2/2015 a Well-Balanced Military Force 2 There Are Three New Jaguars in Brno, Baring Their Teeth 33

2/2015 A Well-balanced Military Force 2 There are Three New Jaguars in Brno, Baring their Teeth 33

All won 50 All round defence Air support contents Upon reaching the meeting point, all vehicles The effort by units in training came to head A Well-balanced Military Force 2 take their positions to form the round defence. with a live fire. The play for the final operation Commanders read the maps well in preparati- involved a joint patrol in the area of responsibi- Military ranks and rank corps 6 on; every CO knows where to go and instruct lity, which came under attack by a strong oppo- drivers, top gunners cover their fire sectors at nent. The unit even called a close air support MoD Defence Decorations 7 once. After taking their positions, searchers are with a pair of L-159 light combat aircraft dro- Czech Armed Forces’ Foreign ordered to dismount. Two soldiers jump off each pping bombs on the insurgents’ positions. ME- Deployments and Missions 8 vehicle to do the recce. Then the crews leave DEVAC came in for casualties, and had to be their vehicles to complement all round defence covered by another attack helicopter due to Noble Jump 2015 21 formed by the vehicles. strong enemy activity. Firing from handguns as “Only when we find out the environs of the well as mounted weapons, the Czech-Slovak pa- Czech Fighters over Iceland 24 check point is safe, the officer going for the trol managed to repel the attack and carried on meeting dismounts. He is accompanied by in- their mission. ”The chosen exercise play derives Success contingent on logistic 26 terpreter and also bodyguards,“ Captain Radek exactly from situations the soldiers from Hrani- Šoman, a force protection company comman- ce will be up to on everyday basis downrange EOD training 30 der, elaborates on what will follow. “The meeting in Afghanistan,“ Colonel Kopecký comments on must be quick; the unit may not be in place for goings-on in the site. ”In provision of security to There are Three New Jaguars in Brno, long. Any delay gives the opponent a chance to the Bagram airfield, they will be responsible for Baring their Teeth 33 respond to our presence,“ the commander adds. covering and protecting their assigned area to Terrorists over Temelín 36

Danube Ride 38

Successors to the Black Bear 40

People Around Us 42

The Libavá Military Training Area in the Czech Republic was the venue to multinational exercise Ebonite For the First Time “On His Own” 44 Javelin 15 Africa Attracts Him 46

One Team 48

All won 50 Ebonite Javelin hitting Italian Blade 2015 54 Warrior 2015 56 the target Time to move on 58 prevent the insurgency from shelling or threate- Falconers 61 ning the strategic Allied base otherwise.“ th A patrol of the 5 Force Protection Company sets out for their area “The whole training was designed to hone He Once Experienced All this 62 of responsibility with the mission to provide security coverage for skills and abilities essential for foreign deployed A Handful of the Brave 64 a meeting of the company commander and commander of an Afghan operations. Czech and Slovak soldiers practised patrolling, observation, searching, maintaining National Police unit. Following necessary planning process that security, protection of critical infrastructure, goes down into finest level of detail, a group of six Tatra 810 trucks establishing checkpoints, search and apprehension of persons of interest. They also trained Published by MoD Czech Republic replicating heavy armoured hardware used in Afghanistan negotiates Communication and Promotion Department local dense traffic without problems. their shooting and driving abilities,“ Major Pře- Tychonova 1, 160 01 Praha 6, Czech Republic mysl Štěpánek evaluated the benefits of the www.army.cz exercise. Identification number: 60162694 The commander of the Slovak Brigade Co- The drivers have been through the Riders deployment in Afghanistan and Bosnia and Her- lonel Kubáň was also satisfied with the perfor- Address: Rooseveltova 23, 161 05 Praha 6, Czech Republic training course: they know that they must win zegovina there for two weeks. mance of his soldiers. ”Cooperation and joint Phone: +420 973 215 648, +420 973 215 786 respect through aggressive driving and minimi- “This style of driving requires that drivers training with other nations’ armed forces are se the possibility of attack on the convoy, inclu- maintain perfect coordination and absolute always useful; commanders, staffs and soldiers Editor-in-chief: Vladimír Marek Layout: Andrea Bělohlávková ding by a victim borne IED. That was one of the concentration,“ says one of the drivers, Corporal have opportunities to compare the procedures fragments of the multinational exercise Ebonite Roman Polívka. “We must accelerate and dece- they follow and enrich their experience.“ The Translation: Jan Jindra, Jaroslav Furmánek, Jiří Mareš Javelin 15 that took place in the Libavá Military lerate sharply, change the direction and main- Slovak commander also thanked Czech service Cover photo: CMM 3ºREI Training Area in June earlier this year. tain separation of just several feet. New tactical personnel for the facilities and universal support Distributed by MHI Prague, Production Section procedure require that other vehicles were also his soldiers received. Rooseveltova 23, 161 05 Praha 6, Czech Republic able to see forward; we therefore may not drive Oľga Endlová, tel. +420 973 215 563 Predeployment prepping behind each other, but with a side separation in Printed by: EUROPRINT, a. s. Almost 400 soldiers of the 71st Mechanised order for the vehicle commanders to see the ve- ISSN 1804-9672 Battalion and their colleagues from the Slo- hicle riding in front of him,“ CPL Polívka expands by First Lieutenant Radek Hampl and Vladimír Marek, Registration number: MK ČR E 18227 vak 11th Mechanised Battalion prepared for on some of the driving principles. photos by 1LT Hampl Published in November 2015 2 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 3

Lieutenant General Josef Bečvář: Our goal is to increase manning levels, emphasise human resources, matter whether in the mountains or at sea. I also attain increased defence appropriations and launch major system replacement programs had a chance to get to know many interesting people there.

How does France differ from the Czech Republic, is life calmer there, are people more cool there? Certainly not. That is only a look from the A Well-balanced outside, the way we like to think about France, but probably not completely true. When you live there for an extended period of time, you are able to see things that escape tourists’ attention at the first sight. As every country, France Military Force has two faces. One is hectic France of big cities, including Paris. Then there is the other France, the one feeling good, nicely scenting, with vi- neyards, orchards, lavender and fields. But it At the beginning of May earlier cannot compare to the Czech Republic. Each this year, Lieutenant General country is specific and each has its charms. Josef Bečvář became the Chief Do you not regret a bit that contacts between our ar- of General Staff Czech Armed med forces are no longer that intensive as was the Forces. Five months plus on, he case in between the World Wars? going Afghanistan in French mountains, there is I do understand general officers retire from the discusses the current condition That depends on how you judge those rela- training in tropical environment and many addi- military in a natural way sooner, but the Chief of of the armed forces and tions. If we speak about how often our soldiers tional activities. General Staff should be a different case. That is travel to France for exercises or education, and also my experience from France, where the Chief challenges the Czech military will contrarily how often French soldiers come to us, Over those years, you have gained a good famili- of Defence simply leaves the military on his old- be up to in the years to come. we would conclude cooperative activities are arity with the French military; where do you think -age retirement. not that intensive as with the United States, Ger- we could get some inspiration, and what we could many or United Kingdom. That is however not learn from them? Did you have a chance to follow developments in to say that cooperation between our countries I do not like to draw a comparison between the Czech Armed Forces and what was your vision those things. We would compare something when you assumed the new post? that cannot be objectively compared, be it the Everything started when I spoke with General personnel strength, responsibilities, or the fact Pavel back in February 2014 about the possibi- that we do not have any Navy. We would surely lity for me to continue service in the post of the identify many additional differences. When I li- 1st Deputy Chief of General Staff. I welcomed that ved in France and followed the developments offer. So, I had a chance for more than a year in the French military, it was critically impor- to consult, discuss and work many issues with tant to grasp the esprit as to the Armed Forces’ General Pavel and Deputy CHODs, and be invol- position in the society, how highly respected it ved in preparation of the Czech Armed Forces is, what rights it has and what it represents for Development Concept. Although I had served the citizens. The French Armed Forces enjoys outside the Czech Republic for three years be- and maintains a huge credit in this respect. It fore that, the last year was very useful for me to is highly valued, it has its authorisation, its pi- gain appropriate degree of familiarity and have votal position including in peacetime. As to sol- input into some of the matters covered under diers themselves, there is one thing that stands the Concept. My vision is essentially formulated a good example for us: French soldiers treasure in the Concept. It is naturally not my vision only; a high loyalty for the French Republic and the it is a shared vision by other general officers and French Armed Forces. senior leaders in the General Staff and the Mi- nistry of Defence. Our shared goal is to again You are the oldest Chief of General Staff in the mo- increase manning levels, emphasise personnel, dern history of the Czech Armed Forces. Do you not make sure defence appropriations increase and think that the Czech general officers retire from the progressive replacement of major systems co- military too soon, that they could still use their ex- mmences, particularly in the Land Forces. perience in top-ranking positions? I may really be the oldest acting Chief of Ge- When you were offered to serve as the 1st Deputy When you were offered the post of the Chief of the past. Did you know you were up to four years the replacement should come; longer period would not be on very good quality standards. neral Staff in the modern history of the Czech Chief of General Staff, did it occur to you that it General Staff, was it a clear-cut decision making for of working twelve hours daily with almost no free would be outside anyone’s compass. We serve shoulder-to-shoulder with the French Armed Forces. But I do think that age is optimal would be a sort of an standby reserve for the top you, or did you take some time for consideration? weekends, did it not discourage you, and did your on many deployed operations. I would ra- for this position. The post of the Chief of Ge- military position? It was a clear-cut decision. On the other hand, wife or your family not tell you should choose a cal- General, you spent years in your service career ther see it from the perspective of operational neral Staff should be the peak of both military I certainly did not realise that. The selection of one always has to ponder such serious things. mer job? in France; you studied in Melun and later at École deployments. We are presently deployed toge- service career and working career for the indivi- a new Chief of General Staff is relatively compre- So I did take some time off to think and then I have always consulted any major decision in Militaire in Paris. You even worked as the Czech ther with France in Mali for the European Union dual. The outgoing Chief of General Staff should hensive machinery. It involves consulting among accepted the offer with appropriate respect ade- relation to my service career with my family in the Republic’s defence attaché in France. Do you have Training Mission and we had our military me- not already be somewhat indecently exposed to the Defence Minister, the Cabinet and the Pre- quate to its importance. The fact of the matter past. On the other hand I always kept the last say a weakness for that country? dics serving as part of a French military hospital. what are not always positive effects of the com- sident. But the opinion of the outgoing Chief of is that to serve as a Chief of Defence represents for me, including thanks to a huge understanding Sure. I was keen to learn about that coun- Not to speak about deployments in the Balkans, petitive environment in the job market. Indeed, General Staff is also voiced, and it is consulted in a huge professional but also personal challenge. of my family. To work as the Chief of Defence is try already in my youth. I thought about how where we also met with French service perso- the position of CHOD is difficult to grasp in the parliamentary committees. It is a pretty complex It is universally unique a not really easy position. truly challenging, and it also affects the family. life was there. Later on, and particularly in my nnel. Considering all of that, the cooperative ties civilian life in many respects. In my view, it is matter. So, on my return to the Czech Republic There is much less time to spare on your fami- military career, I was lucky to eventually spend are pretty strong. After all, our training in France therefore not correct for CHODs to retire from I did not have a slightest clue it could end up You have a high familiarity with the General Staff – ly and indeed your hobbies. Four years in such eight years in France. I do have a weakness for is also considerable. For instance our helicopter the military already in their fifties, which has al- this way and I could become the Chief of Ge- you served as the First Deputy Chief of General in a demanding position are truly a maximum. Then France, weakness for her wonderful sights, no guys do their predeployment training ahead of ready happened in the past. On the other hand neral Staff. 4 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 5

As you assumed office, you inherited the Czech we will need to distribute some of the projects As you mentioned the 7th Mechanised Brigade, new Armed Forces Development Concept that was just over an extended period of time. The important infantry fighting vehicles and even a new tank sys- about to be finalised. To what extent is the- docu thing though is there will be enough funding tem has been talked about in that connection. Is factsheet ment groundbreaking, did you have to step into it, or to start development as well as modernisation that realistic? are you satisfied with its final shape? programs. We also have sufficient funds for per- At present, there is a tank battalion in the th Josef Bečvář was born in Pilsen on 11 August 1958. He studied at the Military School in Moravská Třebová It should be made clear that the concept is not sonnel expenditures. That means we will be able order of battle of the 7 Mechanised Brigade. and then he graduated from the Army College in Vyškov, the artillery program. He started as a rocket troops a ground-breaking policy. It is a document that to carry on recruiting new soldiers in the next We plan to keep the tanks in the inventory, platoon commander and eventually became a fire battery commander. At the end of 1980s, he served as provides a primary analysis of what has happe- year. In total, we are short of roughly five thou- rearming of the tank battalion is definitely not a senior officer in the artillery staff of tank division and lead senior officer of the Military Police Directorate. ned in the Czech military in the past couple of sand service personnel; after some six years, we on the table now. That would claim huge costs In 1993, he studied a French Gendarmerie information course in Melun. Upon his return into the Czech years as a result of defence cuts that largely intend to have more incoming military profes- that we do not have enough funding for. The Republic, he became the deputy commander of the Military Police Command Prague. From 1997 through impacted personnel in particular. The situation sionals than those going out. The plan is we will existing tanks will be retained. I trust that my 2004, he served as the Chief of Military Police. At that time, he also studied at the École Militaire in Paris. He was quite critical; we were about to hit the rock get thousand new soldiers, and that is decisive successors will come back to it and the heavy completed studies of the Faculty of Law of the Charles University in Prague in 1995-96. From 2004 through bottom. It was necessary to say what we will for me. Over those four years, the Czech Armed hardware will be replaced at some point in the 2007 and then again in 2011-2014, he was the Czech Republic’s Defence Attaché in France. From April 2008, do about that. In this context, I should mention Forces will be in position to perform missions years ahead. The key thing though is that we he served three years as the Deputy Chief of General Staff – Chief of Staff. At the beginning of August 2014, he was appointed the First Deputy Chief of General Staff. my predecessor General Pavel, who articulated in a standard manner in adequate personnel want to build a military force that will be well- General Bečvář’s hobbies include horse riding, travelling and literature. those problems openly. The Government passed strength. We will get rid of so-called Emmental -balanced. We do not want to forget about the the defence budget just recently. The Ministry organisation structures and rather fill individual existence of tanks or artillery. While the arti- of Defence should have four billion CZK growth vacant positions with military professionals. All llery regiment only has two battalions at the year-to-year, which is truly a significant change modernisation projects are also high on priority moment, it is still a nucleus of something we Some are not completely sure that five thousand re- everything will naturally happen overnight gi- therefore not be completely right to launch after many years. Moreover, the prediction for list, with modernisation of the Land Forces be- may build upon in case of crisis. Then we would servists can be recruited; do you regard that num- ven the low funding in recent years. some mass campaigns just to rejuvenate the ar- the years 2017 and 2018 was also endorsed. And ing the foremost. That primarily applies to the build up another regiment on its basis. That is ber realistic? med forces. Soldiers manage to perform their that is the game-changer for the Czech Armed 7th Mechanised Brigade and the Artillery Regi- the prism we look at the armed forces’ structu- I do think it is realistic. Was it not a mistake in the past that individual duties and the population grows old too at the Forces Development Concept to be launched ment. We still have the legacy Praga V3S trucks re when we speak about a well-balanced mili- Active Reserve companies were assigned under the end of the day. In this situation, it makes no sen- at all. Naturally, one may never be absolutely in the inventory of the Land Forces. We seek to tary force. In connection with the Act on Reserve Soldiers, pe- command of the Regional Military Headquarters in se to insist on having young soldiers everywhere sure there will be enough money down the road replace them with a more advanced system too. ople say we could go even further to accommodate the past, which resulted in a barrier to have grown in the armed forces. The important thing is that for us to be able to implement it one hundred We are building another logistics support batta- Was it not a mistake that we perhaps paid a smaller them, that they have a better position in Poland, and between professional and reserve soldiers? they must be able to perform their missions. percent. The key thing is that the programs the lion. We also plan to procure multirole helico- attention to heavy weapons under the impression that is why they do not have problems with recruit- I do not think that would be a mistake. One concept envisions may now be launched. Maybe pters and radar systems. of Afghanistan? ment for reserve forces... part of the active reserve component will be tied The other uniformed services represent a conside- Afghanistan has been a big topic for us from Let us be realistic: all nations have some of to manoeuvre units, and the other part should rable competition for in the labour market. Do you 2002. When our engagement peaked we had kind of problems with the reserve component primarily be involved in territorial defence. The- believe the service conditions the new act stipula- something in the order of one thousand servi- and there will always be much room for impro- re are regional governors, crisis management tes will give us an edge in this respect? ce personnel deployed in Afghanistan. Such an vement. In case the Czech Republic finds out in system and the Regional Military Headquarters. I believe so. We concurred with the director extensive and challenging mission must have five years’ time that five thousand is a number There may be floods and other emergencies and for personnel that the amendment to Act 221 also naturally affected the peacetime structu- too low, then let us have six or ten thousand of it is therefore necessary for the reserve infantry is in many respects truly attractive for young re of the armed forces. Many of the Armed reservists, but we need to have appropriate con- companies to be involved in those cases and able people entering the military. The Czech natio- Forces’ operations were tied to the process of ditions for them in place. We have had a force to support the Integrated Emergency System. nal economy is on the rise though. Young peo- deploying and sustaining forces in that specific review done just recently and we have funding ple face a decision, whether they would pursue environment. Some people coin the term ”af- budgeted for five thousand reservists until 2020. The amendment to the Act No. 221 on Career Soldier their career in the military or in a civilian vocati- ghanisation“ of the military. I do not like to put It is not just that we pay them thousand Czech has been in force for three months. What are the on. I do think nevertheless that the settings are it that way, but our long-term engagement in korunas monthly and additional allowances for lessons gained so far; will it not need some additi- very good as to material and financial benefits that area no doubt affected the overall shape exercises, but we also need to have the boots, onal finetuning? associated with military service. Naturally, the- of our armed forces. I do not say nevertheless battledresses and other equipment for them, The Act newly gives a clear answer to every re is the Police, prison service and other secu- that the effect is necessarily negative. First of there must conditions in place for their proper military professional as to how their military ca- rity services or components of the Integrated all, we have learned a lot in Afghanistan and training and employment. So, there is a whole reer will evolve. What they should give to the Emergency System interested in pretty much proved we can do a good job in such a cha- package of additional measures that goes with military and what they may expect to get in turn. the same personnel pool, which is quite small. llenging environment, accomplish the mission, the number of five thousand. Same as any other fundamental change, the I am nevertheless confident that the amended and that is extremely valuable for the armed amendment solicits many reactions that we are Act will canvass young people. There are many forces’ morale. Your vision is that every reserve soldier should following very closely, particularly as concerns attractive opportunities in the military from ma- have his personal weapon, equipment and go for comments on remuneration policy. But it would nifold jobs to further education to the prospects Right after you assumed the office, you turned training performed with active-duty units of our be a mistake to draw hasty conclusions. We eva- of foreign operational deployments. There are much of your attention to the active reserve compo- military. That is a big novelty; do you seek to launch luate everything now and work with the State also many programs the civilian companies or nent, is it an important subject for you? the project already in the next year? Secretary to be able to submit to the Minister an other security services do not offer in such an It is an important part of our military. We pre- The Active Reserve Component needs to analysis at the end of this year and asses what extent. Soldiers have a special medical support, sently have about 1,250 members of the active be interconnected with the professional part needs to be done with the Act and implemen- physical training and many other benefits. reserve component. We nevertheless want to of our military to maximum extent possible. ting regulations. But I consider the amendment have five thousand reservists within four or five I would hate to see any dividing lines. That is positive as a whole. If there are some problema- What is the message you would like to convey to years in the reserve. Twenty five hundred out of why we already have preparations underway for tic matters to only come out in practise, we will soldiers in conclusion of this interview? them will perform missions in the territory in a training linked together to maximum extent. naturally seek to finetune those. I would like all armed forces members, not support of Regional Military Headquarters and If a tank company comprising military profes- only military professionals, but also defence ci- twenty five hundred will be assigned in organi- sionals goes for training into a military training The Czech Armed Forces has a pretty high average vilians and members of the active reserve com- sational components with manoeuvre battalion area, then let us have the reserve tank company age. Do you think the recruitment efforts underway ponent, to know that I highly value their diligent and brigade. I was in Přáslavice yesterday; there training alongside them. We would like to see may help decrease it? work and sacrifices they are making. My experi- is a tank battalion and a reserve tank company professional and reserve soldiers to know about What is a high and low age these days? ence has proven that I may fully rely on them, be acting next to it. That is the way it should be. De- each other as much as possible and share ex- I would not like to overestimate this subject. Yes they performing their missions in the home te- velopment of the active reserve is truly my high perience, for example when they go for lunch the armed forces has somewhat grown old. The rritory or on foreign deployments. We will rather priority. I trust that amendments will be passed into a dining facility. Simply the active reserve recruitment was mothballed and military pro- have more tasks in the years ahead, and they to defence legislation in this year to improve the must become a full-fledged and equal part of fessionals stayed in posts for longer as a result. will definitely be more challenging than today. conditions both for the reservists and indeed for the Armed Forces. That will have to apply to On the other hand, they gained more experien- their employers. the reserve forces’ equipment, although not ce and served more operational tours. It would by Vladimír Marek 6 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 7 Military ranks MoD Defence Decorations and rank corps 2nd Class Generals

3rd Class

General Lieutenant-General Major-General Brigadier-General

Senior officers

Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Major

Junior officers

National Defence Cross of the Minister of Golden Linden Decoration of the Minister of Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of Defence of the Czech Republic Defence of the Czech Republic the Czech Republic 1st Class

Captain First-Lieutenant Lieutenant

Senior non-commissioned officers 2nd Class

Chief Warrant Officer Senior Warrant Officer Warrant Officer Master Sergeant Sergeant First Class 3rd Class Junior non-commissioned officers

Staff Sergeant Sergeant Corporal

Enlisted personnel

Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Armed Forces Service Medal Czech Republic, For injury Czech Republic, For Service Abroad 1st Class Private First Class Private Images show embroidered rank insignia worn on field uniforms 8 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 9

