Salisbury Plain urban training facilities upgraded

A £500,000 investment from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to improve facilities at Copehill Down’s Fighting in Built Areas (FIBUA) village on Salisbury Plain has just been completed by Landmarc Support Services - with the first troops to benefit from the new facilities praising the site’s enhancements in helping them to prepare for overseas conflict.

The FIBUA village, constructed in the late 1980s and covering 70-acres, is a purpose built facility that allows soldiers to practice fighting in an urban environment. It is managed by Landmarc, alongside the rest of the Ministry of Defence’s 190,000 hectare UK defence training estate, who over the years have implemented a number of significant enhancements to meet the changing needs of the armed forces.

Mark Manning, Project Manager at Landmarc, said:

“Landmarc has enhanced this close combat facility by providing alleyways, tunnels, compounds and high level walkways, all of which have added considerable complexity and flexibility to training in one of the country’s busiest individual training features.

These adjustments were made due to client needs – together we identified the requirements and brought them to fruition.”

Major Alistair Rule, Training Safety Officer (Dry), Salisbury Plain Training Area, added:

“The latest changes at Copehill Down have been led by recent experience in conflict. A new ‘shoot house’ also enables teams to practice their low-level urban skills using simulated ammunition such as paintballs. This allows for more realistic live training but without the need to provide large danger areas.”

Major Mike Wade-Smith, Burma Company, 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, whose soldiers were among the first to use the upgraded facility concluded:

“The recent investment in Copehill Down and other urban training areas allows the army to prepare in a complex and challenging urban environment. Facilities such as this are critical to helping us deliver success in future operations.”

To learn more about Copehill Down and see the 1st Yorkshire Regiment in action, watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0JISi0SS2A&feature=youtu.be.

Ends

Press enquiries to Kirsty Williams, Communications Officer 01985 222862 or email kirsty.williams600@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) Landmarc is the international provider of integrated training and sustainable infrastructure solutions. This includes consultancy, design, management and operation of training areas and ranges; explosives safety; built and rural estate management, including environmental and conservation support; information management and administration services; project management and commercial property management.

The company is jointly owned by two leading businesses in their field - Interserve, a major player in the international support services and construction market and American firm PAE, a leading provider of global mission services to the U.S. Government and its allied partners.

www.landmarcsolutions.com / twitter:@landmarcNEWS

4) Picture captions: Soldiers from 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment training at Copehill Down village. [Landmarc Support Services, 2015]

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