COLCHESTER soldiers have demonstrated their ability to rapidly reinforce NATO troops in a European country in the event of a crisis.
The British Army’s global response force, which includes the 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, took part in a realistic exercise in Estonia.
The operation, named Exercise Swift Response, saw 2,300 soldiers, sailors and aviators, from four NATO nations take part.
It was designed to test how they could get a foothold against armed opposition – known as joint forcible entry.
During the start of the mission Pathfinders, the 16 Air Assault's advance force, entered Estonia to locate an area for 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment Battlegroup to arrive by parachute and helicopter.
140 British and US paratroopers then jumped from a US Air Force transport aircraft to a drop zone in Nurmsi marked by Pathfinders.
Kiltsi airfield was then captured by British and Polish paratroopers in an air assault operation using the Apache attack, Wildcat reconnaissance, and Chinook support helicopters of 4 Regiment Army Air Corps Battlegroup.
Once Kiltsi was secured, paratroopers were lifted from Nurmsi by Chinooks while a specialist airfield damage repair team from 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment brought the runway into operation.
Over the next 24 hours, more troops, equipment and vehicles arrived in Kiltsi by aircraft.
1st Batallion Royal Irish Regiment pushed out into the surrounding countryside in patrol vehicles to enhance security.
The exercise reached its climax following the delivery of a powerful artillery system known as The 70km sniper.
This carried out a simulated fire mission to strike targets to allow the force to make its next move.
Brigadier Mark Berry, Commander of 16 Air Asslt BCT, said: “16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team is uniquely ready - for any operation, any task, anywhere in the world.
“We use air manoeuvre to make us faster in our deployments and to give us the reach to deliver military effect anywhere in the world.”
The training is part of Steadfast Defender 24, NATO’s largest military exercise since the Cold War.
90,000 troops from all 32 NATO allies, including 20,000 British personnel, were part of this training to reinforce European defences.
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