(April–December 2004) Commanding officer: LTC Ladislav Buček Personnel: 7 Czech Armed Forces’ AFOR – Albania, Turkey ALBANIA, KAVAJE – A HUMANITARIAN AID MISSION Foreign Deployments Mission: Provide medical aid to Kosovar refugees and AFOR service personnel; provide specialist medical aid in the branch of and Missions traumatology, ENT, X-Ray, dentistry, cardiology and psychiatry; provide humanitarian aid to Kosovar UNPROFOR / UNCRO – (April 1994 – July 1995) 6th Mechanised Battalion refugees Commander Sector South: MG Rostislav Kotil (July–December 1996) YugoslaviaMission: establish and run Commanding Officer: COL Jaroslav Jásek TURKEY, GÖLCÜK – A HUMANITARIAN AID checkpoints; organising mobile observation (October 1995 – January 1996) Battalion commander: LTC Josef Prokš MISSION (aid after disastrous eathquake) teams; oversight of deposited weapons Commander Sector South: COL Karel Blahna Personnel: 669 Mission: provide specialist medical aid; provi- of warring parties; provide security the The 6th MechBn continued as part of SFOR from de medical and logistic support to provisional Croatian Podlapač community; patrolling and 20 December 1996. shelter camps humanitarian aid; escorting convoys carrying displaced persons from the Republic of Serbian IFOR – Bosnia 6th Mechanised Battalion Krajina into Croatia UNTAES – Croatia (November 1997 – August 1998) Bases: Knin, Borje, Jezerce, Udbina, Klapavica and Herzegovina FIELD HOSPITAL Commanding Officer: COL Jiří Kašpárek etc. Mission: implement indi- Mission: provide medical care to UN personnel Battalion commander: LTC Jozef Šemelák vidual parts of the Dayton Base: Klisa Personnel: 669 (March 1992 – April 1993) Accords; maintain militarily The 6th MechBn continued as part of SFOR II Battalion commander: LTC Karel Blahna secure environment; per- (March 1996 – March 1997) from June 1998. Personnel: 500 manently monitor activities Commanding Officer: MAJ Pavel Budínský of the formerly belligerent Personnel: 40 7th Mechanised Battalion (April 1993 – April 1994) armies in barracks and (August 1998 – March 1999) Battalion commander: COL Vladimír Braun staging locations; provide (April 1997 – March 1998) Commanding Officer: COL Ján Gurník Personnel: 500 organisational and logistic assistance to OSCE Commanding Officer: LTC Miloslav Matoušek Battalion commander: COL Jaroslav Pražan during elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina Personnel: 40 Personnel: 588 (April 1994 – March 1995) Bases: Donja Ljubija, Bosanska Krupa, Stari Battalion commander: COL Vojtěch Seidl Majdan, Arapuša, Brezičani 3rd Mechanised Battalion Personnel: 1,000 6th Mechanised Battalion SFOR – Bosnia (March–October 1999) (January–June 1996) Commanding Officer: COL Michal Vass (April 1995 – March 1996) Commanding officer: MG Jiří Šedivý and Herzegovina Battalion commander: LTC Vladimír Stříž Battalion commander: LTC Ľudovít Cirok Battalion commander: LTC Josef Sedlák Mission: supervise Personnel: 588 Personnel: 1,000 Personnel: 669 implementation of military aspects of the Dayton 1st Mechanised Battalion Accords; stabilising zones (October 1999 – April 2000) of separation; continue Commanding officer: COL Zdeněk Košvanec CZECH ARMED FORCES NATIONAL 6th Field Hospital (May–November 1999) to stabilise the secure Battalion commander: LTC Martin Květon REPRESENTATION IN SFOR II Commanding Officer: LTC Jindřich Sitta environment; assist in Personnel: 580 Bases: Zagreb, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Prijedor Personnel: 89 creating favourable environment for a safe return of refugees 43rd Mechanised Battalion (December 2001 – April 2002) and displaced persons, humanitarian aid and (April–October 2000) Commanding Officer: COL Miroslav Žižka KFOR – Kosovo reconstruction Commanding Officer: BG Vladimír Lavička Personnel: 15 Mission: safeguarding Bases: Donja Ljubija, Bosanska Krupa, Divulje, Battalion commander: LTC Aleš Opata the Administrative Border Velka Kladuša etc. Personnel: 580 (April–October 2002) Line separating Kosovo Commanding officer: COL Jaroslav Kolkus and Serbia; monitoring 6th Mechanised Battalion 4th Mechanised Battalion Personnel: 15 all activities at the ABL (December 1996 – February 1997) (October 2000 – April 2001) and in the border areas; Commanding officer: COL Jaroslav Jásek Commanding Officer: COL Jaroslav Lazorišák (October 2002 – April 2003) registering and ensuring Battalion commander: LTC Josef Prokš Battalion commander: LTC Radek Henner Commanding officer: COL Jiří Kuchař a safe return of displaced persons; creating Personnel: 669 Personnel: 580 Personnel: 8 conditions for the restoration of peaceful coexistence of Kosovar Serbs and Albanians; 6th Mechanised Battalion 5th Mechanised Battalion (April–October 2003) protection of cultural monuments; monitoring (March–November 1997) (April–December 2001) Commanding officer: LTC Petr Smola activities of the Kosovo Protection Corps and Commanding Officer: COL Zdeněk Mach Commanding Officer: COL Jan Neplech Personnel: 5 participation in its transformation and training. Battalion commander: LTC Pavel Jiráček Battalion commander: LTC Antonín Vícha Personnel: 669 Personnel: 580 (October 2003 – April 2004) Bases: Camp Sajkovac, Gazala Lines, Lipljan etc. Commanding officer: LTC Jaroslav Kulíšek Personnel: 7 10 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 11

6th Reconnaissance Company Battalion commander: 11th ACR Contingent KFOR Enduring Freedom (June 1999 – January 2000) LTC Zdeněk Havala (July 2007 – January 2008) Commanding Officer: MAJ Karel Klinovský from January 2004: Commanding Officer: LTC Milan Schulc – Kuwait Personnel: 196 LTC Josef Kopecký Personnel: 433 CBRN DEFENCE UNITS Personnel: 400 Ops Reserve Force Coy: 116 (in home station) Mission: protection of coaliti- 4th Reconnaissance Company on forces and civilian popula- (January–July 2000) 5th Czech-Slovak Battalion 12th ACR Contingent KFOR tion against intentional use of Commanding Officer: LTC Vladimír Podlipný KFOR (May–December 2004) (January–July 2008) chemical, biologic, radiological Personnel: 196 Commanding Officer: LTC Aleš Vodehnal Commanding Officer: LTC Jiří David or nuclear weapons or systems; Battalion commander: LTC Antonín Genser Personnel: 406 radiological, chemical and biologic surveillance 2nd Reconnaissance Company Personnel: 400 Ops Reserve Force Coy: 116 (in home station) coverage along with a sustained and continuous (July 2000 – January 2001) detection and early warning; performance of as- Commanding Officer: MAJ Zdeněk Pitner 6th ACR Contingent KFOR 13th ACR Contingent KFOR signments in support civil defence of the State Personnel: 196 (December 2004 – July 2005) (July 2008 – January 2009) of Kuwait; consequence management following Commanding Officer: LTC Jaroslav Trojan Commanding Officer: LTC Jiří Roček the use of weapons of mass destruction or acci- 7th Reconnaissance Company Battalion commander: MAJ Roman Náhončík Personnel: 402 dents in an assigned area of responsibility (January–July 2001) Personnel: 400 Ops Reserve Force Coy: 116 (in home station) Bases: Camp Doha, Kuwait City Commanding Officer: MAJ Vlastimil Rozumek Personnel: 196 7th ACR Contingent KFOR 14th ACR Contingent KFOR 9th Reinforced Chemical, Biologic, (July 2005 – January 2006) (January–July 2009) Radiological and Nuclear Defence Company 11th Reconnaissance Company Commanding Officer: COL Aleš Vodehnal Commanding Officer: LTC Róbert Bielený (March–September 2002) (July 2001 – January 2002) Personnel: 500 Personnel: 413 Commanding Officer: COL Josef Prokš Commanding Officer: MAJ Petr Smola Ops Reserve Force Coy: 100 (in home station) Ops Reserve Force Coy: 106 (in home station) from 5 August 02: LTC Dušan Lupuljev Personnel: 180 Personnel: 251 8th ACR Contingent KFOR 15th ACR Contingent KFOR 1st Czech-Slovak Battalion KFOR (January–July 2006) (July 2009 – February 2010) 4th Chemical, Biologic, Radiological and (January–July 2002) Commanding Officer: COL Miroslav Hlaváč Commanding Officer: LTC Jiří Kývala Nuclear Defence Detachment (September Commanding Officer: LTC Ľubomír Frk Personnel: 500 from 10 December 2009: LTC Jan Cífka 2002 – February 2003) Battalion commander: LTC Jiří Dragan Ops Reserve Force Coy: 100 (in home station) Personnel: 386 Commanding officer: COL Jan Weiser Personnel: 400 Ops Reserve Force Coy: 102 (in home station) Personnel: 251 9th ACR Contingent KFOR 2nd Czech-Slovak Battalion KFOR (July 2006 – January 2007) 16th ACR Contingent KFOR 1st Czech-Slovak Chemical, Biologic, (July 2002 – February 2003) Commanding Officer: LTC Pavel Lipka (February–October 2010) Radiological and Nuclear Defence Battalion Commanding Officer: LTC Aleš Opata Personnel: 448 Commanding Officer: LTC Martin Kavalír (February–June 2003) Battalion commander: MAJ Petr Procházka Ops Reserve Force Coy: 116 (in home station) Personnel: 322 Commanding officer: COL Dušan Lupuljev Personnel: 400 Ops Reserve Force Coy: 102 (in home station) Personnel: 395

3rd Czech-Slovak Battalion KFOR 10th ACR Contingent KFOR 1st CZE ORF KFOR (October 2010 – July 2011) (February–October 2003) (January–July 2007) Commanding Officer (home): LTC Jan Cífka ISAF / Resolute Support Commanding Officer: COL Rostislav Jaroš Commanding Officer: LTC Ladi- Personnel (home): 503 Battalion commander: LTC Josef Kopecký slav Švejda CO core force: MAJ Ladislav Horák (RS) – Afghanistan Personnel: 400 Personnel: 391 Personnel: 92 ISAF was replaced by non-combat Operation Ops Reserve Force Coy: 116 (in Resolute Support at 1 Jan 2015. 4th Czech-Slovak Battalion KFOR home station) 1st CZE Task Force KFOR (October 2003 – April 2004) (June–November 2011) Commanding Officer: LTC Ivo Střecha Commanding officer: MAJ Josef Nejedlý FIELD HOSPITAL – KABUL Personnel: 99 Mission: provide Role 3 medical care to the injured, the 1st CZE Team HQ KFOR burnt and ill both during (August 2011 – combat activities and at other February 2012) 4th CZE Team HQ KFOR Essential Harvest times; short-term in-patient Commanding Officer: MAJ (February–August 2013) treatment for ISAF service per- Pavel Udvorka Commanding officer: MAJ Karel Vykoukal – FYROM / Macedonia sonnel; provide medical and humanitarian aid to Personnel: 7 Personnel: 10 Mission: security of the the local population Headquarters Multinational Base: KAIA 2nd CZE Team HQ KFOR 5th CZE Team HQ KFOR Brigade and relay stations; (February–August 2012) (August 2013 – February 2014) escorting supply convoys; pa- 6th Field Hospital (May–October 2002) Commanding Officer: LTC Vladimír Petera Commanding officer: MAJ Jan Matula trolling in the HQ MNB area; Commanding Officer: COL Jindřich Sitta Personnel: 6 Personnel: 7 developing the MNB Commander’s airborne Personnel: 140 reserve force 3rd CZE Team HQ KFOR 6th CZE Team HQ KFOR Base: Skopje 11th Field Hospital (October 2002 – February (August 2012 – (February–August 2014) 2003) February 2013) Commanding officer: MAJ Otakar Růžička 43rd Airborne Company Commanding Officer: LTC Marek Obrtel Commanding officer: LTC Aleš Personnel: 13 (August–October 2001) Personnel: 140 Stybor Company commander: CAPT Oldřich Nápravník Personnel: 7 7th CZE Team HQ KFOR Personnel: 120 Field Surgical Team (February–April 2003) (August 2014 – February 2015) Commanding Officer: COL Peter Gál Commanding officer: MAJ Libor Mašlaň Personnel: 12 Personnel: 8 12 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 13

EOD & METEO – KABUL 5th PRT Fayzabad ISAF (March–August 2007) 1st Contingent LN KAIA ISAF 2008, training Afghan Air Force personnel on Mission: EOD reconnaissance, disposal of unex- Commanding officer: COL Aleš Opata (November 2006 – April 2007) Mi-17 and Mi-24/35 helicopters. ploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices Personnel: 86 Commanding officer: COL Bohuslav Dvořák Base: KAIA and engineer reconnaissance of the Kabul Inter- Personnel: 47 national Airport area; meteorological support to 6th PRT Fayzabad ISAF 1st FH and CBRN contingent air traffic management; measuring and sharing (August–December 2007) FIELD HOSPITAL AND CBRN DEFENCE UNIT (April–August 2007) hydrological and meteorological data Commanding officer: LTC Petr Procházka & METEO & AIR OMLT – KABUL Commanding officer: COL Zoltán Bubeník Base: KAIA Personnel: 86 Mission: Provide Role 2E medical care to inju- Personnel: 98 red, burnt and ill patients both during ISAF com- 1st EOD Detachment ISAF KAIA LEAD NATION KAIA – KABUL bat operations and at other times; short-term 2nd FH and CBRN contingent (March–September 2004) Mission: performing the lead in-patient treatment for ISAF service personnel; (August–December 2007) Commanding officer: MAJ Radek Augustýn nation role at the Kabul Inter- provide medical and humanitarian aid to the lo- Commanding officer: COL Igor Krivosudský Personnel: 16 national Airport; provide aero- cal population; performance of CBRN reconnai- Personnel: 99 drome daily operations man- ssance, sampling and identification of agents in 2nd EOD Detachment ISAF KAIA agement; provide security for a mobile lab; CBRN assessment and early war- 3rd FH and CBRN contingent (September 2004 – March 2005) civilian persons at the airport and its prepara- ning for forces and local authorities; personnel (December 2007 – April 2008) Commanding officer: CAPT Zbyněk Koza tion for handover to civilian representatives and decontamination up to platoon level; meteo Commanding officer: COL Marek Kocvrlich Personnel: 16 the Afghan Government support to air traffic management; performance Personnel: 104 Base: KAIA of measurements and sharing hydrometeorolo- 3rd EOD Detachment ISAF KAIA gical data; observation and assessment of basic 4th FH and CBRN contingent (March–September 2005) meteo elements and phenomena; since April (April–August 2008) Commanding officer: 1LT Milan Pavlík Commanding officer: COL Mojmír Mrva Personnel: 15 Personnel: 104

4th EOD Detachment ISAF KAIA 5th FH and CBRN contingent (September 2005 – March 2006) (August–December 2008) Commanding officer: MAJ Bořek Valíček Commanding officer: MAJ Martin Benda Personnel: 17 Personnel: 105

5th EOD Detachment ISAF KAIA MP SOG – HELMAND (March–September 2006) Mission: training ANA forces; assistance on Commanding officer: MAJ Zdeněk Hejpetr force development, internal security operations Personnel: 18 with ANA forces; ANP training support Base: Camp Shank 6th EOD Detachment ISAF KAIA (September 2006 – March 2007) 1st SOG contingent ISAF Commanding officer: MAJ Martin Kolář (April–October 2007) Personnel: 19 Commanding officer: MAJ Petr Krčmář Personnel: 35 PRT FAYZABAD, BADAKHSHAN PROVINCE Mission: Provide security to 2nd SOG contingent SOG ISAF the German PRT; security of (October 2007 – April 2008) the Fayzabad airfield; escorting Commanding officer: MAJ Pavel Růžička vehicles and PRT resupplying Personnel: 35 convoys; liaison with the locals; patrolling in assigned area of 3rd SOG contingent ISAF responsibility and situational (April–October 2008) awareness Commanding officer: LTC Miroslav Murček 2nd PRT Logar ISAF 7th PRT Logar ISAF (February–August 2011) Base: Fayzabad From August 2008: MAJ Pavel Horňák (August 2008 – February 2009) Commanding officer : COL Miroslav Hlaváč Personnel: 35/23 Commanding officer: LTC Pavel Lipka Personnel: 293 1st PRT Fayzabad ISAF (March–October 2005) Personnel: 200 Commanding officer: MAJ Miroslav Vybíhal PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM 8th PRT Logar ISAF Personnel: 40 LOGAR 3rd PRT Logar ISAF (February–August 2009) (August 2011 – February 2012) Mission: support humanitarian Commanding officer: LTC Petr Procházka Commanding officer : LTC Pavel Andráško 2nd PRT Fayzabad ISAF aid and reconstruction activi- Personnel: 275 Personnel: 292 (October 2005 – March 2006) ties in the province; security Commanding officer: LTC Radek Černý of the PRT civilian component; 4th PRT Logar ISAF 9th PRT Logar ISAF Personnel: 44 ANSF training; monitoring and (August 2009 – February 2010) (February–August 2012) assessment of military and ci- Commanding officer: LTC Milan Schulc Commanding officer: COL Antonín Genser 3rd PRT Fayzabad ISAF vilian situation; providing base security; maintai- Personnel: 275 Personnel: 293 (March–October 2006) ning dialogue with the province governor and Commanding officer: LTC Tibor Budík district governors; performance of confidence- 5th PRT Logar ISAF (February–August 2010) 10th PRT Logar ISAF Personnel: 83 -building activities with local authorities so as to Commanding officer: COL Rudolf Honzák (August 2012 – February 2013) minimise the risk of conflict Personnel: 275 Commanding officer : COL Josef Kopecký 4th PRT Fayzabad ISAF Base: Camp Shank Personnel: 293 (October 2006 – March 2007) 6th PRT Logar ISAF Commanding officer: MAJ Peter Salák 1st PRT Logar ISAF (March–August 2008) (August 2010 – February 2011) 11th PRT Logar ISAF (January–June 2013) Personnel: 82 Commanding officer: COL Ivo Střecha Commanding officer: LTC Ctibor Gazda Commanding officer : MAJ Vladimír Jelínek Personnel: 198 Personnel: 283 Personnel: 100 14 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 15

URUZGAN local authorities; personnel decontamination up 3rd Contingent KAIA and CBRN unit 5th AAT ISAF (November 2011 – March 2012) an organisational umbrella to all Czech MoD CZE TF & 12th NSE ISAF Mission: base security to platoon level; meteo support to air traffic ma- (December 2009 – June 2010) Commanding officer : LTC Petr Kratochvíl units and components deployed in the territory (June–December 2014) Base: Dutch Camp Hadrian / Deh Rawod nagement; performance of measurements and Commanding officer: LTC Josef Šimůnek Personnel: 19 of Afghanistan, including the provision of com- Commanding officer: COL Radek Hasala sharing hydrometeorological data; observation Personnel: 61 prehensive support to the deployments Personnel: 46 1st Contingent Uruzgan ISAF and assessment of basic meteo elements and 6th AAT ISAF (March–July 2012) Base: KAIA (July 2008 – January 2009) phenomena; since April 2008, training Afghan Commanding officer: MAJ Jaroslav Falta CZE TF & 13th NSE ISAF / RS Commanding officer: MAJ Miroslav Brázda Air Force personnel on Mi-17 and Mi-24/35 HELICOPTER UNIT – PAKTIKA Personnel: 19 CZE TF & NSE ISAF (November 2014 – June 2015) Personnel: 63 helicopters Mission: airlifting personnel (June 2010 – January 2011) Commanding officer: COL Vratislav Beran Base: KAIA and materiel; support to quick 7th AAT ISAF (July–November 2012) Commanding officer: LTC Pavel Šiška Personnel: 46 2nd Contingent Uruzgan ISAF reaction forces; medical eva- Commanding officer: MAJ Josef Kořínek Personnel: 55 (January–April 2009) 1st Contingent KAIA and CBRN unit cuation of injured and ill NATO Personnel: 49 CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENCE UNIT Commanding officer: CAPT Jiří Líbal (December 2008 – June 2009) and Afghan National Security CZE TF & 4th NSE ISAF (January–June 2011) – KABUL Personnel: 63 Commanding officer: LTC Pavel Jelínek Forces service personnel 8th AAT ISAF (November 2012 – March 2013) Commanding officer: COL Jaroslav Jírů Mission: provide reconnaissance, sampling and Personnel: 70 Base: FOB Sharana Commanding officer: MAJ Pavel Procházka Personnel: 55 identification in a mobile lab; radiological and KAIA AND CBRN UNIT + METEO + AIR Personnel: 27 chemical situation assessment and early war- OMLT – KABUL 2nd Contingent KAIA and CBRN unit 1st Heli Unit ISAF CZE TF & 5th NSE ISAF ning for ISAF forces and local authorities Mission: provide CBRN reconnaissance, sam- (June–December 2009) (December 2009 – March 2010) 9th AAT ISAF (March–July 2013) (June–December 2011) Base: KAIA pling and identification in a mobile lab; CBRN Commanding officer: LTC Jiří Pluhař Commanding officer : COL Petr Schwarz Commanding officer: CAPT Miroslav Šajban Commanding officer: COL Jaroslav Štrupl assessment and early warning for forces and Personnel: 64 Personnel: 100 Personnel: 30 Personnel: 61 9th CBRN Team ISAF (June 2010 – January 2011) 2nd Heli Unit ISAF (March–June 2010) 10th AAT ISAF (July–November 2013) CZE TF & 7th NSE ISAF Commanding officer: LTC Karel Dvonč Commanding officer: LTC Milan Koutný Commanding officer: LTC Josef Falta (December 2011 – June 2012) Personnel: 11 Personnel: 99 Personnel: 30 Commanding officer: COL Ján Kožiak Personnel: 61 10th CBRN Team ISAF 3rd Heli Unit ISAF (June–October 2010) 11th AAT ISAF (November–March 2013) (January–June 2011) Commanding officer: MAJ Robert Papš Commanding officer: MAJ Dalibor Křenek CZE TF & 8th NSE ISAF Commanding officer: LTC Miroslav Brázda Personnel: 99 Personnel: 30 (June–December 2012) Personnel: 14 Commanding officer: COL Martin Štochl 4th Heli Unit ISAF 12th AAT ISAF (March–July 2013) Personnel: 61 11th CBRN Team ISAF (October 2010 – January 2011) Commanding officer: CAPT Petr Šafařík (June–December 2011) Commanding officer: COL Jaromír Šebesta Personnel: 30 CZE TF & 9th NSE ISAF Commanding officer: LTC Jaroslav Bartoš Personnel: 99 (December 2012 – June 2013) Personnel: 14 13th AAT ISAF (July–November 2014) Commanding officer: COL Jaroslav Trakal 5th Heli Unit ISAF (January–May 2011) Commanding officer: MAJ Jan Vanický Personnel: 61 12th CBRN Team ISAF Commanding officer : LTC Karel Krejčiřík Personnel: 30 (December 2011 – June 2012) Personnel: 98 CZE TF & 10th NSE ISAF Commanding officer: MAJ Petr Zdráhala 14th AAT ISAF (November–March 2015) (June–December 2013) Personnel: 14 6th Heli Unit ISAF (May–August 2011) Commanding officer: MAJ Petr Slíva Commanding officer: COL Pavel Veselý Commanding officer : COL Václav Valeš Personnel: 30 Personnel: 61 13th CBRN Team ISAF Personnel: 99 (June–December 2012) CZECH ARMED FORCED TASK FORCE ISAF CZE TF & 11th NSE ISAF Commanding officer: CAPT Věra Bielská 7th Heli Unit ISAF (August–December 2011) & NSE – KABUL (December 2013 – June 2014) Personnel: 14 Commanding officer : COL Jaromír Šebesta Mission: The Czech Armed Commanding officer: COL Stanislav Hudeček Personnel: 99 Forces Task Force ISAF provides Personnel: 61

