FA BOLC GUNNERY MOD 1 EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
VERIFIED.
What is the mission of the firing battery? - ANS The mission of the firing battery is to destroy,
neutralize, or suppress the enemy by indirect cannon, mortars, rocket, and missile fires and to
help integrate all fire support assets into combined arms operations.
What is an observer? - ANS The observer and/ or target acquisition assets serve as the eyes
and the ears of all indirect fire systems.
What is the FDC? - ANS The fire direction center serves as the brains of the gunnery team.
What is tactical fire direction? - ANS Tactical fire direction serves as the art of fire direction
and culminates in the issuing of the fire order.
What is technical fire direction? - ANS Technical fire direction serves as the science of fire
direction and culminates in the issuing of the fire commands.
What is the goal of the firing battery? - ANS The goal of the firing battery is to achieve
accurate first-time fire for effect on a target.
What are the five requirements for accurate fire? - ANS Accurate target location and size
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Accurate firing unit location
accurate weapon and ammunition information
accurate meteorological information
accurate computational procedures
Fire Direction Officer (FDO) - ANS The FDO is responsible for all FDC operations.
Chief Fire Control Sergeant - ANS The chief fire direction sergeant is the technical expert and
trainer in the FDC.
Fire Direction Computer - ANS The fire direction computer operates the primary means of
computing firing table data. He determines and announces fire commands.
Fire Direction SPecialist - ANS In a manual FDC, they serve alternately as Horizontal Control
Operator (HCO), Vertical Control Operator (VCO), and radio telephone operator (RTO).
Horizontal Control Operator (HCO) - ANS The HCO constructs and maintains the primary
firing chart and determines and announces chart data which consists of chart range, chart
deflections, and angle T.
Vertical Control Operator (VCO) - ANS The VCO constructs the secondary firing chart and
checks chart data and determines and announces site.
What is ballistics? - ANS Ballistics is the study of firing, flight, and effect of ammunition.
What is gunnery? - ANS Gunnery is the practical application of ballistics so that the desired
effects are obtained by fire.
The sum of all interior ballistics is... - ANS muzzle velocity
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What is the gas check seat? - ANS The gas check seat is the tapered surface in the rear
interior of the tube on weapons firing separate loading ammunition. Figure 3-1
What is the swiss groove? - ANS The swiss groove is the cutaway portion of the powder
chamber that allows the propellant to sit flush against the obturator spindle when the breech is
closed. figure 3-1
What is the centering slope? - ANS The centering slope is the tapered portion at or near the
forward end of the chamber that causes the projectile to center itself in the bore during
loading. figure 3-1
What is the forcing cone? - ANS The forcing cone is the tapered portion near the rear of the
bore that allows the rotating band to be gradually engaged by the rifling, thereby centering the
projectile in the bore. figure 3-1
What is the bore? - ANS The bore is the rifled portion of the tube threads and grooves. figure
3-1
What are the two parts of the projectile that affect interior ballistics? - ANS The bourrelet
and the rotating band/ obturating band
What is the bourrelet? - ANS The bourrelet is widest part of the projectile and is located
immediately to the rear of the ogive.
What is the rotating band? - ANS The rotating band is a band of soft metal (copper alloy) that
is securely seated around the body of the projectile.
The pressure at which the motion of the projectile begins is the... - ANS shot-start pressure.
The ________ is attained when the projectile has traveled about _______ of the total length of
a howitzer tube. - ANS peak pressure, one tenth
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
VERIFIED.
What is the mission of the firing battery? - ANS The mission of the firing battery is to destroy,
neutralize, or suppress the enemy by indirect cannon, mortars, rocket, and missile fires and to
help integrate all fire support assets into combined arms operations.
What is an observer? - ANS The observer and/ or target acquisition assets serve as the eyes
and the ears of all indirect fire systems.
What is the FDC? - ANS The fire direction center serves as the brains of the gunnery team.
What is tactical fire direction? - ANS Tactical fire direction serves as the art of fire direction
and culminates in the issuing of the fire order.
What is technical fire direction? - ANS Technical fire direction serves as the science of fire
direction and culminates in the issuing of the fire commands.
What is the goal of the firing battery? - ANS The goal of the firing battery is to achieve
accurate first-time fire for effect on a target.
What are the five requirements for accurate fire? - ANS Accurate target location and size
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Accurate firing unit location
accurate weapon and ammunition information
accurate meteorological information
accurate computational procedures
Fire Direction Officer (FDO) - ANS The FDO is responsible for all FDC operations.
Chief Fire Control Sergeant - ANS The chief fire direction sergeant is the technical expert and
trainer in the FDC.
Fire Direction Computer - ANS The fire direction computer operates the primary means of
computing firing table data. He determines and announces fire commands.
Fire Direction SPecialist - ANS In a manual FDC, they serve alternately as Horizontal Control
Operator (HCO), Vertical Control Operator (VCO), and radio telephone operator (RTO).
Horizontal Control Operator (HCO) - ANS The HCO constructs and maintains the primary
firing chart and determines and announces chart data which consists of chart range, chart
deflections, and angle T.
Vertical Control Operator (VCO) - ANS The VCO constructs the secondary firing chart and
checks chart data and determines and announces site.
What is ballistics? - ANS Ballistics is the study of firing, flight, and effect of ammunition.
What is gunnery? - ANS Gunnery is the practical application of ballistics so that the desired
effects are obtained by fire.
The sum of all interior ballistics is... - ANS muzzle velocity
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What is the gas check seat? - ANS The gas check seat is the tapered surface in the rear
interior of the tube on weapons firing separate loading ammunition. Figure 3-1
What is the swiss groove? - ANS The swiss groove is the cutaway portion of the powder
chamber that allows the propellant to sit flush against the obturator spindle when the breech is
closed. figure 3-1
What is the centering slope? - ANS The centering slope is the tapered portion at or near the
forward end of the chamber that causes the projectile to center itself in the bore during
loading. figure 3-1
What is the forcing cone? - ANS The forcing cone is the tapered portion near the rear of the
bore that allows the rotating band to be gradually engaged by the rifling, thereby centering the
projectile in the bore. figure 3-1
What is the bore? - ANS The bore is the rifled portion of the tube threads and grooves. figure
3-1
What are the two parts of the projectile that affect interior ballistics? - ANS The bourrelet
and the rotating band/ obturating band
What is the bourrelet? - ANS The bourrelet is widest part of the projectile and is located
immediately to the rear of the ogive.
What is the rotating band? - ANS The rotating band is a band of soft metal (copper alloy) that
is securely seated around the body of the projectile.
The pressure at which the motion of the projectile begins is the... - ANS shot-start pressure.
The ________ is attained when the projectile has traveled about _______ of the total length of
a howitzer tube. - ANS peak pressure, one tenth
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
