173rd Airborne Brigade are the first conventional unit in Europe to fire the BONUS Mark

Credit: Staff Sgt. Jacob Sawyer | Date Taken: 03/07/2021
Artillery paratroopers with 4th Battalion, 319th (Airborne) Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade are the first conventional unit in Europe to fire the BONUS Mark II artillery round. French NATO allies in the 93e Régiment D’artillerie De Montagne provided critical mentorship and logistical support in Canjuers, France as our paratroopers executed these fire missions. The round was created by the French and Swedish militaries and recently acquired by the U.S. Army. This round directly bolsters military defense and deterrence in Europe by providing precision, anti-armored capabilities for conventional artillery units. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States Europe, Africa and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. (U.S. Army video by Staff Sgt. Jacob Sawyer)