities to receive other artillery units in support. On 1 January 1995 the name of the unit is changed into " Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery".  This historical look-back is quite short and it would be incomplete without mentioning the participation in many international exercises and humanitarian operations throughout the world.

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