1/2014 The Gripen: 12 years more! 2 Very cheerful soldiers 30

Cleared hot: rockets, machinegun! 58

WWherehere othersothers ffallall behindbehind TThehe 4th4th RRapidapid DDeploymenteployment BBrigaderigade hhonoursonours iitsts 220th0th aanniversarynniversary pp.. 554–554–55 U.S. National Guard and Czech contents The Gripen: 12 years more! 2 military professionals had AWACS operation pilot 4 A path full of RESTRAINT 9 (Extra)ordinary NATO handbook 12 almost 70 joint activities over Number one, Fire! 14 Tough Mental Experience 18 the last four years Saber Junction II: A small war behind the Czech border 20 BIG Laser Battle 22 Virtual Tiger meet 28 At the beginning of June, a delegationof the continuation and development of the existing activities from workshops and training cour- U.S. National Guard from Nebraska and Texas successful cooperation between the Czech Ar- ses through exchange stays and joint training Very cheerful soldiers 30 was on an offi cial visit in the Czech Republic. med Forces and National Guard of both states events. There were the total 19 activities just We rely on you! 34 U.S. National Guardsmen led by Adjutant Gene- after 2014. Such cooperation saw its twentieth in the last year spanning all services. In 2014, ral Texan National Guard Major-General John Ni- anniversary already last year. joint training events have taken place for engi- New parachutes in action 36 chols and Adjutant General Nebraskan National At the start of the discussion General Žižka neers, EOD specialists, CBRN defence experts, Guard Major-General Daryl Bohac had a mee- introduced to the American offi cials the reorga- reconnaissance and electronic warfare specia- Field Surgical Team in action 39 ting with the First Deputy Chief of General Staff nisation in the Czech Armed Forces’ command lists and forward air controllers. ”Today we have Czech Armed Forces Major-General Miroslav Žiž- and control system, which was carried out last reconfi rmed the primary areas for cooperation The ReVISOR has augmented V-SHORAD ka In Prague on Thursday 5 June 2014. year and at the beginning of 2014. They discus- after 2014, when Operation ISAF will be com- combat capabilities 42 Following on General Žižka’s visit in the sed the future, but also reviewed the existing pleted. First and foremost, we will focus on ex- Feeling for Landmarks 44 U.S. in spring earlier this year, the objective cooperation that is regarded to benefi t both changing experience from development of the of the U.S. trip was to discuss the options for parties. Since 2010, there were almost 70 joint active reserve component, personnel training, DANA even took out Leopards 48 With tanks on the border, it is too late 50 Where others fall behind 54 Quota Four 56 Cleared hot: rockets, machinegun! 58 Only the lucky ones survived 60 THE LARGE foreign army 62 D-Day (with the Czechoslovak participation) 64

Published by MoD Czech Republic Communication and Promotion Department Tychonova 1, 160 01 Praha 6, Czech Republic www.army.cz joint training events and exercises. I am con- and that should allow more fl exibility in the pro- Identifi cation number: 60162694 fi dent that the cooperation will be as success- cess of manning and training the active reserve ful as it has been so far,“ General Žižka stated component. They also debated the lessons both Address: Rooseveltova 23, 161 05 Praha 6, Czech Republic and thanked the U.S. partners for the support parties have learnt tackling the issue. ”It will Phone: +420 973 215 553, +420 973 215 786 the Czech Republic received so far. ”We bene- be a longterm process. You may not expect sa- Editor-in-chief: Jan Procházka fi t from training activities and joint preparation vings early,“ General John Nichols emphasises Layout: Andrea Bělohlávková with the Czech service personnel and we would and pointed out it was particularly important to Translation: Jan Jindra like to continue these activities,“ General Daryl make sure compensations were provided to the Cover photo: studio army.cz Bohac confi rmed the interest of the U.S. during employers in order for the Czech Armed Forces Distributed by MHI Prague, Production Section the meeting. to avoid problems with releasing reservists for Rooseveltova 23, 161 05 Praha 6, Czech Republic In their discussions, they also touched on one military service. He pointed out the U.S. military Oľga Endlová, tel. +420 973 215 563 of the two crucial points of their cooperation: the coped with the challenge as well, especially on Printed by: EUROPRINT, a. s. reserve component. General Žižka informed the long-term deployments. U.S. offi cials about the current developments ISSN 1804-9672 concerning new legislation at hand that awaits Registration number: MK ČR E 18227 passing by both chambers of the Parliament by COL Jana Růžičková Published July 2014 2 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 3

The 21st Airbase Čáslav was the venue for a ceremony to sign the Agreement on the Lease of JAS-39 Gripen aircraft, support systems and provision of associated services The Gripen:

12 years more!

A bang over the airfi eld never augurs to anything good. But the the new systems to increase operational capa- corporations and consortia progressively withd- one that resounded at the 21st Airbase Čáslav on Friday at 15:32 bilities of the Gripen aircraft is a good step for- rew from the tender. The Agreement was then hrs. on 16 May 2014, was very pleasant. Figuratively speaking, it ward to achieve that goal,“ the Chief of General authorised by the Government of the Czech membership commitments, for other operati- last machines departing from the 21st Airbase Staff of the Czech Armed Forces stated. Republic in April 2002, but the relevant bill on ons in accordance with the principles of the UN Čáslav on 12 July 2005. was a load off the mind of dozens of those involved. The impetus Apparently pleased were particularly the fi nancing the contract was not passed by the Charter and for participation in military training Aviation fans will probably fi nd interesting the was the signature of the Amendment extending the lease of “guys in blue uniform“. Commander of Czech Senate and the Chamber of Deputies did not exercises, exhibitions and airshows), the Agree- following data. November 25, 2004 – the fi rst JAS-39C/D Gripen aircraft for the Czech Air Force. Air Force BG Libor Štefánik particularly valu- overrule that vote. ment between the Ministry of Defence of the JAS-39C Gripen (number 9242) manufactured for ed the fact that we were staying a part of the The following step involved the Government Czech Republic and the Swedish Defence Mate- the Czech Republic was launched in a ceremony NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Sys- Resolution No. 686 of 9 July 2003, which au- riel Administration (concerning the lease of the at the Saab factory in Linköping, Sweden. The negotiation with Sweden on extending The contract signing ceremony was honou- tem. ”Operational capabilities Gripen pilots have thorised the proposed measures to fi nalise the aircraft, support systems and the provision of Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Borůvka perfor- the lease of the JAS-39 Gripen supersonic multi- red by top offi cials of representing Ministries of cultivated for many year will be preserved. The Czech Air Force Development Concept. The de- associated services) and the Industrial Coope- med a solo fl ight with JAS-39C Gripen single- role fi ghters lasted exactly two years: it started Defence, Armed Forces and Air Forces of the effort for them to attain those abilities has been cision tasked the Minister of Defence to send ration Agreement (offset programs amounting seater as the fi rst Czech pilot at the F7 Ska- in March 2012 and ended on 12 March 2014, Czech Republic and the Kingdom of Sweden. For enormous. Giving up own supersonic capability request for feasibility study to the Governments to 130 percent of the contract value). The value raborg wing at Sätenäs airbase on 6 October when the Government of the Czech Repub- the Czech Republic, attendees included Defence would not be a reasonable decision. The obje- of Belgium, France, Canada, the Netherlands, of the contract amounted to CZK 19.650 billion 2004. His colleague Lieutenant-Colonel (today lic authorised the Amendment concerning the Minister Martin Stropnický, Chief of Defence Ge- ctive was to extend the contract so as to create Turkey, United States of America, federal Re- including the expenses for additional training of Brigadier-General) Petr Mikulenka followed the Lease of the JAS-39 aircraft, support systems neral Petr Pavel and Air Force Commander Bri- sustained stable conditions for an effective de- public of Germany and Sweden, evaluate them fl ight and ground personnel valued at CZK 150 suit a couple of hours later. and provision of associated services. The key gadier-General Libor Štefánik. Sweden was re- velopment of the Czech Air Force’s capabilities. by 30 November 2003 and develop the propo- million. The lease of the complex JAS-39 Gripen Obviously, ground specialists had to under- factor is that the contract shows three positive presented by the MoD State Secretary Carl von That goal has been accomplished.“ sal of next steps to be taken in the process of system (12 version C single-seaters and two go professional retraining alike. The fi rst batch parameters: a longer lease period (2015–2027), der Esch and Air Force Commander Major-Ge- The commander of the ”Tiger“ 211th Tactical acquiring a supersonic aircrafts system. On 20 version D double-seaters) started on the day of of forty technical personnel were trained at lower price (totalling CZK 16.4 billion in annual neral Micael Bydén. After their opening remarks, Squadron Major Jaroslav Tomaňa believes ex- November 2003, the Government decided that acceptance of the fi rst aircraft in April 2005 and the Swedish Armed Forces Technical School at payments of approximately CZK 1.3 billion) and the Amendment to the Agreement on the Lease tending the lease was the best solution to the acquisition of the supersonic capability was will terminate on 30 September 2015. Halmstad from September 2004. continuous modernisation throughout the peri- of Gripen aircraft was signed by Deputy Minis- situation at hand. ”Continuity is preserved. We a strategic order and appointed an interagen- On Monday April 18, 2005, shortly after ele- Professional and expert qualifi cations of the mi- od of the contract’s performance (for example ter of Defence for Acquisitions Bohuslav Dvořák will not see a decline in operational capabilities cy commission for evaluation of the orders. The ven o´clock, the wheels of the landing gear of litary professionals from the 211th Tactical Squa- night vision goggles system, NATO standard and Director General of the Swedish Defence of our squadron; contrarily, we will enhance commission recommended the proposal by the the JAS-39C Gripen with Czech insignia and dron Čáslav that operates the Gripens was proven Link-16 data transmission system, Crypto Voice and Security Export Agency Ulf Hammarström. them once the new systems are acquired.“ Kingdom of Sweden for ten-year lease of four- CZECH AIR FORCE inscriptions touched down on by two operational tours they served in the Baltic communication system, acquisition of the LDP “Maintaining the supersonic capability for teen newly manufactured Gripen JAS-39C/D air- the runway of the Čáslav airfi eld. Five additional Air Policing mission. Concurrently with providing Litening targeting pod, air-to-ground engage- defending the Czech Republic’s airspace is one craft as the best offer. machines landed in turns. Eight days later, there coverage to the Czech airspace, the Gripens de- ment capability with unguided and guided am- of the primary attributes of state sovereignty. Reminiscence of ”Czech“ An intensive negotiation between the Czech was a ceremony commissioning the Gripens into fended the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Esto- munition). The Amendment also lists require- I highly value the correct, constructive and and Swedish party commenced. It came out suc- the inventory of the Czech Armed Forces. nia; that represented a double operational effort. ments for training technical specialists and fl ight pragmatic approach Swedish partners applied Gripens cessfully and the then Czech Minister of Defence The other days that went down the history The operational premiere in the Baltic States took personnel (including that Sweden will train 90 throughout the negotiation. JAS-39 Gripen air- The milestones should also be pointed out in Miroslav Kostelka and his Swedish counterpart of the Czech Air Force and the Czech Armed place from May 1 till August 31, 2009, with the ground specialists and maintainers and 25 pi- craft is the best choice for the Czech Air Force,“ relation to the introduction of the JAS-39 Gripen Leni Björklund signed relevant documents at the Forces were July 1st and 12th 2005. From 1 commanding offi cer LTC Jaroslav Míka and rerun lots). A two-year lease option till 2029 may also Defence Minister Martin Stropnický said to mark multirole supersonic fi ghters into the inventory Czech Ministry of Defence on 14 June 2004. It July 2005, the multirole JAS-39C took over the took place from 1 September 2012 to 4 Janua- be invoked. The Czech Republic will continue to the occasion. of the Czech Armed Forces. was a Memorandum of Understanding between defence of the Czech Republic’s airspace in the ry 2013 with task force commander Colonel Petr have no restrictions on the use of the aircraft. General Petr Pavel regards the signing of the In fact, Gripen was chosen twice for the the Government of the Czech Republic and the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATI- Lanči. Fighter pilots and ground specialists were The fi ghters may be used for training and exer- Amendment as the victory of common sense and Czech Air Force. First back in 2001, when the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden (permit- NADS), presently the NATINAMDS (NATO Inte- stationed at the Shiauliai airbase in Lithuania. cises both at home and abroad, for national de- responsibility. “If we want to be equal partners BAE Systems-Saab consortium won the tender ted for using the aircraft for national defence of grated Air and Missile Defence System). They fence in peacetime and wartime as well as for to our NATO colleagues, we have to have our with the offer of twenty-four JAS-39 Gripen air- the Czech Republic in wartime and peacetime, took over from the MiG-21MF fi ghters that en- by Pavel Lang NATO or European Union led operations. hardware equipped appropriately. Acquisition of craft valued at CZK 60.2 billion, after all other for performance of the Czech Republic´s NATO ded their service in the Czech Air Force with the photos by Jan Kouba 4 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 5

