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The M981 FISTV (Fire Support Team Vehicle) is a
M981A1 aka FIST - Artillery OP – Walk around photos
{{Fire support vehicles Military vehicles of the United States Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s
The M981 FISTV (Fire Support Team Vehicle) is a United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
armored vehicle
Military vehicles are commonly armoured (or armored; see spelling differences) to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, shells, rockets, and missiles, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include armoured fighting ...
designed to house an artillery observer
An artillery observer, artillery spotter or forward observer (FO) is responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire onto a target. It may be a ''forward air controller'' (FAC) for close air support (CAS) and spotter for naval gunfire su ...
team in mechanized units. It was based on the M901 Improved TOW Vehicle (ITV) - itself based on the ubiquitous M113 Armored Personnel Carrier chassis.
Equipment
The principal equipment on the FISTV is the Ground/Vehicular Laser Locator Designator (G/VLLD), pronounced "glid". This device obtains precise range information to a lased target. When combined with directional control from an inertial navigation system and vehicle coordinates from theGPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
, the system is able to obtain precise coordinates of a designated target.
The FISTV also had four SINCGARS
Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) is a Combat-net radio (CNR) used by U.S. and allied military forces. The CNR network is designed around three systems: SINCGARS, the high frequency (HF) radio, and the SC tactical satel ...
radios to track the numerous voice and data radio nets pertinent to fire support operations.
Employment
The FISTV identifies targets and sends their description and location to the Fire Direction Center. EachArmor
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or fr ...
or Mechanized Infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force).
As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...
company in the US Army had one M981. Its crew consisted of a Lieutenant, a noncommissioned officer, and two soldiers. This crew doubles as the advisors to the company commander on fire support issues.
FISTVs are also used by Combat Observation and Lasing Teams (COLTs), a Brigade asset positioned to support the Brigade fires plan.
History
Among its several advantages, the hammerhead could be raised from behind protective terrain or concealing cover. Although gyroscopes had their weaknesses, these systems were replaced or supplemented with other location & positioning systems, such as GPS. The crew could also use basic land navigation skills, like triangulating from known terrain features, should gyros or technology fail. The FISTV had several limitations, including the vehicle's poor performance compared to the M2 Bradleys and M1 Abrams tanks with which it maneuvered, forcing the other vehicles to wait while the FISTV labored to keep up. Its top-heavy design made it prone to rollovers. The lack of a heavy weapons system or enhanced armor meant that the crew depended solely on the supported element for protection. It could not move with the hammerhead deployed in the raised position and it took the gyroscopes about 10 minutes to spin up, stabilize and locate once the vehicle's crew was parked and setup. The M981 FISTV has been supplanted by the M7 Bradley and M1131 Stryker fire support vehicles.See also
*Field artillery team
In the US system for land-based field artillery, the field artillery team is organized to direct and control indirect artillery fire on the battlefield.
Since World War I, to conduct indirect artillery fire, three distinct components have evolve ...
* M113 Armored Personnel Carrier variants
A huge number of M113 Armored Personnel Carrier variants have been created, ranging from infantry carriers to nuclear missile carriers. The M113 armored personnel carrier has become one of the most prolific armored vehicles of the second half of ...
External links
M981A1 aka FIST - Artillery OP – Walk around photos
{{Fire support vehicles Military vehicles of the United States Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s