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Roadkill asked in Politics & GovernmentMilitary · 1 decade ago

Is artillery obsolete?

I was in an artillery unit and never thought it would be obsolete. But with the new guided bombs is it. I have a nephew attached to a ranger unit, he is in the air force. He calls in the air strikes for support of the unit. Is the artillery obsolete or should it be. Maybe someone in the new military can say.

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Absolutely not. Are you kidding me?

    There're different kinds of artillery. I think you meant the field artillery. It's the "King of the Battle". and it's the most destructive weapon. I was in a training just a month ago. I went through a familiarization process how field artillery works. I did call in for fire, adjust for fire, and the most exciting one --- be an actual Howitzer (not sure if i spell it right) crew. I loaded the artillery ammunition and fired it. It was just loud.

    There's also air defense artillery. One of the most famous one is the Patriot missile. It was the key to defeat Saddam's Scud.

    I don't think we'll get rid of artillery... it's just not true...

    Maybe there's upgrade on certain models. But there' no way it's gonna be obsolete in our lifetime.

    By the way, there's a possible merger between Field Artillery Branch and Air Defense Artillery Branch in the near future.

  • Ed M
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    Artillery, like the foot soldier, will never be obsolete.

    There will always be a place and situation where a $5000 shell or a $.20 bullet are the weapon of choice rather that a $500,000 missile.

    The same question was asked by spearmen when the bow was introduced and by bowmen when guns were first used.

    Source(s): History
  • 4 years ago

    Uh, no. Artillery is important on the battlefield. Air help is on no account assured. undesirable climate stops air help, it takes time for jets to get into place, they could in elementary terms fly for for this reason long and the form of jets is extremely constrained - its additionally plenty greater high priced to place in and preserve a fleet of airplane than it extremely is to place in and preserve artillery. in elementary terms a handful of the final funded military agencies interior the international have a small fleet of UAVs, with an excellent smaller sort of autos that could be armed. that's why brigade formations do no longer comprise any airplane, as a results of fact they could't be relied upon. The artillery can bypass everywhere the infantry can and is plenty greater sturdy.

  • 1 decade ago

    Artillery will always have a role in combat. Air strikes are not always an option (low clouds, rain, dust, etc...). Artillery will always have a place. It's too versatile and mobile to get rid of.

    p.s. My dad was in HQ Company of the 74th FA during WW2.

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  • 1 decade ago

    Well, i may not be in the military, but i know someone who is. I don't think artillery is obsolete. It shouldn't be. Why would artillery be obsolete? The way i see it is if there are people in it, then it's not obsolete.

  • 1 decade ago

    Mobility that comes with Artillery will always have a place as long as there are boots on the ground.

  • mike L
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    hell no for one thing the laser missiles need someone on the ground to guild them in. how do they get up front with out support. you see someone is there and knows where the missiles are going to hit. it hits the beam from who's pointing it on the ground. But they either cant see well or dont have all the buggs out yet hey they sure had a lot of friendly fire going on when this started

  • 1 decade ago

    Air Support can't be easily used in heavy fog, rain, sandstorm, ect. Artillery will always have a place, just a deminshed one.

  • netjr
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    In a highly charged political "war" it is obsolete because targeting is more important and the smart bombs accomplish that goal;

    In a fight for our lives with an advancing army opposed to us we have to fire off everything we have....its now a defensive weapon more then anything.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    It was used to devastating effect on the Lebanese... sure it is obsolete...

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