An epilogue of the fi rst Czech NATO E-3A AWACS Aircraft Commander and Instructor, Major Milan Vojáček AAWACSWACS ooperationperation pilotpilot

This endeavour defi nitely deserves a dedicated chapter in the history of the Czechoslovak military aviation, or indeed the Czech Air Force. Not just because it was a premiere, but also because of the professional progress achieved by a Czech military professional. In the course of his fi ve-year contract with the NATO E-3A Component in Geilenkirchen, Germany, Major Milan Vojáček accomplished three professional achievements – he became the fi rst pilot, commander and instructor on the NE-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) airplane!

A twelve-hour operational fl ight of the AWA- 1st Flying Squadron of the NATO E-3A Compo- zero. His training also included fl ying with the fact is that it is not designated just for fl ight per- CS goes into the fi nal stage. Boeing 707-320B nent and goes on to say: “One of the criterions “707 without the dish“ – the Boeing B-707/320C sonnel, but also for other specialists, including with distinctive rotational radar antenna on top for being assigned to the instructor course is to Training Cargo Aircraft (TCA) with which MAJ members of the mission crew. “You can serve as of its fuselage touches down on the runway of join the course at least one year ahead of their Vojáček logged two hundred and fi fty fl ight an evaluator after having served as an instruc- the NATO airbase nearby Geilenkirchen. The contract termination. The very last opportunity hours. “As opposed to the fl ight practice some tor for at least twelve months. After three years, machine with Luxembourg registration LX-N and clicked for me: the last day of August 2013. Af- of my colleagues had, my entry-level position with some minor exceptions, the incumbent is number 90454 is rolling to the apron precisely ter a three-month drill, I successfully completed was more complicated. It is common that pilots divested of the so-called evaluatorship and he following the instructions from the tower. examination and have served as NE-3A AWACS coming to serve on the base have a log of three continues fl ying as an inspector. Such rotation in A couple of minutes later, the AWACS fl ight aircraft instructor as well as the aircraft com- to six thousand fl ight hours. I sought to boost the highest professional post provides for high crew switches off four Pratt and Whitney TF33 mander since October 2013.“ the intensity of training, regardless of time, by standards of professional qualifi cations on sus- jet engines. Walking out of the airborne cen- Major Milan Vojáček accomplished that pres- working hard. For example, I logged over six tained basis. The process of examining is always tre that monitors the airspace from the surface tigious achievement less than twelve months to hundred fl ight hours in 2011,“ recalls the Czech kept on the requisite level,“ the Czech Air Force to stratosphere, both over land and sea during go till the end of his fi ve-year tour at Geilen- military professional, whose last type was the member explains and adds he would need at NATO operations around the globe, here comes kirchen. On August 1, 2014, he is returning to An-26 transport airplane at the Prague Kbely least one more year on top of his current con- Major Milan Vojáček. His invitation to the AWA- the 24th Airbase Prague Kbely and will under- airbase. By now, Major Milan Vojáček comple- tract with the NATO E-3A Component to make CS cockpit cannot be rejected. go Airbus A-319 CJ type training. His achieve- ted roughly 1,600 fl ight hours with the AWA- the ”evaluator“. A curious situation occurs when we get sea- ments are magnifi ed with the fact that he came CS aircraft and by the end of his contract (July Unanswered remains the question associa- ted. In reality, the Czech pilot can sit both on the to the Geilenkirchen with certain professional 2014), he will undoubtedly have added some ted with the difference between the NATO E-3A right and on the left, which allows for a double handicap. more fl ight hours. Aircraft Commander and Instructor. The person interview – with an AWACS aircraft commander Specifi cally speaking, he had logged 1,100 eligible to discuss that is the fi rst Czech to have and instructor – at the same time. fl ight hours, while the entry requirement for an served in those positions. ”The key indicator is Unconventionally, our dialogue starts so to AWACS commander training is at least 2,000 AWACS instructor your teaching capacity. They train you how to say from the end. “I was privileged to be se- fl ight hours in the individual´s aviation career Some may ask how far MAJ Vojáček made it mentor properly. Prior to going for the instruc- lected for the instructor training course at the so far (regardless of aircraft type). Contrarily to in the AWACS fl ight crew: fi guratively speaking, tor course, you have to undergo training with end of 2012. Approximately six months fol- some of his NATO colleagues, he had to work just below the top, because the instructor post a civilian company that specialises in training lowed of intensive of intensive training with very hard to complete the needed 900 fl ight is the second highest to the evaluator position. methodology. You will get additional necessary the squadron to get me ready for the higher hours. Therefore, his professional progress Timewise, the inspector position is assigned ap- know-how at the Training Wing (TW). That falls qualifi cation,“ says the member of the ”Tiger” could not be that fast because he started from proximately for three years and the interesting into the Canadian basket; the Canadians have 6 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 7 practised here the well-proven British training methodology,“ MAJ Vojáček explains and blunt- ly describes the essence: ”Before we start the fl ight phase, we are learning on the Full Flight Simulator when, how and what to say in a limi- ted time, so-called Hot Debrief after a practise approach.“ So, effi ciency does not build only on theoreti- cal phrases but on actual demonstration of the plot. For example, a glider pilot was invited to the base, for whom potential AWACS instructors were to prepare the prefl ight briefi ng. In other words, prepare the pilot for fl ying on a radically different type of aircraft in a manner easy to understand. Such non-standard situations best mirror your fi tness for mentoring. It is not easy at all to explain to outsiders things that come natural to you. After the prefl ight preparation, instructions on the sim follow and then perfor- mance of the planned fl ight mission. Professio- nal mistakes by the student, a glider pilot in this Challenges? Repeated out. And that was what happened to him: ”One refuelling to the limits of the boom. The stan- important. Instructors have to be able to fl y the layer with unpredictable vortexes generated by case, are in a way ”credited” to the mentor, an of the engines conked out in the most critical dard for aircraft commanders is to keep the edges of the notional cube with the aircraft in the tanker wings. In case of the Douglas KC-10 AWACS aircraft commander in this case. landing and refuelling to phase of the manoeuvre. The aircraft tended to refuelling boom within the notional cube with order to demonstrate for the students how to Extender aircraft, it is relatively easier, because The above academic part is naturally not the the limits! depart from the runway. Our reaction had to be the edge of two metres for the period of ten mi- safely return from the limit edge back to the it is bigger than the AWACS that can use the end of it all. Another touchstone is the fl ight quick and in line with effective directives. We nutes without breaking the connection between centre. It is not that easy with this type of air- draft behind the Extender better. Boeing KC-135 phase. To complete the picture, it should be No doubt future inspectors have to be able to evaluated the situation in a second and perfor- the aircraft and the tanker. In other words, he plane as it could seem to some,“ says the ex- is a different story. The same version of Boeing pointed that Major Milan Vojáček, in his instruc- show some mastery. Perhaps fi rst goes the ap- med the required actions in the cockpit. must not deviate from the ideal refuelling positi- perienced Czech Air Force pilot. And what are 707 does not allow for the AWACS to use draf- tor capacity, also mentors students on sims. proach with the AWACS aircraft to the runway, We coped and got the machine airborne with on more than plus minus one metre. Otherwise, challenges of refuelling the AWACS in fl ight? ting in the slipstream. Given that the AWACS ”There are two simulators: Full Flight Sim (FFS) touchdown and take-off. ”It is a non-standard three engines. Flying with one engine out, you he would get outside the refuelling envelope Major Vojáček offers a narrative that is intere- pilot is guided optically to maintain the aircraft and the Flight Training Device (FTD). My task manoeuvre the aircraft commander is not au- already prepare for another one to stop turning and the system disconnects automatically. sting not only for aviation fans. ”I should admit in the right position and the total length of the is to run fi ve four-hour lectures on the FFS thorised to perform except for cases of emer- and that you would be landing with two engines The instructor must be able to fl y the manoe- that I did not speak much during my fi rst in-f- boom comprising of two telescopic tubes varies or FTD. Every lesson focuses on some of the gency. Instructors are permitted to do that. The only. That fortunately did not happen. After the uvre even more precisely – following the edges light refuelling either. I was really under a great between eleven to thirteen metres, one gets go- major malfunctions, which involves controls or aircraft touches down on the runway and your landing, we only fi lled in the safety report. Trai- of the notional cube. Simply, he must be able to pressure. In the Czech Air Force, I have expe- ose bumps. ”Each in-fl ight refuelling is original, hydraulic circuits defects. In addition, he per- task is to perform the take-off. In just a couple ning or operational missions do not get suspen- fl y the limits. rienced fl ying trainer jets in pair in clouds, but because there are always a variety of different forms the role of an Air Traffi c Controller (ATC), of seconds, you have to evaluate the situation ded for that reason. Figuratively speaking, it is It goes without saying that the instructor must the proximity of AWACS and tanker here is so- factors entering the play. When training with as he watches the fl ight crew’s reactions to his right: decide whether to continue or go for the like playing a bass guitar when be able to communicate with the student during mething completely different. Refuelling is not a student, I have to be twice as more vigilant inputs and evaluates whether the crew mem- brakes. In case you do not have the relevant one of the strings breaks. that, for example the tanker’s visual references. a routine for me; although I have been through because he can make a mistake anytime that bers proceed in accordance with relevant che- parametres, you abort the take-off. Misjudging You carry on playing ”At the beginning of this training, stu- something with the AWACS, I still feel shivering can get us into a collision situation. It is about cklists. A similar rule like in school applies here the situation may have a negative effect. It re- on the remaining dents are so much concentrated down my spine,“ MAJ Vojáček says and lets