Denali paratroopers practice crater analysis skills

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Christopher Gross
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Much can be gleaned from analyzing an indirect fire crater from an enemy mortar, field artillery cannon or rocket launcher.

Soldiers like Army 2nd Lt. Matthew Luman, 1st Squadron (Airborne), 40th Cavalry Regiment, said it's a lost art, because nowadays radar is depended upon in most cases. However when radar fails or troops are out at a forward operating base this is a skill that can pay dividends.

In most cases forward observers, like those of the 1-40th who took part in crater analysis training March 31, would be the ones analyzing craters.

Army Capt. Teresa Doerr, 1-40th fire support officer commented on how important this training can be.

"It's valuable in identifying where our threats are, mortars and indirect fire are a huge threat to our (installations)," Doerr said.

By telling which direction the projectile came from and knowing approximately how far it was launched or the maximum distance it can go, troops are more likely able to tell where their threat is coming from and can then engage the enemy with artillery.

Troops can also use the crater analysis techniques to locate weapon stockpiles left over from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan during the the 1970s and 80s.

Doerr offered a couple examples of how to locate the threat. She said if they know it was an 82-mm mortar which caused the crater, then its point of origin couldn't be more than three kilometers away.

If they notice for the past three months the firing of the munitions are coming from one direction, then there must be a stockpile of some sort off in the distance.

When teams go out to analyze craters they also determine whether or not if it was fired high-angle - fired with an elongated high arc which can clear mountainous terrain - or low-angle - fired with a lower arc better for achieving long ranges.

Most mortars are high-angle shells and howitzers can use either of the ballistic profiles. They also determine the grid location of the crater and the time they found the shelling.

Troops use crater analysis tools to determine the size of the munitions. If the fuse is visible, it is easier to tell what types of munitions were used and they can determine which direction the rounds came from.

Luman noted he felt this is a skill which has faded away over the years.

"It's not something you see very often, crater analysis is kind of a lost art, a lot of places don't even teach it anymore. (Everyone) gets a manual, but sometimes when you actually get to see it, it's a little bit better."