Hundreds of soldiers parachute over Britain in massive training exercise

[jollyjacktar]

Shared with the usual caveats.  Full story and photos at link.

Hundreds of soldiers have been taking part in a military exercise today as part of training to be ready to deploy anywhere in the world at five days’ notice.  Exercise Joint Warrior will see more than 1,600 troops training on the west coast of Scotland over the next two weeks.  The exercise is held twice a year to prepare forces from the UK, US, Denmark, Norway, France, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands for events and active service.

It is aimed at creating a task group capable of being deployed to worldwide incidents such as last year’s war in Libya, as well as testing the ability of the armed forces to cope with events such as a terrorist attack on the Olympics. 

Soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade took part in an exercise today to practise their airborne skills. They secured an airfield at West Freugh, near Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, through a combination of parachute, air assault and tactical air landings.  The exercise scenario saw the airfield become part of an area disputed by two fictional nations called Pastonia and Dragonia. Under the scenario, troops landed in the conflict zone after Nato sent a rapid intervention force to create the conditions for a UN peacekeeping force to take control.

article link

 

[daftandbarmy]

Shared with the usual caveats.  Full story and photos at link.

Hundreds of soldiers have been taking part in a military exercise today as part of training to be ready to deploy anywhere in the world at five days’ notice.  Exercise Joint Warrior will see more than 1,600 troops training on the west coast of Scotland over the next two weeks.  The exercise is held twice a year to prepare forces from the UK, US, Denmark, Norway, France, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands for events and active service.

It is aimed at creating a task group capable of being deployed to worldwide incidents such as last year’s war in Libya, as well as testing the ability of the armed forces to cope with events such as a terrorist attack on the Olympics. 

Soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade took part in an exercise today to practise their airborne skills. They secured an airfield at West Freugh, near Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, through a combination of parachute, air assault and tactical air landings.  The exercise scenario saw the airfield become part of an area disputed by two fictional nations called Pastonia and Dragonia. Under the scenario, troops landed in the conflict zone after Nato sent a rapid intervention force to create the conditions for a UN peacekeeping force to take control.

article link

I did two of those exercises back in the day. The SOP was to capture the airfield and a nearby chunk of beach, then head off into the hinterland to rescue our 'nationals' while battering the baddies.

Just before the first one I was on the Platoon Commanders Course at Warminster. One guy on the course was a 2Lt in the Scots Guards, nice guy who had been in the Falklands War. He walks up to me and says "I hear that 5 Airborne and 3 Commando Brigade are doing a big exercise next month up in the Galloway Forest". I hadn't heard a thing yet so, of course, I asked him how he knew about it. "Oh", he says "it's taking place on my father's estate".

We did a Divisional level airborne/amphibious assault followed by a 2 week long bag drive advance to contact from the west coast deep into the mountains of western Scotland, with Harriers/heli etc etc in support,  and most of it was in this guy's back yard.

 

[medicineman]

Did his Dad own half of Scotland or something?

MM

 

[TN2IC]

I wonder how many times the local police was called. Whenever a civilian see a troop in battle rattle, they sometimes call the local 911 system. I know, it's been done to me while rucksacking. Always a good chuckle.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I wonder how many times the local police was called. Whenever a civilian see a troop in battle rattle, they sometimes call the local 911 system. I know, it's been done to me while rucksacking. Always a good chuckle.

Hardly... I've seen Harriers land within 100m of a pub and the pilot get out and walk in for a meal. The RAF don't tend to rough it much on exercise if they can help it. They're pretty used to seeing troops in the area there, and glad for the cash it brings in.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I wonder how many times the local police was called. Whenever a civilian see a troop in battle rattle, they sometimes call the local 911 system. I know, it's been done to me while rucksacking. Always a good chuckle.

Had that happen when we were road moving the Straths through Edmonton to the Max shortly after the 1st Gulf War.  A number of civilians called EPS to report "men with guns, on our streets  ".  I was at one of the major turns at the Whitemud and Hwy # 2.  I could hear the sirens commence and start converging on me.  That lasted until the first unit responded and I explained what was going on.  Then it was the news teams shortly thereafter.  Highly entertaining.  Especially making up BS reasons to any civvie who came by and wanted to know what all the fuss was about.  (Back then, 1 CMBG was in Calgary and Edmonton was not used to seeing hoards of SMP stampeding throughout the city)  ;D

 

[QORvanweert]

Pastonia and Dragonia

Sounds like the Falklands to me.

 

[Journeyman]

I wonder how many of the paratroops were Canadian Army Cadets?