What is the primary purpose of artillery units on the battlefield?

The primary purpose of artillery units on the battlefield is to provide indirect fire support. This role is crucial as artillery allows for the delivery of firepower at a distance, which can accurately target enemy forces, fortifications, and vehicles without exposing the crew to direct combat situations. Artillery can deliver both high-explosive and precision-guided munitions, enabling commanders to effectively shape the battlefield and support maneuvering units. This indirect fire capability is essential for disrupting enemy operations, providing suppression, and creating opportunities for ground forces to advance.

While other roles such as securing supply lines and conducting reconnaissance are important tasks within military operations, they do not capture the core function of artillery units, which is specifically to engage the enemy from a distance using heavy firepower. Close combat operations are typically the domain of infantry and armored units rather than artillery. Thus, the indirect fire support provided by artillery is a key component of modern warfare strategy.