VESZPREM, Hungary - "End of Mission. Target Number AS 4000. One Mortar team neutralized. Estimated two casualties, over." The transmission from the American observers came across the net loud and clear, bringing a cease fire to the Hungarian howitzer battery located 500 meters to their rear.
On September 21, 2016, American forward observers participating in Brave Warrior 16 made history by being the first to send fire missions to Hungarian artillery. This historic training event would not have been possible if it wasn't for the hard work, dedication, and detailed planning between the 4th Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment Fires Support Element and the 101st Artillery Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, Hungarian Defense Forces Field Artillery Soldiers.
It all started when the two forces came together for an initial link-up to discuss a common call for fire format on September 18th, 2016. They spent about 30 minutes going back and forth, finalizing a solid plan on how to communicate effectively with each other while blasting rounds downrange, honing in on the target.
Sgt. Gunner Franks, assigned to 4th Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment Fires Support Element said, "A lot of the ways they call for fire is the same kind of way we do it too, so it was very easy to be able to sit there and throw ideas back and forth."
Both the U.S. and Hungarian fires elements, displayed a mutual professionalism and understanding of artillery, which made this planning session seem almost effortless.
Since the radio is known to be a Forward Observer's deadliest weapon, the Saber Squadron FSE and 101st Artillery Battalion Soldiers met up the next day, ensuring they could reach each other over secured lines of communication equipment. This link-up did not take long since both elements knew their way around a radio, and it turned out to be an integral piece of the future live fire exercise.
On September 21 the Saber Squadron FSE departed at 0630, from Camp Ujmajor to Koros Hill for the exercise. Koros hill is an ideal observation point for the forward observer team due to its elevated position and proximity to the Hungarian Artillery.
Upon arrival to Koros Hill, the FSE, along with Air Force Technical Sergeant Kristopher Faber, met up with the HDF forward observers and made their way towards the observation point. Faber is the Joint Terminal Attack Controller aligned with 4th Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, for all their exercises and operations.
Upon reaching the OP, the HDF artillery teams began to register their artillery pieces to ensure the accuracy of all future fire missions. The artillery pieces being fired on this day were four 152 mm D-20 howitzers, each capable of sending a projectile over 17km. Following the registration the forward observers began to call up fire missions to the gun line.
By the end of the day, the American observers called up five separate fire missions, totaling over 100 rounds fired. During the exercise each forward observer had a chance to call for fire, including the JTAC. Little did they know that with each fire mission called, history was being made. It wasn't until after the last of the rounds was expended, that the significance of the day came to light.
Maj. Barnabas Bartok, deputy commander of 101st Artillery Battalion let the U.S. observers know that not only were they the first foreign observes to send missions to Hungarian artillery in 15 years, but that they were the first Americans to ever do so.
Spc. Corey Oakley, fire support for 4th Squadron, commented on his feelings about this historic event by saying, "For me at the time, it didn't really hit me, because we are out there doing our job. When rounds are flying, you don't really have time to take in the moment. It was actually the next day when we were sitting around and that I thought about how historic it actually was to be the first Americans to call for Hungarian artillery."
When asked about his experience working with his HDF counterparts at Brave Warrior 16, 4/2 effects non commissioned officer, Staff Sgt. Cecil Boggs explained "Calling fire missions over a secure net to a battery from a different country, shows we are closing gaps and presenting a strong and unified front in both a sense of lethality and friendship."
The 4th Squadron Fire Support Officer Capt. Charles Ridge followed Boggs' comment by stating, "It's more than interoperability and simply working together. We need to learn from one another to grow as an alliance, by figuring out the best of what each nation has to offer."
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