AMT / AAT KABUL Mission: training Afghan National Army Air Corps personnel on Mi-24/35 and Mi-17 helicopters Base: KAIA

1st AMT ISAF (April–November 2010) Commanding officer : CAPT Vladimír Vladik Personnel: 11

2nd AMT ISAF (November 2010 – March 2011) Commanding officer : LTC Petr Kratochvíl Personnel: 19

3rd AMT ISAF (April–August 2011) Commanding officer: LTC Rudolf Straka Personnel: 19

4th AMT ISAF (August–November 2011) Commanding officer : MAJ Miroslav Borufka Personnel: 19 16 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 17

14th CBRN Team ISAF (December 2012 – June 2013) Commanding officer: MAJ Jaroslav Dohnánek Personnel: 14

15th CBRN Team ISAF (June–December 2013) Commanding officer: CAPT Hanuš Ort Personnel: 14

OMLT – WARDAK Mission: Train, mentor and assist on planning, command and control of a battalion equivalent ANA infantry unit (kandak) Bases: COP Carwile, COP Sol- tan Kheyl

1st OMLT ISAF (September 2010 – March 2011) Commanding officer : LTC Ladislav Švejda Personnel: 54

2nd OMLT ISAF (April–September 2011) Commanding officer : LTC Michal Kucharski 3rd FST ISAF FORCE PROTECTION COMPANY – BAGRAM Personnel: 54 (September 2011 – January 2012) Mission: provide security to Bagram Airfield Commanding officer : LTC Michal Plodr Base: Bagram Airfield 3rd OMLT ISAF (October 2011 – March 2012) Personnel: 11 Commanding officer : LTC Zdeněk Mikula 1st FP Coy ISAF (October 2013 – April 2014) Personnel: 54 4th FST ISAF (January–June 2012) Commanding officer : CPT Libor Tesař Commanding officer : MAJ Tomáš Dušek Personnel: 150 4th OMLT ISAF (April–October 2012) Personnel: 11 Commanding officer : LTC Martin Botík 2nd FP Coy ISAF (April–November 2014) Personnel: 54 5th FST ISAF (June–September 2012) Commanding officer : CPT Jiří Pazděra Commanding officer : MAJ Radek Pohnán Personnel: 150 1st SOF TF ISAF (April–October 2003) training instructors at Iraqi police stations and 5th OMLT ISAF (November 2012 – April 2013) Personnel: 11 (June 2011 – January 2012) Commanding officer: COL Mojmír Mrva training Iraqi traffic police Commanding officer : MAJ Igor Jašek 3rd FP Coy ISAF Commanding officer : COL Karel Řehka Personnel: do 320 Base: Shaibah, Az Zubayr Personnel: 54 6th FST ISAF (November 2014 – April 2015) Personnel: 100 (September 2012 – January 2013) Commanding officer : CPT Pert Liška (October–December 2003) MNSTC-I – BAGHDAD MILITARY ADVISORY TEAM – WARDAK Commanding officer : LTC Ivo Žvák Personnel: 150 2nd SOF TF ISAF (January–June 2012) Commanding officer: COL Přemysl Škácha Mission: training selected Mission: mentor assigned Afghan National Personnel: 11 Commanding officer : COL Pavel Kolář Chief of hospital: COL Vojtěch Humlíček groups of commanders (strate- Army kandak MP TRAINING TEAM – WARDAK Personnel: 100 Personnel: 280 gic and operational command Base: Soltan Kheyl 7th FST ISAF (January–May 2013) Mission: training the ANP echelon officers); assistance Commanding officer : MAJ Ivan Stříbrský Base: outpost at Durani community SPECIAL FORCES UNIT – KABUL on development of the Milita- 1st MAT ISAF Wardak (March–October 2013) Personnel: 11 Mission: advise and mentor ANSF ry Academy and the Training, Commanding officer : LTC Jan Zezula 1st MP Trng Team ISAF Base: KAIA EU OPERATION IN THE Education and Doctrine Centre; assistance on Personnel: 59 8th FST ISAF (June–September 2013) (March–September 2011) developing and building security structures in Commanding officer : MAJ Ivo Kašpárek Commanding officer : CAPT Martin Čajan 1st SOF ISAF (January–June 2014) FORMER YUGOSLAV Iraq MILITARY ADVISORY TEAM – LOGAR Personnel: 12 Personnel: 12 Personnel: 19 REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA Mission: mentor assigned Afghan National (December 2003 – March 2004) Army kandak 9th FST ISAF 2nd MP Trng Team ISAF 2nd SOF ISAF (July–December 2014) (FYROM) CO 1st MP Contingent: LTC Jiří Neubauer Base: Camp Shank (September 2013 – January 2014) (September 2011 – March 2012) Personnel: 23 Mission: staff tours at the ope- Personnel: 92 Commanding officer : COL Pavel Kupka Commanding officer : CAPT Zdeněk Koreczki ration HQ 1st MAT ISAF Logar (March–October 2013) Personnel: 12 Personnel: 12 Base: Concordia Skopje (March–June 2004) Commanding officer : MAJ Přemysl Tuček Iraqi Freedom – Iraq CO 2nd MP Contingent: LTC Milan Diviak Personnel: 64 10th FST ISAF 3rd MP Trng Team ISAF 7TH FIELD HOSPITAL, HUMANITARIAN (April–December 2003) Personnel: 92 (January–May 2014) (March–September 2012) DETACHMENT, MP TEAM Team lead: MAJ Petr Sýkora FIELD SURGICAL TEAM – KABUL Commanding officer : LTC Josef Roubal Commanding officer : MAJ Radek Ocelka Mission: provide humanitarian aid, particularly Personnel: 2 Mission: provide specialist medical care as Personnel: 13 Personnel: 12 be the means of transportation and distribution Sovereignty of the Republic of a part of French medical facility of water and collecting and disposal of unexplo- Iraq was restored at 28 June Base: KAIA 11th FST ISAF 4th MP Trng Team ISAF ded ordnance; medical care for the local popu- IZ SFOR / MNF-I – Iraq 2004, and the Iraqi Zone Sta- (June–September 2014) (September 2012 – March 2013) lation to mitigate the consequence of the post- MP CONTINGENT – BASRAH bilisation Force (IZ SFOR) was 1st FST ISAF (February–May 2011) Commanding officer : LTC Martin Oberreiter Commanding officer : MAJ Libor Daněk war condition; provide specialist medical care to Mission: provide escort, se- renamed Multinational Forces Commanding officer : LTC Martin Oberreiter Personnel: 13 Personnel: 12 Czech Armed Forces personnel and other states’ curity and guard duties; police Iraq (MNF-I) at 19 July 2004. Personnel: 10 armed forces’ servicemembers operating in the security to the Multinational 12th FST ISAF / RS SPECIAL FORCES TASK FORCE – NANGARHAR territory of Iraq; MP – escort, security and guar- Division South-East (MND-SE); (June–September 2004) 2nd FST ISAF (May–September 2011) (September 2014 – January 2015) Mission: perform operational assignments ding duties; provide police security to all Czech training Iraqi police at the CO 3rd MP Contingent : LTC Luboš Bahník Commanding officer : LTC Josef Roubal Commanding officer : MAJ Radek Pohnán tasked by Commander ISAF SOF deployments Az Zubayr Police Academy; Personnel: 92 Personnel: 10 Personnel: 13 Base: Camp Hombre (Jelalabad) Base: Basra 18 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 19

1st CZE Contingent MNF-I Operational Headquarters (January–April 2007) 601st Special Forces Group Commanding officer: MAJ Jan Marša (August 2008 – January 2009) EU BG (OHQ EU BG) Personnel: 99 – 1st deployment Base: Camp Anaconda (Kandahar) – Germany 2nd CZE Contingent MNF-I Commanding officer: COL Milan Kovanda LIAISON TEAM AT OHQ EU BG (April–August 2007) Personnel: 99 Mission: development of planning docu- Commanding officer: MAJ Marcel Křenek mentation; coordination of possible deploy- Personnel: 100 601st Special Forces Group ment of the Czech-Slovak EU Battle Group (January–August 2009) – 2nd deployment (CZE/SVK EU BG) 3rd CZE Contingent MNF-I Commanding officer: COL Roman Kopřiva Base: Ulm (August–December 2007) Personnel: 96 Commanding officer: LTC Pavel Rous (April–August 2009) Personnel: 99 601st Special Forces Group Commanding officer: COL Miroslav Hlaváč (August–December 2009) – 3rd deployment Personnel: 5 4th CZE Contingent MNF-I Commanding officer: COL Josef Kopecký (December 2007 – June 2008) Personnel: 99 (September–December 2009) Commanding officer: MAJ Jiří Hrazdil Commanding officer: LTC Libor Grmela Personnel: 99 Personnel: 3 Operation Althea (EUFOR) 5th CZE Contingent MNF-I (June 2008 – December 2008) – Bosnia And Herzegovina BALTIC AIR POLICING Commanding officer: MAJ František Grmela GUARD PLATOON & HELI Platoon leader: 1LT Michal Vorschneider 5th CZE Team EUFOR Personnel: 17 UNIT – TUZLA Personnel: 65 (June–December 2012) – LITHUANIA Mission: security and guarding Commanding officer: LTC Luděk Krč Mission: policing the airspace of the Baltic Sta- (September–December 2004) 6th CZE Contingent MNF-I the MNTF (N) command and 4th CZE contingent EUFOR Personnel: 2 tes: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the frame- CO 4th MP Contingent: LTC Miroslav Murček (December 2008 – February 2009) camp; aerial reconnaissance (June–December 2006) work of NATINADS Personnel: 92 Commanding officer: COL Zbyněk Janečka and air transport of personnel Commanding officer: LTC Vojtěch Prýgl 6th CZE Team EUFOR Base: Shiauliai, Lithuania Personnel: 4 and materiel Platoon leader: 1LT Jiří Novotný (December 2012 – June 2013) (December 2004 – March 2005) Base: Eagle Base (Tuzla) Personnel: 65 Commanding officer: LTC Bohuslav Pernica (May–August 2009) >GEDA>8> 6 C< >8 ' th I % A % CO 5 MP Contingent: LTC Jiří Neubauer Personnel: 2 Commanding officer: 6 . 7 Personnel: 100 Operation Enduring 1st CZE Contingent EUFOR 5th CZE contingent EUFOR MAJ Jaroslav Míka

th & # @ (December 2004 – July 2005) (December 2006 – July 2007) 7 CZE Team EUFOR Personnel: 117 D C I>C (March–June 2005) Freedom – Afghanistan Commanding officer: LTC Radim Řehulka Commanding officer: MAJ Oto Klos (June–December 2013) <:CI6}G th CO 6 MP Contingent: LTC Milan Diviak SPECIAL FORCES GROUP Platoon leader: CAPT Miroslav Folvarský Platoon leader: 1LT Lukáš Novák Commanding officer: LTC Roman Vildomec (September–December 2012) DEFINICE-BAREV: Pantone barva vyšívací nit červená vlajky LITVA + ČR 214 C 1050 tmavě červená vlajka LOTYŠSKO 214 C 1243 zelená vlajka LITVA 242 C 1343 modrá vlajka ESTONSKO 661 C 1064 žlutá vlajka LITVY a text 123 C 1188 Personnel: 100 Mission: special reconnaissance Personnel: 85 Personnel: 52 Personnel: 2 Commanding officer: zelená mapa 363 C 1126 modrá světlá podklad a okno GRIPEN 2718 C 1247 modrá tmavá NATO a ČR reflex blue C 1066 šedá světlá GRIPEN 431 C 1318 šedá tmavá GRIPEN 652 C 1176 bílá 1779 COL Petr Lanči černá 1180 Tento vzor byl schválen ředitelem Vojenského historického ústavu a Komisí vojenských tradic a symboliky Vojenského historického ústavu th nd th th a nelze v něm provádět jakékoli změny velikostí a poměru stran, grafických prvků ve znaku ani odstínů barev. Všechny změny musí být (June–September 2005) 6 Special Group (March–September 2004) 2 CZE contingent EUFOR 6 CZE contingent EUFOR 8 CZE Team EUFOR Personnel: 64 předem konzultovány a odsouhlaseny Vojenským historickým ústavem. Znak lze zvětšovat či zmenšovat poměrově pouze jako celek. © Ministerstvo obrany ČR – VHÚ CO 7th MP Contingent: LTC Pavel Chovančík Base: Camp Mauer (Bagram airport) (July–December 2005) (July–December 2007) (December 2013 – June 2014) Personnel: 100 Commanding officer: COL Ondrej Páleník Commanding officer: LTC Pavel Hurt Commanding officer: MAJ Josef Přerovský Commanding officer: LTC Petr Filouš Personnel: 111 Platoon leader: CAPT Karel Vlček Personnel: 4 Personnel: 2 (September–December 2005) Personnel: 90 Multinational Force CO 8th MP Contingent: LTC Roman Gottfried 6th Special Group (May–October 2006) 7th CZE contingent EUFOR 9th CZE Team EUFOR (June–December 2014) Personnel: 100 Base: Camp Prostějov (Kandahar airfield) 3rd CZE contingent EUFOR (December 2007 – June 2008) Commanding officer: LTC Lenka Fornůsková and Observers (MFO) Commanding officer: COL Ondrej Páleník (December 2005 – June 2006) Commanding officer: LTC Petr Voborný Personnel: 2 REPRESENTATION AT MFO COMMAND (December 2005 – March 2006) Personnel: 120 Commanding officer: LTC Pavel Jelínek Personnel: 4 HEADQUARTERS IN EGYPT CO 9th MP Contingent: LTC Miroslav Murček Mission: ACR members served staff tours at HQ Personnel: 100 REPRESENTATION AT HEADQUARTERS EUFOR Chad/RCA MFO EUFOR – SARAJEVO REPRESENTATION AT THE Base: El Gorah (March–June 2006) Mission: staff tours at Headquarters EUFOR OPERATIONAL HEADQUAR- CO 10th MP Contingent: LTC Jiří Neubauer Base: Butmir (Sarajevo) TERS (EU OHQ) – FRANCE 1st Team MFO Personnel: 100 Mission: activities in the OHQ (November 2009 – May 2010) 1st CZE Team EUFOR (June–December 2010) operations team Commanding officer : MAJ Oto (June–September 2006) Commanding officer: MAJ Jiří Hanke Base: Mont Valérien Klos CO 11th MP Contingent: LTC Milan Diviak Personnel: 2 Personnel: 3 Personnel: 95 (November 2007 – August 2008) 2nd CZE Team EUFOR Operations team officer: LTC Jaroslav Průcha 2nd Team MFO (May 2010 – July 2011) (September 2006 – January 2007) (December 2010 – June 2011) Commanding officer: LTC Ladislav Sekan CO 12th MP Contingent: LTC Ladislav Tvrdý Commanding officer: LTC Jiří Kubík (August 2008 – March 2009) Personnel: 3 Personnel: 97 Personnel: 2 Operations team officer: MAJ Josef Melichar 3rd Team MFO (July 2011 – July 2012) MNF-I CONTINGENT – BASRAH 3rd CZE Team EUFOR (June–December 2011) REPRESENTATION AT THE FORCE Commanding officer: LTC Josef Lejsek Mission: security of the Delta and Ritz main en- Commanding officer: MAJ Milan Holusek HEADQUARTERS (EU FHQ) – TCHAD Personnel: 3 try gates and security of the COB internal pre- Personnel: 2 Mission: logistic support mises; monitoring and mentoring Iraqi Police Base: Ndjamena 4th Team MFO (July 2012 – July 2013) stations 4th CZE Team EUFOR Commanding officer: LTC Libor Grmela Base: Basra – COB (Contingency Operating (December 2011 – June 2012) (March 2008 – March 2009) Personnel: 3 Base) Commanding officer: MAJ Eduard Gregor Logistic group officer: MAJ Leon Šoc Personnel: 2 20 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 21

5th Team MFO (July 2013 – August 2014) 3rd CZE Team Atalanta 1st TF EU TM Mali (March–September 2013) Commanding officer: LTC Zoltán Zöld (January–July 2011) Commanding officer : 1LT Marek Štěpánek Personnel: 3 Commanding officer: MAJ Zdeněk Fuka Personnel: 34 Exercise involving very high readiness forces in Poland showed preparedness and a high professionalism Personnel: 3 6th Team MFO 2nd TF EU TM Mali (September 2013 – March (August 2014 – September 2015) 4th CZE Team Atalanta 2014) Commanding officer: LTC Marek Pažúr (July 2011 – January 2012) Commanding officer : LT Martin Sekera Personnel: 3 Commanding officer : CAPT Jaroslav Černý Personnel: 38 Personnel: 3 1st CASA MFO Air unit 3rd TF EU TM Mali (March–September 2014) (November 2013 – May 2014) 5th CZE Team Atalanta (January–July 2012) Commanding officer : CPT Martin Náplava Commanding officer: LTC Milan Laniak Commanding officer : MAJ Václav Řidkošil Personnel: 38 Personnel: 11 Personnel: 3 Noble Jump 2015 th 4 TF EU TM Mali (September 2014 – March rd 2nd CASA MFO Air unit 6th CZE Team Atalanta 2015) One hundred and fifty service personnel of the 43 Airborne (May–November 2014) (July 2012 – January 2013) Commanding officer : CPT Michal Mamkin Battalion with 50 vehicles were a central part of the exercise Commanding officer: LTC Radim Ulrich Commanding officer : MAJ Petr Manda Personnel: 38 in the Žagań training area. Difficult terrain, sand and dust tested Personnel: 11 Personnel: 3 skills of all trainees not only through live demonstrations, but also 3rd CASA MFO Air unit 7th CZE Team Atalanta (January–July 2013) Active Fence – Turkey in challenging logistic assignments. (November 2014 – May 2015) Commanding officer : MAJ Václav Malát Mission: provide conncetivity in support of Commanding officer: MAJ Miloš Domin Personnel: 3 a Dutch Patriot SAM unit Personnel: 12 Base: Incirlik 8th CZE Team Atalanta (July 2013 – January 2014) 1st DCM Team (January–May 2013) EU NAVFOR Atalanta Commanding officer : MAJ Ivo Fiedler Commanding officer : LT Antonín Fík REPRESENTATION Personnel: 3 Personnel: 4 AT OPERATIONAL HEADQUARTERS – THE 9th CZE Team Atalanta (January–July 2014) 2nd DCM Team (September 2014 – January UNITED KINGDOM Commanding officer : MAJ Martin Tesař 2015) Mission: ACR servicemembers Personnel: 3 Commanding officer : 1LT Michaela Čuříková served staff tours at the opera- Personnel: 7 tional headquarters commanding the counter- 10th CZE Team Atalanta piracy operation at the Horn of Africa (July 2014 – January 2015) Base: Northwood Commanding officer : CPT Pavel Jáger ASICIPPN – Iceland Personnel: 3 Mission: provide air policing 1st CZE Team Atalanta (January–July 2010) coverage to the Republic of Commanding officer : LTC Jozef Podoba Iceland Personnel: 3 EU TM – Mali Base: Keflavik Mission: force protection of 2nd CZE Team Atalanta EU TM Headquarters, convoy 1st TF ASICIPPN (July 2010 – January 2011) escort, training Malian armed (October–December 2014) Commanding officer : MAJ Vladimír Rébl forces Commanding officer : COL Martin Nezbeda Personnel: 3 Base: Bamako, Koulikoro Personnel: 66 22 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 23

The NATO nations agreed to set up the Very hardware. The vehicles also carry mobile brid- static display was however not equipment but High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) in Sep- ging systems, because roads are likely to be cut service personnel. Opportunities to discuss with tember 2014 in the wake of a new security envi- off and destructed in real-world fight. Fire from many NATO partners have further deepened ronment that came into being in Europe especi- tanks and IFVs in one plane finds its goal with cooperation. Thanks to their excellent language ally owing to the conflict in the Ukraine. To cater high precision. OPFOR equipment (artificial tar- skills, the Czech airborne soldiers were also able for that requirement, the Czech Armed Forces gets in this case) explode, the opposing forces to answer many questions concerning their trai- assigned Česká paratroopers of the 43rd Airbor- are pushed back and their resistance is forcefully ning, but also cultural differences and habits. ne Battalion. Multinational forces need to be and uncompromisingly eliminated. The official coordinated seamlessly; when the force is acti- part of demonstration ends in applause by all vated, they have to be in the area of operations attendees before soldiers break out to get their Home support critical within forty-eight hours. There is no room for equipment ready for a journey into home stati- Major General Jiří Baloun, First Deputy Chief either mistakes or delays. The exercise involved ons. As if the on looking Ministers and General of General Staff, who attended the closing dis- not only combat demonstrations, but particular- Officers would say: ready. tinguished visitors day and visited soldiers at ly a demanding transport that was made on rail the demos, pointed out that everything was the and by air this time. outcome of sustained effort, drilling and com- Static demos mitment. “Both in the preparatory and realisation The exercise naturally includes a display of phase, our soldiers have performed their assign- Moving personnel equipment. It was possible to review Czech and ments to very good standards. The whole magic other NATO weapons, moreover with explana- behind readiness starts at home. It begins with and equipment tions by soldiers whom operating the equip- the support of political leaders, the armed for- NATO Headquarters provided the NATO C-17 ment is an everyday job. The Czech made Bren ces high command, its support and naturally also Globemaster transport aircraft for airlifting gun enjoys good visibility in the competition of plans with enduring stability and enabling deve- some of the equipment and soldiers. Another other assault rifles. The improved version remo- lopment of capabilities so as to have the capabili- component set out of Pardubice city in advance ved the shortfalls found on the first one. Most ty to project force with required precision, speed on trains carrying 40 vehicles and 89 personnel of the Special Operations Forces use Glock pis- and in required time anywhere needed.“ in total. Movement to a railhead 380 kilometres tols, so the display was not that surprising for by Michal Voska, away took eighteen hours. That notionally star- the attendees. The most important factor of the photos by Michal Voska and Jan Kouba ted the exercise for them. Time ran relentless- ly, but everything was done according to plan, the hardware survived transportation without a scratch and soldiers too. In case of live deploy- year, Netherlands. It was possible to take lessons with ammunition and weapons their comrades and enduro bikes. It was necessary to take po- ment, it would depend on specific situation, or from mistakes and shortcomings for the Noble use. The pre-planned joint fire practise perfectly sitions, clear the area and especially defend the indeed location where the forces were needed. Jump exercise. The so-called spearhead forces served that purpose as they trained performan- landing helicopters. Their task was to load the The options include rail, more likely air, but also will continue to develop and improve as current ce of individual fire mission with half-direct aim. captured opponents under continuous assistan- on the road. threats and security situation need to be tackled In simple terms, mortar crews aimed at designa- ce by Hind gunships. Air support is critical in and prepared for. Thanks to that, practising with ted targets in the fire zone and eliminated them such operations; a pair of the F-16 Falcon figh- NATO equipment was also important. with fire on order by the commanding officer. ters also available in addition to the choppers; Cooperation is the key First to arrive the fire line were Dutch mortar their low pass is enough to show force. With The primary goals of the exercise were not guys with calibre 81mm L16A1 mortars to show attendance of the top NATO leaders including manoeuvres, handling situations in combat, Exchange of mortars their operation to the Czech colleagues. Then Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Supreme perimeter security or medical evacuation, cap- It is not really common to see Dutch parat- Czechs took their positions at the weapons and Allied Commander Europe General Philip Bre- tivity or elimination of OPFOR, but particularly roopers fire the Czech model 52 and Antos-LR practically tried taking aim and subsequent fire edlove and Supreme Allied Commander Trans- deepening cooperation. In the Czech case, it mortars and Czech guys to shoot the L16A1 under supervision of Dutch instructors. Then formation General Jean-Paul Paloméros, the was specifically with Dutch soldiers, with whom mortars. It was therefore necessary for the sol- they switched roles, and Dutch soldiers knelt Distinguished Visitors Day was rehearsed into our soldiers underwent training in the Czech diers to get to know each better as best as they down this time after a short introduction to the finest level of detail. After the previous days, Republic and in Eindhoven in April earlier this could and expand their hands-on familiarity Czech model 52 calibre 82 mortars and calibre everybody knew what was expected and what 60 mm Antos-LR mortars. shortfalls needed to be redressed. In the final phase of training, the whole combined unit fired at the designated target at the same time. At that moment, Lieutenant General Showing skills Volker Halbauer, the commander of the 1st Ger- Mortar fire, engine roar, shooting: that was man Netherlands Corps that was in charge of the how the final day with demonstrations started. whole exercise Noble Jump in Poland, popped Distinguished guests were able to watch from up at mortars: ”What I see here is an absolu- a platform the arrival of the Czech Kajman ve- tely perfect demonstration of Czech and Dutch hicles whose massive machine-gun fire supp- soldiers,“ he said with commendation. General orted the allied assault on the building to eli- Halbauer however stayed with the mortar guys minate opponents, while another was captured. a little longer to watch their performance with The Czech forces were positioned to be able interest and used the opportunity for informal to cover the whole area of operations and use chat with the soldiers. massive firepower to clear pockets of resistance and made it possible for the helicopters to land. This time, it was the Hips and Blackhawks. Once Force support mission is accomplished, soldiers observe the Everybody has a role to play. Our Polish part- area thoroughly, all of them ready to fire. It is cri- ners and us may use fast offroad vehicles and tical not only to seize the area, but also to cont- quadbikes to quickly take fire positions without rol it, because the tide can turn in no time in the unnecessary delay. The Kajman truck struggled battlefield. Last load into the choppers, departu- through difficult sandy terrain with crew and re and progressive withdrawal of quick reaction with the support of Polish Special Forces quad forces heralds the approach of heavy armoured 24 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 25

A fivesome of Gripens from the 21st Tactical Air Force Base in Čáslav protected the skies over Iceland Czech Fighters over Iceland The Nordic state on an island was the station to the Czech fighter pilots for almost a month. The tour that saw no alpha scramble proved our ability to provide full-fledged contributions to NATO. Despite demanding climate conditions, pilots were also able to gain valuable experience in a much different operational environment.

