16 Issue No. 42 “Today RAF Typhoons have deployed to RAF Saxon, a cold war era base off the NE coast of Scotland, to deter probing Russian aircraft and navy assets that are active on our Northern border. A Defence spokesperson said that an Expeditionary Air Wing, with its Force Protection assets would be operating there for the foreseeable future”. Well, that was the setting for Ex SOUTHERN SUNRISE, the deployment of the RAuxAF Regt Sqns on their combined, overseas, Annual Continuation Trg to the Falkland Islands. With personnel attending from most of the RAuxAF Regt Sqns the challenge was to develop and test Gnrs in a realistic air-based scenario. The biggest challenge for the individual would be mastering the environment allowing them to deliver effect, the Falklands Spring weather ranges from the most severe winter conditions to sunshine that would challenge the warmest of the UK summers. Aux Wg in the Falklands Ex Southern Sunrise “It was a great opportunity to test Gnrs in a challenging and austere environment where the weather and terrain posed just as many obstacles as the exercise enemy” – Flt Cdr Planned by 20 FP Wg and 2623 Sqn, a permanent trg and support team, based on the 2623 Sqn HQ, deployed forward and would remain on the islands and operate from Mount Pleasant Camp (MPC) for the month. This support team was further supplemented by a variety of personnel from both the Regular and Reserve Force. This provided specialist drivers, chefs, medics and a media team to increase the effectiveness of the ex. The planning had started over 6 months before the deployment and vehicles, along with an Iso full of equipment, arrived by ship (the FIRS) before the arrival of the exercise personnel. Those training would arrive in 2 waves, separated by a week. To increase the realism and test the functioning of the A1 cell, a Mounting Control Centre was established at 2623 Sqn RAuxAF Regt at RAF Honington to process personnel as they mounted and dismounted from theatre. On arrival in the Falklands time was set aside for briefings, orders and battle procedure. Each wave would consist of the following: • QRF. A live firing package that would take Reserve Gnrs from individual skills through to fire team operations by day and night, including the use of grenades in tactical situations utilising Onion Ranges. • Patrols. In an austere patrol base, each wave (flight by this stage!) would conduct patrols to dominate a key terrain feature overlooking MPC. • On Base Activity. Operating on an active air base, sections would conduct internal FP operations that keep deployed RAF assets safe. • Force Development. A guide led exercise to learn some of the lessons of Falklands Conflict and small unit actions in such austere conditions. To increase the realism, helicopter moves were the normal method of movement. “I’d never thrown a grenade tactically before and to do this was awesome!” – AS1
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