Marines conduct live-fire mortar training at FTIG during joint exercise

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Video by Sgt. Shane Smith

Marines conduct live-fire mortar training at FTIG during joint exercise

Fort Indiantown Gap

July 26, 2017 | 0:40

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA – Marine Corps reservists with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines recently utilized the firing ranges at Fort Indiantown Gap during their drill here in July. As part of a joint training exercise including the Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, Pennsylvania National Guard, and other components, Marine mortarmen and Joint Tactical Air Controllers (JTAC’s) rehearsed Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) firing missions.

“In a typical firing mission, our Forward Observers (FO’s) locate an enemy target and relay its location to our Fire Direction Center, who does targeting calculations and passes the information on to the gun line,” said Sgt. Jim Bruno, 2nd Section Team Leader, 81mm Mortar Platoon. “Our gun line enters the data on the mortar sights and utilizes aiming stakes to make sure we have an accurate mark on our target,” Bruno continued, “We’ll then typically fire an adjustment round and the FO’s will adjust calculations as needed based on the impact of that round. Fire for effect will follow shortly after.”

During their firing missions, the gun lines fired 81mm mortars, which are smoothbore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapons used for long-range indirect fire, capable of hitting targets up to 5,000 meters away. These mortars can fire a variety of rounds including illumination, smoke and impact rounds, and are used to mark, suppress, and destroy enemy forces as needed.

“The joint service aspect of this training is really interesting,” Bruno said.

Both the Marines and Air Force had JTAC’s on the ground in communication with air support and artillery assets for fire coordination. The JTAC’s were also responsible for staying in contact with FO’s to coordinate order of fire on targets.

“In a lot of these firing missions, we’ll mark a target with a smoke round from our mortars, then artillery and air support will follow up with fire to suppress or destroy the target. The ranges here are great because you can see all the round impacts and see each step of the SEAD missions being carried out,” Bruno added.

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