More than ninety training flights, roughly QRA duty logistically and operationally in two 150 flight hours. That is the total log of the -fi locations at the same time“. ”2+1 Gripen air- vesome of Czech Gripen fighters that provided craft are assigned for NATINAMDS back in the air policing coverage to the airspace of Iceland Czech Republic, there were 4+1 Gripen fighters from July 29 till August 25, 2015 as part of Task in Iceland, which makes eight JAS-39C aircraft Force ASICIPPN (Airborne Surveillance and In- out of the total quantity of 12 single-seaters in terception to meet Capabilities Iceland’s Pea- the inventory. Four machines are used for pilot cetime Preparedness). Requested by North At- training in the Czech Republic and for repla- lantic Treaty Organisation, seventy airmen from cement during planned maintenance works," the 21st Tactical Air Force Base Čáslav performed Captain Maruščák commented on the biggest the mission. Same as in autumn 2014, when they challenges of the mission in Iceland. Every mi- protected Iceland for the first time, pilots did ssion places high demands on the whole team not log any alpha scrambles. They were brought comprising ground personnel and pilots. Ex- to higher readiness a couple of times because of cellent condition is attributable both to previ- Russian military aircraft at Norway, but perha- ous preparations and closer cooperation with ps due to several accidents involving the Tu-95 the aircraft manufacturer before the start of strategic bombers, the tour in Iceland was so- the operational tour. Sweden also contributed mewhat calmer. a C-17 Globemaster that airlifted everything that was needed. A different environment, particularly the climate, must be reflected in the way Demanding preparation maintenance is delivered to the aircraft. That is Despite a very short time span available for also why the support team has to arrive well in flights. The U.S. armed forces handed the airfield of a minor malfunction on one of the machines. by fighter aircraft every day. All of that were preparations, everything went high speed low advance to set everything up. In spite of absence over to the Government of Iceland in 1947 and It would be very costly to send a tanker only to the factors reflected in the operating mode and drag style. Instead of usual twelve-month pre- of own military, the airbase history goes back to obtained its current name: Keflavik Airport. cater for a single machine. flight levels, plus they naturally restricted flight Well done paration, everything needed to be readied in 1942, when the U.S. military decided to build an activities at weekends. Defence Minister Martin Stropnický with de- a several weeks’ time. That made the current airfield meant to serve as a primary station for legation visited the pilots and ground personnel mission substantially more challenging. As pre- bombers in the northern Atlantic. During World In-flight refuelling No alpha on the last day of the Czech Air Force’s tour in ss and information officer Captain Tomáš- Ma War II, the airfield was used for military purpo- In order for the machines to manage a four- There was no alpha scramble as opposed to Substituting for RCAF Iceland. Czech Air Force Airbus A-319 CJ air- ruščák expanded, ”it is challenging to maintain ses only and as a refuelling stop for transatlantic -hour flight without having to land, they had the last year. Only higher readiness emphasi- Czech pilots protected the airspace during port was symbolically escorted for approach by to refuel a couple of times in flight. An Italian sed preparedness to take off. ”We were on this tour instead of the Royal Canadian Air For- a pair of Czech Gripen aircraft. Minister Strop- KC-767 tanker accompanied the Czech Gripens higher readiness alert, but we did not have to ce. The RCAF performs mission against the so- nický spoke highly of the cooperative attitude already for the second time. The first in-flight start off in the end. It still takes some three or -called Islamic State. Although not having own and high professionalism of Czech airmen. He refuelling on operational deployment took pla- four hours of flight to get over here,“ said the military, Iceland is still regarded a valuable foun- added that pilots, much like other air force per- ce in the course of the same mission last year. It deputy commanding officer of the Czech TF in ding member state of the NATO Alliance, parti- sonnel involved in the mission, enjoyed an out- is a valuable experience for pilots, because air- Iceland and one of the pilots, Milan Nykodym. cularly owing to its strategic position. Security standing repute in Iceland and that our presen- -to-air refuelling is a complex manoeuvre that He also enjoyed the area our machines opera- is provided by the Coast Guard and Iceland is ce was important. ”Including because Russian requires ultimate concentration and precision. ted in. “Iceland is naturally very much different responsible for air traffic management over the activities, not in this month, but in springtime, The process is performed at speeds around to flying in the Czech Republic.“ The Task Force northern Atlantic, despite having no military were quite disconcerting, both as to violating 500 kilometres per hour and the edge of the Commanding Officer Colonel Martin Nezbeda forces. There are more than ninety thousand fli- airspace and territorial waters, it is necessary to basket suspended from the tanker is only twenty added that besides the size of the area of ope- ghts annually registered over the area. In additi- do this job and Iceland appreciates it.“ Planners centimetres from the cockpit of the Gripen. No rations, one also has to watch out for a relation, Iceland is a popular destination for tourists, have already started to work on another tour wonder pilots do not always succeed at the first vely dense traffic and noise limits. Those are which makes the air traffic even busier. A million scheduled for autumn in the next year. Again, try. Even the very departure of tanker aircraft is rather strict, because there are flocks of protec- of tourists visit the country every year and the five machines are expected to take up the duty. a difficult process, not to speak about the price ted bird species. The roar of machines is con- figure is expected to double in the upcoming tag. All five fighter aircraft therefore had to -re fusing or even threatening for them and na- years. Keflavik airport therefore has to handle by Michal Voska, photos by Michal Voska, turn shortly after departure for Iceland because turally citizens do not wish to hear overflights both civil and military traffic. CPT Tomáš Maruščák 26 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 27

Czech service personnel took part in multinational exercise Capable Logistician 2015 in the Bakony training area in Hungary

Success contingent on logistic

A convoy of trucks and multilifts accompanied by APCs resembles Military Training Area in Hungary. Its principal a long snake twisting through turns. Literally scorching sun in the organiser was the Multinational Logistic Coor- vehicles available. We initially have not planned skies gives a hard time to the drivers in the cabs. But otherwise there dination Centre (MLCC) based in Prague. That for such a large scope. We thought of roughly would naturally not do without a huge support a thousand personnel and three hundred ve- is complete calm everywhere. Indeed until an improvised explosive by the host nation, Hungary, and indeed Hun- hicles. A high attention including by non-NATO system goes off on the road, immediately followed by a fierce attack garian Armed Forces. Additional Czech and in- countries rather surprised us: we are pleased to by opposing forces. ternational logistic components as well as the see such a high interest in our exercise,“ explains NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion Colonel Jan Husák, Director of the Multinational also joined the exercise. Logistics Coordination Centre and acting exer- Soldiers respond exactly according to drills the damaged vehicles and equipment out of the “Successful exercise Capable Logistician 2013, cise director. repeated perhaps thousand times. Force pro- point of contact. One of the damaged vehicles which saw the participation of over two thou- tection IFVs depart into sides in an attempt to is towed behind a recovery system mounted on sand personnel and nine hundred vehicles in attract the opponent’s attention. The convoy a tracked APC platform of the 142nd Maintenan- Slovakia two years ago, was where everything Rationalising logistics continues as fast as they can to egresses the ce Battalion home-based in Klatovy. started. This time, the exercise built on a scena- The exercise was designed for preparing area of hostilities, except for two vehicles the rio envisaging dispute between two neighbou- Headquarters Joint Logistics Support Group blast took out of operation. First of all, it is vital ring countries with humanitarian aid provided at (JLSG) and selected logistic support forces for interoperability of logistic equipment, services, focused on thirteen functional areas that re- to take care of the casualties and call MEDEVAC. Orchestrated by the MLCC the same time. Over seventeen hundred traine- the Visegrad Four Battle Group in 2016, and to systems and standardisation of procedures and present actual logistic activities performed in Once the opponent is pushed into appropriate That unit also played an important role in es from 26 nations and 11 international orga- rehearse multinational logistic aspects for this propose improvements. As a result, logistic coalition operations such as in Afghanistan distance, a towing truck, cranes and recovery exercise Capable Logistician 2015, which was nisations and agencies joined individual epi- year’s largest NATO exercise - Trident Junctu- support in present and future coalition opera- and Kosovo. One of the most frequented are- vehicles arrive the site. Their mission is to get organised in June earlier this year in Bakony sodes. Soldiers had approximately six hundred re 2015. The other objective was to review tions should be rationalised. Practical activities as included the Reception, Staging and Onward 28 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 29

Movement (RSOM) centre, water treatment and technology used etc. Interoperability standards ”Comparing our equipment with others, we distribution unit, fuel storage and distribution. nevertheless improve continuously. One of the are well off; definitely better than Hungarians A new exercised functional area involved airdro- goals of the exercise is to verify it and propose of Serbians. But Slovenians have more advan- ps coordinated by U.S. Air Force in conjunction potential measures.“ ced equipment. They manage to do more with with Hungarian and Polish forces. the system than we can. They also have a han- dy transportation system with platform and Repaired even wrecks a hydraulic arm. There is a space for ten people Joint Support Group A multinational maintenance and recovery in the cab. They are able to do light recovery, Roughly thirty kilometres away, Székesvehé- unit is stationed directly in the Bakony training transport and some other stuff,“ First Lieutenant rvár is where the exercise directing staff as well area. The unit’s commanding officer is Major Vorlík adds. as the Joint Logistics Support Group (JLSG) have Robert Slak of Slovenia. The deputy CO is First been located. A spacious hall is full of computers Lieutenant Marcel Vorlík of the Czech 142 Main- and communication systems. The JLSG is a re- tenance Battalion based in Klatovy. ”We provi- Protection latively new structure, whose task is to directly de transport for various types of hardware. For coordinate subordinate forces in relevant func- example, we recovered a stuck Slovenia Pandur and monitoring system tional areas and coordinate logistic support to APC or a turned Kamaz truck. In addition, we are We move a couple of kilometres onwards the affiliated Hungarian mechanised battalion. responsible for servicing and minor maintenan- where Czech MPs at this time provide security to The JLSG commanding officer is Czech Armed ce of equipment brought into the training area. the production of the most critical commodity: Forces Colonel Daniel Zlatník and his deputy is We try to be responsive to anyone coming here Colonel Lászlo Tár of Hungary, an MLCC mem- in need and repair what we can,“ First Lieutenant ber. For the time being, the MLCC seeks ways Vorlík says. ”The equipment’s origin does not to practically join ongoing and future coalition matter that much. If it does not go into literally operations. Its endeavour in Operation KFOR in software things, the mechanical parts are very Kosovo may well be regarded its initial success. similar and we are able to put them together. That however has not yet covered all delegated We have six old vehicles available here (such as functions according to NATO standards. And so Avia, IFA and RABA trucks) designated as targets they need to exercise. for shooting ranges. We sent a recovery team, to ”Our group has ninety-three people from pull them out and a heavy transporter got them twenty nations. As it is a relatively new structu- over here. We formed multinational teams, each re, all lessons we gain are highly valuable for us. was assigned a vehicle and their task was to set We share them with NATO nations and EU mem- them operational. Although the vehicles were ber states, as well as with PfP Partners,“ Colonel in horrible condition, three of them already run. Zlatník advises. ”Armed Forces of Visegrad Four Now we are working BRDM armoured perso- countries are in a similar condition in terms of nnel carriers. They have been really plundered, logistics. We suffer from heritage technology but we already managed get one of the engines and need innovations. Protection of crews and running.“ squads against improvised explosive devices is Soldiers from Klatovy travelled to the Bakony where we have the biggest gap at the moment. training area on their own. They also brought But innovation in the domain of messing and along a recovery vehicle built on a BMP plat- boarding is also important. We have to tackle form on a low trailer. We had the most expe- it somehow. Polish Armed Forces is slightly be- rienced crew for the exercise, so there was no tter off as they have made sizeable investments problem except for a wheel on the truck towing in this domain and gained experience with the the trailer, which ruptured some fifty kilometres host nation support process. It is not easy to from Rokycany. They put on a spare on and the ensure interoperability among NATO nations escort team had to go back for another one. either. We seek to deepen it progressively. But They refuelled and slept in Vyškov and arrived it naturally depends on types of armaments, the training area on the next day.

water. The NATO Multinational Military Police all three optical sensors complement one ano- when we were tasked to investigate an accident in Poland. ”As with all multinational exercises, Battalion has had a long-standing tradition. In ther. Initial detection of intrusion is mostly done involving two military vehicles,“ First Lieutenant this one was also about strengthening interope- addition to Czechs, the unit comprises Polls, Slo- by the Blighter 202 ground surveillance radar Marek Novotný says. rability among NATO armed forces. The nature vaks and Croats. In exercise Capable Logistician, that has a range of four kilometres. Identificati- There is a small lake inside the monitored area. of this exercise was very important for the NATO their mission is twofold: they have the role of on of the type of intrusion goes down with the For example, there are French, U.S. and Sloveni- Alliance, because the success in majority of ope- trainees – they have to tackle assignments co- sensor units. In ideal conditions at night, their an flags on the banks. National units pump from rations derives from the quality of their logistic ming out of the exercise play and instructions range is eight hundred metres, and they detect the lake and treat the water to make it potable, support. Logistic teams are usually multinational from the HQ JLSG. Besides that, they also pro- humans over the range of fifteen hundred me- and deliver it to soldiers. There is also a very and verification and evaluation of interoperabi- vide regular MP force protection. The Czech tres at day. practical water packing plant that produces half- lity with individual systems is extremely impor- MPs use the SOM 3 (monitoring and protection -litre plastic bags. The water is tested thorough- tant,“ concluded Brigadier General Jaromír Zůna, system) to provide security to water generation ly. Military specialists guarantee it is drinkable Director of the Czech MoD Logistics Agency. plants. The system is built into a box on a truck. Attempt to poison water and may not cause any risks. The other option Military Policemen are able to operationally ”We initially used the system for security of is to obtain water from drills. A large volume of deploy the system within thirty minutes’ time. a base with ammunition depots. Then we were water is consumed on operations. It is very de- Security is provided by one of the cameras at informed that there had been a threat to wa- manding and relatively expensive to transport this point. The other three sensor units are set ter production. Someone allegedly tried to mix water over longer ranges. The more important operational over half an hour. Each unit has op- a warfare agent into the water. So we moved is the ability to produce water on sport. NATO tical sensors, day TV camera, low level camera the system over here. We mostly perform fictive forces largely focus on obtaining potable water and infrared camera. That enables round-the- missions, but it does happen from time to time from saltwater. -clock security of the area regardless of light that we do not know whether it is reality or just Exercise Capable Logistician 2015 is over. The by Vladimír Marek, photos by Vladimír Marek conditions. Depending on physical properties, a part of exercise play. Such as was the case next edition of this series is scheduled for 2018 and Lucie Blahovcová 30 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 31

th Specialist training event involving the units of the 15 Engineer Regiment Bechyně and experts from That primarily included EOD-9 suits, stand-off Texas and Nebraska manipulation devices, metal detectors, remote activation systems and X-Ray scanners to view suspect objects.

Talon robots Helping to increase safety of military EOD EOD training teams during initial incident site search, one of the means of stand-off manipulation are the Ta- lon EOD robots. The Talon enables recceing over The C-IED training site in longer ranges, while experienced operators may Bechyně garrison was the venue search the site using the camera system wit- to an exercise involving the EOD hout the need to initially employ an EOD guy. th The robotic helpers and additional materiel and 15 Engineer Regiment and equipment were provided to Czech forces free U.S. specialists. Czech forces of charge as part of the U.S. Government’s Fore- were represented by the total of ign Military Financing (FMF) program. Thanks to five teams. A range of diverse the program, the Czech military was able earlier to obtain drones and military equipment facili- scenarios and model situations tating the performance of challenging missions, proved their abilities and including those in Afghanistan. specialist skills. Regular training Concentrated training events for members of the EOD 15th Engineer Regiment, 601st Special Specialist training tested three teams of the Forces Group and Military Police members were 151st Engineer Regiment based in Bechyně, one held twice a year until 2013, always after their from the 153rd Engineer Battalion home statio- return from foreign deployment. The exercise ned at Olomouc and an EOD team comprising saw the units cover scenarios of incidents they operators of the 601st Special Forces Group ba- had been up to during their operational deploy- sed at Prostějov. Members of the Texan and Ne- ment, mainly in the Logar province, Afghanistan. braskan Army National Guard formed a three- The teams had ample opportunities to try out -member team for the training event. The “hot“ incidents and obtain critical information preparation and realisation were orchestrated and observations that have been used in further by specialists of the EOD Technical and Infor- specialist training. That was also facilitated by mation Support Centre (CTIP EOD) led by LTC lessons obtained on courses abroad some of the Zdeněk Hejpetr. Members of EOD company of EOD specialists in service with the Czech military the 151st Engineer Battalion were also involved successfully completed in the past. The training in setting up the exercise. Mingling the teams in course held at the U.S. Eglin Air Force Base or the final phase of the exercise made the event the Global Anti Terrorism Operational Readiness even more interesting. So, American experts (GATOR) included in predeployment preparati- searched and disposed IEDs shoulder-to-shoul- on the Czech EOD teams underwent ahead of der with Czechs. going downrange in Logar province as part of ISAF both stand a good example. Initiated by U.S. Embassy The concentrated training was initiated by Afghan scenarios an offer the Office of Defense Cooperation Training held in Bechyně was a unique (ODC), a component of the U.S. Embassy in opportunity for EOD teams to practise EOD in Prague, addressed to the commander of the realistic scenarios with a high degree of simila- 15th Engineer Regiment. That was certainly rity to those specialists are up to downrange on complemented by the positive assessment day-to-day basis. All trainees praise the facili- similar joint training held in Bechyně back in ties at the EOD training site. Artificially created 2012 received, then also with participation dusty roads resemble realworld environment in of members of Texas and Nebraska National Afghanistan. Training can therefore be simu- Guard. This year’s training and testing of skills lated highly realistically, particularly as sear- and abilities of all trainees focused on practical ching IEDs. Planted under roads, they are hard solution of scenarios set up by the personnel to crack even for seasoned EOD specialists. of 15th Engineer Regiment CTIP EOD and EOD Ops center centre was the venue of so-called Hot Wash Up, Their experience and training make it possible company of the 151st Engineer Battalion. The which included initial report on mission perfor- for them to negotiate even such difficulties. total of 32 diverse scenarios were prepared ba- To support the concentrated training and for mance and accomplishment, description of the The weather over the four days of the exercised on information, observations and lessons the needs of all involved, an operations centre course of action and an after action review. Then se was a true hell considering the equipment learned during operational deployment in Lo- with commanding officer First Lieutenant- Ro the trainees were allowed to renew their ”com- soldiers had to carry. The EOD-9 suit weighs gar province, Afghanistan, and from the last bert Braun, a member of CTIP EOD. The ops cen- bat readiness“ and particularly to prepare mate- almost forty kilos and does not provide much iteration of the training course one of the CTIP ter controlled assignment and deployment of riel for performance of missions in challenging comfort to the user given the nature of its use. EOD members completed at the Elin Air Force teams to tackle particular scenarios. Upon their scenarios. All materiel the EOD teams present- Even a short action in the magnitude of seve- Base earlier in 2015. return from the EOD incident site, the operations ly have available was used during the exercise. ral minutes, such as setting up the detonation 32 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 33