experience,“ MAJ Vojáček explains. that every hour of academic training requires an quires relevant experience, initially gained in the three,“ the Czech on what they do that they are a peek behind the scenes of this extraordinary hour’s preparation,“ the Czech pilot explains and simulator as the instructors confront you with AWACS instructor not able to speak in the activity. The type of the tanker also determi- concludes the sim phase is the toughest phase the mistakes you could have made in reality. It says smiling. cockpit at all. There are nes the demands of the action. Specifi cally, the Flying the 707 with of instructor training, which is concluded with is very demanding, but necessary for your futu- The second trick nevertheless proven pro- key is what happens behind the tanker, becau- an exam, after which instructor-students may re practice,“ MAJ Vojáček argues and goes on to that future instruc- cedures to achieve the desi- se when the AWACS approaches the refuelling the dish start instructor fl ight training. During his fi ve- specify that one of the emergencies to possibly tors have to de- red result in this respect as well. boom under the tanker’s tail, it has to cope with It could all give the impression the Czech Air year tour, MAJ Vojáček has spent on the sim occur on repeated take-off, besides inappropria- monstrate to have Presentation of professional mastery considerable aerodynamic infl uences. In reality, Force pilot can do everything with the AWA- (altogether in all positions) tough 350 hours! tely resetting the stabiliser and fl aps is that one mastered is in-fl ight is equally it is like it would go through a compressed air CS airplane. Is that the case? “No. I was not including in-fl ight refuelling. of the engines conks 8 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 9 retrained for test fl ights. Otherwise I mastered Flag in the United States, which amazed him in missions over majority of continents. During his fi rst three weeks, course trainees receive both the machine. I take as a bonus that I exceeded professional terms. ”With the 1st Squadron of fi ve-year contract, he spent more than one year lectures and practical training on subjects like my original goal – I wanted to become an air- the NATO E-3A Component we were assigned to away from the NATO operation base located at planning process, aeromobile operations, nego- craft commander. The privilege for test fl ights Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, for three weeks. Geilenkirchen. Operational tempo is extremely A path full of tiating water obstacles and rocks, night operati- holds my colleague from the 24th Airbase Pra- From there, we took off for Composite Air Ope- high there, although the planned annual num- ons, hand grenade toss, survival and principles gue-Kbely navigator Captain Jindřich Sněhota. rations (COMAO), but not standard ones we are ber of fl ight hours shows a decreasing trend of patrolling. The last week sees a comprehen- The Czech eight-member team enjoys a high used to. At one moment, there were over a hun- on the base. The fl ight time derives from the sive training, where trainees had to sell what credit in Geilenkirchen. In fact all of us progres- dred air assets of most diverse types. In my ser- performance of missions in various parts of the they learnt during training or indeed throughout sively accomplished the highest professional vice career, I have not experienced such a huge world. Although it may seem extraordinary, the RESTRAINT their service career. ”It is designed for the trai- objectives,“ says MAJ Vojáček, who also acts as air effort to gather in airspace. We were a part fact is that the standard is ten-hour fl ights. The nees not to have to walk miles but rather focus the Senior National Representative of the Czech of top-level operational fl ying. The experience longest fl ight mission Major Vojáček experien- We have been through twenty-one days spent on the longest, on command and organising combat activities. Republic in their station in the Federal Republic was the more intensive that state-of-the-art ced lasted seventeen hours. Plus you have to most challenging and elite training course in the Czech Republic, Missions are performed in a relatively confi ned of Germany. weapons systems were fi red at aerial ranges. count in activities prior and after the fl ight itself. the Komando course. We have just been numbers here, area so that we were able to rotate as many in- But let us get back into the cockpit of 707 Those were so-called TOP fl ights at the end of Getting bored onboard? No way! There is always dividuals in command posting as possible and to to listen to the narrative on piloting the AWA- my AWACS fl ying career,“ MAJ Vojáček recalls something to do. separated from our families and friends, without any contact make sure a high-quality training is performed CS. ”Nice machine that I have a very positive the Nellis AFB popularly regarded as mecca of Ground specialists are coming onboard the with civilisation and essentially left to rely on each other. Sleep of a maximum of subjects in the allocated time- opinion on, although piloting it is much more operational fl ying. AWACS to prepare the aircraft for the next mis- defi cit, mental and physical strain have been our daily bread, frame. With a view to the length of the course demanding than I thought, be it for the absence Obviously, he will never forget the dramatic sion. We get our ”two minutes“ to fi nish the itself, that way of practising seems most opti- of actuators on fl ight controls or for the long moments either. Those included forced switch- interview. That is an appropriate time for an but we will not give up at any cost and nothing can stop us the mal. Soldiers may train for physical strain in the periods of time spent in the cockpit. The priority off of one of the Pratt & Whitney engines over epilogue by MAJ Vojáček: ”I have been through inclement and adverse November weather notwithstanding. form of long-distance movements at their home is to know the parameters associated with the Afghanistan due to problems in the oil system an experience that meant a signifi cant professi- Manly pride, desire, will and resolve keep us going forward...“ stations or in their free time. As there is a need machine’s performance. AWACS is an airplane or a case involving a hydraulic system malfunc- onal progress for me. I made it and even exce- to rotate in the command assignments, there is that is based on modes. If you set the right pa- tion over the Middle East. Fortunately, both ano- ed initial expectations in certain respect. I have no room for us to have the course trainees mar- rameters in specifi c situations, the airplane will malies ended up well and now they are spoken accomplished my mission and can return home That was just a couple of words from the metres long was made up by the organisers ching dozens of miles, then perform an ambush react the way it is expected to. AWACS is typical about as new lessons for expanding professional with honour. I have rendered my humble con- motivational letter written by the participants in using own resources. The trail comprises many and walk the distance back or into a pick-up po- with its general inertia, and so it is necessary to qualifi cations of AWACS fl ight crews. Figurative- tribution to the high credit Czech Armed Forces the latest run of the Komando training held in obstacles that participants have to negotiate, int. Our aim is that soldiers practised the sub- wait patiently for its response after the action is ly speaking, the world is not enough for NE-3A professionals enjoy at this NATO airbase. The the Březina Military Training Area from Novem- includung bags imitating opponents. The task jects in a real-world environment,“ deputy chief performed in the cockpit. Spasticity is not desi- AWACS aircraft. As MAJ Vojáček says, anytime Czech fl ag is visible here and has a high respect ber 4-30, 2013. That edition was specifi c as the for course participants is to eliminate opponents of Komando training section First-Lieutenant rable for piloting, it is to be fl own in a relaxed the media report something extraordinary going in the international community.“ organisers had to respond to the fact that the with bayonets or with assault rifl e hits. All of Jan Kratochvíl explains. ”The scenario for the fashion although you hold a mammoth weighing on on the globe, he may already pack his lugga- autumn selection round was successfully com- that takes place in a resounding cheer by the fi nal comprehensive training primarily included dozens of tons in your hands,“ MAJ Vojáček ar- ge for possible mission. Anywhere on the globe pleted only by a handful of soldiers. After or- instructors and the scene is completed with stun the planning process, assault, ambush, combat gues and underscores the fl ight crew serves in is not an exaggeration in this case. Except for by Pavel Lang ganising another run of the selection procedure and smoke grenades. Trainees are sent to the drills, simply basic tactical activities our soldiers support of the mission crew specialists. the New Zealand and Australia, he performed photos by Jan Kouba the number of participants on the starting line trail both at day and night. The objective of that perform to demonstrate their skills in organising This begs the question whether piloting the of the Komando course itself fi nalised at 16. training is to foster aggressiveness in combat. combat activities and command over their as- AWACS is easy or not. ”It is like with any other Selection of candidates primarily focuses on signed unit. On the fi rst day, the soldiers were type of airplane. When you can fl y with it well, individual soldier skills, tactical movements, es- tasked to take control and hold an airstrip while then it is easy. Here it is mostly classics. A she- New! Combat trail sentials of combat drills, including attack, disen- supported by Mi-24 gunships, the next day saw er manual job,“ the Czech Air Force pilot smiles The course itself was conceived to make sure gagement and response to his other activities. them doing a combat patrol, in which the team and disproves alleged effects of the dominant the trainees spend most of their time in the fo- And knowledge of those skills is one of the pre- followed their assigned route and the rotated circular radar antenna on the fuselage. It does rest. Staying in the hut camp represented some requisites for completing the Komando course commanders had to respond to the situations not have any signifi cant infl uence on piloting the sort of a reward for them. The contents of the as such. Week One is dedicated to practising appropriately. That primarily involved responses AWACS, there are only certain limitations asso- course also featured some new training events. combat drills from the selection procedure and to strong and weak opponents. The third day fo- ciated with maximum speed and crosswind,“ One of such elements was the warrior trail for blasting. The next week focuses on ambushes. cused on assault and ambush with the objective says the Czech instructor from the NATO E-3A example. Obstacle course roughly one hundred The third week then covers assault. Over the of gathering information. On the last day they Component in Geilenkirchen, Germany. Good atmosphere onboard the airplane soli- cits the question for dramatic experiences. Ma- jor Vojáček does not want to go back to them for reasons easy to understand but he neverthe- less eventually consents. In his case, it is to two to one or two bad examples and one impressive experience. He starts with recent exercise Red 10 A review 1/2014

