Flexible Adaptation
Szöveg: Balázs Trautmann | 2011. április 27. 15:51If the weather is bad and the helicopters are late, it does not matter – just get on the cargo bed of a Rába all-terrain truck. Nature cannot defeat an infantryman so easily: the “enemy” radar station must be destroyed. This is exactly what happened on the slopes of the foggy Kőris-hegy (Ash Hill).
The exercise conducted in mid-November demonstrated very impressively how changeable the weather can be. While the troops of the HDF 25/88th Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) were enjoying bright sunshine and temperatures of 16° Celsius during the pre-exercise training phase, the situation was altogether different when we visited them during the live exercise (LIVEX) phase. But the weather did not deter Commanding Officer Col. Dr. Romulusz Ruszin and the soldiers under him: they did their best in the given circumstances.
Do your best!
During the week of the exercise the personnel of the battalion’s three rapid reaction companies were preparing for the execution of a live fire tactical training exercise (LFTT) involving attack and transport helicopters. While on the Wednesday they had typical early autumn weather with bright sunshine during the pre-exercise training phase, on the following day November truly arrived at Kőris-hegy and the zero point (which is on the line of departure (LOD)), so the specifications and the execution had to be adjusted to the weather conditions.
“We wanted to plan a complex exercise", Col. Ruszin said. Therefore the LFTT for the company task forces involved every weapon at the LIB’s disposal, , including 37 type 82mm mortars and RPG–7 hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers as well as 9K111 (Fagot) and 9K115–2 (Metis) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) , all of which were fired on the shooting range.
Preparations for the exercise started in 2009 when the troops commenced training for providing combined fire support using mortars, ATGMs and attack helicopters in close air support (CAS) role over the same range and airspace.
In 2010, the LIB took this kind of interoperability one stage further, meaning that the maneuvers are to be conducted by a maneuver company tasked with providing fire support. This is a complex assignment for the Officers Commanding (OCs) of the companies so they must receive proper training for this type of mission. During the task execution phase the company is reinforced with the battalion’s anti-tank unit and a Forward Air Controller Team (FACT), so the OCs are tasked with directing the fire of the attack helicopters as well. Furthermore, by using the battalion assault command post (ACP) they can request mortar fire from the mortar sections assigned to the battalion’s order of battle (ORBAT), which adds further complexity to the OCs’ and the companies’ mission.
Ground and air assaults
Eventually, that was what happened during the exercise. Although the cloudy, foggy weather hindered the helicopters’ action, it did not hinder the personnel of the battalion’s three companies. Their performance in three “acts" was spectacular, effective, and last but not least safely executed. 1 Company and 2 Company launched the above-mentioned truck-aided air assault operation, but thanks to the slightly improving weather, 3 Company was able to deploy with the support of two transport helicopters which arrived to join the exercise from the transport helicopter battalion of the HDF 86th Szolnok Helicopter Base.
Photo: Tünde Rácz and László Tóth
