Page 81 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017
P. 81

 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 79 Apache Helicopter Force
After four years in the flying training system, I finally reached the last stage – Exercise CRIMSON EAGLE, two months in California and Arizona. The location offers a hot environment, dust and mountains to give challenging flying conditions, open spaces to account for the size of the range template for the Hell- fire missile, and organisations running the training areas who understand the requirements of the Apache. The exercise is bro- ken down into three phases. The first is becoming ‘environmen- tally qualified’; spending a week doing desert survival (turns out there are not too many ways of finding water in the desert), fol- lowed by mountain flying and dust landings. The second phase takes you to Gila Bend, a small airfield on the Mexican border with little for miles other than a couple of motels. The weapons phase is conducted here because there is so much space for the range templates. The final part is a six-day final exercise oppos- ing conventional and non-conventional threats. We finished our time in America with our Graduation on the United States Ship Midway in San Diego.
On completion, I have moved to 663 Squadron, one of the four frontline squadrons at Wattisham. We support 3rd (United Kingdom) Division and, as such, are interested in the fight against a near-peer enemy. We concluded the year supporting a CVR(T) Crew Commanders’ course on their final exercise. We are always looking for opportunities to support armoured train- ing and if anyone feels they could benefit from joint training then please get in touch with me and I’ll do everything I can to assist.
EJM With Officer Commanding A Squadron, Scots Dragoon Guards on Salisbury Plain
Weapon loading at Gila Bend
  





























































































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