Last but not least, a couple of nice little TO&Es.
The German Army (you know, the German Army, not a German Army that has to have a compass direction in front of its name) began a reorganization in 1991 called "Army Structure 5" in order to create a kinder, gentler Bundeswehr from the unification of the Cold War Bundeswehr and Volksarmee. Reorganization under this new structure was basically complete in 1994 and resulted in the reduction of the German Army to eight divisions. As far as field artillery was concerned, this reorganization had the following effects:
- Eliminated all nuclear forces.
- Eliminated all organic corps level artillery.
- Standardized all artillery on western systems, discarding all former Eastbloc artillery systems.
Thus, there are currently only two artillery units in the German Army: the organic division artillery regiment, and the organic brigade artillery battalion.
In the organizations below, the useof the word "jeep" is, of course, generic.
The Germans use the VW ILTIS or the Mercedes 250G Wolf, both of which have equivalent performance as shown on the accompanying data charts.
There will be eight divisional artillery regiments as follows.
Divisional Artillery Regiment
Headquarters, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
1M577A1G TOC
2M113A1G FISTVs
Drone Battery, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
2 7-ton trucks with CL 289 drone launchers
2 7-ton trucks
TA/Tube Battalion, with:
- Headquarters and Support Battery, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
1M577A1G TOC
1ARV
4 7-ton trucks
Target Acquisition Battery, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
1 COBRA counterbattery radar truck
1 sound- or flash-ranging stand
1 7-ton truck
3 Firing Batteries, each with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
2 M109A3Gs
2 7-ton ammo trucks
or
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
2 FH-70 155mm towed howitzers
2 crew stands (ds)
2 7-ton trucks
2 7-ton ammo trucks
Rocket Battalion, with:
- Headquarters and Support Battery, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
1M577A1GTOC
1ARV
4 7-ton trucks
- 2 Rocket Batteries, each with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
2 M270 MLRSs
2 15-ton ammo trucks
1 Light Rocket Battery, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
2 LARS-2s
2 7-ton trucks
Notes
Beginning in 1998, the M109s and FH-70s will begin being replaced by the PzH 2000, and each of the Tube Firing Batteries will look like this:
Three Firing Batteries, each with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
2 PzH 2000s
2 7-ton ammo trucks
Following the fielding of the KZO (Kleinfluggerat fur Ziel-Ortung, translated as Command Aerial Vehicle for Target Acquisition) UAV, the Light Rocket Battery will be replaced by a TA Battery as follows:
Target Acquisition Battery, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
2 7-ton trucks with KZO drone launchers
2 7-ton trucks
All 19 of the German Army's Panzer or Panzergrenadier brigades will have an organic FA battalion as follows:
Brigade Artillery Battalion, with:
- Headquarters and Support Battery, with:
- 1 command stand
1 jeep
1 M577A1G TOC
1 ARV
3 7-ton cargo trucks
Three Firing Batteries, each with:
1 command stand
1 jeep
1 M113A1G FISTV
2 M109A3Gs
2 7-ton ammo trucks
Notes
In the Mountain Brigade and the Franco-German Brigade, the firing brigades will look as follows:
Three Firing Batteries, each with:
- 1 command stand
1 FO stand
2 jeeps
2 FH-70 towed 155mm howitzers
2 gun crews (ds)
2 7-ton trucks
2 7-ton ammo trucks
In addition, the German airmobile brigades are expected to be equipped with the FOG-M (fiber-optic guided missile) system which is under development. Until then, their artillery battalions will look like those above but with airmobile vehicles replacing the mechanized equipment, and 105mm howitzers and LARS-2 in place of the 155mm artillery.
Finally, notes for the following equipment charts. Certain towed weapons are listed with movement rates. These guns are equipped with auxiliary power units (APUs) which allow limited movement without limbering.
Some towed weapons have an asterisk (*) after their weight class. These weapons' actual weight places them just barely into the next higher class, but they are left in the lower class because they are capable of being carried by UH-60 (class II*) and CH-47D (class III*) helicopters.
The [cross] note in the ROF column is for use with the future Armor 21 rules adjuncts. This means that the weapon is capable of firing indirect fire missions during turns in which they are moving under cautious advance or full advance orders. This naturally assumes integration into a fully mature digitized force.
Sources
Jane's Armour and Artillery, various editions.
Jane's Weapon Systems, various editions.
Bidwell, Shelford. Brassey' s Artillery of the World. Brassey's Publishers,
Ltd. (London: 1977).
Bishop, Chris, and lan Drury. The Encyclopedia of World Military Weapons.
Crescent Books (New York: 1988).
Foss, Christopher. Jane's AFV Recognition Handbook, Second Edition.
Jane's Information Group Inc. (Alexandria. Virginia: 1992).
Foss, Christopher F., and Terry J. Gander. Jane's Military Logistics 1988.
Jane's Publishing Inc. (New York: 1988).
Heyman, Charles. The British Army: A Pocket Guide. Pen & Sword Books
Ltd. (Bamsley: 1993).
Hogg, Ian V. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ammunition. Chartwell Books
(Secaucus, New Jersey: 1985).
Hogg, Ian V. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Artillery. Chartwell Books
(Secaucus, New Jersey: 1987).
Isby, David C. Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army, Fully Revised
Edition. Jane's Publishing Company Limited (London: 1988).
Isby, David C., and Charles Kamps Jr. Armies of NATO's Central Front.
Jane's Publishing Company Limited (London: 1985).
Various issues of Armed Forces Journal International.
Various issues of Jane's Intelligence Review.
Various issues of Jane's Defense Weekly.
Various issues of Defense Weekly.
Various issues of Field Artillery.
Various issues of Military Technology.
Various issues of Armada International.
Various issues of Red Thrust Star.
Personal sources.
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