In the war to safeguard the Fatherland (should it occur), strategic defensive operations in general, in the northern theatre of war in particular, will have to confront many warring forces, which may involve the strategic airborne force. To defeat this force, apart from bringing into play overall power of all forces, it is essential to conduct both theoretically and practically in-depth studies on the use of artillery-missile force.

Unlike the previous wars of liberation, in the war to defend the Fatherland in general, in strategic defensive operations in particular, the enemy is likely to conduct strategic airborne landings right from the onset or during the offensive process with a view to making us surprised and strategically isolated. The landings may also aim to open a new strategic offensive direction, forcing us to disperse forces. Moreover, a strategic airborne landing will provide foundation for the internal reactionary armed forces to estabish bases and secure areas for consolidating and expanding their influence. In some cases, the landings also seek to restore posture when the initial strategic intent go bankruptcy. The northern theatre of war, where Ha Noi capital, the centre for politics, economy, culture, national defence, and security of the whole country, is situated, will be the primary strategic target. Consequently, it is highly likely that the enemy will use robust, mobile forces in strategic airborne landings to break the defensive posture of the theatre and seize Ha Noi capital. Regarding our side, strategic defensive operations in the northern theatre of war involves many forces, of which artillery and missiles are important combat components. They are the major ground-based fires of the theatre to engage enemy strategic airborn landings. To accomplish their tasks, the artillery-missile force must synchronously apply many aspects of operational art, including the art of force employment. The article seeks to raise some food for thought.

Use and positioning of artillery-missile force  

In modern warfare, strategic airborne landings will involve use of forces on a grand scale, including both troops and heavy weapon systems, and employment of special forces as the central elements to conduct airborn operations. The balance of power is likey to favour the enemy due to their superiority in forces and weapons. The enemy can suddenly alter this balance of power in a direction of the theatre of war. Therefore, the use of artillery-missile force must thoroughly grasp the viewpoint of leveraging the overall power of people’s warfare, using the three-element artillery and missile force to strike anywhere at anytime to triumph over the enemy. To do this, the artillery-missile staff department needs to organise and site the artillery-missle force under direct command of the theatre command, the artillery forces of military regions and army corps, and the artillery forces of operations and battles in each direction and area to create a strong, uninterrupted, flexible artillery-missile posture for engaging enemy airborne troops according to many plans in many areas. Concurrently, it is necessary to focus on the most possible strategic landing areas of the enemy. To coordinate the use and positioning of the three-element artillery-missle force, the artillery-missile department must map out a unified plan for force employment to direct allocation of artillery-missile forces of all levels in accordance with operational demand; instruct positioning of artillery-missile forces of all echelons to ensure connectivity and interconnectedness and establish a robust, flexible posture conducive to transformation to respond to rapid, fierce developments of the operations.

Command and control of artillery-missile firepower

Fire support command and control is a central element of the art of employing artillery and missiles and key to destruction of enemy troops at window of opportunity. The artistry of this activity is clearly expressed through making the most of firepower of artillery and missile systems of various sizes to create a multi-layered, multi-directional air defence system, which provides foundation for destroying enemy troops when they are conduct strategic airborne landings on the flight routes or have finished airborne landings, consolidated their forces, and been ready to attack our targets.

To apply that art to strategic defensive operations, the employment of artillery and missile systems needs to base on situation of the enemy, operational terrain, and our capabilities. This will enable us to mass firepower for primary directions, areas, and targets while sparing fires for engaging enemy troops continually and extensively. Combating enemy airborne troops can be carried out through many battles or operations, thus the employment of artillery and missle systems in each battle or operation must take the artillery forces and artillery firepower of units in charge of the battle or operation as the core. Supporting fires provided by the higher echelons will be used for destroying critical targets or related targets beyond the scope of the battle or operation. Attention should be paid to use of artillery firepower of the defensive zone and friendly units to launch extensive attacks. Additionally, facing new operational conditions, to achieve fire superiority over the enemy in each battle, apart from closely coordinating the three-element artillery-missile firepower, there is a need to combine artillery firepower with that of the infantry, tanks, air defence systems, and special force in order to attack the enemy right on their original bases, on their flight routes, at their landing sites, or on the move to their targets. During the operational process, it is important to base on practical developments to timely adjust forces and fire support of artillery and missle units with a view to massing firepower and generating necessary superiority for engaging the enemy in the primary area and critical targets, contributing to annihilation of the enemy airborne troops step-by-step.

