Page 45 - Bugle Spring 2023

7 RIFLES
Salamanca Company
Company HQ, Salamanca Company
The exercise moved onto the defensive phase, and Salamanca Company blended conventional and unconventional defensive techniques. Working alongside their American counterparts, with embedded Javelin Anti-Tank detachments, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), Fire Support Teams (FSTs) and two armoured HMMWV vehicles, the Company began developing their defensive positions. This included several harassing ambushes, which after 11 hours, were sprung against a column of enemy vehicles to great effect.
With the Main Defended Area successfully defended, Salamanca Company had one last Black Hawk move to the platoon ranges for the final assault. Here, to cap off the exercise each platoon conducted the platoon attack LFTT range, which was a great culmination of all the LFTT build-up and refinement of skills and SOPs that had been honed throughout the exercise.
The highs of the day were topped off with a BBQ with our American counterparts that evening back in Camp Grayling. With the exercise ending and post exercise admin complete everyone headed to Traverse City for 36 hours of hard-earned R&R.
Exercise NORTHERN STRIKE was a challenging and rewarding exercise, which pushed all Riflemen out of their comfort
zone, to operate in a new climate against a challenging enemy force. This also introduced the wider battlegroup concept and how
interoperability with an American force would work on large scale operations; and of course, highlighting just how big the American DOD budget is when it comes to helicopters!
Lt Cox
BHQ, 7 RIFLES
I’ve not seen a level of resourcing on an Exercise like Ex NORTHERN STRIKE, since Op HERRICK PDT.
The potential for Ex NS to grow for a UK Reserve contingent is huge and definitely should be exploited
RIFLES The Bugle 45