Introducing the Spears Device

by Captain Michael Spears and SFC James Gale New training devices such as the Unit Conduct of Fire Trainer (U- COFT) (See "Armor Training Simulators are on the Way," May-June 1984 ARMOR Magazine) will serve as valuable resources to better our tank gunnery training. Such devices are critical to the training of crewmen in Europe due to the limited opportunities to live fire at local and major training areas. Use of Terfare and other subcaliber training devices at local training areas is not the best measure of crew proficiency with the M60A3fire control. The M60A3 MBT is a complex weapons system. When the fire control works properly and the crew is well-trained on the fire control, the M60A3 will guarantee a target hit. However, if something is wrong with the system and the crew does not recognize it, or the crew makes fundamental mistakes in the manipulation of the controls, the M60A3will guarantee a target miss. The complexity of the M60A3 turret, coupled with personnel turbulence, set the priorities for tank gunnery training. The first goal when training tank crews in numbers (17 or 14) is stundurdizution - all crews must be trained the same. Secondly, training must focus on the M60A3 fire control and must be objectiveand not dependent on the subjectivity of the evaluator. Lastly, the need at company/platoon level must be directed at sustaining gunnery skills despite the lack of resources. The M60A3 Crew Drill Simulator, which has become known as the "Spears Device" in the 1st Armored Division, is a training device with these priorities in mind to sharpen and sustain individual and crew-critical tasks necessary to increase proficiency inside the M60A3 turret. In training tank crews to put steel on target, the trainer cannot overlook the fundamentals of the M60A3 turret. Several of these basics the crew encounters on a given engagement which, when performed incorrectly, can lead to target miss are addressed in the table of crew duties below. A trainer functioning as a TCE (Tank Crew Evaluator) cannot evaluate these duties thoroughly on a tank negotiating a subcaliber or main gun course. The basic actions of the crew mentioned above are critical to consistent target hit and were the basis for the development of the training device described in this article. The Spears Device has in essence put the TCE in a position where he can observe the target array but yet olace I

I Did the Tank Commander supervise the turret setup prior to the engagement? Did the Tank Commander get a crew report prior to the engagement? Did the Tank Commander give a correct fire command? Did the Tank Commander drop to the rangefinder and evaluate the gunner's lase? Did theTank Commander check thegunner's sight picture priorto commanding "fire"? Did theTank Commander reset the rangefinder and index battlerange after each round? Did the Gunner index the appropriate ammunition and check the set up of the GCUto include placing battlesight range on the manual wheel in case of primary fire control system failure? Did the Gunner respond to the fire command in the correct manner? Did the Gunner lase to the target? Did the Gunner relay the reticle prior to firing? Did the gunner understand the 105D reticle or primary sight reticle (whichever in use) and can he apply the correct sight picture to stationary and moving targets using precision and battlesight techniques? Did the Gunner "dump the cadillacs" after each round to erase the current solution or does he understand when this is not necessary? (When targets are at same range) Did the Gunner understand automatic lead? (How long did he track the target and did he relayhetrack the target after lasing) Did the Loader respond to the fire command in the correct manner?

himself inside the turret at an advantageous position where he can evaluate the critical crew duties. The schematic at right gives the basic layout of the device. The training sequence used with the device is as follows: 0 TCE announces ammunition and engagement. 0 TC supervises turret setup and receives crew report. 0 TC gives fire command/crew engages target. 0 TCE evaluates actions using control box. 0 Following ceuseflre, TCE evaluates gunner by having gunner choose the correct reticle and take the sight picture with the reticle on the targets present on the screen. 0 TCE critiques the crew on the engagement to include time, control, manipulation, and sight picture. 0 TCE repeats engagement if necessary to reinforce critique or moves on to new engagement. The TCE evaluates the crew’s actions during the engagement using the control box shown below. The control box is the most important component of the training device as it allows the TCE to instantaneously evaluate the crew’s actions. As the crew proceeds through an engagement, they manipulate the fire control. As they perform the manipulation, the appropriate light on the control box will light. Noteworthy is that the lights not only correspond to the appropriate fire control component, but they are in sequence from left to right as the engagement proceeds. The upper left of the control box lets the trainer see that the correct ammunition has been selected. The three toggle switches at the upper right allow the trainer to give the TC a lase evaluation (a “go” light, a “select” light, or a ‘‘malfunction’’ light) after he has seen the gunner has lased the target.

Screen Reticle Paddles / Gunner‘s Station Loader’s Station Gunner’s Control Unit Control Unit - Slide U P r o j e c t o r e 8

Tank Commander’s Station --T

The M60A3 Crew Drill Simulator A Plan View A further explanation of the control box follows: When light 1 goes on, you know the gunner has lased, or the TC has lased from the rangefinder. When light 2 goes on, the loader has armed the main gun. (Incidentally, the simulator will not fire with the main gun in the “safe” position). When light 3 goes on, you know the gunner has fired. (This is connected to a buzzer to simulate the blast for engagement timing.) When light 4 goes on, you know the TC has reset the rangefinder. When light 5 goes ofJ; you know the gunner has dumped the cadillacs. When light 6 goes on, you know the TC has indexed the battlerange. The device described in this article is easy to build. Parts and materials cost about $60 dollars. (Editor’s Note: The Spears Device is currently being manufactured in quantities for one per each tank compa- 22 ny in the 1st Armored Division. Units in USAREUR can request orders through their local TASC on a work order. The first prototype made by the USAREUR TASC was displayed and demonstrated at the Armor Conference, 7-11 May at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was left at the Armor School for further development/production.) After describing the device, I believe that two major questions are in order. How effective is it, and how can it be integrated into an overall gunnery program? The initial results of the device showed that first round hit percentage increased an average of 8 percent on a company-wide basis for the one company that used the device. The device was then developed for use by all companies in the battalion with a resulting increase of 7 percent first round hit capability, with all tank companies showing an improvement over their last performance.

C A P T A I N M Y R O N A.

SPEARS, JR., was commissioned in armor from the USMA in 1976. H e has served as a platoon leader and troop XO with the 10th Cavalry. He is a graduate of the AOAC. He has commanded HQ Co, 2d Brigade, 1 st Armored Division, and B Co, 2d Battalion, 8 1 s t Armor. H e i s currently assigned as S3, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor.

JAMES R. GALE has been assigned to several armor battalions in the CONUS and overseas. He is a graduate of the U. S. Army Drill Sergeant School and the ANCOC. He is currently assigned as a platoon sergeant, Co E, 2d Battalion, 81 st Armor.