Page 25 - 1RHA 2021

1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
Ramsay’s Troop (Regimental Air Cell) Bombardier Gasan, O/HQ Battery
The last year has held many challenges for the JTAC com- munity, with travel restrictions and COVID-19 Force Health Protection Measures hampering our ability to gain the cur- rency and competency we strive to maintain. Despite this, it has been a productive year for the troop. In September 2020 we said “goodbye” to the Chestnut Troop TACP as they departed for Op CABRIT 7, taking over from B Battery TACP.
Shortly thereafter, in November potential JNCOs from across 1 RHA took part in Ex RAMSAYS BAYONET. This was a unique exercise, planned and executed exclusively by Ramsay’s Troop. Bdr Turner and Bdr Glen were tasked with preparing the students for the Regimental PNCO cadre. This meant generating engag- ing, effective training in the crawl-walk-run style to bring potential candidates up to speed in all matters fieldcraft and dismounted skills.
The end of the year held Ex CYPHER DAGGER, providing an excellent opportunity for advanced training. Incorporating live fires with Wildcat AH as well as trying out a new concept of uti- lizing the CAS simulator in conjunction ground manoeuvres from Fire Support Teams, this represented a first for Ramsay’s Troop and has set the tone for subsequent CYPHER DAGGER exer- cises. All JTACs were able to gain the currency required to main- tain their mission ready Q status.
In the New Year several members of the troop, alongside other O/HQ Battery personnel, were called upon to assist deploy on MACA taskings. They were primarily involved in liaising with schools in the South West to assist them in developing their protective measures in response to COVID-19, a vital task at the height of the pandemic. Sgt Curtis was awarded a Commanders Coin for his superb work on this task.
Summer 2021 saw members of the Troop deploy on Exercise FLASH EAGLE 21-1, in the Republic of Korea. This represents a true first for UK JTACs, and a timely opportunity in the wake of the Integrated Review and a new focus on the Asia Pacific region. Ramsay’s Troop personnel were hosted by the US Air Force at Osan Airforce Base, situated in the heart of the country. After many weeks of planning, multiple inoculations and jabs and the acquisition of what seemed like a never-ending list of travel documents, the team finally left Larkhill on the 7th of August and arrived after a long 10 hour flight at Incheon international airport (8 hours ahead of home).
This year for the first time we joined by one of E Battery’s Level 4 Acks, Bdr Kelshaw. His presence and input into all our train-
Multinational JTACs conducting Close Air Support
ing was invaluable and gave much opportunity to develop fires integration. With his subject matter expertise, an extra layer of realism and complexity was added into the scenarios, which pre- senting an excellent challenge to Ramsay’s Troop JTACs. Future JTAC exercises will seek to integrate artillery observers wherever possible.
After a 7-day isolation period (per Korean government guide- lines), we were welcomed by our hosts the 607th ASOG (Air Support Operations Group). These were the US Air Force’s JTACs who have a permanent presence in the Republic of Korea. They had organised a full training itinerary for Ex FLASH EAGLE, and we were given the full benefit of their impressive resources throughout our time with them. We also had the opportunity to visit the 2 fighter squadrons that we would be working with over the next coming weeks, the A-10C of the 25th Fighter Squadron and the F-16s from the 36th Fighter Squadron. A very different breed of pilot who were overwhelmingly hospitable, highlighting the strong brotherhood bond between a JTAC and a pilot.
The next two weeks involved many testing training missions, some of which were conducted in their impressive simulator, and many of which were out in one of the many MOAs (Military Oper- ating Areas). They say that the best JTAC is the one listening in,
Ramsay’s Troop operating alongside USAF
Sgt Curtis in the cockpit of an FGR4
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