yes..so its odd why indian think otherwise..towed art is very vulnerable to counter battery fire...the reason why SPH/truck art is getting very popular now
The knowledgeable ones have openly accepted this.
M-777 can be lifted by chopper and deployed in mountains.
Along LOC and Siachen, there are locations where wheeled vehicles cannot go, therefore PA uses pack howitzers/light howitzers at such places. FCNA is deployed in such terrain. 23 ID, 19 ID and most of 12 ID are deployed in terrain with good roads.
During counter battery fire in mountains and hilly areas, there is not much room to maneuver for a battery under fire, even wheeled. The roads are not wide, the deployment zones are cramped with ammunition, supplies and natural obstacles. Mobility becomes worse in snow and icy conditions. In mountains, Howitzers are usually deployed on reverse slopes to escape counter battery fire.
Wheeled systems can keep good pace and deploy quickly to support infantry divisions, if the infantry formations are motorized but bear in mind that infantry fights on foot after dismounting from trucks and APC's. There is hardly any maneuver warfare in infantry formations. Its not practical to assume that infantry is holding a portion of land defensively and in rear the artillery is continuously shifting positions due to counter battery fire.
Counter battery fire is complicated. Factors to be considered before executing fire:
1. Knowledge of the tactics and technique of employment of the enemy's artillery and other heavy weapons.
2. The amount and types of artillery in the enemy force and the degree to which it is active.
3. Knowledge of the enemy's capability for reinforcing position with more artillery.
4. An estimation of own capability to locate enemy artillery position.
5. An estimation of own ability to deliver effective fire on enemy artillery locations by appropriate methods.
6. Knowledge of the strength, status, and morale of enemy artillery units.
7. Knowledge of the intensity or type of fire required to achieve the effect desired upon the enemy artillery locations.
8. Knowledge of the enemy capability of locating own artillery and delivering effective fire on own battery positions.
9. Employment of deception techniques to reduce the enemy's capability for locating our artillery positions.
10. Knowledge of the communication systems employed by enemy artillery commanders and the location of enemy communication installations.
Usually artillery units attached to Corps Artillery are used for counter battery fire because the artillery units attached to divisions are used for supporting division's formations. Enemy batteries are usually attacked with surprise fire. Time and ammunition permitting, enemy batteries once neutralized should be destroyed by fire for effect. The observation battalion can often determine the accuracy of unobserved fires by sound, flash, or radar.
WLR's(weapon locating radar) are not the only system used to locate enemy artillery, other methods are used too:
1. Field Artillery Observation battalion.
2. Corps Artillery aviation battery and other tactical/Recon army aviation assets.
3. Photo interpreters (satellite assets included).
4. Unit shelling reports and shell crater analysis.
5. Ground observation posts including bunkers.
6. Interrogating prisoners of war but mostly civilians living in proximity.
7. Communication Recon units.
8. Infantry/SF/Armored units positioned in the Area.