Students of the University of Defence Completed Foreign Legion Training in South American Jungle There are Three New Jaguars in Brno, Baring their Teeth It is a long-awaited finale of Guiana adventure. They passed the four-day survival test system to eliminate the EOD, represents an ex- to tackle most current challenges, including eli- moment, either water jet to deactivate the IED in tropical jungle, with minimum hausting job. mination of improvised explosive devices along or similar option involving a prima cord and equipment, they are exhausted roads in Afghanistan,“ LTC Hejpetr added. Fictive detonator would be used. Both can be plan- and hungry. Instead of rest, scenario describes a motorbike gang, whose ted either using the robotic hand on the Talon, they float downstream on rafts, Modern conception boss would find a suspicious package in his or directly by an EOD specialist. The scenario First Lieutenant Robert Braun and Lieutenant apartment. After careful examination, the EOD made the job more attractive for specialists who to a place where the bridge spans Colonel Zdeněk Hejpetr concur it is essential to specialist assessed it was an explosive substan- would most frequently find themselves digging above the watercourse. Another get specialists ready for other threats too. ”In ce. Previous jamming prevented remote activa- IEDs from the ground rather than handling a su- hour of exhaustive training addition to well-proven scenarios, our aim was tion, but manipulation is still too risky. At that spicious package on table top. follows and the last hurdle in a form of handrails. At a depth of Proper command fifteen metres below, a massive Such format of training does not practise only body of water rolls. Adrenalin detection and subsequent elimination of explosives, but it is also an opportunity for platoon spreads throughout the entire leaders. They can exercise control and tasking body. With a cry “Selva”, they the team as well as the performance of the very throw themselves into the response operation and subsequent debriefing depths, one by one, and after of specialists once they return to the base. The right equipment is naturally important, and due a few second of falling they all attention is paid to checking everything thorou- disappear beneath the water ghly before they get on the move. Everything is surface. At that moment they alone with the burden. In addition, shins are suf- positioned in specialised vehicles; nothing can Zoo on the Base fering greatly, because everything is interwoven be omitted. It is not possible to go back or delay do not mind that unlike some “The base has a small zoo, with animals that with roots which you do not see in the mud,” the disposal unnecessarily. Everything must be predecessors in previous years, can be met in the rain forest,” recalls Staff Serge- Sergeant Šedivka remembers hardship on the done quickly and efficiently. In the EOD job, the they do not jump from the deck ant Michal Matějů and tells the story on the obstacle course. slightest mistake may be the final one. of an aircraft hovering over the creatures he actually encountered: “Spiders as big as hand, snakes, after that, monkeys jum- river. “We flew even without ping in the treetops.” But the most annoying for Exhausting Stay in Constant readiness a helicopter,”they evaluated this Brno military students was another creature: “It That kind of training significantly increases moment after returning home, was a small beetle, howling as a noise during a Tropical Jungle th overall readiness of the EOD EOD 15 Engi- after several days. hooter test, like at home, every Wednesday, we The cadets from military school in Saint-Cyr neer Regiment, but also EOD specialists of the did not hear a word because of that beetle,” de- must repeatedly climb dreaded set of four ob- 601st Special Forces Group or the Military Poli- scribes this local background sound Staff Serge- stacle courses, built in the jungle, which are ce. Honing drilled skills, devising new scenarios ant Michal Matějů. a sort of icing on the legionary cake. The “trail of reflecting current needs and modern security Tree military students of the University of After initial testing, all trainees, divided into pigs” stands for a set of barriers running through threats are the only way forward in prepping Defence—Staff Sergeant Michal Matějů, Serge- four platoons of twenty people, left on boats the marshy oxbows. It is here where soldiers practi- for demanding operational deployments. The ant Jan Šedivka, and WO3 Jiří Burda—finished CEFE base, to a camp in the rainforest. “There ce climbing over, balancing, prowling, climbing, C-IED training site is a unique facility that our training in the equatorial forest, from 31 March began the everyday cycle of training, running, jumping, diving, and swimming. The “liana trail” Allies highly value. Not to speak about the job to 12 April, in French Guiana, at the base of and other physically strenuous activities, in or- is called among trainees “monkey track”. It con- our experts are doing, which is evaluated as tru- the 3rd Regiment of the French Foreign Legion. der to induce a feeling of exhaustion arising sists above all of ropes, nets, trees and wooden ly top-notch effort and Czech EOD rank among Despite the fact they have large experiences as from the movement in the jungle,” summarizes structures. It is focused on climbing, hand over the best. instructors in the supplementary student activi- the contents of stay in the jungle Sergeant Jan hand, jumps and balancing. The most of the ty Commandos, after arriving at the base, they Šedivka. Every day there was on the agenda also time is required by “team trail”, which usua- had to absorb large amounts of information one of local obstacle courses. “Even a simple lly takes more than two hours. It includes nine by Michal Voska, photos by Jan Kouba necessary for stay in an unfamiliar environment. movement in the mud is very troublesome, let obstacles, requiring cooperation of the entire 34 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 35

times we had to raise our shorts over our heads Czech group completed training successfully, and then boots. Like that it was over and over and their uniforms are newly decorated by the again, till the Frenchmen began to sing their prestigious insignia of the graduates of the school song which mocks the absurd orders. course, with an image of jaguar baring its teeth. I naturally did not know the words, but I star- “It was one of the most interesting, most di- ted drumming by boots and then began dru- fficult and most beneficial courses I have ever mming the entire platoon. It was uplifting, and attended. It gave me much more than I expec- the moral is—I´ll say it vulgarly—even when you ted, even though it was very difficult,” Sergeant are in the shit, you must be in a good mood, it Jan Šedivka evaluates his biweekly stay in the is psychologically very helpful,” recalls WO3 Jiří camp of the Foreign Legion, and agrees with Burda, as for him personally this moment had his fellow, Staff Sergeant Matějů: “We are very another meaning: “In this (for me) hardest day pleased that we were able to go to the course, it of the course I had a birthday, I must say the is a presentation of Czech mentality—we prove best birthday in life!” that the Czechs will not get lost, and that they can work even in a foreign environment.”

Backpack Made Text: Viktor Sliva, photo: CEFE of Palm Leaf The survival test was unambiguous. With minimum equipment, members of the platoon had the task to build a sheltered camp, with beds above grounds, and safe fireplace, to establish an access path from the river and mark it, to build two rafts, to procure the instruments. “Such as to make a backpack out of palm leaf Patawa, tied together by the lianas of Mukuna group, at least of seven people. Again it consists around us the explosions of puff charges and tree,” describes one of the tasks Staff Sergeant of mud, trees, and giant smooth wall. shouting instructors.” Matějů. They can apply acquired knowledge of There also came the most difficult task of the theoretical training, for example how to use the whole course. Its essence was the task saying: wood of separate trees for various purposes. “Of in less than two hours to move the injured on Survival Test course, we ourselves had to procure our food,” a log, from one point to another, through impe- Knowledge and skills acquired during this says Jan Šedivka and his fellow Matějů adds: netrable track, filled with mud, i.e. to overcome training were examined by the four-day test of “For four days, I ate three fish bones, with pieces a fourth obstacle course. Michal Matěj remem- survival. Trainees handed in bootlaces, belts, of flesh. And in the evening we cooked a soup of bers this move as one of the toughest and most shirts and watches. They were allowed to take small crabs that crawled around on the ground.” tense experiences of the whole course: “An in- with them only a compass, whistle, machete, The activities of individual platoons were eva- jured person on a log was totally helpless and aids to kindle a fire, and water container. The luated, including the final examination during completely reliant on the team, which carried inspection followed, whether someone had hi- the last day of the course. Sergeant Jan Šedivka- the person. In my team, right from the start, se- dden food. It was performed in the river, whe- ´s platoon won the largest numbers of points for veral people got stuck in the mud, so that at the re trainees entered only in shorts and infantry completed tasks, other platoons of Brno traine- end only four of us could drag the log. And all boots. “The checking was tough, about twenty es gained only one less. All three members of 36 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 37

from different flight levels. The first flyover by an Accompanied by the police response team, attack. Besides military professionals and police airliner therefore was at 2,000 ft and the other the EOD specialist searches the bag. His gestu- officers, roughly a hundred of the Temelín NPP one at 500 ft. Another attack then came in the res imply that it is a harmless object. The bag is employees joined the exercise, including the form of a drone loaded with explosives heading secured and the police ride with the apprehen- complete security service and the emergency for the NPP secure zone. The UAV was also inter- ded individual outside the security area. management staff. cepted and operators of the RBS-70 man-por- ”It is critical for Active reserve soldiers to try CEZ power engineers and specialists have table air defence system eliminated the drone and drill the operating procedures,“ says Colo- a joint training with the police twice a year, sol- with imitated fire. nel Pešek. ”Training exercises are very useful for diers come to the NPP once in two year. Airbor- ”Today, anybody can buy such a drone,“ LTC their potential operational deployment.“ ne terrorist attack was however simulated for Prskavec elaborates. ”It can carry a camera sys- the first time ever. ”The exercise took place out- tem to obtain aerial imagery but it can also deli- side the facilities and the Temelín NPP security ver an improvised explosive device.“ Military and police in service also joined the exercise,“ the CEZ Power But the missileers are able to track and elimi- Plants Security Director, Ms. Iva Kubáňová, ex- nate those aerial vehicles too, including multi- tune with Temelín plains the NPP’s role. ”Terrorist threat may result ple ones at one time. After firing a missile, the ”Any exercise proving the spectrum of our ac- in activation of additional security measures and RBS-70 system is ready to fire again in couple tions directly in the field, in this case the ability to then our task would be to provide primarily lo- of seconds. defend the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant against gistic support to the armed forces. aerial terrorist threat is always hugely beneficial for us,“ Major General Jiří Baloun evaluates the by Jana Deckerová Intruder apprehended closing stage of the exercise. ”This year’s exer- photos by Jana Deckerová and Jan Kouba Servicemembers of the 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment and the Active Reserve Component The perimeter of the 25th Air Defence Missile cise Safeguard emphasised joint training and st Regiment was delineated with five kilometres interoperability links among military professio- 181 Infantry Company took part in exercise Safeguard Temelín 2015 of concertina fencing. The Active Reserve Com- nals, members of the Active Reserve Compo- ponent soldiers provided security to the lines nent, Police officers and the CEZ company.“ of communication around the nuclear power Servicemembers of the 251st Air Defence Mi- plant. ”As part of the exercise, we set up three ssile Battalion are primarily assigned to perform checkpoints and one guard post on access road missions in the frame of the Czech National Air to the Nuclear Power Plant,“ says Colonel Vladi- Defence Reinforcement System and they train Terrorists over Temelín mír Pešek, Director of the České Budějovice Re- to be able to provide air defence coverage over gional Military Headquarters. ”Members of the strategic infrastructures, including nuclear po- Active reserve Component practised ways to wer plants, for example in an impending terrorist Midsize passenger airplane controlled by terrorists, low-flying drone carrying high explosives and apprehension of intruder in the security zone. Situations successfully handled by almost two hundred soldiers of the 25th Air Defence Missile in Strakonice and Infantry Company of the Active Reserve Component of the Regional Military Headquarters České Budějovice in exercise Safeguard Temelín 2015 at the nuclear power plant in Southern Bohemia.

A small passenger plane has deviated from at Strakonice. The core was formed by the sol- its planned route and follows a bearing to the diers of the 251st Air Defence Missile Battalion Temelín Nuclear Power Plant. The crew does not augmented by members of other subunits. communicate with air traffic control. The thre- ”The heart of the complex is the SURN CZ sur- at has already been detected by radars of the veillance and tracking radar with three-member air defence missile regiment home-based at crew – driver, operator and commander, which is Strakonice. able to detect aerial targets as far as 65 kilomet- “Target… Roger, tracking… Altitude 2,000, di- res away,“ informs Lieutenant Radim Janák of the stance 23, speed 200, inbound … Ready to fire … 251st. ”In reality, airplanes or drones could never One fire, Two fire … missile one shot … target eli- get into immediate proximity of the power plant minated,“ is heard from the control and homing and pose a threat.“ radar on target acquisition and subsequent eli- Major-General Jiří Baloun, First Deputy Chief mination of the enemy aircraft. of General Staff Czech Armed Forces, concurs: commander of the 251st Air Defence Missile Ba- handle situations posing threat to checkpoints “All flights are monitored; and if an airplane ttalion. ”We have here for training a reinforced during the exercise.“ would suddenly deviate from its corridor and air defence battery operating the SA-6 Gainful And that was what happened. In front of Aerial target within 65 change direction, the Gripens would be at the air defence missile system, complemented with the access to the security area the guards are NPP within five minutes, earlier than the- pla two teams with the RBS-70 man-portable air about to halt an inbound car, but the driver kilometres ne that made an unplanned deviation from its defence system and a team with the RVR radar does not react to the instructions by soldiers. The Temelín Nuclear Power Plant is a part of declared route and became an aerial threat.“ surveillance sensor.“ The vehicle is stopped and driver apprehended critical defence infrastructure, which means the until the Police of the Czech Republic arrives. government may in case of threat activate de- The Police officers arrested the individual. Sol- signated components of the Czech Armed For- Standard mission Acquired targets shot diers however discovered a suspicious bag ces to provide defence and security immediately. ”What we do here are standard missions we in the car and alerted the police patrol to it. The defence of the Temelín NPP against aerial would perform in case the Czech National Air down A Police EOD specialist is called in to the site, threats was therefore fully orchestrated by the Defence Reinforcement System would be acti- Terrorists would usually seek to hijack not one because there is a high risk that the bag could 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment home based vated,“ says Lieutenant Colonel Petr Prskavec, but multiple airplanes and hit the chosen target contain explosives. 38 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 39

U.S. forces. Thee Czech Armed Forces provided standard logistic support in the form of refuelling, vehicle parking, boarding and lodging at the Training Command − Military Academy in Vyškov, where the U.S. convoy stayed over night. The costs associated with that part of host nation support were covered by the United States.

Support by NATO partners In the context of the U.S. Army movement, Czech Defence Minister Martin Stropnický explained why NATO partners receive support. “It is just another transit through our territory as there have been many of those – there were one hundred and five road transits just from Ja- nuary till June. Those movements are naturally a part of our NATO membership commitments, as we enjoy the reputation of a reliable member and partner.“ A similar U.S. convoy transited the Czech Republic at the turn of March and April earlier this year; the so-called Dragoon Ride then attracted a high public attention. On the very transit, U.S. soldiers were greeted by thou- sands of sympathisers – in the cities where soldiers stayed overnight and along the roads they passed.

NATO Secretary General During his visit, Jens Stoltenberg discussed security threats and current situation in Euro- pe and beyond. In his call with Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka he particularly discussed the NATO Readiness Action Plan adopted in last year by the NATO Summit in Wales in the wake of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the si- nd Movement of armoured hardware of the US Army 2 Cavalry Regiment on their way to NATO exercise tuation in the Ukraine. The Prime Minister was Brave Warrior keen to hear what the NATO Secretary General had to say on the aggravated security situation in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. ”Especi- The route of the movement led through ally the worsening of security situation in Syria Rozvadov, Prague, Brno, Vyškov and Lanžhot. and Libya are the root causes we are tackling Movement of main forces was divided into six columns travelling at intervals to provide ma- today in the form of migration wave,“ PM So- ximum safety and fluency of other traffic. The botka said. NATO forces represent the proof of Danube Ride Czech Military Police and the Police escorted the cooperation in the NATO framework, and that is also why the convoy transiting our territory on their way to Hungary was important. The Danube Ride as the convoy transiting the Czech territory Sleeping at Vyškov was called divided into six Contrarily to the transit in March, when the headcount on the convoy was roughly one hun- columns on their way. In total, dred and sixty Americans, more than three ti- that involved almost 150 vehicles mes more of them stayed in Vyškov overnight and 600 U.S. service personnel. this time. That claimed a perfect coordination On that occasion, the Czech of logisticians and all components involved in supporting the transit. The whole demanding Republic hosted the visit by operation was performed without any difficul- NATO Secretary General Jens ties, except for minor delay some of the columns Stoltenberg, who discussed experienced. Transits of foreign military vehicles are nothing unusual and they will happen as current security challenges with part of our NATO membership commitments in top government representatives. the years ahead.

by Michal Voska 40 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 41

The staff of the NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion is up to Combat Readiness Evaluation later to come and seize possible intruders or call in on this year reinforcements. Besides standard movement control and patrolling teams, the company task force comprised three specific teams. Team 1 comprised a response unit that performed regular policing, such as standard investigation. The team also SUCCESSORS had a pair of military service dogs specialised in detecting narcotics and explosives assigned to them. ”We used them for example when a suspicious package in the dining facility was repor- to the Black Bear ted. The whole surrounding area had to be evacuated and closed. Subsequently, we called a Croatian K-9 officer assisted by a Slovak EOD Several MPs jumped out of Land Rover. Rather than entry into the was no premiere for the MNMPBAT either: it specialist. Their task was to find out whether the ammunition depot in the Hungarian Military Training Area Bakony, took part in the first run of the CL exercise series package could contain an explosive. Identifica- they were concerned with integrity of the perimeter fencing. already in 2013 in Slovakia. tion was positive in this case. The dog sat two times to indicate there had really been an explosive. That action, much like many others, requi- Imaginary Atropia red a detailed communication and cooperation ”We used the SOM 3 security and monitoring their mission in the face of the opponent. In the The NATO Multinational Military Police Batta- among service personnel from individual nati- system to provide security to the ammunition Prague Summit three years later, Poland, Czech lion trains continuously also in smaller training ons forming the project of multinational battali- depot at the start, but we had to move it over to Republic and Croatia agreed to make a contri- events. Members of the staff and unit meet se- on,“ First Lieutenant Marek Novotný elaborates. a facility that treats water to make it potable and bution in the form of developing a multinati- veral times a year to do joint preparation. The The last team comprised explosive ordnance distribute to all forces deployed in the area. We onal military police battalion. Bulgaria initially MNMPBAT assigned a company equivalent task disposal specialists, who were assigned to indi- only do random checks at the ammunition de- joined the project and the Ukraine also consi- force to exercise Capable Logistician 2015. That vidual teams as needed. pot,“ explains First Lieutenant Marek Novotný of dered participation, but eventually abandoned totalled seventy MNMPBAT members, of whom the Multinational Military Police Battalion. The the intention. there were twenty-five Czechs. They were- as battalion joined the exercise Capable Logistician In December 2005, efforts started to develop signed to senior posts such as chief of opera- Provost Marshal 2015 in Hungary in June earlier this year. implementation agreement and March 2006 tions centre and chief of operations group. The One of the goals of the exercise was also train saw the coordination and funding group esta- commanding officer of the company task force the Provost Marshal Office (PMO) model. The blished. The leading representatives of national was Major Franjo Barunčič of Croatia. This year, Provost Marshal team reported directly to the It started with the Black military police forces signed the implementati- he is the acting deputy commander MNMPBAT. commander of the Joint Logistic Support Group on agreement in June 2007. In autumn 2008, the The command positions are filled on rotation and their mission was to coordinate MP activi- Bear following initial MNMPBAT exercise – Black Bear basis every year. ties, assignments relating to the Military Police The history of the project of multinational mi- 2008 – took place in Wedrzyn, Poland. Further ”The goal of this exercise was to prove NATO and advise the commander on all domains of litary police battalion and training goes back to editions of the exercise series were held in re- standards and interoperability among the na- MP responsibility. 1999. NATO then came up with a strategy of de- gular yearly intervals in the Czech Republic, Cro- tions. The organisers set the play into an ima- “The exercise proved it is critical for the level fence capabilities that was designed to enable atia and Slovakia. Everything came to a head in ginary country of Atropia, where the ARTFOR of command, which has a subordinate military deployment of forces into crisis areas, equipping the certification exercise Sharp Lynx in Poland in force deployed,“ Major Lukáš Stejskal explains. police unit, to have such type of coordination and sustaining them to successfully accomplish 2012. But this year’s exercise Capable Logistician ”We had opportunities to train here with the component,“ Major Stejskal expands. ”In the course of the exercise, we had a chance to rehearse the whole spectrum of operations. Apart from what has been mentioned, we also provided security coverage to key elements and infrastructure of the forces in training. I am happy with the way we performed those missions. As is the case with any multinational unit, there are naturally certain challenges pertaining to single standard operating procedures. There are still minor differences among military police organisations of individual armed forces in some procedures, but we continuously work to finetune all of that. A multinational battalion working group convenes at least four times a year to har- monises those issues.“ Multinational Military Police Battalion faces members of other nations’ armed forces. So we in cooperation with their colleagues from the the CREVAL combat readiness evaluation later had highly realistic scenarios to practise com- Hungarian Military Police. on this year. The MNMPBAT Staff is to under- munication in English, plan operations and sub- The CoyTF was subordinated to the com- go that process during exercise Compact Eagle sequently control them from tactical operations mander of the Joint Logistic Support Group 2015 that is organised by the Multinational Cor- centre on the radio.“ (JLSG) provided escorts of heavy resupplying ps North East headquartered in Szczecin, Po- The action by the company task force in trucks and oversize cargo, valuable materiel land, in November this year. It is to the MNC-NE exercise Capable Logistician was twofold. The and security of ammunition depot that sto- that the MNMPBAT is subordinate to. unit performed missions arising from the pre- red costly sensitive and precision ammunition. pared plans under the play and instructions They Coy TF used the SOM security systems to from the superior command HQ. In addition, that effect, as the systems provide stand-off by Vladimír Marek, photos by Vladimír Marek they provided real MP protection to the forces detection of any suspicious motion for the MP and the NATO MNMPBAT 42 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 43

of Aircraft Propulsion Units in Selected Flight required by the optimal design of the aircraft. Modes”, above all on tests of small jet engines The shape of an air inlet introduce significant TS-20 and JT100. During the project, he succe- effect on engine performance and its other pa- ssfully applied his expertise in planning, testing, rameters, depending on airspeed, angle of start, data collecting and data analysis. and other ambient conditions. The wrong sha- Captain Bugajski also collaborated in the pe under operating conditions can potentially creation of software for collecting and analysing lead to a catastrophic engine failure. The more measured data from tests of small jet engines, we understand such press distortions; caused and on the proposal for a utility model of me- by design choices for engine inlets, the better asuring equipment for uneven flow in the inlet we can control engine performance as it ope- of jet engines. He is a co-author of five scientific rates under stress, both in military and civilian articles and he also gave a lecture on design of aircraft.” experiments for undergraduate students. “Such pressure distortions occur, when air or fluid moves rapidly through different shapes,” From Water to the Heights the American officer described the essence of Before he joined the U.S. Air Force, the Ame- his study. “For example, water flows evenly from rican Captain was a competitive swimmer, for a garden hose, but if I put my thumb over the 15 years, and he played water polo at his high outlet, water pressure and its shape change school. So, why did he join the Air Force instead dramatically. It is similar in case of an air inlet of the Navy? “Apart from the abovementioned on an F-16 aircraft jet engine. Although the en- sports, I have always been interested in space gine is cylindrical, its air inlet is of oval shape, research and related technologies,” Captain Bu- which is not optimal for the engine, but it is gajski explains his inclination towards aviation.