were up to captivity with subsequent application Working with the reserve of survival skills.“ component The patrol work their way through the woods. Icebreaker There are no indications of opposing forces’ pre- The units sending their soldiers for the Ko- sence. All of a sudden a shot cracks in relative mando course, particularly the 7th Mechanised proximity and then another one and yet another Brigade, also responded to certain problems and one. A team of Komando trainees have just got lack of motivation in selecting candidates for into contact. A mortar unit stands in their way. the Komando course. ”Soldiers were dropping The leader has to assess the situation and de- out on progress tests in shooting and signals cide whether to retreat or eliminate the opponent training, or from topography. We tried to fi gure instead. The leaders are evaluated based on their out the reason. The Komando course has a long ability to handle scenarios they are faced with. history and has always been a prestigious affair. They have to take into account several factors, It would defi nitely be a mistake to lose it. So, we including the situation at hand, usability of own wanted to change people’s attitude to the cour- unit, training standards achieved and equipment, se. Our aim was that they realised the fact that the opponent’s posture, strength, weapons, dep- they can both learn much during the course but th of the order of battle etc. After a short recce, also have a high quality training. That was why the leader decided to attack and neutralise the we organised a two-week preparation for all sol- opponent. The mortar unit was eliminated in diers selected from the units of our Brigade. The a couple of minutes. Moving across the mortar training events were led directly by Komando fi re positions, soldiers neutralise the last individu- instructors who explained what the course in- als and take control of the incident site. volved and how it is conducted. We intend to In this particular case, the OPFOR is played increase the chances of success our soldiers by members of the Active Reserve Component stand,“ says the Command Sergeant Major of company from Brno and members of the Sup- the 7th Mechanised Brigade, SWO Vladimír Bla- port Battalion. ”We have here ten reservists žek. ”Although the session we organise is rather who help us play activities during the course. preparatory, in case we fi nd out some are not Such cooperation benefi ts both parties. Volunte- up to the standards required, we do not send ers from among reservists have an opportunity them to Vyškov. Successful completion of the to take part in a high-quality training event led Komando course is a hallmark for us; those are by experienced instructors, receive the appro- individuals who had to cope with adverse con- priate training, and we have a suffi cient number ditions and accomplished something. We seek of OPFOR members and replicants. that all soldiers in the most junior command ”Thanks to that, we are able to simulate posts undergo the course. We are confi dent enemy activities in the area where course par- it helps increase the team’s combat value. We ticipants train in a comprehensive fashion,“ an would also like to increase the prestige of this organiser underscores. Besides neutralising the type of training. mortar unit, there are many additional tasks for Therefore, soldiers who complete the cour- Komando trainees to perform. According to the se are invited to an informal meeting with the course scenario, they are facing an insurgent Brigade Commander, and have a chance to talk army in the state of Březinko. Additional mis- with him informally. In addition, everyone who sions facing the participants included gathering completed the course has an advantage in the- specifi c information from assets the insurgency ir service career. If there are two candidates was equipped with. The aim was to for the sol- aspiring for a team leader post, the one with diers to have a hands-on experience with real Komando course completed will win. The same equipment and to count with the fact that each applies for foreign operational deployments.“ action solicits reaction. The equipment was pro- The Komando course is not a career require- vided by the Support Battalion. ment but a specialty one. And that is a diffe- rence. With the 7th Mechanised Brigade, the of specialist subjects and real possibility of inju- There will be additional innovations introdu- from the hands of the last paratrooper alive of course is mandatory for commanders of small Pros and cons ry. The biggest mistake is however to think that ced to the course shortly. It should be expan- those who were dropped over the territory of combat teams and subunits, that is squad, ”Soldier who have violated safety measures, they would complete the course without having ded with additional elements of para training. the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during team, platoon leaders and deputy platoon lea- held unauthorised materiel, or have not followed to undergo additional physical training. It is The organisers plan to include abseiling from World War II, General Jaroslav Klemeš. And that ders. In addition to those, the list includes sni- the instructors’ direction, or have not respected only viable without special prepping for soldiers helicopter and low-level fl ight drop to water happens in such a momentous place as is the pers and recce guys. other instruction the trainees are familiarised preparing themselves in a comprehensive fashi- and a jump for paratroopers at the start of the crypt in the Saints Cyril and Methodius Church The Brigade command obtains an evalua- with during the initial briefi ng. Trainees are eva- on well beforehand. Sometimes there is some comprehensive training event. The organisers in Resslova Street in Prague, where those who tion of every course participant from Vyškov. luated by instructors on daily basis; they receive friction in this respect between the instructors also play with the idea to hold two selection had assassinated Deputy Reich Protector Rein- Soldiers who did not complete the course are small pluses and minuses. The situation is a bit and individuals who think they can complete the rounds for each course edition. They were able hard Heydrich and other paratroopers fought sent to Vyškov again and have to retry. In case different during the comprehensive training. course without exerting any extensive physical to test that option recently and it seems to have their last battle. That is also a novelty intended they leave for medical reasons or because they Trainees are evaluated as leaders and as indivi- effort. The course has its internal system set proven well. Naturally, there must be suffi cient for realisation into the future. So, there are pro- did not pass a progress test, they will seek to duals. They have to achieve a score not to get with exactly defi ned goal. Victory goes to those time allowed for regeneration after the selecti- mising prospects. Perhaps one more sentence complete the course until they meet those re- a big minus. Three big minuses mean farewell able to cope,“ First Lieutenant Kratochvíl adds. on procedure is over. Foreign participation has from the motivation letter written by those who quirements or leave the post. Soldiers dropping for underperformance. In case the trainees ”We have also recently seen prevalence of the been considered for while. Those options are completed the Komando course would be the out for a lack of motivation are not in position do not score the minimum limit of points during personnel from the 7th Mechanised Brigade. We discussed with the representatives of the Slovak best conclusion: ”We are a good team and that to serve with manoeuvre units, because they the comprehensive training, they leave imme- do not know the reason. It seems to us that the Armed Forces for instance. keeps us together.“ lost their credit. Those may hardly face their diately, regardless of the number of minuses members of the 4th Rapid Deployment Briga- Eventually, the course was successfully com- soldiers telling them to do something when they they scored. ”Course trainees mostly complain de may have some misconceptions about what pleted by seven soldiers. They received the are unable to perform it themselves. about the sleep deprivation and relative breadth they will be up to here.“ course certifi cate along with the Komando badge by Vladimír Marek 12 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 13

The endeavour to develop a curriculum for career education The offi cial launch of the handbook into of junior and senior NCOs, also involved a Czech Armed Forces professional practice at NATO Headquarters in servicemember: Chief Warrant Offi cer Luděk Kolesa Brussels in January was followed a couple of days later with the Allied Command Transforma- tion approving it as a NATO education reference document. ”It is really a pleasure. I have been through something as a military professional, including several foreign deployments, but I un- (Extra)ordinary doubtedly regard this reference curriculum for NCOs one of the greatest achievements of my service career. I feel proud to have been with it. For me personally, it has been a great expe- rience and I learnt a lot. To be involved in an NATO handbook endeavour like that, moreover in English, is an invaluable experience,“ CWO Kolesa says and points the list of authors of the pub, which is Admittedly, editors in defence media very enjoy writing articles also extraordinary for him. Only he has two de- like these. It holds true twice as much for the Reference fence institutions with their logos stated at his Curriculum, because the publication has an international impact name. And because he started at ACT Norfolk and continued as a national expert of the Minis- and a Czech military professional provided a major input to try of Defence of the Czech Republic, it reads making the handbook a reality! ”Luděk Kolesa: Allied Command Transformation and Czech Ministry of Defence”. According to CWO Kolesa, who is currently responsible for academic training of NCOs and Warrant Offi cers at the Czech MoD Personnel Di- vision, the publication covers neither tactics nor fi eld training, but academic training and educa- tion. "The curriculum intentionally does not in- clude any national doctrines; it encompasses ge- neral knowledge of military professionals. It also deliberately does not focus on tactics or specialist On January 9th, 2014, the NATO Headquar- curriculum in 2008 for the Partnership for Peace technical subjects that refl ect too much national

