Urban Joint Fire Support: Air Force Fixed-Wing and Army Field Artillery Precision Munitions Capabilities for Urban Operations

While both air and ground based fire support have proven themselves to be an invaluable and overwhelmingly lethal force in conventional combat, they have struggled to deal with the extreme complexity, density, and constraints of the Urban Operational Environment (UOE). However, it is in this area that precision munitions have proved their worth. The United States (US) Air Force's focus on precision munitions since the late 1960s has kept it a step ahead of the Army; however, the US Army has recently taken huge steps in the field of precision munitions and is in the midst of its own precision munitions revolution surrounding its Field Artillery (FA) capabilities. The integration of these newly fielded capabilities into the joint fight will strengthen US military capability, but will also pose a challenge to commanders, planners, and fire support coordinators to choose the right weapon for the right job. This thesis looks at a focused field of applicable Air Force and Army precision munitions, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages they have in urban combat. It researches the capabilities of each of the systems as they apply to urban operations with the intent of providing considerations to aid in employment.