06 Dec 23. German and British forces display deepening defence ties on joint military exercise.
German and British defence cooperation is continuing to intensify as the two Nato allies continue to be drawn closer together as the conflict in Ukraine grinds on.
In the latest example of interoperability, personnel from 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team have been trained by their counterparts from Germany’s 1st Panzer Division for the first time.
With British Challenger 2 tanks using German army training areas, Royal Engineers making up a German-British Amphibious Engineer Battalion and the British Army buying German Boxer Armoured Fighting Vehicles, there are abundant signs of deepening defence ties between the two nations.
Forces News has taken a look at the increasing degree of interoperability between the two nations.
On a journey with the Bundeswehr
Colonel Simon Hirst, the British military attaché to Germany, told Forces News: “I think it’s very significant.
“I think we’re on a journey with the Bundeswehr, with the German army.
“We have routine Army staff talks and discussions that take place about topics like interoperability. And what we’ve done now is demonstrated the first step of those goals.”
Troops from 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team were stationed in Sennelager near Paderborn until 2019, and members of its Brigade Headquarters are now briefly back training in their old home.
But this time the exercise they are taking part in is not being run by the British Army, but by Germany’s 1st Panzer Division and codenamed White Horse Arena.
Major General Heico Huebner, the commander of 1PzDiv, told Forces News: “We all want to be combat-ready for possibly upcoming warfighting operations, and that is only doable with strong partners and therefore we need mutual training.”
British Army Major Micha Hatton said of the exercise: “This has been a big learning experience for the first time to be working with the 1st Panzer Division, to be validated and rolling out all of our functional areas to be tested under the German division.”
British Army officers from 20 Brigade may only be on a temporary assignment lasting a few weeks with the German army, but it is not expected to be the last. (Source: Forces.net)
06 Dec 23. Cubic expands indirect fire training product line. Cubic Defence is expecting a low rate initial production (LRIP) contract for its 81 mm mortar solution from the US Army, and has secured an interim 105 mm Light Gun simulator contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). The company has also made progress in developing its indirect fire simulation solutions, according to representatives.
Speaking to Janes at Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2023 in Orlando, Florida, Alastair Parkinson, director training delivery portfolio at Cubic Defence UK, said that the company has taken a “product line approach” to the development of indirect fire simulators, which offer an “instrumented capability for mortars and howitzers that provides a collective capability as well as crew and individual training”. (Source: Janes)
04 Dec 23. Treydora, the groundbreaking production company at the forefront of AI and VR technology, is ushering in a new era of military training with its innovative VR platform. Delivering profoundly enhanced statistical analysis, combat training exercises, and mock-ups, Treydora is revolutionizing how armed forces prepare for the challenges of modern warfare.
A New Dimension in Statistical Analysis
Welcome To The World Of Treydora Where Anything Is Possible
In the complex and dynamic arena of military operations, data is a critical asset. Treydora’s VR platform provides military professionals with a system for enhanced statistical analysis. Through Treydora’s immersive simulations, armed forces can gather invaluable data on soldier performance, strategic decision-making, and equipment efficiency. This data-driven approach allows military leaders to quickly identify areas for improvement and enhance overall operational effectiveness.
“VR allows us to create highly realistic scenarios where military personnel can operate in a controlled environment,” says Treydora CEO, Mark Loudermilk. “The technology provides us with detailed insights into their decision-making processes and responses. The resulting statistical analysis is instrumental in refining training programs and optimizing military strategies.”
Training Exercises in a Virtual Realm
Traditional military training exercises often face logistical challenges and safety concerns, as well as being financially costly operations to undertake. Treydora addresses these issues by offering immersive VR training exercises that replicate real-world scenarios. From urban warfare to complex tactical missions, military personnel can engage in realistic training exercises without the need to expend costly physical resources.
Moreover, the VR military training modules developed by Treydora bypass the limitations of traditional training methods. Soldiers can practice teamwork, communication, and decision-making skills in a cost-effective and risk-free environment, while still preparing them accurately and effectively for the complexities of real-world combat situations.
Mock-Ups for Enhanced Readiness
The ability to simulate and visualize military equipment and environments is a game-changer for military readiness. The Treydora platform excels at creating intricate VR mock-ups that allow military personnel to interact with and explore various scenarios. From vehicle simulations to weapon systems, soldiers can familiarize themselves with new equipment and environments before encountering them in the field.
