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1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
tials in BGHQ whilst nested within a Brigade construct. Despite the tortuous lack of sleep (7 hours across 5 days!) the exercise was another useful deployment that facilitated more ‘sets and reps’ of the BG planning process.
Ex CYPHER WARRIOR – May 24
Continuing to support wider Regimental activity alongside our continuing conversion to armour, L (Néry) Battery deployed on Ex CYPHER WARRIOR 24 where we were able to train newly qualified individuals and capture the remaining of our outstand- ing gunnery TQCC.
Once again, BC’s TAC were put through their paces during a demanding BC’s fireplan – with the 2IC re-appraising his role as the ‘man of many voices’!
We also conducted the SBSD danger close serials – this time using both the 155mm AS90 and the 105mm light gun.
Ex CABRIT TEMPEST CSTTX – May 24
L (Néry) Battery immediately rolled from Ex CYPHER WARRIOR onto the RDG’s TL-F validation exercise; Ex CABRIT TEMPEST CSTTX. This saw FSTs deploy to CATT as LOCONs, whilst the JFC and BC’s TAC conducted a series of planning cycles. One of the highlights included a ‘simulated’ break down of CO’s TAC – designed to test the response of the remaining BGHQ staff with- out direction. Happily – it seems the BGHQ staff barely noticed our absence and continued to produce a credible (though per- haps more succinct!) BG plan.
The exercise was a resounding success for the RDG and was testament to all the previous hard work and sleepless nights con- ducting planning cycles.
I’m pleased to report that the Battery also performed extraordi- narily well; we provided timely and accurate Jt Fires integration on behalf of the BG.
Ex CABRIT TEMPEST CALFEX – Jun 24
Our final MRT exercise was a CALFEX at Castle Martin Ranges. This was preceded by several weeks of range activity; including Battery personnel honing their dismounted skills on a compre- hensive live firing package and both FSTs qualifying, and then passing their annual crew assessment on the Warrior Chain Gun.
Whilst the CALFEX activity had to be rapidly modified due to a safety case involving the safety net, L (Néry) Battery (with E Bat- tery’s guns in support) still conducted some thoroughly worth- while training.
We were once again able to conduct SBSD practices, this time using the L166 fuze which allowed FSTs to fire ‘proximity high’ – the first such time for many forward observers. We also managed to include several CR2 from CYCLOPS Sqn in this training serial, which aided their understanding of artillery
weapon effects.
We also managed to complete sev- eral ‘last safe moment’ practices, whereby the FSTs developed a
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