The 42nd Field Artillery Brigade is a unit of the United States Army under the U.S. Army Field Artillery Branch. It is one of the active formations within the Army National Guard and falls under the command of the U.S. Army's Indirect Fire Support Agency (IFSA).The brigade's primary role is to provide indirect fire support, including field artillery, rocket and missile systems, and advanced weapon locating radar systems to ground forces. This encompasses tasks such as engagement of targets at long ranges, counter-battery fire, and area saturation fire missions.The 42nd Field Artillery Brigade is composed of various units, each with its own specialization within the field artillery domain. These may include howitzer batteries, missile battalions, and radar squadrons. The brigade's soldiers are trained to operate a variety of advanced weapon systems, including the Paladin Integrated Management System (PIMS) self-propelled howitzers and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).The brigade's history can be traced back to World War I. It has since participated in numerous operations and conflicts, including World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Today, it continues to serve as a critical component of the U.S. Army's force structure, ready to deploy and support ground forces whenever needed.