CWO Stephane GUY Canada Canadian Armed Forces NMR ters in Brussels was the venue to the ceremony countries, which covered the issues of building specifi city," the Czech Armed Forces service- introducing a publication for junior and senior defence civilian institutions. member argues. Readers of the NCO handbook non-commissioned offi cers named the Reference A Reference Curriculum for commissioned would fi nd there subjects such as leadership and Curriculum on the occasion of the meeting of Po- offi cers followed in 2009–2011, and yet before ethics, military history, modern aspects of milita- Mr. Tigran HARUTUNYAN litical and Partnerships Committee in attendance that offi cers’ handbook was completed, efforts ry operations, communication or instructing tech- Armenia MOD Defence Policy Non-Commissioned Officer of senior offi cials representing roughly seventy started to draft the Reference Curriculum for niques. The publication is not binding for national Department SFC Levan JAVAKHISHVILI Georgia Education and Training countries. The project was sponsored by the non-commissioned offi cers. “The beginnings of military forces; it may inspire individual countries Professional Military Education North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Part- the Reference Curriculum correspond with dy- in the process of building or improving own de-

Command NCO School nership for Peace Consortium (PfPC) saw inten- namic processes in the junior and senior non- fence in-career academic training system. The Mr. John KANE USA Partnership for Peace Consortium sive efforts for thirty months with professional commissioned offi cers rank category. There was list of recommended literature therefore includes REFERENCE CURRICULUM know-how contributed by over fi fty experts from a pressing requirement for such a source of re- works in languages other than English. According of Defense Academies thirteen nations including the Czech Republic, ference. It was required to come up with a pub- to CWO Kolesa, a high-quality in-career educati- SWO Stephen KOBEL and Security Studies Institutes represented by Chief Warrant Offi cer Luděk Ko- lication that would help bridge major differences on is a typical feature of all-volunteer forces that Switzerland Tank and Artillery Training Unit lesa. It should be mentioned that the Reference present among NCOs and offi cers from various distinguishes them from conscription-based mili-

CSM/SGM Ludek KOLESA Czech Rep Allied Command Transformation/ Curriculum resembles school curricula in terms nations in the sphere of education,“ says Chi- taries. Those methodologies are primarily desi- of contents and recommends in-career academic ef Warrant Offi cer Kolesa and recalls a meeting gned to improve interoperability among national

Czech Ministry of Defence training courses with specifi c focuses for servi- in Rome, where he was in the capacity of the armed forces. WO1 Marcel KOSTER Netherlands Ministry of Defence/CDs ce personnel of national armed forces, including Senior Enlisted Leader Allied Command Trans- "NATO views academic and fi eld training as those outside NATO. The Reference Curriculum formation ACT), with the Senior Enlisted Leader tools critical for improving interoperability. With

Mr. John LIPPS USA Joint Forces Staff College follows on a similar publication designed for com- Allied Command Operations (ACO), and the Se- the drawdown in Afghanistan, there is an in- missioned offi cers, which was launched in au- nior Enlisted Advisor to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of creasing emphasis on multinational training tumn 2011, and, interestingly enough, it may be Staff laid the foundation for this unique piece exercises and cooperation in education. The CWO Robert McCANN Canada Unit CWO Canadian Forces used by any military in the world. In other words of work. “We planned two workshops a year in Reference Curriculum is not only a model, al- it is not dedicated exclusively for NATO or Part- that regard. Eventually, we had to meet nine though in the form of recommendation, which

support Unit, Europe ner nations’ military professionals. It is also appli- times including a working meeting in Prague in may be confronted with the existing national CWO Michael McDONALD Canada NATO School Oberammergau cable for armed forces in the process building or June 2013. Unlike the commissioned offi cers’ approach, but primarily an optimal method of S indeed reforming the non-commissioned offi cers’ handbook, the one for noncoms goes much dee- lecturing that builds on practical lessons learnt," MSGT Shalva OKMELASHVILI Georgia Education and Training corps, for instance countries in Africa. Coopera- per. Therefore, it was necessary to take highly CWO Kolesa argues and specifi es that the fi rst tion and sharing experience on education repre- coordinated steps with emphasis on enhanced printing of Reference Curriculum – six hundred WO Command NCO School Mr. Gary PURDY USA USMC Center for Advanced sent one of the cornerstones of what is in full interoperability among NATO nations’ military copies in English version – was soon out and the called the Partnership for Peace Consortium of professionals,“ CWO Kolesa adds and unders- handbook is currently not available. The good MW Defense Academies and Security Studies Institu- cores that one of the key indicators of success news is that a second print is prepared of addi- Operational Culture Learning

tes that associates over 800 defence and security was the engagement of a Canadian expert who tional 600 copies, not only in English language 1416-13 NATO Graphics & Printing & Graphics NATO 1416-13 168 education and research institutions from NATO had been involved in the previous curriculum version. CSM D and PfP nations. Obviously, the consortium was and then became the academic leader for the among those who initiated the fi rst reference NCOs’ curriculum. by Pavel Lang, courtesy of www.army.cz 14 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 15

Czech air defence missile batteries in LIVEX part the BALT 2014 tactical exercise in Poland ended they are to perform the last check, so-called up with excellent evaluation credit fi re against real targets, naturally without fi ring live. ”To practise tracking the fl ight path of both the remote controlled rocket target and its carrier, we will make use of a pair of JAS-39 Gri- pen aircraft from the Czech 21st Airbase Čáslav and Su-22M4 operating from the Swidwin air- base, Poland. The machines will fl y the combat bearing same as later on when launching the Number one, Fire! target. Every pair of aircraft will perform three simulation attacks on Alpha and Bravo batte- Servicemembers of the 251st Air Defence ries. By that, they will act like during the live Missile Battalion managed to perform the fi re exercise,“ explains the exercise director, Bri- most challenging combat test to excellent gadier-General Jaromír Šebesta, and states that action concluded the preparatory phase of the grades. Live fi re exercise BALT 2014, which BALT 2014 tactical live exercise. took place in Ustka range at the Baltic Sea from May 31 – June 5, 2014, proved readiness of SA-6 Gainful operation crews, including Continuing progress Same as in previous years, the BALT exerci- the command and control system. se saw some innovations. Connoisseurs would know that the last exercise run in 2009 was an operational premiere for the SURN CZ moderni- sed control and homing radars. Their obsolete

This year’s professional test in the Ustka mili- fi re exercise. Besides theoretical knowledge, the is generated only after the missile leaves the assets assumed combat positions and repeated tary training area in Poland was already the ninth focus was on ability to act decisively in combat. launcher. Even accidents during road transport rehearsals for teams and crews. Connectivity in a row for the missileers from Strakonice. The In sixty minutes, every unit got allocated at le- do not pose a hazard.“ among individual components was also tested last one took place in 2009. A ninety-member ast ten aerial targets. Soldiers had to be able The so-called missile sharpening stage took thoroughly. contingent comprising primarily the members of to acquire and engage various types of targets, place after they arrived to Ustka. Individual ”Preparation for the live fi re exercise in Po- the 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment, but also albeit in simulation mode. They were to engage components went through an assembly line land was long and now we are up to the fi nal service personnel from the General Staff Czech quickly moving targets, group targets or such operated by a Polish support battery that was but most important step. In the end it will be Armed Forces, MoD Support Policy Division, De- that suddenly appeared in the area of responsi- involved in completing the missiles and doing an seconds to decide whether we succeed or fail. fence University, Training Command – Military bility. Moreover, they quickly followed one ano- in-depth check of correct operation in collabora- I am confi dent we have done maximum possi- Academy, Air Force Command and the Military ther in the air, which put additional pressure on tion with Czech GBAD experts. The line also in- ble for accomplishing the mission. The key fac- Police, moved to the north of Poland on road, on the Gainful operators. cludes assembly of the UZ-K3 autodestruct and tor will be teamwork and coordination among rail as well as by air. Those transports also achi- fi lling the missile with compressed air. Preparing the crew of the SURN CZ radar. Each battery eved one of the primary goals of the exercise: one 3M9M3E missile for live fi re takes approxi- will engage three targets with six missiles,“ the combined movement of forces and equipment ”Sharpening” missiles mately three hours. commanding offi cer of the Alpha missile battery over a long distance. It should be pointed out that four 3M9M3UD Captain Lukáš Málek adds. Before we get to the Baltic, let us review what after movement practise missiles were provided by the Polish Certain increase of the level of adrenaline had preceded the BALT 2014 live fi re exercise – Ahead of the CASA C-295M transport airplane party as a part of good cooperation. Although can also be noticed at the Bravo fi re post fi fteen obviously a drill lasting more than six months. Mi- carrying the exercise trainees from the Prague they lack components such as warhead, solid hundred metres away. The battery commanding litary professionals from the 25th ADM Regt had Kbely airfi eld to the Siemirowice Polish Navy propellant booster with oxidiser and ram engine offi cer First Lieutenant Helena Sekaninová per- intensive training both at their home station and base, equipment and materiel set off to the de- with gas generator using solid missile fuel and forms the last checks of components comprising at the 21st Airbase Čáslav. “The initial task was stination on road and on rail. The transportation atmospheric oxygen inlet, were effectively used the order of battle before the so-called credit to select the personnel. It did not matter whe- of key items – twelve 3M9M3E missiles – was for practise by teams and crews for engagement fi re practise, which will be assessed by evalua- ther the incumbents already underwent a live fi re the responsibility of a team led by Lieutenant of real targets. ”Twelve 3M9M3E missiles under- tors coming from Czech and Polish Armed For- exercise in Poland, but their professional qualifi - Ladislav Marcinko. ”Transfer over more than went the triple check, one at Strakonice and two ces. ”Every one of us realised the importance cations. The selection was completed with a pre- eight hundred kilometres was without any pro- at Ustka. The Czech and Polish teams guarantee of the test. It is the highest examination of our paratory training exercise. The fi rst and the four- blem at all and in compliance with safety mea- the missiles’ readiness for live fi re,“ Lieutenant professional readiness. We hyped ourselves up th missile battery made the fi nals, from which the sures. The missiles were carried in containers on Marcinko states. to a maximum concentration and are confi dent crews with the best results were chosen,“ says a T-815 truck with a trail. First we moved from we will make it. Of course, we need a little bit the commander of the 251st Air Defence Battali- Strakonice to Žatec and then carried on via the of luck because everything has to come toge- on Lieutenant-Colonel Petr Prskavec and relishes German and Polish territory to Ustka. We were Alpha and Bravo fi re posts ther at the right moment. Experience also plays cooperative training with airmen at Čáslav, which accompanied by the Military Police throughout Another stage leading to the performance of a major role. Those who have already been helped the SA-6 Gainful operating crews improve our journey,“ LT Marcinko says and points out the LIVEX of SA-6 Gainful air defence missile through a live fi re exercise at Ustka show grea- their targets acquisition skills. even the slightest hazard for civilian population systems continues on the next day. Alpha and ter self-confi dence.“ The Strakonice garrison was the venue on or infrastructure does not come into question: Bravo batteries moved into fi re positions on The clock ticks ever faster as the live fi re by April 23-24, 2014, for the so-called SA-6 credit ”The warhead is activated by electric pulse that the sandy shore of the Baltic. The forces and two SA-6 Gainful batteries draws nearer. Now 16 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 17

