Weapon Systems.
Figure 12 also lists the various weapon systems of the
battalion.
There are a few other weapons systems that are found in the
airborne division. These weapons either differ in capability or employment
when compared to the heavy division. We will discuss each one in detail.
TOW, Heavy Antitank Weapon, M220.
In the airborne division, the TOW is
mounted on the M151 Jeep.
It can also be dismounted as appropriate to
support the tactical situation. The TOW M220 is a tube-launched, optically
tracked, wire-guided antitank missile system.
Its primary mission in the
airborne division is to destroy armor.
The TOW is most accurate between
ranges of 1,500 meters and 2,000 meters. However, it has a maximum range of
3,000 meters.
TOWs are found organic to the antiarmor companies of the
infantry battalions.
The attack helicopter battalion of the division
aviation brigade has the TOW system mounted to the Cobra helicopter. This
particular system adds an extended range of 3,750 to the TOW missile.
Dragon, Medium Antitank Weapon, M47. The individual soldier of the airborne
division has a medium antitank weapon system known as the Dragon.
The
Dragon consists of a round (launcher and missile) and a tracker.
The
tracker is the reusable portion of the system.
The round is obviously
expendable. The automatic tracking and control capabilities of the Dragon
system provide a high first-round hit probability. The primary mission of
the Dragon is to destroy enemy armor. The missile will kill or immobilize
any known armored vehicle. It is also effective against other point targets
such as pillboxes, bunkers, and gun employments. It has a maximum effective
range of 1,000 meters. The Dragon is organic to the rifle platoons within
the infantry battalions.
60-mm Mortar and 81-mm Mortar.
There are two types of mortars in the
airborne division. They are the 60-mm and the 81-mm mortar systems. The
81-mm system is the general support mortar system at the battalion level.
The 60-mm system is at the company level in the mortar section. These two
systems provide infantry units with organic indirect fire support at
battalion and company level. They are vital to the tactical maneuvering of
combat infantryman.
Vulcan, Towed, 20-mm.
The towed version of the Vulcan is a mobile, air
defense gun system used to counter the low-altitude air threat. It is found
in the ADA battalion of the airborne, air assault, infantry and light
infantry divisions. It is effective against both high-performance aircraft,
slower fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters at ranges out to 1,200 meters.
It can be used effectively against ground targets such as thick-skinned
vehicles, personnel, and weapons to a range of about 2,200 meters.
Stinger. The final significant element of the weapons system included
under the airborne division is the Stinger.
The Stinger is a man-
portable short-range air defense system which replaces the Redeye
system.
The Stinger platoons are organic to the divisional ADA
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