To coordinate command and control of artillery and missile firepower to counter the enemy’s strategic airborne landings effectively, right in peacetime, the Ministry of National Defence (MND) needs to conduct strategic operational exercises featuring the enemy’s strategic airborne landings, thus experimenting with command and control of firepower to fight the enemy in swift, fierce operational situations.

Command and coordination of support for artillery and missile forces

In battles against enemy airborne forces, windows of opportunity appear and disappear very quickly. Situations unfold swiftly as planned or unplanned. Meanwhile, the artillery-missile force is only an element of the combined arms force responsible for targeting enemy airborne troops. Consequently, command and coordination of support for artillery-missile force must be carried out closely in order to provide timely, effective fire support and take advantage of mutual support between units during the operational process. Accordingly, the theatre-level artillery-missile staff department needs to firmly grasp situations, have realistic assessments, and predict many scenarios. This provides the foundation for organising fires systems closely at all echelons in accordance with fighting methods of the combined arms force. In complex situations or windows of opportunity for fighting the enemy, to create high density fires to inflict heavy casualites on the enemy, the theatre-level command needs to exercise centralised, unifed command and control of artillery and missile forces in order to launch pre-emptive strikes. In the process of fires command and control, it is possible to flexibly apply devolution or omission of some echelons, which aims to engage the enemy at the right time and ensure both centralised, unified fire support for the infantry and tanks in a timely manner and effective leverage of artillery firepower to attack the enemy independently when windows of opportunity appear. Moreover, to improve command and control of artillery firepower, the artillery command department must be suitably organised. It is possible to establish temporary artillery command departments in key battles to respond to the enemy’s strategic airborne landings and provide indirect fire support according to unified plans of the theatre-level command.

The artillery and missile force, which attacks the enemy troops by fires, uses a large number of increasingly modern weapon systems and equipment. Therefore, combat support is very complex, plays a vital role, and makes direct contribution to leverage of operational capabilities of artillery and missile systems. Operational support for the artillery-missile force covers a wide ranges of aspects ranging from artillery reconnaissance, building battle positions and camouflaging these positions, preparing routes for moving troops and vehicles, establishing communications, countering electronic warfare and cyberwar to logistical, technical support. Artillery-missile units must make every effort to provide sufficient, careful, comprehensive support; request the higher echelon and friendly units for assistance. To achieve high effectiveness, right in peacetime, the artillery-missile force in the northern theatre of war must base on their assigned tasks according to operational plans to early prepare part of infrastructure such as movement routes, logistical, technical warehouses, network of measurement milestones, garrison areas, and system of combat positions.

In preparing for and countering enemy strategic airborne landings, as a result of short time spans and huge amount of work, the theatre commander, departments, and artillery units need to have concrete support plans. Recent conflicts have demonstrated the vital role of artillery and missile systems as well as the huge need of employing these systems. Consequently, to fulfil their tasks, the artillery-missile units must take swift, ingenious action; attach importance to camouflage, deception, and active movement after each salvo or combat deployment. More importantly, soldiers must grasp and strictly implement regulations on protecting secrets. The artillery-missile officers must be trained well to attain professionalism and good combat skills. The artillery-missile soldiers must be equipped with combat skills and regularly improve their political steadfastness, high combat willpower, and determination to fight and win the battle.

Responding to enemy strategic airborne landings in strategic defensive operations is a novel issue. Therefore, studies about the employment of artillery and missile systems for fighting enemy strategic airborne troops needs to inherit experience in response to enemy airborne landings in previous liberation wars while boldly making new proposals on the basis of creatively applying artillery-missile operational art from previous wars in Viet Nam and the world. This helps to ensure scientificness, feasibility, and suitability for the art of Viet Nam people’s warfare in the new circumstances.

Senior Colonel, Doctor KIEU HUU KIEN, Commandant of the Artillery College