Page 58 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Capt D Sharp maintains the constant watch from headquarters A Company complete their defensive preparations on Ex ASKARI SPARTAN
no access to ‘FOB’ comforts for a period of nearly 3 weeks, something which few in the Battalion had done before. It also had the added benefit of inadvertently shortening phase debriefs, as the BATUK staff simply could not cope with the smell for more than thirty minutes.
culmination of Centurion, the battlegroup redeployed from the dustbowl of Archer’s Post back south to Lakipia Airbase, ready for a brief reset before the test of Askari Spartan. There were no illusions that the pressure was certainly on for the battalion
looking to delay enemy dismounts and destroy enemy armour before they reached the defensive positions. A very thorough battlegroup targeting plan was conducted by the main headquarters, ensuring that any possible enemy approach would be covered by tactical effect. This certainly proved the case, as only two waves managed to penetrate the covering screen, and when they did, were swiftly repelled
by the forward companies. Offensive spirit was definitely the most effective defensive principle employed on this phase, as the companies set ambushes, snipers sought to engage from distance and joint fires were called in very effectively onto targets. The battle was not only fought at the front though, A Company deployed onto a cordon and search operation on the village of Buragai, securing a cached weapon system, and C Company had to deal with religious unrest and tensions in the local village itself.
The final phase saw a redeployment north as the BG prepared for a deliberate attack onto the Sortu People’s Army’s headquarters. The ISTAR group developed the targets over a period of 24 hours, taking imagery of the targets and sending
it back to OC ISTAR via locally sourced mobile phones and 3G tablets. Sjt Watson managed to capture an entire enemy fire support team without a shot being fired and as such successfully secured what would be the battalion’s machine gun position
for the attack. A deliberate battlegroup
obstacle crossing marked the start
Askari Centurion saw company groups formed and tested in a round- robin of scenarios, involving a live fire attack lane, a defensive phase (but luckily no digging
Offensive spirit was definitely the most effective defensive principle employed on this phase
to perform after
a very successful Centurion phase, and the first mission would test 3 RIFLES’ ability to be flexible, reactive and able hastily to destroy the enemy. It saw a fairly
at this stage) and an
enabling scenario which involved convoy protection and a cordon operation at the end. The specialist platoons, engineers
and artillery controllers were split across the rifle companies, meaning that each had their own reconnaissance, fire and engineer attachments. For the majority of riflemen, the live attack was the highlight of this phase, although admittedly probably not when they were sprinting across scrubland in 40 degree heat wearing full body armour and helmet. With live mortars and artillery coming in 400 metres away, machine guns peppering targets along the valley and live grenades going in, it was quite a sight to behold, especially if, in the case of Recce
Platoon, you were on top of a hillside enjoying the spectacle.
Following the
The 3 Rifles Battlegroup arrayed on the eve of the final attack
complicated battlegroup advance to contact, moving swiftly into a hasty attack onto a complicated objective. The Fusiliers provided a competent and challenging enemy as they sought to delay and attrite
3 RIFLES on the advance. At all levels,
the Battalion sought to outmanoeuvre the enemy, and stopped at nothing to make this happen. As such a recce patrol deployed onto the training area by microlight
plane, landing on a local airfield with kit
and equipment in holdalls. This tactic immediately identified a forward enemy OP as they were clearly expecting to be able to see the combat indicator of a large vehicle convoy arriving at the edge of the area.
A transition to defence saw the rifle companies dig in deliberate positions, while the ISTAR group deployed into a
‘covering screen’,
56 XXX
THE RIFLES