Under current fielding plans two FA brigades will reinforce committed divisions. Each brigade consists of two MLRS battalions (3X9) and one CRUSADER/PALADIN battalion (155mm, SP, 3X6). A division will be able to use its three cannon battalions as direct support with two 155mm battalions from corps as reinforcing artillery. If all three brigades are committed, at least one brigade will not have reinforcing cannon artillery. While MLRS might be used as reinforcing, its different characteristics render it inappropriate for some close support missions. Compared to the end of the Cold War and Gulf War, there is more MLRS available to support the division and corps fights but less cannon artillery to support the brigade's fight. The greater capabilities of PALADIN and CRUSADER, along with more assets supporting the deep fight, will change the amount of fires available. Under these conditions, will the brigade commander have more or less field artillery available and what support will that artillery provide? Several classified studies and scenarios determine that overall the field artillery support improves. But the Field Artillery community must be able to tell brigade commanders what it will bring to the battlefield in simple, unclassified terms. This monograph attempts to answer these questions by examining current and future doctrine, field artillery organizations, equipment and capabilities of systems, and historical record. The monograph determines that brigades supported by CRUSADER battalions will receive more artillery support. However, there are occasions when the twenty-four howitzer M1O9A5 battalion provides more support than an eighteen howitzer PALADIN battalion.

ADA 339584 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)