Page 22 - Bugle No. 17 Spring 2021

3 RIFLES
FIRE SUPPORT COMPANY -
Ex BUGLE SCREEN
Amid the restrictions of COVID-19 FSP Coy conducted their CT1/2 validation exercise on SPTA in Nov/Dec 20, for Op AGORA readiness in Jan 21. Op AGORA is multiple NATO country spearhead force held at readiness against
a NATO article 5 intervention. FSp Coy will make up the lead ISR element of this NATO formation working to a Turkish Brigade.
The aim of the validation exercise was
to bring together and practice all TTPs and individual training gained during the early part of 2020 and practice as a collective against
a number of training objectives. As you may imagine this was not an easy task with limited resources for a fully functioning ISR Coy and proximity to a big enough training area for an ISR screen to cover a 15km frontage. So, much of the driver training was conducted on the ‘baby slopes’ of Cambusbarron; a very small driver training area roughly 400m square. Given the limitations of the physical ground conceptual training became a greater focus
to gain an appreciation and task. STRIKE CONEMP was the starting position and learning formation recce tactics mounted in JKL 2.
As a STRIKE unit and ISR Coy we intended to achieve the following:
• Operating dispersed, with economy of
effort, to cover a larger battlespace and
shape the enemy.
The enabling of Ex BUGLE SCREEN was to conduct a MARCH with all ISR elements from Edinburgh to SPTA, conducted over two days with a stopover at Swynerton Camp as enforced rest to be compliant with driver’s hours. Meeting up with the remainder of the
22 RIFLES The Bugle
Coy, that had gone on ahead, to take over additional vehicles to add to the Coy BUF on the second day in Knook Camp suddenly took on a greater realisation of how big the ISR Coy was becoming: 18x JACKAL, 3x RIDGEBACK, 2x WOLFHOUND and a plethora of green fleet in support. The third day, as a Coy, was essential vehicle EC to ensure that the Coy could get
on The Plain the following morning. The third day also allowed for several in-Camp tutorials, undertaken to remind and refresh all of the safety critical activities to be undertaken. These varied from rolling replens, negotiating hazards, tactical formations and Secure Orders Cards (SOCs). The latter, was something that needed to be taught from scratch as the concept was unfamiliar to many commanders and crews across the Coy.
Shaking out on the eastern end of The Plain into a box leaguer allowed each Pl Comd to
conduct further lessons in the field; vehicle Cam and Con (lots of practice was needed here), hides and harbours, contact/ambush drills to name a few. The culmination of the first week allowed for the ISR Coy to advance on a 15km frontage with three combat teams up to conduct surveillance reporting and tracking tasks, contact drills, bridge/obstacle crossing, harbours, hides and rolling replens during day/night. There was a high degree of success and sheer professional conduct shown by all crews.
The end of the first week saw a return to Knook Camp for 24hrs to conduct vehicle husbandry and the vital repair of serval of the JKL that needed spare parts. The attached Coy fitter section headed up by SSgt Ashton and A2 Ech LAD element, headed up by SSgt Moore pulled out all the stops working flat out during the EC day. Under the stewardship of Capt John Pepper the ‘crews front’ provided a much-needed assurance to a ‘gold standard’ allowing crews in the Coy to have a task worthy vehicle after the triage.
The second week should have provided a CT2 level opportunity for Op AGORA assurance, but this was re-evaluated due to a number of vehicles that needed spares, leaving only 12 of the 18 JKL that started week one. It provided
Given the limitations of the physical ground conceptual training became
a greater focus