18th Field Artillery Brigade


The 18th Field Artillery Brigade is the XVIII Airborne Corps field artillery brigade, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Role and structure

The 18th Field Artillery Brigade is America's Contingency Field Artillery Brigade. The Brigade plans, synchronizes and employs long range precision strike fires and counterfires in support of the XVIII Airborne Corps, its subordinate divisions, and to Special Operations forces as required. When the call comes, the Brigade is ready to deploy, fight and win. this brigade consists of the following units
The 18th Field Artillery Brigade has served in multiple capacities over the past decade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as the primary 155mm howitzer and HIMARS identity in the war in Afghanistan. The brigade was the only airborne field artillery brigade in the United States Army with 1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment providing the majority of the support for the 18th Fires Brigade's airborne mission.
During the 1990s the Brigade had a single M198, 155mm battery assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in support of the 101st Airborne Division. This made for a healthy rivalry with the other two batteries of the Battalion that were assigned in support of the 82nd Airborne Division. It allowed for the entire Battalion to train together at both Fort Campbell and Fort Bragg.
1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment maintained a full capacity to provide 155mm howitzer fires anywhere in the world within 18 hours in support of the 82d Airborne Division and while supporting other global responsibilities. The unit had the unique ability to employ 155mm howitzer platforms through a "Howitzer Heavy Drop Package" capability which essentially allowed for the weapon system to be dropped from an aircraft while its paratroopers would then place the weapon into action. 1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment served as the United States Army's primary 155mm howitzer response in the Global War on Terrorism. In October 2013, the battalion's three firing batteries were reflagged to create 155mm composite battalions in the three brigade combat teams of the 82nd Airborne, and the battalion was officially inactivated at Fort Bragg on 14 March 2014.
During 2008 while serving as the General Support Artillery unit in Operation Enduring Freedom 8–9, 3d Section, Battery C, 3d Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment became the first United States Army unit to fire the GPS Guided XM982 Excalibur Munition in support of combat operations while serving in the volatile Kunar Province while supporting the 2d Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
3d Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment has served in the capacity to support various United States Army and other agencies with accurate and effective field artillery rocket fires.
From August 2009 through October 2014, the 18th Fires Brigade wore the "All American" patch of the 82nd Airborne Division. The 18th Fires Brigade became a general support field artillery brigade in July 2008 and was under the Training Readiness Oversight of the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The 18th Fires Brigade held a ceremony on 16 October 2014, removing the patch of the 82nd Airborne Division and donning the 18th Field Artillery Brigade patch, to signify its increased responsibility to provide long range field artillery support to the four Divisions in the XVIII Airborne Corps, and officially change its name to the 18th Field Artillery Brigade, a name held by the Brigade since its inception in 1978.

Future

An article in the Fayetteville Observer dated 23 March 2014 covered the inactivation of the brigade's 1st Battalion, 321st FA Regiment and noted the coming inactivation the 2d Battalion in the 4th BCT, 82d Airborne Division. The article added that the brigade's 3d Battalion "will undergo a different transformation as that unit shifts from howitzers to the HIMARS weapons system."

Lineage and honors

Lineage

Shoulder sleeve insignia