Watson Coleman: “I rise today to discuss a challenge facing our military forces on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. These forces are…”

“I rise today to discuss a challenge facing our military forces on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. These forces are facing an urgent need for a precision indirect fire munition organic to the Infantry Brigade Combat Teams and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. In the last 3 months there have been two Operational Needs Statements submitted by the units deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have included these statements for the Record. Both of these documents highlight the urgent need to field a precision capability for the 120mm mortar: the main, and in some cases the only, indirect fire support available to our infantry in the close fight. The commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps wrote in July: This capability is critically needed within the next 12 months. As troop levels in theater begin to drop, our units can not afford to miss any opportunities to kill the enemy due to lack of organic precision indirect fire. Without it, IBCT's must resort to: slower reinforcing fires; committing soldiers to an assault; or missing the opportunity altogether.”