Soldiers of Troop E, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, fire an M829 Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot with Tracer round from a Stryker Mobile Gun System’s 105 mm cannon during table four gunnery at Range 143 on Fort Carson Jan. 20, 2016. Table four is the first practice table for the Soldiers before firing the table five and then table six gunnery qualification where crews prove that they have mastered weapon systems while destroying targets up to 1.5 miles away. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Nancy Lugo)
By Staff Sgt. Nancy Lugo
1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
Rolling up to the top of a small berm, a Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS) crew scans the horizon to acquire its target. The three-man crew fires an M829 Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot with Tracer round at a simulated personnel carrier from the 105 mm cannon during gunnery table four Jan. 21, 2016, at Range 143.
Tables four through six have 10 engagements, six day and four night, and require the crew to engage enemy troops and vehicles with its different weapon systems as well as fire in a chemical environment all while being timed.
Table four is the first practice table for Soldiers of Troop E, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, before firing the table five and then table six gunnery qualification, where crews prove that they have mastered weapon systems while destroying targets from up to a mile and a half away.
“Once we are qualified as a crew that means that we are able to shoot together in combat or at rotations (at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, where) we are qualified as a crew for any upcoming mission,” said Sgt. Patrick Cantrell, MGS gunner, Troop E, 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav. Reg. “I feel really confident with the crew.”
The M1128 Stryker MGS was designed to provide direct fire support for infantry troops. The 105 mm cannon is fully-stabilized and can fire on the move. The MGS is also outfitted with an M2 .50-caliber machine gun and coax M240 machine gun.
“It’s important for the crews when they go to qualify on table four, five and six that they have confidence in their weapon system’s ability to put rounds on target the first time, every time,” said Capt. Teodoro Garcia, commander, Troop E, 2nd Sqdn.
Soldiers from Troop E started gunnery Jan. 19, 2016, and completed it Jan. 24, 2016.
“We went to bed at (3 a.m.) and started this morning at 5 — that’s gunnery,” said Sgt. 1st Class Casey Wainwright, platoon sergeant, Troop E, 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav. Reg.
After completing each day and night engagement, the three-man crew conducted an after-action review to cover what the crew did correctly and areas where it can improve.
“When big guns are firing, it’s a good day,” said Garcia.