Advanced Virtual Warfare – Enhanced Real-World Security
By transforming the scope of the military training process, the Treydora platform is not only reducing the cost and risks associated with traditional training exercises but is significantly enhancing the effectiveness of the armed forces. As AI and VR technologies continue to advance, the partnership between Treydora Productions and military entities promises to push the boundaries of what is possible in military training exercises.
Through its cutting-edge VR applications, Treydora Productions is not just creating simulations, it’s shaping the future of military readiness in any number of complex environments. With Treydora, it seems that VR has finally matured from being a technology used to fight aliens into a powerful resource used to deal with real-world threats. (Source: PR Newswire)
04 Dec 23. DIO supports largest military training exercise on Salisbury Plain. Thousands of troops have been involved in one of the largest military training exercises to take place on the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA): Exercise Wessex Storm.
Exercise Wessex Storm takes place multiple times a year and involves approximately 1,500 to 2,000 troops from the army, and sometimes personnel from the Royal Air Force (RAF) over a two-week period.
Coming to a close last month, the exercise saw the culmination of weeks of planning and on-site support for DIO’s Defence Training Estate (DTE) staff on SPTA.
Planning and managing an exercise of this magnitude takes months of organisation and behind-the-scenes work, and it’s the DIO’s DTE staff that enable this to happen. From an initial brief, the team are responsible for locating the right training area to meet the needs of the exercising troops, (in this case SPTA, which is the size of the Isle of Wight!) allocating a specific location on the training area for each unit to exercise, and managing any conflicts should anything change. The team also enables the logistics, food and accommodation for the troops and other supporting teams once they arrive on SPTA. Once the training is underway, the team ensure that the individual elements of the exercise run smoothly, efficiently, and safely by offering on-site guidance and support.
It’s not only troop safety that is a priority during an exercise of this size: there could be implications for the public too, as the exercise takes place across the entire plain for two weeks and involves a lot of troops, fast moving vehicles and pyrotechnics.
The DTE staff take public safety on the training estate very seriously, as WO2 Mark Devlin, Training Safety Marshal for SPTA explains:
Public safety is a key priority for us. When an exercise of this size and complexity takes place across the plain, we have a responsibility to make sure that the public, as well as our exercising troops, are kept safe.
We monitor the plain throughout the exercise, and if we come across any members of the public, we tell them that the exercise is taking place, how they might be impacted, and where they can find more information about how and when to access the area safely.
Our key message to the public is that the training area can go from calm to combat in an instant. We encourage the public to make use of this beautiful area but to stick to the paths and rights of way, adhere to the signage and red flags, and to visit the GOV.UK website to find out when and where you can access the area safely.
The aim of Exercise Wessex Storm is to provide troops with realistic, varied training focused on fighting in built-up areas and preparing for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear warfare, as well as fighting in woods and forests. There are also opportunities to practice casualty evacuation without helicopter support.
Over 1,500 soldiers from the 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team (LM BCT) took part in the exercise. 7 LM BCT is the army’s deployable Light Mechanised Brigade. The brigade consists of a light cavalry regiment, and four light-mechanised infantry battalions with supporting artillery, engineering, logistics, and medical regiments integrated into a BCT.
During the exercise, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (SCOTS DG) were challenged to prove their readiness to respond to international threats, supported by a company from the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, making up the combined arms Battle Group (BG). Soldiers from 3 medical regiments and one Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer (REME) also took part to provide realism.
The exercise was broken down into a week of company-level live fire exercises, followed by a two-week field training exercise for the whole BG.
Maj Andrew Lucas, OC C Company 2 Royal Anglian, who was involved in one of the tactical exercises said:
Exercise Wessex Storm was a great opportunity for C Company, the Royal Anglian Regiment. We were hugely supported by the Royal Army of Oman, the Grenadier Guards and small teams from the London Regiment, the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Signals, and the Royal Army Medical Corps.
It was a challenging and rewarding exercise, operating on foot across the whole of Salisbury Plain, often by night and from hasty harbour areas, with expeditionary logistics and a live, thinking enemy.
Tactical engagement simulation was excellent, and the 3 objectives of Greenlands Farm, Copehill Down and Imber Village provided a challenging test for the battle group.
Salisbury Plain was an ideal location for this training, and we are grateful to the DIO staff for planning and organising such a vital and realistic training experience that helps to prepare our troops for operations here and abroad.
At over 38,000 hectares (94,000 acres), Salisbury Plain is the UK’s largest training area, and offers first-class and diverse training facilities that enable the British Army to meet its training requirements, and prepare for operations worldwide. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)