Overhead fire tower brings realism to troops’ training
Soldiers training in Wales are training under more realistic battle conditions – thanks to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) building a new facility to simulate overhead fire.
Previously, during live fire exercises, firing was directed over the heads of troops on the Individual Battle Shooting Range (ISBR) from the roof of the range building at Sennybridge Training Area (SENTA).
Working with industry partner Landmarc Support Services, DIO has built a new Overhead Fire (OHF) tower at SENTA. This is an elevated platform, which delivers the double benefit of enhancing training conditions and reducing any risk of damage to the building’s roof.
Troops from the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines have already used the recently completed tower.
Barrie Llewellyn, DIO SD Training’s Regional Executive Officer for Wales & West said:
“DIO delivers safe and sustainable training areas across the UK and some overseas locations which allow our Armed Forces to prepare for operations.
“The tower, which has recently been completed, will now provide realistic battle conditions, so that troops on exercise can now be exposed to overhead live fire whilst conducting fire and manoeuvre exercises.
“This enables them to be exposed to training in a more realistic environment with live rounds passing over their heads whilst they are moving down the range. This enhances the realism of the situation and provides maximum training value.”
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Further information:
Press enquiries to Tony Moran, Senior Communications Officer 0121 311 3879 or email tony.moran572@mod.uk
DIO website: www.gov.uk/dio
Twitter: @mod_dio
Read DIO’s blog: https://insidedio.blog.gov.uk/
Notes to Editors
1) The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) plays a vital role in supporting our Armed Forces by building, maintaining and servicing what the men and women who serve our country need to live, work, train and deploy on operations.
2) DIO is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). It is responsible for managing and maintaining land and properties, as well as providing related support services, to meet the current and future needs of the MOD and personnel at home and abroad, and to support current operations.
3) Our work includes supporting operational units by providing and improving single living and service family accommodation; training areas and historic military sites. DIO actively manages these to ensure the needs of Defence are met, value for money is achieved, and its heritage is protected, and to achieve its environmental goals.
4) Picture caption – please credit ‘Crown copyright/MOD 2014’:
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