and hard-to-maintain assemblies were replaced Twelve missiles to chance of success against the air defence mis- during the fi nal exams. Here it was even worse, with new high-performance subsystems and the sileers from Strakonice. The Bravo battery with because you do not shoot just for yourself, but modernisation enabled integrating the system engage six targets commanding offi cer First Lieutenant Helena Se- for everybody in the unit. I worked hard for four into advanced command and control networks. Wednesday June 4th, 2014, became the D kaninová eliminated them completely with six months and the outcome is worth the effort. In In other words, analogue system was replaced Day for the Czech Armed Forces task force. missiles. several short seconds, I had to prove I was up with digital one. Exactly at 11:20 hours the offi cer conducting In the afternoon fl ight window from 15:30 to what it takes. It was a big professional chal- The point is that the 25th Air Defence Re- the exercise Colonel Vladimír Barca brought till 15:50 hours, the scenario is replayed. The lenge. The key to success is: listen and speak,“ giment has continued to achieve progress and the subordinate Alpha and Bravo batteries to Alpha battery with commanding offi cer Captain LT Janák describes vividly. exercise BALT 2014 was a clear proof of that. the highest level of standby alert: G-120. Upon Lukáš Málek also takes out three targets with six His colleague Lieutenant Martin Koman has The fi rst example would be the systems’ inte- that command, both units initiated loading the missiles and achieves excellent evaluation. The a rightful smile on his face. ”I made it thanks gration in the combat order of battle. ”There are 3M9M3E missiles into the launcher and then SURN CZ commander Lieutenant Radim Janák to the level of teamwork displayed by the crew. three radar sensors hooked up under the RAC- took fi re positions on the Baltic seashore. and operator Sergeant Jan Hochman were cre- It all clicked for us perfectly. I sweated most COS command and fi re control system, which Lieutenant-Colonel Petr Prskavec orders from dited most with the accomplishment. Those two with the last target – I engage it literally in the are able to share 3D airspace picture realtime. the RACCOS fi re control post: ”Target three six as well as other servicemembers on the exercise very last moment. We eliminated the targets In plain terms, when a radar tracks a target, all zero, fi ve zero acquire.“ Operator of the SURN were not disturbed by some negative phenome- fl ying against us roughly at four-kilometre alti- radars track it. The joint picture substantially CZ control and homing radar Sergeant Pavel Pe- na and proved their mastery. The triumphant cry tude from eighteen to nine kilometres’ range increases effectiveness of cooperation among třík acquires a Su-22M4 fi ghter bomber at ap- of the three-member crew of the SURN – com- from our Bravo fi re post. I am delighted with individual teams,“ explains Sergeant First Class proximately fi fty kilometres distance and waits mander, operator and driver – could be heard the result that we downed three targets with six František Hammerbauer, a training instructor for launching the SRCP-WR remote controlled over dozens of metres. Naturally, the traditional missiles,“ LT Koman says. of the 251st Air Defence Missile Battalion, and missile target. The key moment of the live fi re ritual also took place: who completes the fi ring “The result of the live fi re exercise is the more adds that previously every one was just for comes up – the operator has to notice the tar- successfully must go into the Baltic Sea. valuable that it was performed against a specifi c itself: ”The system did not enable sharing the get’s launch from the carrier aircraft and switch target that is at the very edge of the SA-6 Ga- data. What one radar saw was sadly not visi- to tracking the rocket itself. A great acceleration inful system’s combat potential,“ says the BALT ble to others. RACCOS interconnects them all,“ of the rocket and disproportion in size between Firing full of emotion 2014 Exercise Director Brigadier-General Jaro- SFC Hammerbauer relishes. the carrier and target do not make his life any ”Hands-on experience from a live fi re exerci- mír Šebesta. The other major innovation was the EMU easier. The target is launched twenty-six kilo- se is an remarkable lesson thanks to which the Much has been written about the activities 3M9 device or missile emulator. ”We were fa- metres from the Bravo post. Its refl ection in the soldier gains confi dence in his arm and develops performed by 25th Air Defence Missile Regi- ced with the question how to effectively train form of a wave is well visible on the display. self-confi dence that is critical for performance of ment Strakonice in the BALT 2014 LIVEX. But the whole operation of the 2K12 KUB (SA-6) Time is the key factor now – in reality it is an every mission. My satisfaction is the greater that there has not been a word about the other pla- system when engagement of targets with live interval from two to six seconds. ”Target acqui- we achieved the main goal of the tactical exer- yer: the 2K12 KUB air defence missile system fi re was not really affordable. After a three- red,“ the operator reports. cise to excellent standards. We also benefi ted (designated SA-6 Gainful in NATO code). This year effort, we have a simulation technology At 13:20 hours, red LEDs lit before Lieutenant from functionality of the new fi re control system is its curriculum vitae: the KUB is designed to that in fact substitutes practise missiles and Martin Koman, the commander offi cer of the that distributed targets across all radar sensors. engage airplanes, winged rockets, helicopters, enables comprehensive operator training. An SURN CZ system. He turns the key to unlock the It was also important that certain negative as- unmanned aerial vehicles and other aerial tar- EMU prototype was presented at the IDET de- P button for fi re. After relevant command, he in- pects did not affect us. A high professionalism gets fl ying at low to medium level from 25 to fence technology exhibition in Brno and met structs: ”Number one fi re“ and pushes the red and the right adrenalin defeated the concern 10 000 metres, at range from 4 to 23 kilomet- with a very positive response, including by the button in front of him. ”Number two, fi re“ resou- about potential failure,“ says the commander res, at speed up to 600 m/s on ingress and 300 Chief of General Staff Czech Armed Forces. nds in the radar in a moment. Two consecutive of the 251st Air Defence Missile Battalion Lieu- m/s on egress. The targets are eliminated with A utility model is presently applied for with the shots are a clear proof that both missiles went off tenant-Colonel Petr Prskavec, for whom it was a blast wave and fragmentation effect produ- Industrial Property Authority and other actions the 2P25M2 launchers referred to as guns. already the ninth edition of the BALT exercise ced by the warhead weighing 56 kilograms pla- essential for introducing it into practical use A couple of moments later, two explosions de- to take part in. ced in the missile’s body. The missile is control- are carried out,“ says SFC Hammerbauer, who tonate over the Baltic. The Bravo post reports: The BALT 2014 was contrarily a premiere big led onto targets in a semi-active self-homing is credited, together with SFC Martin Jína and ”Target eliminated, two used.“ The situation is time for two “end players“ in the LIVEX – com- mode using a modifi ed proportional alignment 1LT Jindřich Vlasák, with making this innovati- getting dramatic. At 13:28 hrs. Bravo takes out manders of SURN CZ radars at the Alpha and method. on a reality. the second type SRCP-WR target and the third Bravo fi re posts. It is not a secret that the BALT 2014 LIVEX one fur minutes later. Recent graduate from the Defence Universi- also saw the premiere of the ReVISOR (RVR) The rocket targets progressively fi red by ty in Brno Lieutenant Radim Janák comments: by Pavel Lang and CPT Jana Samcová radar surveillance sensor. the Su-22M4 pilot in horizontal fl ight stood no ”I experienced the greatest stress at school photos by Jan Kouba 18 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 19

The Czech Armed Forces trains soldiers who are to be deployed in international mission for situations similar to that which Lieutenant Colonel Josef Přerovský found himself in Slavyansk, the Ukraine – that of being held prisoner. TToughough MentalMental EExperiencexperience

On Friday, April 25, 2014, a bus carrying eight OSCE monitors set off from Donetsk, heading for Slavyansk. The group consisted of soldiers from Germany, Poland, Denmark and Sweden, and also Czech Lieutenant Colonel Josef Přerovský. Accompanied by local police, the column passed through several checkpoints and stopped just short of Slavyansk. In a matter of a few minutes, it was surrounded by unknown armed men; the monitors and their escorts were taken prisoners and carried to the city, where they were held in a cellar. For Lieutenant Colonel Josef Přerovský, it was the beginning of the countdown of eight days full of uncertainty, spent in the captivity of Ukrainian secessionists

