The ‘‘Garellano’’ Regiment trains alongside units of the Army Helicopter Forces

Patrol during one of the exercises (Photo: RI "Garellano" nº 45)

Aboard the helicopter (Photo: RI "Garellano" nº 45)

VAMTAC transported by helicopter (Photo: RI "Garellano" nº 45)

The “Guipúzcoa” Battalion, of the 45th Infantry Regiment “Garellano”, carried out a double exercise involving tactical subgroups in collaboration with units from the Army Helicopter Forces (known by their Spanish acronym, FAMET). The exercise took place from 11 to 15 April at the training field and shooting range “La Rad de Lasuén” and two abandoned villages of the Sierra de Cameros, in La Rioja.

The Battalion, based at the garrison “Soyeche” (Munguía), organised a company-level LIVEX exercise and a continuous training day for two tactical subgroups at the aforementioned field – which is close to the Agoncillo base, headquarters of the 3rd Manoeuvre Helicopter Battalion – and at the two abandoned villages of Ribalmaguillo and Santa Cecilia.

The exercise involved 121 members of the 1st and 2nd Rifle Companies, the Reconnaissance Section and the Health Squad of the Battalion’s Services Company, together with two units from the 10th Field Artillery Group (based at Cerrio Muriano, Córdoba), made up of JTACs and OFAs (Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Aerial Fire Observers, respectively), and an Anti-Aircraft Artillery Defence Unit equipped with a Mistral battery.

The contribution of FAMET to this exercise was three HT-27 Cougars from the 3rd Manoeuvre Helicopter Battalion, two HT-17 Chinooks from the 5th Transport Helicopter Battalion and two HA-28 Tigers from the 1st Attack Helicopter Battalion.

The exercise comprised signalling helicopter touchdown zones under day and night conditions; embarking and disembarking from the aircraft in different situations; and attacks on enemy positions in regular conditions, by coups de main and infiltrating on foot. In addition, a VAMTAC was flown in by an HT-17 Chinook. Finally, the good condition of the 300-meter shooting range made is possible to carry out section live fire exercises.

Activities also included an air insertion from the “Soyeche” garrison to Sierra de Cameros for a pre-dawn attack, after which the same aircraft carried out an air extraction back to the garrison.

With this double exercise, the 45th Regiment “Garellano” underwent inter-force training, more complex and versatile than regular training, to put to the test the capabilities of the unit – which is now integrated into the 10th Mechanised Infantry Brigade “Guzmán el Bueno”, based in Córdoba. In addition, the exercise served to improve cohesion between the 1st and the 2nd Rifle Companies and increase their combat capabilities, by using procedures different from those of their day-to-day training.