Aim of the Course

The aim of the course is to develop selected senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs) who have completed at least twelve (12) years in their particular trade and have been graded as being the top ten percent (10%) of practitioners in their specific Close Support (CS) specialty.

Facilitated by IDT(A).

Entry Standards

• SNCO.
• IELTS level 5.5.
• Instruction training qualification, e.g. DIT.
• Experience of commanding a detachment in a Field Artillery trade.

Duration

46 weeks, with one (1) course per year.

Location

Royal School of Artillery Larkhill.

Outline of Course

The course focuses all aspects of field gunnery from design to tactics and deployment. In-class and practical learning is reinforced with studies held at the Royal Military College of Science, where students study the science and engineering behind artillery pieces, the design and construct of projectiles their fuzes and associated propellants.

• Students investigate the current and emerging technologies related to gun, shell and propellant design and design and produce directed work on the subjects.
• Visits to UK Defence Industry companies – focusing on manufacture, technological development and military acquisition – expose students to artillery systems procurement and the manufacturing processes.
• Artillery Command, Control, Communication and Information systems and procedures are covered in depth and practiced both in the simulated and field environment.
• UK Tactics and Doctrine are considered, centring on the employment of field artillery and the reconnaissance and deployment of the artillery system.
• Wider exposure to all Royal Artillery capabilities, for example Precision Fires and Battlefield Radar, is given.
• Student methods of instruction are refined via the level 3 Diploma in Training and Education and design skills are taught, and practiced, with the Defence System Approach to Training qualification.
• Gun Position Safety and Range Planning are covered in depth. Command Leadership and Management modules are studied and students are given the opportunity to gain on the job experience, as SNCO gunnery instructors, in their own specialty.
• The knowledge gained over the course is tested throughout and the course culminates with a confirmation live exercise which is designed, planned and delivered by the students.

Qualification Gained

Successful candidates gain the Qualified Gunnery Instructor (QGI) qualification denoting membership of the Gunnery Staff. This qualification allows them to fill the highest grade Gunnery Staff instructional and staff appointments.