However, this was by no means the fi rst escape. Using his pocket knife, he opened the and torture followed. The NPFL soldiers stole managed to escape again and to reach the ne- Colonel Přerovský described those moments. mentally quite tough, as there were combat case of Czech soldiers acting as international lock on the bars in the room he was kept in and not only the mission’s material, but also perso- ighbouring Ivory Coast. “The fi rst eight hours were worst. Then they operations going on around Slavyansk. Trying observers being held prisoners. Perhaps the hid in a nearby tea plantation. nal belonging of the observers – watches, rings Even Major Petr Pokovba, a UN observer who untied our hands, perhaps not to damage our to sleep while hearing grenade explosions is most medialized case was that of the UN ob- Lieutenant Colonel Milan Kramárik, Major Ja- or boots. Fist blows were interspersed with was captured together with his six colleagues health, and let us move around the cellar.” not really an enjoyable experience,” he explai- server Lieutenant Colonel Jaroslav Kulíšek. To- roslav Herain, Captains Petr Matušina, Stanislav kicks between the legs. The captors’ favourite on October 13, 1999, while monitoring the situ- These are exactly the situations which Czech ned. “Another critical situation occurred when gether with three colleagues, he was captured Štefanko and Ivan Gerhat and Senior Lieutenant idea of having fun was pushing a pistol in the ation in the Kodori Gorge in Georgia, was fi nally soldiers preparing for missions abroad are trai- we were moved from the cellar to the fourth in February 1998, during a raid on their post in Miroslav Drozd, Czech UNOMIL observers in Af- mouth of one of the prisoners and pulling the set free. In his case, the abductors did not have ned for in special courses in Vyškov. In addition fl oor. They told us an attack against Slavyansk Zugdidi, Georgia. The abductors were followers rican Liberia, experienced even more dramatic trigger. The youngest soldiers, mostly undera- any political objectives; they only demanded to a theoretical part containing a lot of useful was imminent and that we would be dispersed of the ousted president Zviad Gamsachurdia moments in the fall of 1994. On September 8, ge kids, were the most aggressive ones. There a ransom amounting to USD 200,000. The ob- information, there is also a practical part which around the building and used as human shields. and demanded negotiations with the Georgian 1994, after months of a relative lull, fi erce fi gh- were also soldiers of the opposing faction impri- servers were kept in an abandoned house which gives them fi rsthand experience of what awaits We even considered an escape attempt at one government, withdrawal of Russian troops from ting broke out again practically in the entire ter- soned together with our offi cers. Their fi ngers was quite cold at that time of the year. Moreo- them if they are captured. “The purpose of our moment. However, it was not too realistic. We Georgia and release of prisoners suspected of ritory of Liberia. Most of our offi cers were inter- were broken on a table and the Czech observers ver, they slept on the fl oor. The psychic pressure courses focused on behaviour in captivity is not might have got out of the building, but defi nitely an unsuccessful assassination attempt aga- ned and faced an immediate life threat during had to watch. But even that was nothing com- was again the hardest thing to cope with. On to break the trainee, but rather to identify his not out of the city.” inst Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze, the bloody and often brutal clashes. Captains pared to what was happening in Valhun. The top of that, the situation deteriorated, as ran- or her limits. Each of us has a secret room of “Everyone must consider what his or her which had occurred ten days earlier. Thanks to Stanislav Štefanko and Ivan Gerhat, who ope- local commander issued an order to cut the ears som negotiations were getting nowhere. The sorts. Our objective is to avoid a surprise on chances of survival are if he or she attempts his excellent command of Russian and good ne- rated in the southeastern part of the country, and gouge the eyes of captured enemy fi ghters. abductors said that they would start killing the the part of the trainee when the limit is getting to escape. As a matter of fact, all weaknesses gotiating skills, Lieutenant Colonel Kulíšek play- were in the worst predicament. On September He handed over the gruesome collection to the observers one by one if they did not get the mo- nearer,” Major Darina Záchová of the TRADOC that he or she possesses, surrounding nature, ed the key role among the abductees. Step by 11, at 1PM, their post was invaded by soldiers commander of the local UNOMIL team, together ney. They fi rst chose the Uruguayan observer. Command – Military Academy in Vyškov told us unknown terrain, and of course the abductors step, he talked the kidnappers into releasing all of NPFL, one of the fi ghting factions, who told with a message to tell his superiors in Monrovia They dragged him out, placed a submachine some time ago. “If someone is really captured, who will do their best to hunt the escapee down his colleagues. Eventually, he also managed to the observers they were their prisoners. Beating that this was what awaited all observers, unless gun barrel on his neck. “You will die in ten mi- the fi rst thing he or she should is to answer join forces against the prisoner. The escapee’s they took the fi rst plane home. nutes,” they said. They started pulling back and three questions; who the captors are, what they only tools of survival are his or her knowledge, After a few days of captivity, rumours were releasing the charging handle; cartridges were want, and what value he or she has for the cap- skills, and willpower; the abductors probably heard that an enemy force acting even more popping out like crazy. It would only have taken tors. One may be abducted to be pumped for have taken away everything else,” is what mi- brutally was heading for the port town of Har- a failure, a jammed breech, and a shot would information, or just to be exchanged for a sum litary psychologist Rostislav Číhal told us about per with 40,000 inhabitants. Panic broke out. have been loosed off. However, the captives of money. The captors may also intend to use this topic some time ago. “If the prisoner fi nds Our offi cers made use of the situation and ma- were fi nally visited by negotiators who announ- the prisoner in the media, in a psychological war out he or she has been captured by zealots naged to get in touch with the UNOMIL HQ and ced that four of them would be released imme- of sorts.” and that it is only a matter of time before he summon a helicopter. However, as it was about diately. The observers wrote down their names According to the Geneva Conventions, a cap- or she will be killed, then an escape attempt to land, the loitering mob realized that they on pieces of paper and the Uruguayan observer tured soldier is supposed to disclose only his should be made. If no one looks for me for two wanted to escape and attacked the aircraft. drew four of them. Petr Pokovba’s name was or her fi rst name, surname, personal number hours and if I can cover ten kilometres during Riddled with bullets, the helicopter ultimately among the selected foursome. and rank. Any other information may be abu- that time, the pursuers will have three hundred managed to lift off, but without our soldiers. Josef Přerovský too went through a psychic sed. However, the Geneva Conventions are im- and fourteen square kilometres to search. It is It was them that the rage of the locals turned ordeal. “We spent the fi rst two days in a cellar, portant mainly for the psyche of a person who also necessary to analyze whether they have against. They were accused of trying to fl ee guarded all the time and escorted even to the was captured. Guerrilla fi ghters generally do not a pathfi nder, whether they are able to guess my and leave them at the mercy of the enemy. restroom. We were frisked; they even took our honour them. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to escape routes and how long I will need to get to They were imprisoned again and quite seri- bootlaces and examined our boots to see whe- try how they would react to the above answers, friendlies. If nothing else, the escape planning ously threatened with a public execution. Their ther something was not hidden under the soles. for example during an interrogation. builds up confi dence.” captors were sharpening their machetes on the Our hands were tied with adhesive tape, they It is true that Lieutenant Colonel Přerovský concrete stairs of the prison, chanting warlike even put adhesive tape squares on our eyes, so was not beaten or tortured by hunger, but the by Vladimír Marek slogans. After endless rigmaroles, our soldiers we could not see anything,” is how Lieutenant psychic deprivation was all the worse. “It was photos by Vladimír Marek and Petr Medek 20 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 21