“And the USAF is a leader in this field,” he adds. While stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, he underwent a private pilot training (PPL) and completed his first solo flight. During flight tests of aircraft Hercules C-130J and HC/MC-130, he served as a technical liaison officer between scientists and pilots. Nonetheless, Gabriel Bugajski returned back in Brno to his original sports inclination and together with his mates from the Defence Univer- He Enjoys Leading the Way for Others Captain Gabriel Bugajski, USAF, Participated in Scientific Research sity Brno he strengthened the team of Geofyzi- of the University of Defence ka Brno, in underwater rugby, and all together participated in international tournaments in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria. He was involved in school life even in other extracurri- cular activities. For example he participated in excursions in aircraft factories and at Czech Air Force bases he took part in professional exami- People Around Us nations or in football training during physical preparation. For the Department of Air Force and Aircraft Technology he represented a wel- At first he was afraid that he would live in a cramped flat, far from for planning the tests, data collection and come revival, with new insights into a number his office, overwhelmed by impressions and experiences of life in their analysis. of problems, always with active, enthusiastic and Central Europe. But he found a comfortable apartment near his “For this exchange programme I choose the friendly approach. His stay in Europe he capita- Czech Republic first, because I enjoy leading the lised for a better understanding the continent: workplace and new colleagues and acquaintances helped him to get way for others. Besides, it was a chance for me “In my free time I enjoyed not only sightseeing used quickly to his place of work. Nearly two years, the US Air Force to learn more about jet testing and to work with and attractions of the Czech Republic, but also officer Gabriel T. Bugajski served at the Defence University, where scientists who are among the best in their field, of other European countries, actually I visited fif- scientifically worked at the Faculty of Military Technology, under the and share experiences and proposals for experi- teen of them,” says Bugajski. ments. In addition, I was excited to learn a fore- “Although some aspects of the functioning international Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program (ESEP). ign language, to get to know the rich history of of the Defence University are surprising to me, the Czech Republic, enjoy the world´s best beer, I rate my two-year stay very positive. I appreci- and live in the great university city in the centre ate openness to different opinions, high level “During my service at the Department of Air Captain Gabriel Bugajski went to the De- of Europe,” Captain Bugajski describes the moti- of expertise and broad range of knowledge and Force and Aircraft Technology of the Defence fence University in September 2013 as the ves that brought him to Brno. skills of department staff, or effective solutions University, I´ve learned more about turbojet very first USAF member in the Czech Repub- to technical problems. The amount of time the testing than during six years of university. This lic, under the terms of above mentioned ex- teachers spend with military students is also ad- is due to the researcher´s inventiveness and change programme. He came to the Brno uni- How to Test Engines mirable,” Captain .Gabriel Bugajski summed up collaboration with local industry,” said Cap- versity from the military test and evaluation his experiences. tain Bugajski, looking back at his working stay centre AFOTEC DET 5 (Air Force Operational Better His stay at the Defence University ended in in the capital of Moravia. “I was impressed by Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 5) in At the Defence University, Captain Bugajski mid-September, when Captain Bugajski returned the high level of engineers and scientists, who California, where he worked as a chief engi- was placed into an expert engine group, at the back to the United States. His first task at home do excellent research work, with smaller bud- neer for operative tests of transport aircraft Department of Air Force and Aircraft Technolo- is to master the officer course for captains. gets than many of their counterparts in other Lockheed C-130 Hercules, and refuelling air- gy. So he participated in the project for develo- NATO countries.” craft Boeing KC-46A. Here he was responsible pment a research organization, with name “Tests Author: Jiří Pečinka, Viktor Sliva, photos: Viktor Sliva 44 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 45

to maintain a cool head and especially do not A Paramedic in the Army Biggest Plus for Aid cause confusions.” It was not his first emergency resuscitation; Michal Šnajdar joined the Czech army at the Station is a Team he met them already in his professional work on age of nineteen; he was a student at the Uni- He currently works at the aid station of the For the First Time ambulance stations of medical rescue services. versity of Defence, Faculty of Military Health 25th anti-aircraft missile regiment at Strakonice, “But for the first time I intervened, to say, Sciences, in the field of paramedic. At the end and this work suits him, particularly because “on my own”, without the presence of civilian of the last year, he and his schoolmates were of its variability—backing exercises, schooling, paramedics, and I myself became an officer co- offered to choose a place where they would professional experience, training CLS. “The bi- mmanding of emergency resuscitation,“ WO1 like to start their career after school: Bučovice, ggest plus for the aid station is our team,” the Michal Šnajdar recounts moments of his rescue Chrudim, Jindřichův Hradec, Žatec or Strako- paramedic confesses. “We understand each “On His Own” intervention. nice. Finally, the anti-aircraft missile regiment other, no problem is too difficult for us to find His professional approach was appreciated prevailed. “I chose Strakonice, mainly due to a common solution, and despite of very consi- even by the organizers of motor paragliding. One the Air Force training centre for CLS (Combat derable workload we are able to fulfil all tasks The hot August weekend of them, Jaroslav Šilar, later sent a letter of thanks Life Saver), as this centre is really the best in under the command of WO1 Marie Mindlová." suggested that paragliding to the Strakonice unit, in which he wrote: “His the eyes of medical community,” WO1 Šnajdar He would like to see more space for profe- fans would properly enjoy this intervention was rapid, highly professional, and evokes his beginnings. “In connection with ssional practice in health facilities and stations as we subsequently learned from a doctor from this centre, I came face to face with the reali- of emergency medical services; nevertheless year´s meeting. At a meeting the air ambulance, without his help, the patient ty of military administration and bureaucracy, because they have to meet the prescribed fif- place, near the town Králíky, would have died. We are very pleased and proud as the centre was much neglected materially. ty percent of working days, including practical there arrived even Warrant that such professionals serve in the Czech army. In the last six months things have moved for- training, it is the question of additional medical Officer 1st Class Michael Šnajdar, “I'm only glad that all went well, I do not want ward slightly, and we hope that the Air Force personnel. The lack of time for prescribed profe- th to exaggerate my merits,” notes modestly Mi- command will pay us more attention–not only ssional experience is also the problem of other member of the 25 anti-aircraft chael Šnajdar. ”I just did my job.” financial.” aid stations in the Czech army. “The manuals are missile regiment at Strakonice, to one thing and reality is another,” shrugs Šnajdar. lecture on the medical first aid. He did not know however that A Born Medic before his lecture, he would have He knew he would live in a health care envi- to fight for the life of one of the ronment. It was in his blood. “We have healthca- participants. re in our family, as nearly half of the relatives are health professionals—from general nurse, over radiological assistant, to medical lab technician, so all the time I have been very close to medical specializations since early childhood,“ smiles WO1 of air defence. For that reason, in the final year of secondary This summer reached out to nearly all tempe- school in Ústí upon the Orlice, he decided to be- rature records, so that paramedics had to drive come a trained paramedic. He chose the Faculty to many cases of collapse just from high tem- of Military Health because he thought that this peratures. Therefore it was not surprising when faculty would prepare him best for this field of one collapse occurred even during the meeting work. “Of course, financial and material support of motor paragliders. was also tempting for me, along with job security after graduation,“ WO1 Šnajdar adds. He gained professional experiences specifica- Correct Diagnosis is lly in the Pardubice Regional Hospital, Teaching Hospital in Hradec Králové and at the Territorial Essential Emergency Medical Services Centre of Pardu- “I was sent for because someone collapsed,” bice region in Ústí upon the Orlice, during his recalls WO1 Michael Šnajdar. “At first I thought studies at the Faculty of Military Health. “I must it must be the heat, so I only would lift legs of thank them all, because everything I know, I've afflict and the problem would be solved, but learned through the staff experts; you can get a short look at the man turning blue quickly de- self-confidence only through practice, not theo- monstrated the opposite.” ry,” says in conclusion the assertive paramedic. When Michal Šnajdar reached the place, two men had already started cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Fortunately, thanks to the lecture I Would not Hesitate to he had everything he needed with him. Because the person was not breathing, he used an auto- Join the Mission mated external defibrillator (AED), and the man In his spare time, WO1 Michael Šnajdar re- lying unconscious gradually completed three laxes especially while jogging, but his hobbies shocks. Meanwhile the trio of rescuers tirele- also include history and literature. “The physi- ssly continued resuscitation. “Both comrades, cal condition is for every soldier his background a veterinarian by profession, another was a po- During the narration, the paramedic comme- To Keep a Head Cool and running cleans his head,” the young medic liceman, had already similar experiences, which morates also annoying things during similar smiles. “And mission? I'd go right now, unfortu- was a big plus,” says Šnajdar and adds: „Shortly situations, namely disturbing groups of curious “In retrospect, I realized that the rescued nately, for the Strakonice unit there is a minimal after the arrival of emergency medical services, onlookers. “There stood relatively young peo- man had certainly family, friends, but at that chance. But I certainly would not hesitate.” we managed to force the patient to breathe. It ple. Guys, come and help us, I asked them. In moment those ideas and everything else were proved our initial diagnosis that the man had vain, only a 60 years old pensioner offered his set aside,” recalls Šnajdar. “I trained CPR in Authors: Jana Deckerová and CAPT Jana Samcová, a heart attack.” help," he says sadly. school, and therefore I know how important is photos: Archives of the 25 anti-aircraft missile regiment 46 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 47

to guard its surroundings. The soldiers also tried to communicate with the local people, so that they could get them on our side and to acqui- re the necessary information about possible attacks. From Tuesday, July 8, 2014, when a sui- cide bomber attack killed five members of the Czech unit, passed more than a month. Yet the soldiers in his thoughts kept going back to that fateful black day, when they lost their mates. But still it was necessary fulfil the tasks. The announ- cement of the combat command was followed by the preparation of weapons, ammunition and vehicles. Roughly at six o'clock p. m., the column left the Bagram base. A sleepless night was wai- ting for soldiers. Sergeant Kopáč was in the vehicle MRAP, behind a grenade launcher AGS-17. At first, the night patrol proceeded without major problems. The column was moving along the communication Gladius. And just on this road, they fell into the platoon Bravo that ought to reinforce our Badge of the Army of the Czech Republic and an enemy ambush. Enemy forces started to fire unit.” When it arrived, the damaged vehicle re- the Badge for Combat Contact. at the column from small arms from the close turned to the point of contact. There most of the “Of course, when we came back later to the vicinity. soldiers dismounted and continued the pursuit incident, we discussed it from every angle. But and search for the enemy who quickly withdrew. each time we agreed upon the fact that thanks The damaged vehicle was assigned to the plato- to the drills of certain situations, we managed Under the Fire on Bravo to return back to the base. “This inci- this event properly,” Radek Kopáč stressed. “Af- “Immediately, after a first shot, I turned to- dent was my first encounter with enemy fire. Yet ter that, the rest of the mission was relatively wards the enemy. After his positive identificati- I was oblivious to any danger in that situation. stable. Except for minor clashes with the locals, on, I opened fire on him from mounted weapons Everything happened very quickly, the first prio- because of stoning our vehicles during patrols.” AGS 17. When later there was a re-examination rity was to answer the fire on the enemy. Only in Radek Kopáč would like to continue serving of the point of contact, it was found that my fire this way I could protect other vehicles of our co- with the 43rd Airborne Battalion at Chrudim. killed one of the insurgents. He was subsequent- lumn from the enemy´s attack,“ Sergeant Kopáč They are said to have an excellent team and he ly identified as one of the leading commanders explained. For literally lightning response that likes the service. He would like to take part in in the region,” Sergeant Kopáč recalled. “In con- helped to protect other soldiers, he was awar- other missions. He is most attracted by Africa, tact with the enemy, our vehicle was hit in ended on a spot by the US commanding Brigadier in particular by the mission in Mali. gine parts by hand anti-tank grenade launcher. General Stephen Townsend. After the end of the Fortunately, its operability was not disrupted. At mission and on his return to the Czech Republic, Author: Vladimír Marek, the command of platoon leader, we went faster, he received from the hands of the Czech De- photos: Archives of Radek Kopáč away from a contact with the enemy. After about fence Minis- five hundred meters we turned and waited for ter the Merit Africa Attracts Him

That August day last year in Afghanistan was very really hot. the base. At that time the whole unit was deplo- Nevertheless, it was exactly the same as other days. Sergeant Radek yed off the base. A series of preventive measures Kopáč went to do some sports after breakfast. Even though he had were adopted, in order to prevent any attack on the base. It was the biggest security operation a free afternoon, the very challenging night awaited for him. His unit in the history of Bagram that took place. The had to go to one of regular night patrols. Czech unit fulfilled its role perfectly. Some of its members spent in full combat readiness thirty- -six hours. Also thanks to their deployment in This mission in Afghanistan was in fact an two years, Sergeant Kopáč decided to transfer Top Gun Shield operation, the American pre- opening night for Radek Kopáč in this count- to the 43rd Airborne Battalion at Chrudim. Here sident could meet with his troops and thus to ry. Even though he participated in 2006 in the he has been serving in the position of the com- honour the memory of those who died fighting KFOR mission in Kosovo, this was something mander of the mortar group of the 1st Airborne for freedom. factsheet completely different. Anyway, he was not a new- Company, up to the present. Gradually he went comer in the army. He completed compulsory through parachute and mortar courses, course The biggest Allied base in Afghanistan, Bagram, is located about fifty kilometres military service in 2002. Even then he came to for topography specialists and through several Ambush on the Gladius north of Kabul, at an altitude of fifteen hundred meters. It also includes a large the conclusion that the military service was artillery courses. airport. The first local runway was built in 1976. At present, there are two ba- pleasing and rewarding, and so he applied for In April 2014 he came to Afghanistan's Ba- Road sic runways on the base: three thousand meters long and three thousand and five hundred meters long, which allows setting down even the largest planes. reenlistment. He wanted to become a profes- gram with the 2nd guard company. From the After lunch, the unit of Sergeant Kopáč star- This base played an important role during the Soviet invasion to Afghanistan sional soldier. In early 2003 he began to work very beginning, one hundred and fifty members ted to prepare for a night patrol. Every day the in the late seventies of the last century. A number of Soviet troops were statio- th nd as a senior operator with the 46 airborne ar- of this unit have gained the respect and reco- 2 guard company completed several patrols. ned here. Allied troops have used the base since 2001. The Czech soldiers have tillery battalion in Pardubice. There he served gnition of American soldiers. It was strengthe- Some of them were longer than twelve hours. been guarding this base since the beginning of 2014. They have been quartering for seven years. But in 2010 there was a reor- ned by President Barack Obama's visit, during They were to check the historical launching plat- in the section called Riverside. ganisation and the unit moved to Jince. After which the Czechs protected the space around forms for rockets aimed at the Bagram base and 48 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 49

Almost five hundred servicemembers five NATO nations joined the multinational ground based air Lithuanians a live target defence exercise Tobruq Legacy 2015. The tactical exercise started early in the mor- ning at six a.m. Some three hours later, the second Lithuanian team became the target to an artillery assault. Soldiers are running for the shelter except for one. He remains prone on the ground and cries out. He bleeds from several One Team parts of his body. Injuries are very serious. A time trial starts. While soldiers provide first aid to the casualty, the team leader reports to the superior An armed conflict occurred between two states. The attacked country echelon and requests medical evacuation (ME- of Panau defends against military invasion by the neighbouring DEVAC). A BV 206 tracked vehicle arrives in no state of Sodor. A violent occupation is impending. The state under time to transport the injured service members to the designated helicopter landing zone. attack therefore requests a military intervention by the Union of Time is relentless, it is about seconds. Soldiers States international organisation. A part of the land task force the make to the heliport in several minutes. A medic Union of States deployed into the crisis area has been a ground jumps out of the helicopter to take over the ca- based air defence unit. Its mission is to support the land task force in sualty and load it into the helicopter to be taken into a Role 1 field medical facility. defending and repelling the attack by Sodor army. That was one of many incidents staged to prove the skills of the soldiers during the

Exercise trainees generated the air picture using inputs from the CRC Stará Boleslav and systems deployed in Boletice MTA, including the SURN surveillance and tracking radar, the ReVI- SOR surveillance sensor, the Hungarian MCP system, U.S. Sentinel radar and the Lithuanian Giraffe Mk IV system. ”We tested the distribution of air picture information from those sources and how the information was processed by individual systems and disseminated further on,“ explained Major Bronislav Kavka, who was responsible for connectivity as well as communication and information systems on the exercise.

Joint training against aerial threats The tactical training event peaked in a live fire exercise involving the air defence systems. That was the scenario for exercise Tobruq ceremony and went on to say that although not informs Major Martin Tesař, an intelligence For the first time in the history of the Czech Re- Legacy 2015, where training of such nature an easy goal, it was our ambition to prove our officer. public, a live fire of VSHORAD systems from the and scope was performed for the first time the soldiers were rightly a valuable part of the NATO The core of the unit comprised two common inventory of multiple NATO armed forces took Czech territory under the baton of service per- Integrated Air and Missile Defence System. batteries (Czech-Slovak and Lithuanian-Hunga- place in a single day. Czech and Lithuanian sol- sonnel of the 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment The exercise was initially planned just for rian), equipped with very short range man-por- diers also used the BORC device for the first time home based at Strakonice. Czech and Slovak soldiers. The 25th Air Defen- table air defence missile systems. Czechs and during night live fire of the RBS-70 MANPADS. ce Missile Regiment from Strakonice and the Lithuanians trained with RBSD-70 systems that The live fire was also attended by leading re- Air Defence Missile Brigade home stationed in are laser guided. Slovaks used the Igla systems presentatives of the Czech and foreign armed Tobruq Legacy Nitra, Slovakia, honour the legacy of Czecho- and Hungarians had the Mistral systems. Both of forces. The Chief of General Czech Armed For- At the turn of June and July, a part of the Bo- slovak soldiers who engaged in fighting for the them use the optronics self-homing system. The ces Lieutenant General Josef Bečvář was also letice Military Training Area belonged to Czech seaport city of Tobruq in north Africa in World unit also comprised a Czech battery with SA-6 present in this unique exercise. ”In my per- soldiers as well as teams of service personnel War II. Honorary names of both units (Czech Gainful air defence missile system. spective, the importance of the exercise Tobruq from Lithuania, Hungary, Slovakia and the Uni- unit ”Tobruq“ and Slovak ”Tobruq Defenders“) Legacy 2015 is that ground based air defence ted States of America. They formed a multinati- were also the source of inspiration for naming units from several NATO nations are able to en- onal team that demonstrated the ability to deli- the exercise Tobruq Legacy. American liaison gage aerial opponents together,“ General Beč- ver Washington Treaty Article 5 commitments to Transmission of air picture data from the Con- vář highlighted the exercise goal. Lieutenant collective defence of NATO nations. trol and Reporting Centre (CRC) in Stará Boleslav General Ben Hodges, the Commanding Gene- While the Czech military professionals made Two states clashing into the principal command post of the units in ral U.S. Army Europe, also valued multinatio- use of the first days of the exercise for rehearsals The fictive state of Sodor carried out a mili- training at Boletice MTA, that was the mission nal cooperation. ”Such exercises are extremely and unit integration, foreign trainees were arri- tary invasion into the neighbouring country of for U.S forces, for which they used the FAAD co- exercise. And because there were ground ba- Information crucial important, especially in these turbulent times, ving in turns to the military training centre loca- Panau with the objective to occupy it. The sta- mmand and control system. The CRC served as sed air defence units on the exercise, the sol- For the servicemembers of the 25th Air Defen- for NATO to demonstrate its cohesion and co- ted in southern Bohemia. ”One the primary go- te of Panau requested international assistance. a source of air picture data. In practice, they had diers also had to tackle many attacks from the ce Missile Regiment, this was the very first ex- operation among individual nations,“ General als of the exercise is to declare interoperability The ground based air defence unit was a part surveillance of the airspace over Boletice MTA air in addition to ground attacks. Their oppo- perience with integrating such a number of fo- Hodges concluded. among NATO ground based air defence forces,“ of that military intervention. ”Their mission was generated by radars located across the MTA and nents were simulated by the JAS-39 Gripen reign units. The multitude of air picture sources said Brigadier General Jaromír Šebesta, Deputy to support the land task force as the contained obtained the air picture data on the airspace be- aircraft, Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters as well used in the exercise was also a premiere setup Commander of Czech Air Force, in the opening and repelled the attack by the Sodorian army,“ yond from the CRC. as drones. for them. by CPT Jana Samcová 50 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 51

For the first time ever, the Czech Armed Forces played the key role in a multinational brigade task force national integrity with all functionalities,“ Colo- attack by two heavy units that put the commu- able to cover the south side of the hill. Along during exercise Allied Spirit in Hohenfels, Germany nel Kopecký points out. nity under siege and took defensive positions with another our component, which attacked ”On Sunday evening, we received order from so, that they could not be engaged by Aria- north of us, we were finally able to capture the the corps commander and on the next day nan heavy armour. They were followed by light hill and push the opponent out,“ says Lieute- we issued full orders in English to subordinate company that is now seeking to take control of nant Jan Holíček, commander of Czech tank battalions. We managed to get individual si- the community and secure the local police sta- platoon. ”We proceeded with a high caution. tes operational and establish connectivity. We tion. That is where the weapons cache alleged- We identified certain locations suitable for am- created the command system and included the ly is for Arianan special forces,“ commander of bush. The terrain we were going through was subordinate battalions into the order of battle. the 74th battalion task force Lieutenant-Colonel very suitable. So, we did not hurry and thorou- We already have everything fully operational Martin Botík explains. ghly searched all suspicious places. In those at the moment. We are evaluated progressively Penetration by tank and mechanised forces instances we sent ahead squads from infantry on everyday basis and those are no diplomatic on the left flank of offensive operation however fighting vehicles. Our suspicion however did statements. According to the reports, we have did not do without certain complications. The not prove right. The opponent put up a tough even been doing better than U.S. forces in some opposing forces put up a tough resistance on resistance only shortly before we reached the cases.“ the nearby hill. ”We were tasked to capture hilltop. The OPFOR defended the strategic lo- the strategic hill above the Asvar village, take cation was with one mechanised and one tank control of that area and prevent the OPFOR platoon. We finally managed to join forces and MILES and cameras from accessing the community area from the push them out. The opponent lost one tank The huge benefit of exercises held in the U.S. west. We proceeded in two directions. My tank platoon and one mechanised platoon. Our lo- Joint Multinational Readiness Center is their re- platoon reinforced with a mechanised element sses were relatively low and represented a half alistic nature. Thanks to massive deployment of advanced from south to west so that we were of tank platoon.“ latest generation MILES laser engagement si- mulation system, the training is very close to realworld situations. The system can also be fitted on heavy hardware, including tanks. Inputs for evaluation are obtained from the MILES conne- cted to the central evaluation computer system, from evaluators as well as from cameras. There are several cameras positioned in all fourteen training facilities in Hohenfels. Everything is All won shot from several angles and the footage can be replayed for every situation and zoom in when The Asvar community was veiled by a kilometre-long cloud of smoke. and began to attack with the objective to seize necessary during the evaluation. After the trai- Air and artillery support of NATO forces was responsible for that. the capital of their neighbouring country and ning ends, there is instant data about the losses Fierce fire broke out instantly. Supported by T-72M4CZ modernised naturally the key oilfield infrastructure. and experienced instructors are able to review In this situation, the UN Security Council deci- possible mistakes. tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and Iveco light multirole ded to deploy the ISF international allied forces vehicles, Czech soldiers sought to fight their way into the community into the territory of Atropia. ”NATO deployed and clear the whole area. But the opposing forces strongly resisted. three multinational corps here. One of those is Awaited ambush the Hohenfels Corps and the 7th Brigade Task Tough fighting goes on at the moment to Force I am in command of is a part of the Corps. win control of the Asvar community. Opposing That was one of the episodes of the multi- Training Area. Probably the most difficult part Our mission is to stop the opponent, push them forces in black uniforms played by U.S. forces national exercise Allied Spirit II held in the U.S. was the integration of combat support and out of the territory they captured, and renew stationed at Hohenfels are not really willing JMRC in Hohenfels, Germany, in which the 7th combat support service units. It showed that our to give up. ”Our offensive phase started with brigade task force with commanding officer brigade had been a little more ahead of those Colonel Josef Kopecký played the pivotal role. units. The challenge is that foreign deployments The Czech Armed Forces joined the exercise that are primarily covered by the 7th Mechanised and started in mid-December last year with fourteen 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade. The regiments hundred soldiers and over four hundred combat rather concentrate on training in their respective and support vehicles. In total, the exercise in- specialisms. They assign their units into brigade volved around four thousand service personnel task forces only secondarily. But eventually we from the Czech Republic, United States, United managed to finetune all problems.“ Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Serbia, Hungary and Georgia. ”The order of battle of our 7th Brigade task For- War for oil ce comprises a British, American and Czech ma- Exercise Allied Spirit II was conceived as noeuvre battalions. Further, it includes a Czech a NATO operation taking place in the territory reconnaissance battalion, combined U.S.-Czech of fictive nations on the Caucasus. In May 2014, artillery battalion, combined Czech-U.S.-Cana- the Government of the State of Ariana raised se- dian logistic support battalion and numerous veral claims in relation to the oilfields in the ne- smaller components,“ Colonel Kopecký explains. ighbouring country of Atropia. The claims were ”It took us nine months to get ready for this supported by the ethnic minority of Arianans exercise. We had to develop standard operating living in border areas of Atropia. Ariana made procedures and all associated matters – and use of the ethnic minority to create tensions in primarily prepare the people. There had been the neighbouring country. Many provocations a series of table top exercises and rehearsals and guerrilla attacks occurred. Ariana finally under the aegis of the 7th Mechanised Brigade. used force under the pretence of the national We also invited representatives from Hohenfels minority’s being oppressed. On 9 August 2015, for a joint training with us in the Libavá Military Arian military forces crossed the state border 52 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 53

