Dynamic Front 18, a field artillery exercise included approximately
3,700 participants from 26 nations which focused on the interoperability
of U.S. Army, joint service and allied nation artillery and fire
support in a multinational environment.
The U.S. Special Operations Command Europe Special Operation Forces Cell
at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center integrated both the Joint
Fires Element from SOCEUR and the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
into the U.S. Army Europe-led exercise.
“[Army] SOF itself has no fire capabilities,” said a warrant officer
assigned to 10th SFG(A) Fire Support Element. “We cooperate with other
units’ resources to leverage NATO Joint Fire Support.”
The was the first SOF participation in a Dynamic Front series exercise.
“This is our first integration with multinational and conventional
forces collaborating to find effective firing solutions communicating
digitally,” said the warrant officer.
Fire support officers from 10th SFG(A) honed their unit’s
interoperability with conventional forces building standard operating
procedures calling fire support.
“SOF offer an enhanced forward presence for the joint force command on
an exercise of this scale,” said a fires officer assigned to 10th
SFG(A).
The two-week exercise demonstrates how SOF forces are engaged, postured
and ready with conventional forces to assure, deter and defend in an
increasingly secure and complex security environment.
“We provide the joint force command and subordinate units with a unique
intelligence pertaining to reconnaissance and strike options,” said the
warrant officer.
Dynamic Front is an exercise series designed to develop the capabilities
of U.S. and allied ground force artillery fires to operate side-by-side
in a joint environment, identifying targets at a multinational,
theater-level command.