70 FIELD COMPANY EXERCISE ELIGIUS ARTEMIS

As part of 7 Aviation Support Battalion’s continued commitment to high levels of deployability and total professionalism, elements of the Battalion spearheaded by 70 Field Company, deployed on Ex ELIGIUS ARTEMIS: a demanding week-long Individual Training Requirement (ITR) package.

The first exercise of the year, Ex ELIGIUS ARTEMIS intended to re-establish a wider understanding of core soldiering skills; the package ran through an interesting teaching phase, before transitioning to an intense and demanding assessment phase; assessing participants in a scenario-based environment.

The Ex ELIGIUS ARTEMIS warfighting scenario was built around the real-world concept of constructing a Company-Group location within the Brigade Support Headquarters (BSG) area of responsibility. After a testing forced march, the

Company established its Platoon areas, digging in to avoid the indirect fires threat; a required skill highlighted by recent global conflicts. Upon the establishment of the Company Headquarters location, the deployed soldiers started their reception, staging, onward movement and integration package, enjoying a revisionary session on the basic fieldcraft skills required to keep soldiers alive when operating in testing environments.

Days two and three of the exercise saw each Platoon rotate through several teaching serials, with the deployed elements practicing their communications, counter explosive ordnance, battlefield casualty drills, captured persons and of course, navigation skills; all of which are essential for a soldier to practice and maintain.

Day four started with a refresher on the key principles of fire and manoeuvre; the hardest, but perhaps most important task asked of any soldier. In the morning, the Platoons ran through a series of drills, from individual fire and movement, to pairs, fire teams and finally, section attacks. In the afternoon, after receiving quick battle orders, each Platoon cycled through a series of tests, where they had to prove routes and clear vulnerable points of possible enemy activity. In these dynamic serials all the key skills that had been taught in the day’s prior were tested in a fast-paced scenarios.

The last day culminated in multiple Platoon attacks, seeing exercising troops deliberately clear and hold large areas of ground, enabling the echeloning through of the BSG headquarters, within the exercise timeline.

The first exercise scaled to a Company deployment in recent history for the Battalion; Ex ELIGIUS ARTEMIS proved 70 Field Company and the wider 7 Aviation Support Battalion’s ability for intraoperability and decisive action, ahead of more complex exercises scheduled for later this year.

Vehicle Platoon

Since returning from Ex ASKARI PHOENIX in Nanyuki, Kenya, Vehicle Platoon have been supporting 1, 3 and 4 AAC on multiple ES task requests as well as 47 Regt RA. The new year saw the Platoon deploy to Yeovil, enabling 1 AAC with their Ex TALON GUARDIAN rehabilitation. Then, they were requested to support 3AAC’s preparation for Ex TALON GUARDIAN. In addition to their land ES duties, the Platoon have also put on a Range day, providing valuable ITR support to their Company Headquarters element.

Electronic And General Platoon

Electronic and General (E&G) Platoon have provided both Armourer and Recovery Mechanic support to both the 1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team’s units as well as those units in the Joint Helicopter Command since their return from Kenya. Pre-Christmas saw E&G Platoon conduct what is believed to be the first ever Sea King Recovery activity. Since returning from Christmas leave, the Recovery department have provided support to 1, 3 and 6 AAC. As with Vehicle Platoon, this has mostly been in support of Ex TALON GUARDIAN. The Armourer department have been hard at work, conducting Mandatory Equipment Inspections for 675 and 678 Sqn AAC.