from day to day. It is preset so, that they inc- Not omitting anything available: RPGs and Javelin antitank missiles. task force is not happy with how his forces proce- reased our wear progressively. The armoured When we hit a tank with the RPG, that does not eded and so he returns them to the initial attack combat vehicles against us are highly mano- The A infantry company underwent simi- necessary mean a kill; the tank may only be da- line and calls in the company commanders. Using euvrable off road and very fast,“ Sergeant First lar company level exercises. A convoy of Iveco maged. It depends on the number of hits and specific examples, he explains where they made Class Vladimír Menšík explains. ”We are here LMVs, Land Rovers and Humvee were just ne- type of weapon used. The tank may only lose its mistakes and how should they proceed next time. along with infantry fighting vehicles, and U.S. gotiating their way through a forest to a camp. mobility but the weapon is still operational. Or ”It is not the point of this exercise to identify the offroad vehicles support us too. I believe we ”Our task was to search for the opponent and the way round, we put out the weapon system, winner. Our goal is to rehearse training objectives complement one another very well. The ligh- eliminate them. Training with MILES forces sol- but the tank can still move. We often request fire we set for ourselves and draw lessons from this ter hardware performs reconnaissance type of diers not to omit anything and do everything support in those cases. We have managed to training event. This phase of the exercise showed missions and secures crossroads. The heavy they would do in realworld combat. They have complete all exercises to very good standards. that we need to get more down to the terrain and hardware then eliminates the opponents’ ar- to take cover consistently not to get hit. The We do have some shortcomings and we discuss speed up. The manoeuvre should be substantia- mour. Although the weather has been scor- opponents are high-quality forces played by those during after action reviews.“ lly faster. Its power is in speed, massive employ- ching throughout the exercise, the equipment experienced soldiers. Moreover, they have been ment and fire superiority,“ LTC Botík says. works better than we expected. The people here for a longer time, so they have a very good In the second run, the Asvar community is inside the vehicles have a substantially bigger familiarity with the local environment,“ explains Double capture definitely captured and occupied. Weapons at problem with that. Contrarily to armoured ve- the commanding officer of st1 infantry company, Czech soldiers finally managed to get into the the police station are seized. Exercise Allied Spi- hicles of some of the NATO armed forces, our captain Michal Mamkin. ”I am in command of Asvar community. It looks like they will elimina- rit II nevertheless goes on. Soldiers are still up tanks are not equipped with air conditioning. a light company, which is a bit of a handicap. te the final resistance by the opposing forces in to its main part, which involves a full-scale field With all systems switched on, the temperature We may not eliminate all enemy equipment. a couple of minutes. But fighting is suddenly sus- training exercise. ”This is one of the largest exer- inside makes our life considerably harder.“ We seek to use all antitank weapons we have pended. Commanding officer of the 74th battalion cises for our armed forces in this year. The 7th

Lieutenant Holíček also alerted to the fact Mechanised Brigade has been evaluated as an that even the most advanced laser simulators excellent unit on a sustained basis. The question are not flawless. For example, the opponent may came up what to do next. We proposed to the defend against the laser beam by taking a shel- Commanding General U.S. Army Europe that we ter in the forest. The system then does not regis- would set up an exercise on the level of Brigade ter hits. That needs to be counted with and work task force. And that is where this whole thing with the evaluators to achieve that the target is came from,“ underlined Lieutenant General Jo- evaluated as killed. sef Bečvář, the Chief of General Staff Czech Ar- med Forces. ”This exercise has also showed that we are no rookies in NATO. We have excellent From zero to ten commanders and Colonel Kopecký has proven The Czech service personnel were able to that on everyday basis.“ prove all of that during company level exer- Further editions of the Allied Spirit exercise cises that were organised in the initial stage series are to held in the fall and in spring next of their stay at Hohenfels. Those were phased year. ”I am not in the position to say whether according to the level of difficulty. ”On day and in what numbers we will participate in those one, we were not subject to intensive activi- exercises. Available funding will be the key. Such ty by the opposing forces. The point was to international exercises are naturally extremely identify their locations and enter into contact valuable for increasing the quality of our armed with them. But they progressively stepped up forces. Reviewing the missions performed here their resistance against us. They have perfect by the 7th Mechanised Brigade, I am very proud settings here, going up from zero level diffi- of our soldiers,“ general Gurník concludes. culty to level ten. Their resistance escalates by Vladimír Marek 54 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 55

Unmistakable roar produced by the Mi-24 Hind helicopter and skills possessed by Czech pilots are something that goes far beyond the boundaries of our country. Italian Blade 2015 Italian city of Viterbo hosted multinational interoperability exercise under the auspices of the European Defence Agency. Demanding two weeks tested the skills of pilots, mechanics, ground personnel and logisticians. High temperatures, various aircraft and different environment heralded new experience as well as suprising situations.

Interoperability, new experience and mutual different machines for a perfect harmonisation testing of skills and abilities, that was an exerci- and communication. We are glad that the Czech se that took place roughly 80 kilometres north Armed Forces was represented in the second of Rome in the Monte Romano polygon and highest number of rotary wing aircraft in the in adjacent areas from 22 June through 5 July program’s history and participation of the Czech 2015. Pilots from ten nations were up to a host Air Force Mi-24s was welcome." of interoperability flights, coordination with for- and the like), and hence interoperability exerci- are able to perfectly accommodate any requi- and the more we can appreciate the excellent only our aircrews but also aircrews from other ward air controllers, and integration of land for- ses help pilots to be able to fly together with rements. They have no problems with adapting job our mechanics and ground personnel are NATO nations’ air forces highly value the this ces into air operations in the form of paradrops, International mentoring machines of different categories. The tactical themselves, and so even in Italy, close to Rome, doing. machine when they see its performance enve- perimeter support and mutually coordinated Procedures and policies are one thing and instructors evaluate every flight, highlight - mi there was not any problem to prepare everything lope, manoeuvrability and what we can do with flights. That was the primary goal of the exercise their integration for training and use in practi- stakes that need to be redressed and comple- one hundred percent. The important factor were it." Although it is an aged Soviet platform, its with involvement of more than a thousand of ce is something completely different. The task tely eliminated in the years ahead. They inform also high training standards of our fifty-mem- Different machines firepower and capacity are practically unsurpa- soldiers and forty air assets. Exercise Italian Bla- for mentors, more precisely tactical instructors the European Defence Agency accordingly to ber ground personnel team, including their ex- Given the tender for new multirole helico- ssable. It is also chronically reliable and easy to de slightly differed from other foreign exercises from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, do the final assessments or provide recommen- cellent language skills. English was an everyday pters prepared at the Czech MoD, it was use- maintain. What needs to be taken into account usually held under NATO aegis. The European Germany and Sweden, is to supervise the in- dation for future exercises. part and did not cause trouble to anyone, which ful to review the equipment our NATO Partners however is the possibility to repair the machi- Defence Agency took over the lead this time, troduction of guidelines and evaluate missions, the instructors also highly valued. The organisa- use. For example, the advanced triple-engine nes, deliver the spare parts and sustain them although it draws on joint NATO policies to an procedures and their correct performance. It is tion of such a large exercise, when it is necessary AW 101 Merlin helicopter is an impressive ma- operational in general over decades. That is be- extent. The objective is naturally to harmonise logical – when pilots fly in their homeland, it is Different environment to provide everything from housing to food, to chine with a huge transport capacity, the NH90 coming ever more difficult. That is why efforts procedures and improve plans developed over different than when they have to perfectly co- It is naturally attractive for pilots to take part fuel and maintenance facilities requires not only is a futuristic multipurpose helicopter equipped are underway to select its successor. Whatever years. Mr. Miloš Pecha, an EDA representative mmunicate and cooperate with servicemembers in an exercise outside the home territory. Every seamless coordination and excellent skills. That with state-of-the-art avionics, same as the CH- system is selected, its implementation will alwa- specialising in helicopter forces and procedures, from other NATO nations, coordinate flight ope- flight is different, unique in certain aspects, but was underscored by the fact that it was the first 53, not to speak about the transport capacity of ys be compared to the Hind in the eyes of pilots. says: ”The European Defence Agency seeks to rations, do composite flights involving aircraft of the environment is the same all the time. That time for the Czech Armed Forces to participate the famous but old Chinook CH-47. It was plea- complement training performed in the frame different categories and provide communicati- is why it is essential to hone one’s skills in in- in an EDA exercise at Viterbo. There is no room sing to see the threesome of the Czech Air Force of NATO; the helicopter program exercises fo- on with the Forward Air Controllers (FAC). It is ternational exercises that offer a different clima- to be nervous and everybody is pulling at the Hinds (Mi-24) to become the focus of interest by From extreme to extreme cus on training interoperability and standardi- also worthwhile to mention close air support to te, largely different conditions and with respect same rope. Every machine needs to be perfect- all airmen and soldiers. No doubt it is too early Long flights lasting several hours, high tem- sation of training procedures, mission planning land forces and search and rescue operations. to NATO readiness also the familiarisation with ly ready, each flight log thoroughly studied and for the Hinds to be scrapped. In the exercise, the peratures, demanding mountain environment and performance. Italian Blade was the eighth It is also logical that the Mi-24 multirole attack hardware used by the NATO Partners. Italian evaluated. The ambient temperature magnified Mi-24 gunship was able to perform nearly all and sand the wind brought in from the Tyrrheni- exercise in a row where we already managed to helicopter, with its performance envelope, servi- organisation was not completely flawless at all by the airfield surface and the scorching noon mission thanks to its versatility, high use value an Sea will herald even more difficult conditions bridge the differences in training and procedu- ce ceiling, cargo capacity and overall firepower, times, but the Czech military professionals of sun did not mean relax and rest for the Czech and the transportation capacity. In the context for the pilots. The next edition in the exercise res of countries participating in the program. can do more than machines originally designed the 221st Squadron, including after foreign ex- mechanics as work always goes first. But it was of the interests in our legendary machines, Ma- series, which will prepare almost arctic conditi- It was necessary to prepare aircrews operating for civilian purposes (Augusta Westland A109 perience and operational tours in Afghanistan, not always the case all the time with everybody jor Jan Vanický of the 221st Squadron said: ”Not ons, will be Cold Blade in Finland in March next year. According to Mr. Miloš Pecha, it will be a similar exercise with specific focus on SOA (Special Operations Aviation), CSS (Combat Service Support) and CAS (Close Air Support), but temperature well below zero degrees Celsi- us will force the pilots as well as mechanics and the ground personnel to go to the very edge to their abilities in interoperability flights. The participation is expected the same as in Viterbo. After Finland, Belgium is scheduled with exercise Black Blade to primarily cover the support of special forces.

by Michal Voska, photos by Jan Kouba 56 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 57

nd The 102 Reconnaissance Battalion took part in the contest for and overall support, and familiarity with the en- The built-up area resembled a real-world city. special and counterterrorism units in Amman, Jordan vironment with the home team played the key CQB can be practised with live fire both from the role in their success. buildings and at targets positioned inside the buildings. Overall, the KASOTC is a one of the most advanced training facilities on the globe, Rules not always fair which saw investments over USD 200 million. It is correct to say that we even beat elite teams in performance of some of the tasks, but the attitude by organisers brought us down on Future competitions Warrior 2015 our knees from time to time. Rules were sub- The primary goal for the Czech team was not ject to change on everyday basis and the ina- to compare with others in the contest. First of bility to disqualify teams (intentionally not re- all, it was necessary to get familiar with the fa- The Jordanian special forces training centre hosted the seventh ferenced here) when completing the task just in cilities offered by the KASOTC. As long-range edition of a competition for special units from all around the world. part (which was clearly defined in competition reconnaissance teams primarily train for per- It was a premiere participation for the members of the battalion propositions) had a major effect on the results. formance of different missions, some sort of Not everything turns out according to how we comparison was hardly possible. Perhaps only of General Karel Paleček, which brought about many lessons, imagined it, but rules are nevertheless always stress fire goes along with the tactics used by achievements and also disappointment. binding and it is not possible to change or bend long-range reconnaissance teams. Therefore, if them all the time. That would need to be elimi- there is the possibility to take part in the futu- nated in the future to maintain the prestige and re editions, we may draw lessons from the 2015 dignity of the whole competition. run, make sure all arrangements are in place – Eight-member long-range reconnaissance the mental aspect was perhaps the worst as it and most importantly: manage the transport of team of the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion tes- was affected by adverse weather, strong wind own weapon as we have them zeroed in and are ted and compared their skills in the King Abdullah and low quality weapon equipment. Weapons Future training centre familiar to soldiers. That is not an easy task pre- Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC). were borrowed, because due to the organisation Jordanian environment was also a perfect de- ceded by many administrative actions. Some of The recce guys were up to a challenging contest and last moment invitation, it was impossible to monstration of a high-quality training facilities those may take even months. that compared their skills and abilities with speci- take own, well-proven and zeroed-in weapons for the Czech soldiers. The KASOTC even boasts al forces from nations such as the United States, the soldiers are closely familiar with. a 600-metre shooting range with automatic eva- Russia, Canada, Jordan and other Arab countries. luation and computer controlled target system. by Michal Voska, photos by MAJ Václav Malát In a four-day contest, they had three events every day, in which they had to prove their ability to Inadequate weapons take decisions quickly, precisely and effectively The mentioned weapons largely affected the eliminate targets, but they also needed to show overall course of the contest. A high quality endurance and dexterity. weapon is the key and − as Major Malát says − ”we calculated from the very start with using weapons lent by the contest organiser. What we Thorough preparation however did not count with was the condition Ahead of the very opening ceremony, in which of those weapons and that we will not have the the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Jordan chance to even zero in the pistols“. Mr. Petr Hladík wished much success to the Czech After arrival, we were issued five M4A1 -car team, the teams underwent a thorough check bines and five Glock 21 pistols unfortunately of mandatory equipment and armaments of all teams. In addition to weapons, the competing With that rifle, the Czech team managed to keep five-member teams had to complete the whole abreast with their competition and surpass them contest in body armour and helmet weighing at in many instances. Precision shooting over se- least eight kilos. Team members could not be veral hundred metres remedied what the other substituted during individual events. The clima- weapons spoiled. While this was the first parti- te in Jordan is also very much different, and one cipation in events that are not common for the cannot fully prepare for it. members of the 102nd, the representation of the Czech Armed Forces was excellent. Competition events During Day 1, the teams were up to events First participation, named Urban Assault, Hostage Rescue and 3-Gun Gauntlet. On Day 2, the Czech recce guys not last went through Desert Stress Shoot, Trijicon Ur- Due to a premiere participation of the Czech ban Assault, Airbus Seizure. team in the contest of special and counterterro- At the end of the contest, our team under- rist units, no stunning result was expected, but went events entitled Cross Country Stress Shoot, the 28th position overall out of 37 teams was Shock & Awe and Ironman Stress Shoot. nevertheless disappointing for all the members of the Czech team, especially as they did not perform badly in individual competition events. Testing one’s power frequently used during training of local forces, With quality weapons They cooperated without problems and moti- For the last day of the competition, the organi- which we found out soon. Every target not hit vated each other for better results with teams sers prepared a true King’s Challenge. Eight and meant a 30 seconds penalty in the first three days As opposed to completely inadequate M-4s from Canada, the United States, Columbia and a half kilometre long stage competition with five and then even 2 minutes in the King’s Challenge. and Glock 21s, one could tell a high quality wea- − perhaps surprisingly − also Russia and China. shooting events and mandatory water obstacle So, we were not competitive with the issued weapon. Two Accuracy International AWM sniper At the end of five-day contest, the teams of Ru- right at the start verified readiness of all the par- pons, although we did not lag behind in the very rifles were in perfect condition, our marksmen ssia, China and the home team of Jordan rightly ticipants perfectly. Despite a major physical load, time aspect of fulfilling individual events. praised them and it showed in the results too. proved the best. With the first two, maintenance 58 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 59

Service with the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade is one of the more prestigious and toughest ones. Is it easy In the NATO kitchen to abandon it after two decades and start a completely new life? During familiarisation jumps with the Brits, they also found out the British meteo know- -how. ”It was raining, we went into the cook- house to get something to eat and suddenly an order came to finish our meals quickly, there would be jumps in thirty minutes,“ the airborne recalls. ”And yes here came a window over the Time to move on airfield and a slot that we all jumped and it was raining everywhere around us. I jumped as the last one and the window was already closing, the conditions were no longer that good, I hit An airborne soldier, warrior in the runway and my heels went over my head, body and soul, but especially I landed on my coccyx and scraped my elbow. a fair chap. He was with it, when But I had to be quick to clear the runway, because the Skyvan had already been landing, and the rapid deployment brigade it started to rain heavily. Amazing school.“ was in the process of forming. He underwent a tough training and has been through several Challenge − Afghanistan Then the breaking point came: he served at operational tours in Kosovo and home after several foreign tours. He completed Afghanistan. On the last tour, he studies at Moravská Třebová, got married at the even came in death’s way, but age of twenty-five, first child was born and then managed to escape. Command hungry and I still recall the carrot tops hurled Sergeant Major Miloš Prášil a.k.a. everywhere overhead; we have completely cap- ”Baron“ made farewell with the tured the field,“ Prášil smiles. Czech Armed Forces and red It was a great training school. They also had a chance to see combat engineers at work, berets in April earlier this year. when they prepared a way for the airborne to He felt he had nothing left to cross a stream. It was for the first time that they give to the armed forces after saw and tried an infantry footbridge with a line, two decades. which was narrow and swung in the water. ”They only gave us one advice: do not ever stop!“ Mi- loš Prášil recalls. ”Many of us sank into water there.“ The red berets went beyond the borders to gather experience many times, be it Spain or the “It is time to move on and pay the debt to the Netherlands and learned lessons everywhere. In family, I was just pushing it in front of me since the meantime, there were operational deploy- my children were born and just watched them ments – Macedonia/FYROM, Kosovo. Miloš Prá- grow before my eyes,“ Miloš Prášil confesses. šil was then already a member of a newly for- ”No one will do for you the final decision that med sniper team and served many operational will turn your life around, but I felt for some time tours in that service assignment. already that I was at the end, that I had nothing a tough school with difficult beginnings, but its Moving over carrot field left to give to the military. The toughest part was thanks to him that we are today where we are,“ the second one. Another challenge came up in to admit it for myself.“ Mr. Prášil reminds the merits of General Opata. The Czech airborne soldiers familiarised 2007 – Afghanistan. themselves with equipment and weapons used “I recall we joined the unit on the very same day by service personnel of NATO nations’ armed we arrived,“ CSM (Ret.) Prášil reviews his memo- Straight to the airborne Thirty days with the forces directly in training. Funny moments occu- ries. “It was getting dark soon, we got our wea- He joined the armed forces as a conscript at rred on many occasions. ”The Brits do not have pons issued, and familiarised ourselves with the the age of eighteen in 1994. He was offered in Canadians tipping targets and they shoot until the com- environment as we went. We had to settle with the the draft to enlist as an airborne soldier and join A big experience came up when he managed manding officers assumes the target has been high altitude and temperature differences. And the newly forming unit in Chrudim. ”I had done to go with additional airborne soldiers as first eliminated,“ CSM (ret.) Prášil recalls. ”I still recall the dust was also unbearable. The environment skydiving in civilian life before, I did sports, so ones for a thirty-day training event to the Uni- our company commander telling us: ”Look how and people were completely out of our apprehen- I said to myself why not to become an insider,“ ted States, where they could train with NATO far they are able to throw the smoke hand-gre- sion. ”Truly strange feelings,“ the then sniper adds. Miloš Prášil recalls. He saw major replacements forces. As a platoon, they were assigned to nades, nearly one hundred metres – you can As opposed to Kosovo, security measures of equipment, arms, personal items, various lo- a Canadian unit. They had already been through do nothing, you have to learn a lot.' So we told were incomparable. The soldiers had their stuff cators tested, new technology developed, and deployment in the Balkans, but their equipment him those were not our heavy smoke hand-gre- packed all the time should they have to leave he even encountered the Svatava combat re- was still bad. ”We were there together with sol- nades, but firing light grenade launchers that we the camp. But he also recalls the great progress connaissance vehicle. ”I still recall how our Allies diers from other eastern bloc armed forces and only have in our inventory today. He just gave made by the unit in their professionalism from looked at us in disbelief, when there were heavy it was quite funny because we were running us a look, but correct to say he admitted that.“ the beginning. tracked vehicles in the inventory of our airborne around in red boxer shorts and T-shirts, so we Under supervision of NATO colleagues, they mechanised battalion,“ CSM (Ret.) Prášil smiles. were a live attraction for NATO soldiers,“ Prášil underwent a comprehensive training including He also remembers then First Lieutenant Aleš recalls. ”But it was a big school, to try out the assaults on buildings, and cleared the area in The fateful patrol Opata, who was at the birth of the new presti- airborne western style, that was beyond all aca- a three-day training session that included foot His platoon deployed in Badakhshan and gious unit of the Czech Armed Forces. ”It was demic training.“ movement through a carrot field. ”We were was sent for the first patrol. He was assigned as 60 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 61

He is not completely out of it even today. Birds protect airfields against unwelcome guests from When there is a storm or a flooding river, eve- the animal kingdom rything comes back to him. But the experience also gave him an enormous dose of self-confidence. ”Even when you think you are over and nothing can be done about that, the important thing is never to give up,“ the experienced airborne soldier underlines and goes on to say the his life values turned upside down and he knows Falconers money will not buy you the most precious thing in life. Biological protection is an integral part of Return to the red berets airfield safety and security as a whole. He was through heavy injuries, he did not Electronic systems are capable of know what he would do. Yet he did not give up monitoring the surroundings, guarding even this time. He was motivated that he will make it. After all surgeries and almost a twel- access roads in conjunction with humans ve-month convalescence, he got a chance to and eliminate the risk of intrusion, but stay with the military. ”I pulled myself together, they are unable to prevent animals although jumping was over for me, the injuries from colliding with aircraft, which may end up fatally. That is the job for trained birds of prey.

