Fire Blade 2017: 300 Flight Hours, 40,000 Rounds and Rockets Fired

Starting on 1 May, the helicopter exercise Fire Blade 2017 has ended successfully. During the last two weeks the Hungarian, Belgian, German, Austrian and Slovenian aircrews successfully accomplished a number of combined and national missions.

Lt.-Col. Péter Simon, the Deputy Commander of the Air Task Force gave us a glimpse into the results achieved. As he told us, during the last 12 days, the participants flew a total of over 300 hours and fired more than 40,000 rounds and rockets on a designated range of the HDF Bakony Combat Training Centre. Besides, they carried out a number of joint tasks in excellent cooperation with the Hungarian and Austrian SOF troops. In connection with that, Péter Simon underlined that “it is a special pleasure to be able to work with the SOF troops, they are doing their job very professionally. We are a support arm, the helicopters support the combat of the ground forces, and it is very important that we can exercise it frequently in an international task force too".

“For us, this has been a very important exercise, as we always seek opportunities for our pilots and air crews to develop further", Col. Pál Szűcs, the OCE of Exercise Fire Blade 2017 said. He added that it was for this reason that they requested the European Defence Agency to hold the exercise in Hungary this year.

Lt.-Col. Roel Cuppes, an officer of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and an EDA representative told us that the staff of the European Defence Agency is very happy, because all objectives have been achieved, and the exercise ended with good results. This goes for the multinational flights, the diverse set of tactical missions, and for the national training programs of the different nations. The Germans practiced transport of underslung loads and night flying, the Slovenians conducted door gunner training, just like the Belgians, who even held a night live firing event as well.

Alongside the Hungarian forces, the personnel of the four nations deploying to Hungary for the exercise were hosted by the HDF Pápa Air Base. “On arrival we had to receive the air assets as well as the corresponding equipment and personnel transported by road. We had to accommodate and cater for them, and we provided transport for them on and off base. We provided force protection of the base and the aircraft, fire service and air traffic control service for them. The aerodrome is operated round the clock, so it is continuously ready to receive aircraft, and of course, the reception of more than 10 helicopters always requires concentration. We augmented the personnel on duty with 50-55 personnel so that we can perform our tasks" , Base Commander Col. László Gangler said in explaining the expansion of tasks necessitated by the exercise.

In answer to our question, he added that the last two weeks were a rich source of experience for the personnel of the air base, because they were able to practice English and had insight into the operation of helicopter types that are rarely seen in Hungary.

During the closing part of the exercise that was open to the press, the participating forces carried out a raid-like strike on the enemy formed of the OPFOR Company of the HDF Bakony Combat Training Centre in the Újdörögd ruin city. After the arrival of the helicopters, the SOF troops debarked them and seized the objectives, secured the area and left the area of operations as dynamically as they arrived.

The spectacular display was attended, among others, by Deputy Chief of Defence Gen. Dr. Zoltán Orosz and Maj.-Gen. János Huszár, Commander, HDF Joint Force Command.

On balance, the exercise have produced positive results. The Hungarian and foreign soldiers spoke with appreciation about each other and the cooperation that they had on innumerable occasions demonstrated over the last two weeks.