Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

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Richard Stone
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Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#1

Post by Richard Stone » 23 Oct 2021, 19:56

Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

The 3 attached reports discuss the US Army use of anti-aircraft radar to identify ground targets for field artillery units. This method was used in the NWE campaign in the late 1944 period and continued into 1945. The original reports were printed in the US Army Combat Lessons & Notes documents for use of the combat units and the Army higher headquarters.
Armor - AAARadarUse-1.png
Armor - AAARadarUse-2.png
Armor - AAARadarUse-3.png
Armor - AAARadarUse-4.png
Armor - AAARadarUse-5.png

Richard Stone
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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#2

Post by Richard Stone » 23 Oct 2021, 19:58

These are the two remaining report sections.
Armor - AAARadarUse-6.png
Armor - AAARadarUse-7.png


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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#3

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 23 Oct 2021, 21:40

We trained wi terrain scanning radars. A major limit for us was the 'bright' signature of the transmitter. As with counter battery radars you paid attention to short illumination time and fast displacement after use. In 1945 it's unlikely German signals Intel were on this one in practical terms.

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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#4

Post by Richard Stone » 24 Dec 2021, 20:28

The 2 attached reports provide further information about the US Army use of anti-aircraft radar to identify ground targets for field artillery units. This method was used in the NWE campaign in the late 1944 period and continued into 1945. The original reports were printed in the US Army Combat Lessons & Notes documents for use of the combat units and the Army higher headquarters.

The last report, which I’ve placed in the following post, discusses the first use of radar in late 1944.

I’ve placed a duplicate copy of this post in the site section WW2 in Western Europe & the Atlantic.
CombatNotes - Direct Fire - 2 Feb 1945-1.png
CombatNotes - Direct Fire - 2 Feb 1945-2.png
CombatNotes - Direct Fire - 2 Feb 1945-3.png
CombatNotes - Direct Fire - 2 Feb 1945-4.png

Richard Stone
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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#5

Post by Richard Stone » 24 Dec 2021, 20:33

This report discusses the origin of the method and is the final report.
CombatNotes - Direct Fire - 1 Nov 1944-1.png
CombatNotes - Direct Fire - 1 Nov 1944-2.png

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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#6

Post by Sheldrake » 25 Dec 2021, 12:50

Fascinating. I am not aware of Britsh use of similar centemetric radars for locating moving targets on land. Heavy AA units were deployed in the coastal defence role and IRRC some radar directed engagements in the Scheldt estuary, as the radars could pick up the splash from the rounds as well as the target.

The main British and Canadian focus for using AA Radar in the land battle was was as a means of locating mortars by plotting two fixes on the bombs in flight.

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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#7

Post by TheMarcksPlan » 29 Dec 2021, 06:44

Richard Stone wrote:
23 Oct 2021, 19:56
Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945
Thank you for sharing. Very interesting.
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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#8

Post by Richard Stone » 13 Mar 2022, 12:37

Attached are two more reports about the US Army use of anti-aircraft radar to identify ground targets for field artillery units. These are from the March 1945 US Army Combat Lessons & Notes report series.

The text obscured by the 'Unclassified' stamp can be read by enlarging the attachment.
ComBatt Notes - Ground Searchlight - 17 March 1945-1.png
ComBatt Notes - Ground Searchlight - 17 March 1945-2.png

ComBatt Notes - Ground Searchlight - 19 March 1945-1.png
ComBatt Notes - Ground Searchlight - 19 March 1945-2.png

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Re: Use Of AAA Radar To Spot Ground Targets For Field Artillery - NWE 1944 & 1945

#9

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 13 Mar 2022, 20:22

I've seen descriptions of those techniques used in Korea.

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