Target located! Archer at work with Royal Artillery's new eyes-through-the-trees radar

Royal Artillery gunners have been testing a new device that lets them see enemy threats – and potential targets.

Soldiers from 53 Air Assault Battery, 5th Regiment RA were in Estonia with the Ground Based Surveillance Radar (GBSR) after initial trials in BATUS in Canada.

Meanwhile, their comrades from 19th Regiment RA were operating the Archer – a 155mm self-propelled howitzer.

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Three units with one mission – defence

The two Royal Artillery units, along with 12th Regiment – the Army's close support air defence unit – are in Estonia for Operation Cabrit.

5th Regiment is the Army's surveillance and target acquisition regiment, providing 1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade Combat Team and the warfighting division with specialist weapon-locating and counter-fires capabilities.

Bombardier Bika explained how the GBSR can be used to locate enemy assets such as vehicles and personnel.

"It works as our eyes when we can't see a thing," he said. "It will normally sit on the FLOT – the forward line of own troops.

"It will increase survivability and let our troops know what lies ahead if we can't see."

Bdr Bika pointed out how data from the GBSR is fed back to a tablet which displays whatever the device has picked up and its direction.

He said it could even make detections at section or platoon level – after which the information would be passed up the chain of command.

"We've only had this for like a year in the regiment, so it's our very first time actually deploying it to see how it will actually work," he said.

"It's very easy to use – it's a two-man setup and it will literally be up in 10 minutes or so."

Working together

Command Post commander Lieutenant Kennedy explained how the various Royal Artillery units would be working together on Op Cabrit.

"So out here we've got 19 Regiment, which is the close support element of Nato's contribution to Estonia's defence plan," she told BFBS Forces News.

"And as well, out with us, we've got 12 Regiment, which is air defence, working off Stormer, and together we're supporting the Estonians."

Archer is a Swedish-made 155mm artillery system that was purchased by the MOD after the Army's AS90 self-propelled guns were given to Ukraine.

The 14 Archers will eventually be replaced by the RCH 155.