Soldiers battle against ‘thinking enemy’ on Salisbury Plain

Soldiers have been pitting their wits against military colleagues as they battled a ‘thinking enemy’ whilst on exercise on Salisbury Plain.

Troops from the Fire Support Group (FSG) Division, part ofSupportWeaponsSchool, took part in Exercise First Strike. The exercise tested students on the FSG course in how to use support weapons as part of the Battle group.

The exercise pitted FSG students against each other to ensure they were tested against a thinking enemy with an armoured threat that has the freedom of action in the battle space.

Manouevres tested students of all levels of command – including Platoon Commanders formulating plans from a Battle Group Operation Order – and delivering orders to leaders further down the chain of command.

Soldiers were tested in how they employ and control their weapon systems correctly at the lowest level. .Exercise First Strike included different aspects of military operations, covering Delay, Defence, Advance to Contact, Convoy Protection, Ambush and Fire Support to a Company attack tasks.

The exercise involved each FSG platoon fighting against each other, using Tactical Engagement System (TES), either mounted in RWIMK vehicles or dismounted. FSG soldiers were accompanied by armour - either Warrior or Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked provided by the Land Warfare Centre (LWC) Battle Group - currently 1 YORKS.

Capt Robin White RIFLES, Second in Command of the FSG Division said:

“The exercise allows students to demonstrate what they have learnt and, through debriefing, develop for the final exercise and beyond.

“We use TES to allow commanders to see the effect of their weapon systems on a target. With the After Action Review (AAR) process we can give evidence of points to be worked on, as well as good actions that all can learn from.

“Salisbury Plain Training Area is ideal for us. It suits our need to use armour to replicate a credible enemy threat, whilst the undulating ground tests students in manoeuvre, both mounted using RWIMK and dismounted.”

Engagement with the ‘enemy’ is kept short and sharp, focusing the students’ minds on the action on the ground and enabling them to learn from their actions. This week’s final exercise provides student commanders with more battle preparation time, and brings together what they have learnt throughout the course.

Students finish the course at the end of November, at which point they will return to their units and be able to fulfill roles within the FSG. The skills they acquire on the course will be further honed on exercises and inKenyaorCanadawith their own units.

Salisbury Plain Training Area is maintained by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), which delivers the training service, enabling defence training users to live, work, train and deploy at home and overseas.

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Hiskett, Principal Training Safety Officer, DIO Operations Training South West, said:

“DIO’s priority is to support our Armed Forces as they prepare for operations. Salisbury Plain is a large and diverse training area and is ideal for exercises such as this as the terrain is suitably arduous. We are pleased to be able to offer the environment and facilities that enable our military personnel to test their skillls against the enemy.”

At over 38,000 hectares (94,000 acres), Salisbury Plain is theUK’s largest training area and offers first-class and diverse training facilities to enable the British Army to meet its training requirements to prepare for operations worldwide.

ENDS

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/

Note for 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. We are working hard to become even better by becoming a world-class infrastructure delivery organisation over the next few years.

2.  Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). It is responsible for managing and maintaining land and properties 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 providing, supporting and improving: operational units; 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; our heritage is protected and we achieve our environmental goals.  

4.  Photo Caption – please credit ‘Crown copyright/MOD 2013’: Soldiers take part in Exercise First Strike on Salisbury Plain

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