Although flash devices, sound effects from prey will wait for a sure shot and spare forces. commitment must be higher because a major pyrotechnical devices or radio controlled dro- That is why a broad range of birds of prey are part of the airfield is open so to say. The fields nes are used, falconers will always be needed employed to take turns at work with respect to adjacent to the runway offer food as well as in airfields. Even the most advanced technology their behaviour in nature: they catch game, eat shelter for small animals and a relatively dense is unable for the time being to discourage small it and rest for two days. The variedness is also traffic in the surroundings may drive animals as animals, especially small birds and hares. Com- important of animals that could endanger safe- far as onto the runway. a sniper. Two hundred and fifty kilometres there perceive pain thanks to that and he could not limited me, but I trusted things will get better,“ mon disturbance is not very effective. The rea- ty of aircraft and the associated selection of the and back, three days in the field. ”In one - pat believe to be alive. ”The river flooded, rainstorm, the ex-airborne soldier recalls. He filled the va- son is habit. Animals get used to noise and any birds of prey. The subject of falconers are birds rol, as we were returning from our mission, the there was nothing to get hold of in the canyon, cant post of command sergeant major in Chru- kind of disturbance, but they cannot overcome from sparrows to herons, hares and even deer. Food for birds of prey weather began to worsen,“ Prášil recalls. ”Local I was cut off from the world,“ the soldiers descri- dim and then in Žatec, where he served in that the basic instinct, fear of predators, fear for their The birds of prey receive appropriate reward weather deterioration is common between the bes the situation. ”Drilled instincts nevertheless assignment till his leave earlier this year. life. That is why falconers step in before every for every catch. Those outside duty get Japane- rocky hills, it started to darken, and we had to worked out. I found out I already ridded of my start and every landing as well as at other times. In-depth familiarity with se quails, lab rats or one-day old chickens from find out a suitable place to stay overnight.“ vest, because it would drag me to the bottom They work from dawn till dusk. factory farms. Successful action does not always There were four vehicles on the convoy. Sud- and that saved my life.“ The art of leaving at the the airfield mean the prey is killed. If the falconer gets to denly they lost contact with the last vehicle. It He managed to catch on a stone, and the In their job, they build on an in-depth familia- the catch in time, he withdraws the prey alive was not possible to turn the vehicles around in he stayed there hanging on for several hours. right time Demanding training rity with the airbase and its environs. The report and let it go into safe place, outside the airba- the narrow canyon, and the commanding officer Exhausted, dead beat, resigned to one’s fate ”I am thirty-nine and I trusted a long time Aged two through five months, young birds on ornithological situation including tables and se premises. The bird of prey is then rewarded decided to send a team of two to find out what and reconcile with that it was the last place that I will manage to pull myself together,“ Mi- of prey start to get accustomed to the falconer possible risks is submitted to air traffic manage- from the falconer’s bag, where there is always happened. ”It was myself and my buddy Kolya for him on earth. The break of dawn came; loš Prášil reviews. ”But I already see I will never and its training is done at the airfield from the ment authorities and communicated to pilots in something good to eat. The bird deserves it: it to run up to the vehicle,“ Prášil says. ”We saw locals found him, and then finally Czech sol- be completely well; I realised I will have to quit very first day to get the bird used to air traffic. preflight briefings. Falconers also need to able saved multimillion hardware and human lives. straightaway that the road shoulder collapsed diers appeared. ”I was very lucky, the abseiled and rearrange my life completely. I feel I have The bird learns that the glove means a reward, to judge the situation as concerns the seasons Even a pigeon sucked into a turbine may cause under the vehicle and the crew got stuck. They to me, asked how I was, and I only remember nothing left to give the military and the time receives food only on the glove and earns the of the year and a long-standing experience. a disaster. were not injured, but we had to secure medical me telling them: ̗do not care about that and comes to vacate the post for others.“ reward after a couple of days by jumping on the The falconers from the Čáslav airbase have their by Michal Voska and CPT Tomáš Maruščák materiel and weapons.“ pull me out, get me out of this place fast,“ Mi- After leaving the military, he wants to stand glove on his own. First over several centimetres, work also complicated, and their vigilance and (21st TAFB Čáslav), photos by Milan Roudný Both descended under the collapsed shoul- loš smiles. Then he does not remember any- on own feet, return to the beloved Vysočina and eventually, fastened on a line, over several der and secured weapons. ”I heard a terrible thing, he was only woken up by the warm as highlands and devote his time to the family and dozen metres. In case the bird of prey is recogni- noise, I did not know what was happening and he was transported into a medical facility on children. ”It is the most important thing that is sed as reliable, it receives a radio and is released suddenly I was swallowed by a landslide,“ Mr. a helicopter. here to stay, so why should I just let those preci- for the first, usually very thrilling free flight. Next Prášil lives through the fateful moments again. ous moments go,“ Miloš Prášil contemplates his phases of training differ for individual species. ”I said to myself, this is the end. Memories of future life. Falcons learn to fly on so-called lure, eagles and home flashed through my mind, thoughts that Survived He is leaving the military after twenty years, other birds of prey train arrivals on the glove I will never make it back again, my wife, children, ”When they gave me the details of all those where he had many friendships, but he also lost and then they learn to catch trailer (imitation of everything was a fast movie.“ injuries, I was lucky to be alive at all, and when many friends who were killed or still struggle prey – fox or hare skin, and imitation of various I had the chance to call home and speak to my with the consequences of the injuries they had bird species for falcon lures) tugged by the fal- wife, it was a wonderful feeling,“ Mr. Prášil reco- suffered. And his experience from everything he coner, and later by car. Instincts worked llects all those moments . has been through? ”It is good to have step go- It threw him up in a completely different pla- His injuries were serious and many surgeries als, be able to reflect on oneself and be content ce, it was dark around, mud and rocks rolled awaited him. During his stay, he was also told with little and especially with yourself,“ Miloš Before release over and he sought to get out of it. But another his buddy Kolya did not make it. Czech soldiers Prášil adds. Before every release, the bird of prey is wei- slide came and it dislocated his leg. He did not had to excavate his body from the rocks and ghed with precision in grams. Falconers will not care about pain, there was no time. He emer- mud. ”When I learned that, it was terrible for me, do much with a fatty bird, because it is simply ged in a river. The water was cold, he did not I do not wish that to anyone.“ by Jana Deckerová, photos by the 4th RDBde not interested in flying. Contrarily, a thin bird of 62 A review 2/2015 A review 2/2015 63

Colonel Miroslav Pelikán of the ARC has been in service for almost NATO member countries; they focus on the area What is the state of the Ukrainian army logistics? logistics, volunteer structures, city supply chain a year as an advisor for the reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of defence planning, command and control, as What it needs to change or tune? and humanitarian assistance. In car pools, there well as cybernetic security. The logistics in Ukraine is in a very bad con- you can see on one side a large number of ob- dition. The existing system of logistic support is solete immobile vehicles, and on the other hand How are you satisfied with the cooperation with the ineffective and inflexible; it does not meet the modern means of transport of civilian compa- Ukrainian Defence Ministry? Does they accept your needs of soldiers. We discovered enormous bu- nies that were mobilized. The repairs of faulty suggestions and comments? reaucratic procedures concerning purchases for weapon systems are performed free of charge, Initially, the cooperation with the Ukrainian anti-terrorist operations in the east. Simply, the on the basis of solidarity, and also quartering He Once MoD and GS was minimal. At that time, defence Defence Ministry was not able to buy needed soldiers is carried out by housing in local busi- officials devoted all their energies to the soluti- supplies in time; the proceedings took often nesses and schools which are leased to the sta- on of war conflict in the eastern front. The logis- nearly two months. The logistical stocks are at te for a symbolic price of one Hryvnia per year. ticians did not work both on reforms, nor con- critical levels. A major shortcoming is for exam- Currently, the city of Mariupol is being fortified cepts, but they tried to haul supplies (foodstuffs, ple the lack of modern information technologies against a possible attack by Russia. The con- Experienced water, fuel, field uniforms, and ammunition) to in warehouse management. All items are recor- struction works evoke the idea of World War II. fighting units. It was a huge challenge explicitly ded manually into books. The regulations are They build the trenches and dugouts and pile in the winter months, because the soldiers lite- from the fifties and sixties of the last century. up bags, not filled by sand, but bya soil ob- rally suffered from hunger and cold. Therefore, So the President set the task to create a cent- tained during excavation. There is only a limited the requirements for counselling involved rather ralized system for logistic support in Ukraine in amount of engineering machinery and large All this practical issues, such as the supplies of canned cooperation with volunteers. In order to man- parts of the excavation work are done by hand, food rations, transport containers to the east, or age existing problems in the system of logistics using picks and shovels. hunting spare parts for immobile vehicles. support, they established the so-called parallel Colonel Miroslav Pelikán has been working in the defence sector in Strictly speaking, the Ukrainian MoD was not logistic structures only for logistical support to Is the language affinity for you an advantage, or logistics (formerly arms and technical support) for thirty five years. able to concentrate on medium- and long-term anti-terrorist operations in the east. At last, the do you communicate only in English? He held a number of staff and in particular technical positions at all goals. Even the ministry itself proclaimed that volunteers were able to deliver supplies through The similarity of languages is obviously it would work only at short-term matters. This civilian companies to the east within a few days. a huge advantage for me, because it is almost levels of command, i. e. at tactical, operational and strategic ones. He was obviously contrary the NATO objectives, This was not a systems solution, because it was impossible to communicate in English with the previously worked as director for the development and construction which are primarily of medium- and long-term constituted by two systems of logistics support. Ukrainians. All meetings are delivered solely in of logistics—deputy director of MoD logistics and director of the character. However I can say that all my propo- On the one hand, it was a legitimate logistic Ukrainian or Russian that is sometimes restric- Multinational Logistics Coordination Centre headquartered in Prague. sals were always accepted and I did not get into system created by MoD, and on the other hand, ted and occasionally even forbidden. Immedia- conflicts with the senior management of defence there was the improvised logistics system crea- tely after my arrival in Kiev, I attended a lot of In early November last year, he started in Kiev as a Czech advisor for department. For example I attended meetings ted by volunteers. Therefore we aim our effort meetings, where I was a single NATO represen- the reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. with all defence minister deputies, who alwa- to coupling those the two systems as soon as tative, and my counterparts, numbered eight to ys listened to my suggestions and then, backed possible. ten officers, spoke only Ukrainian or Russian. It In Ukraine, there also still exists a system from was very difficult to respond to all questions and Where exactly is your office in Kiev and how long the days of the old Soviet Union. All standards took notes at the same time. However, I had to should you work in this county? are from the seventies and eighties of the last cope with it and so I gained the knowledge very My office is located in the NATO Liaison Offi- century. The actual distribution, between logis- useful for processing analyses. The interpreters ce, in a standalone building next to the Univer- tics and technical service, reflects the period be- are available only on formal high-level mee- sity of Defence, in one of Kiev districts, on the fore our revolution. Our objective is to integrate tings, attended by Western advisers. To illustrate west bank of the Dnieper River. The time of my these systems and create a single system of lo- the situation, only one logistician in the Ukraini- mission was set for a year; I should go back to gistics support, which is one of my main tasks an General Staff speaks English. Also almost all the Czech Republic on October 31, 2015. Never- here in Ukraine. documentation, with whom I come into contact, theless, at present the authorities at the Ministry is exclusively in Ukrainian or Russian. I estima- of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign affairs It is said that logistics is above all about money. Is it te, it is probably about ninety percent of the talk over the possibility of my further work in really the main problem of the Ukrainian army? documents. The remaining ten percent are do- Ukraine. I work as an advisor for the reform of I had set before entering this position. I con- logistics, it is chiefly preparing the so-called fe- my proposals, they issued appropriate decisions. The main problem, of course, is not just mo- cuments designed for work of officials, namely logistics of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which sider as my greatest success carrying out the asibility study, which identifies the main system I also had the opportunity to familiarise myself ney. It is also the question of complicated or- at the NATO headquarters in Brussels. But the includes not only the military, but also the Nati- largest multinational logistics exercise Capable deficiencies in logistics support, setting out pro- with the logistics of the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk. ganizational structures, swollen administration, translation of those documents is the time-con- onal Guard and the Border Guard. Logistician 2013, which was under my control. posals to eliminate them. This study is a unique Originally my access to information was very low manpower of military units, poor quality of suming and costly affair. I therefore translate all It was the largest Alliance exercise of this kind document, never drafted before in Ukraine. limited, so was the entry to ministerial buildings. maintenance of weapons systems and vehicles, by myself or rather I write down the main ideas You went to Ukraine from the post of director of the in the last decade. For the passage to Ukraine, Most likely, it should serve as a guide for the I went through a period of screening, when eve- insufficient level of technical training and also of the documents directly into the analyses in Multinational Logistics Coordination Centre. When I had to prepare all by myself, only in two weeks, next ten years. It will become a base for all ini- ry visit to the Ministry of Defence had to be re- a large dependence on Russia in spare parts, of English. you got this offer, was it a clear-cut matter, or did in which I had to carry out all required issues, tiatives in the field of logistics that are going to ported two weeks ahead, and it was examined which Ukraine must get rid of, as soon as possi- you hesitate? including the exam in English and medical exa- be introduced in Ukraine in the future, under the by the Ukrainian State Security. The situation im- ble. Otherwise it would generate a big security The Ukrainian army as well as ours once belonged The offer to work in Kiev came from the Mul- minations before leaving at the Central Military patronages of the Logistics Trust Fond. proved considerably after the peace agreement risk. The results of all those shortcomings are to the so-called Eastern bloc. Is it an advantage tinational Headquarters in Brussels. It was based Hospital. Due to the previous urgency, I started in Minsk, when fighting retreated and we had aging weapon systems and equipments, which for you to be better oriented in their technical on the conclusions of the NATO summit in Wales to work abroad without any prior short-term Do you represent our army in Kiev alone, or did you enough time for conceptual matters. In April, have been in operation for over twenty years. equipment? which took place in September 2014. There had attachment, which was not a problem for me, bring with you some colleagues? army officers took their monthly leaves, remai- For those reasons, it subsequently leads to their Compared with Western advisors, we have been agreed to create the so-called Trust Funds because I had been engaged in this field of in- I am the only representative of the AČR in ning from the year 2014, when the leaves were degradation. obviously the advantage. In the past, we had to help Ukraine, and the logistics was defined ternational logistics cooperation for a long time. Kiev. But there is another Czech national wor- not approved, because of conflict. From May our a similar system, so I immediately orientate as one of five priority areas. The Czech Repub- king at the NATO Liaison Office. He is Martin co-operation was good and even the questions Is there a chance to personally check some speci- myself in current problems of the Ukrainians. lic there also declared it sends some advisors to What are your main tasks in Ukraine? What is your Linhart of the Interior Ministry and he is there- of access to information were solved. Nowadays fic issues on the frontline? In essence, they still live in our eighties. I can assist during reforms at the Ministry of Defence focus? fore in charge of the reform of the Ministry of I just call a day in advance and I get even the I had the opportunity to visit some warehou- say that I am immediately able to predict where of Ukraine and also for other power ministries First it is a consultancy for the Defence Mi- Interior of Ukraine and the whole security sector. admission into the Council of National Security ses of joint support centres in Kiev and Odessa they are headed by their decision. I fact, I have and organisations. nistry of Ukraine, General Staff, and other insti- We cooperate closely, especially when is ne- and Defence, which is the highest defence and and I also visited the Sector “M” headquarters, a strange feeling that once I experienced all this. Before my secondment to Ukraine, I went tutions in security and defence sectors in the cessary to solve the logistics of the National security authority in Ukraine. It is controlled di- for anti-terrorist operations, which was built through admission process that I won. I agre- field of logistics and standardization, secondly Guard and the Border Guard, as those compo- rectly by the President, who is also its chairman. in Mariupol. I can say that logistics works only ed with this mission. As the director of MLCC it is the assistance during drafting strategic do- nents are under the Ministry of Interior. In Kiev It is a permanent body which issues binding de- thanks to using all possible and available re- Author: Vladimír Marek, photos: author a archives of I worked for three years and I reached all goals cuments, concepts and doctrines. In the area of operate also additional foreign advisers from cisions for cabinet ministers. sources. It's basically a combination of MoD Miroslav Pelikán Seventy-five years have elapsed since the formation of Czechoslovak squadrons and their involvement history in the Battle of Britain. A Handful of the Brave

According to London, the air Battle of Britain between British bombers raided Berlin on the following night. the German Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force started The fourth phase (September 7 to 30, 1940) on July 10, 1940. At that time, Czechoslovak air units opened with a first major terrorist raid on Lon- don. Hitler ordered it to retaliate for the previous did not yet exist in the United Kingdom, but the British night bombing of Berlin. On September 7 utmost was being done to form them. They only only, 306 people lost their lives and 1,337 were seriously injured. managed to become involved in subsequent phases The fifth and final phase lasted from October of the battle, but this fact does not diminish their 1 to 30, 1940. It was characterized by incessant overflights of fighter bombers over the south of contribution to the air defence of Britain in any way. England. The purpose of the operation was to

Duels between the British and German air forces continued without an interruption even after the capitulation of France and the evacua- well-trained pilots. A decision was thus made to tion of the British Expeditionary Force and other make use of foreign pilots who had escaped to allied troops. On August 1, 1940, the Germans Britain after the defeat of France. The Czecho- issued Directive No. 17, on the conduct of air slovaks played quite an important role among ans sea warfare against England, which orde- them. red the destruction of the RAF and the British The first to join the fight were the pilots aircraft industry, disrupt Britain´s food supply of the 310th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron, system, and inflict the highest possible losses which was formed on July 12, 1940, in Dux- to the Royal Navy and British merchant fleet. ford. Their first combat mission took place on Another important date of the battle was Au- August 26, 1940, with the squadron´s aircraft gust 13 (which the Germans regard as the start taking off against a bombing raid threatening of the battle), when the Luftwaffe launched the the airfields of 11 Group. Members of the so-called Adlerangriff (Eagle Attack) by strikes squadron managed to shoot down three ene- against multiple targets. my aircraft on that day. The unit´s total score during the Battle of Britain was 40. The first CO of the squadron, whose motto was “We Fi- The 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron Polish fellow pilots who risked their lives to save The five phases ght to Rebuild”, was Air Force Major Alexander established on August 2, 1940, can also be credi- him. It was probably this event that triggered off The Battle of Britain can be divided into five Hess. The unit was equipped with Hawker Hu- ted with some participation in the battle. Its first his very warm attitude to the Polish Air Force. stages. The first one lasted from July 10 to Au- rricane Mk. IA fighters. combat mission, a bombing raid against a mar- He also decided to stay with the Poles later, gust 7 and was a warm-up round of sorts, with shalling yard in Brussels, took place as early as on while flying in France and Great Britain. Another most of the dogfights taking place over the Cha- September 10, 1940. The last Czechoslovak air reason was allegedly a conflict with a Czechoslo- nnel. The second phase took only a fortnight, The third phase started on August 24 and las- keep British defences busy and to prepare a ni- Czechoslovak pilots force unit, 313th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron, vak officer who reportedly wanted to arrest him but was characterized by the toughest fights, ted until September 6, 1940. Experts view it as ght attack in the meantime. was formed only in May 1941, when the Battle for a breach of subordination. with the Germans bombing airfields, radar picket much more critical than the previous two. Civili- in Polish and British of Britain was already over. In addition, 25 Cze- After the evacuation to England, Sergeant stations, military facilities, industrial targets and an targets in London were bombed for the first th Squadrons choslovak pilots were flying in British and Polish František was assigned to the 303rd Polish Fighter coastal convoys. time. Churchill decided to respond in kind, and The 310 Squadron squadrons. They shot down 29 enemy aircraft Squadron. His first confirmed air victory was the The final phase of the battle was also joined during the Battle of Britain. shooting down of a German Messerschmitt Bf was the first to join by the 312th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron, 109E fighter plane on September 2, 1940. Other the fight which was formed on September 5, 1940, and successes followed in short order. By the end of operated from the Speke Air Base. Its mission František and his September, he had achieved 17 confirmed and If we were to choose an individual perso- was to defend nearby Liverpool. Its first CO was 1 probable kills, thus becoming the best fore- nifying the British victory in the air battle, the- a Slovak, Air Force Major Ján Ambruš. It consi- seventeen kills ign pilot of the Battle of Britain. Only two Brits, re would hardly be a better candidate than Air sted of experienced pilots of our air force, who The most famous Czechoslovak pilot of the F/Lt Loch and S/Ldr Keller with 20 kills each, were Chief Marshal Hugha Dowding. He was behind had already fought in France and escaped from Battle of Britain, and not only of that, was Serge- better than him, but both took much more time the development and subsequent manufacture there with their airplanes via Africa. This was why ant Josef František. A native of Otaslavice in to achieve their victories. On Tuesday, October 8, of radars with the assistance of which he was most of them arrived to the United Kingdom la- Moravia, he joined the Czechoslovak Air Force the airplane of Sergeant František crashed du- able to dispatch his limited air assets to places ter than others. The squadron´s pilots included, in 1936. Two years later, he became a pilot of the ring a routine patrol mission. The cause of the where they could be used in the most effective for example, Alois Vašátko, František Peřina or 40th Squadron based in Prague-Kbely. Immedia- accident was never explained clearly enough. manner. He managed to build and control a very Josef Stehlík, to name but a few. This unit too tely after the occupation of Czechoslovakia, he The total score of Czechoslovak pilots during efficient defence system. Dowding also pushed was equipped with Hawker Hurricane Mk. IA fi- fled, like many of his colleagues, to Poland. There the battle of Britain was more than 70 enemy through a massive production of aircraft thanks ghters. It was these airplanes that achieved the he refused an offer to go to France and instead aircraft, seriously damaging another eleven. Se- to which it was possible to replace aircraft lost first air victory on October 8, 1940, shooting joined the Polish Air Force. When Poland was ven pilots paid for this indisputable success with in the air. down a German Junkers Ju 88A-1. The squadron attacked by Nazi Germany, he started flying re- their lives. However, human losses posed a much gre- participated in the destruction of four German connaissance and liaison missions. He was shot ater problem for the Brits. They lacked skilled, aircraft during the battle. down during one of them and was rescued by his by Vladimír Marek, photos by CMA-MHA