“It resembled Iraq, when like with conscripts, who would complain about in command of soldiers with so many different hell broke out there. We fought whole day long, Norman Schwarzkopf feeling cold and not having anything to eat. specialties as if it was in reality. once we were in control, then they took over. commanded all tanks to get I had a feeling at times that all opposing forces The conditions during the exercise were neverthe- The last conventional confl ict was World War II. who stood against battalions fell to us. It was moving,“ Lieutenant-Colonel less tough even for professionals, weren’t they. Did How would its shape differ when you have the most incredible and I said to myself it was like the Martin Botík, commanding the organisers think about making warfi ghting a bit advanced weapons available? battle of Kursk. Anywhere I looked were fl ashing offi cer of the Czech task force more pleasant for soldiers? Using advanced equipment, you have a bet- vehicles after being hit, the horizon was scat- and the commander of the No way. Moreover, logistic support and com- ter situational awareness on the battlefi eld, you tered with armoured vehicles, friendly and the prehensive preparation was in the hands of the can take decisions faster and more precisely. opposing machines alike. It looked as if a huge 72nd Mechanised Battalion commanders. I had a rough idea of what we But it still holds true no territory is under control tank battle had just ended. Přáslavice describes the were up to and I had to get everything plan- without boots or indeed tracks on the ground. international exercise Saber ned so that we would be able to accomplish our Warriors are the key, the standards they are tra- You said there were twice as many opponents as mission. We perhaps managed well, we did not ined to and the way they operate their equip- you. OPFOR were locals, they knew the area by heart. Junction held in November last miss anything throughout the exercise; we were ment. It does not matter whether you have Was it not a bit discouraging? year. About 600 Czech military completely autonomous. We replenished food a fi rst-generation or third-generation weapon. Not at all. It was a maximum challenge. Eve- professionals with 130 tanks and fuel during combat and slept in our tent If you cannot use it, it is no good for you. For rybody sought to do their very best not to make and vehicles departed for shelters. Americans told us: you are no trouble- example, we had our BMP-2s that many people fools of ourselves at least. One gets pulled in, makers, you have everything you need. I even scorn and yet we were able to defeat Norwe- you are full of adrenaline and do not have other Hohenfels, Germany, and the took along some showers for the lads to wash gian Leopard tanks with them! And the point thoughts than where and how to make use exercise was truly unique – it themselves. It was wonderful to see, when they was that my lads have used them for years and what you are able to get out of people and the was all about conventional had a shower after three days, as if you have know them perfectly. They know how they be- equipment. It did not matter that we were not warfare. sprinkled them with the water of life. Zombies have in the terrain, are able to manoeuvre with locals. As I already mentioned, we had a gre- turned into warriors again. (Laugh!) them and to use their capabilities. BMPs are at advantage that our BMPs are able to get us good machines and I would never have them through the thickest forest or any ground cover. To be in coalition with Allies in a conventional con- replaced. I have to admit we benefi ted from the fact that Saber Junction II: fl ict would involve using their equipment as well. we train at home at Libavá and Doupov training How did that work during Saber Junction? Try and explain in plain terms what makes a thirty- areas in terrain and we do not drive on roads. Completely the same way. In addition to my year old tracked vehicle so amazing. own 72nd Mechanised Battalion, I was suppor- I would offer you an example that happe- Who won in the end? A small war behind the Czech border ted by additional Czech units – engineers, tank ned to us during the exercise: you have an The point was not to win but to try every- and artillery gunners. Plus I got assigned signal- area where you can move on roads or in the thing out into the fi nest level of detail. When Soldiers talk about exercise Saber Junction with future claiming engagement of armed forces something on 24/7 basis. Everything was imita- people from the Americans to have connectivity terrain. The Slovenian battalion was equipped we began to prevail, those controlling the exer- enthusiasm. What made it so unique? in an Article 5 operation, this is very much the ted with practise ammunition, shots and explo- with the brigade command and a liaison offi cer with wheeled vehicles that did not do well in cise did something to prevent us from fi nishing It was like we would get into the middle of way it could like – nobody would just command sions resounded all around us unceasingly. We to work with U.S. Air Force. During the exercise, the terrain and so they stuck to roads. What it quickly. They only allowed us to complete the a true war. We faced a real enemy; armoured themselves nationally. We were three different had MILES gears on our personnel and on the we had a squadron of more than twelve Apa- would you do as the opponent? You wait for the fi nal attack. OPFOR had nothing left in the end; vehicles and tanks fought here. We had helico- units who had never seen each other before and equipment, so soldiers were able to see instant- ches and a dozen Black Hawks. We even dared Slovenians at the roads and – as was the case we had about three vehicles, we went to the pter fl ights as well as drones fl ying overhead. everybody spoke a different language. We were ly whether they killed something or not. We to employ Raven UAVs and simulated Predators. during the exercise – you would engage them very limits. What we could dare to do and use on the exer- combat ready within two weeks and it would slept four hours a day, but nobody minded that, We used what we could and we had no fear. We with RPGs. But no one had a clue where our I was able to check how we performed af- cise was almost unreal. be the same in reality, which is quite fast in my we were pumped up with adrenalin. An unbelie- said to ourselves: it is a unique opportunity and tracks would spring up. terwards in the simulation centre. The MILES view. As far as I am concerned the period of vable experience for me and for the lads too. we have to learn. has an in-built GPS and we were able to see on Did you know beforehand what you were up to? time required for ”activating“ reservists would Did you come up with a strategy during the exercise computer maps both how the manoeuvre loo- Are such giant exercises rather not a show for be in the order of months. That we got up on When it was so realistic, were there fatalities as How did you feel about it? that really got the opponent? ked like, but also the fact that we were always functionaries? our feet so fast was very much thanks to similar well? Awesome. One gets a completely different It was during the last attack, when we made a small step ahead of the opponent. In the initial conference, where I said how methodology and procedures as well as military Absolutely. Fatalities or casualties were trans- compass of possibility for decision-making. use of our BMPs. We discovered a minefi eld many soldiers and what capabilities I would language with the same signs and symbols. ferred on an armoured ambulance vehicle from I never dreamt to get allocated in a single day planted by the opponent so, that we went It is commonplace for soldiers today to use GPS and bring, I was told we would rehearse defence, the front line over two kilometres into the rear UAVs for four hours for scanning the front rim through a forest, which no one expected. We other gadgets instead of maps. What about you? counterattack and attack. Nothing more. Along Based on what you indicated, it must have looked area. The doctor accepted the casualties and of defences or two teams of Apaches to cover staged a deceptive attack for which I only assi- I was on ordinary maps throughout the exer- with a U.S. and Slovenian battalion, our battali- like on a real battlefi eld at Hohenfels. either took them to his aid station or had a ME- my forward movement. It was amazing, re- gned the maintenance vehicle and two BMPs to cise; I made dots where we were and where on was a component of multinational brigade We have not experienced anything like that DEVAC fl ying in for them. He searched the dead. gardless of the fact that I will probably never be perform, and we took control of the town unhe- the opponent was. I was the only one and they under US command. Against us, we had an before, it was amazing. It was a unique event The evaluators inspecting on us went even into eded almost without any losses. Then a living sometimes looked at me like if I was an oddball. OPFOR comprising local Americans, who had for many locals too; they told us they have exer- such level of detail that they warned the doctor All others were on GPS and trackers. Old-fashi- been consistently trained to play the opponent. cised like that more than a decade ago. We have that the beds had to separated with sheets be- oned people would refuse those novelties, but Those were assisted by Norwegians. We had prepared and built everything as if we were up cause of psychological effect. The only differen- if they do work, it is a great advantage that we a preparatory phase at the outset for the lads to to a real operation. Not like Afghanistan, but ce to a real war was that fatalities got back on sadly lack. For example, when I requested a he- get to know each other better and get used to a conventional type – like the fi rst campaign in the game after eight hours. (laugh.) licopter to neutralise an enemy vehicle in the working with engineers or artillery for instance. Iraq for instance, when Norman Schwarzkopf forest – and I was unable to give the position to And then we had a six-day LIVEX. The brigade commanded and all tanks got on their way. We Were the soldiers not tempted to get killed on pur- the pilot quickly – he did not shoot, because he commander issued a combat order, the missi- worked completely along the same lines. We pose to take a rest? could destroy my own vehicle. Thanks to mo- on was specifi ed for each battalion and for the were out for six days, slept in our vehicles and Contrarily. Out of almost six hundred service dern equipment, you know who are friends and whole brigade. I gave orders to my units and off tent shelters. The command post was moved personnel, I only had about a dozen of ill in- foes, you can watch movement of all of them we went for fi ghting. I did not have to prepare all the time, we had a real opponent, two ti- dividuals and those were really unable to take online on displays. And that comes in handy. But anything, I just got a tasking what to do and mes stronger than us, who mostly attacked us part in combat. That primarily involved sprai- if your computers pack up, you have to manage that was what I did. because we had tanks and BMPs. There was ned ankles, knees, fever. No one played cough. without them. That is why my soldiers still train a huge dynamic to the exercise, something new My signal guy bandaged his broken fi nger with with ordinary maps. And when the equipment So you had a minimum amount of information plus was coming all the time. Downtime to relax? a splint and kept working. And there were more conks out and others go blind, we will still know your comrades were foreigners. Perhaps it was not No way – you do not have time in war either. like him. A guy with twisted knee was sent for about each other. easy to coordinate everything, was it? We performed defence and off we went to plan X-ray and they found out there he was having That was the point. Everybody knows that if a counterattack. The opponent played to spite blood in the knee. And yet he wanted to go on by Olga Haladová there is a conventional confl ict in Europe in the us, assaulted us permanently, we had to tackle warfi ghting! It is simply different nowadays, not photos by the 72nd Mechanised Battalion Přáslavice 22 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 23

Exercise Saber Junction II perfectly proved defensive and such as helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, offensive operations by heavy equipment of the Czech Armed airplanes, as well as the infl uence of the pub- Forces 72nd battalion task force lic and a range of additional factors that may occur in a real-world situation. That is naturally irreplaceable. For a modest sum of money, we gain capabilities to handle situations that would cost us much more in reality,“ Chief of General Staff Lieutenant-General Petr Pavel pointed out. BIG While the fi rst stage offered opportunities for soldiers to try out weapon systems and train in- teroperability with partners, everything had to Laser Battle be in full swing in the second one. Manoeuvring defence The opponent assaulted our light dismounted team from all sides ”Now we are moving on into the fi nal stage with tanks and fi ghting vehicles. It seemed after some time that of the exercise which will bring the whole effort they managed to eliminate us all. American armoured vehicles to a head. From the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade we are a component of, we got an order based victoriously rolled down the road and demonstrated their on which we deployed in the area of operations. superiority. In spite of that, several surviving soldiers gathered Our mission is to defend the province against down in the woods. They consolidated, took a wide turn to aggression. There are roughly six hundred of us circumvent the American convoy and attacked one of the tanks here and we have heavy hardware. So, we re- present the brigade’s main combat power; that with an RPG. A fi erce fi refi ght broke out immediately. was why we were assigned to take defence in the most diffi cult area,“ the commanding offi cer The U.S. Joint Multinational Readiness Cen- travelled to Parsberg, Germany. Everything had of the 72nd battalion task force Lieutenant-Co- ter in Hohenfels, Germany, was the venue in to be reloaded onto low loaders there and mo- lonel Martin Botík commented. ”We have sta- November last year for the multinational exer- ved into the training area on road. ged two mechanised companies reinforced with cise Saber Junction II that involved ten NATO All Czech soldiers and the equipment were fi t- tanks, artillery and air assets in the direction of nations’ and Partner armed forces. Almost 590 ted with the MILES engagement system, which the assumed main attack direction. We believe service personnel with 120 vehicles represented is able to recognise all hits on warriors and the the opponent will try and break the defences in the Czech Armed Forces. equipment while fi ring blanks. Thanks to that, this very corridor. Over the past days, we have Before they joined the exercise itself, they the training could be as close to the real combat already encountered the opposing forces. We faced movement into Germany over several as it possibly could. know the opponent is highly mobile. Therefore, hundred kilometres, which involved tanks, Dana ”The primary benefi t of the JMRC is the we tried to conceive our defence in a manoeuvre self-propelled howitzers, armoured fi ghting mass employment of those systems. They ena- manner so as to infl ict the greatest damage as vehicles plus additional heavy equipment and ble making the training realistic to maximum we progressed into the depth of his formations. several hundred tons of materiel. All of that extent. Not only because all soldiers plus the Our next task is to defend the strategic airfi eld, was loaded onto railway cars at Velká Bystřice. equipment are involved in a single system. It which was meant to serve as a transfer point From there, a seven hundred metres long train also enables the integration of additional assets for the reinforcements and was also intended to relieve the main forces.“ Our soldiers were building the main command post on one of the places of the JMRC. They moved over here early in the morning. It was necessary to build tent shelters and lines of communication. ”We have to have connectivity with the superior echelon, the brigade, and the subordinate units. In ad- dition to that, we provide operation planning,“ deputy commanding offi cer of the battalion task force, Major Martin Hajduch, explains. ”In the upcoming hours and days, we will control the defence of the battalion from this area, defensi- ve warfare and in the fi nal stage, if we manage, we would like to mount a counterattack.“

Signalman’s nightmare The key person responsible for providing communication and information support is de- puty chief of CIS team of the 7th Mechanised Brigade, Captain Marek Koutný. His subordina- tes were tasked to provide comprehensive con- nectivity with all means, i.e. using both radio and data communication. “We are working in a multinational environment. So, we have to provide connectivity both on national and on international level. In addition to radio and data communication, Americans have also helped us 24 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 25

here to provide satellite communication plus our whole armed forces. Last time we had the “We were tasked to fetch a CIMIC offi cer, get for the U.S. Army’s training centre have maste- security situation, they lack any protection. The an opportunity to discuss with the convoy connectivity into U.S. Army data systems,“ Cap- opportunity to take part in something that lar- the individual into the Merklabí community and red their roles outstandingly. result is extensive migration. People run for re- commander. tain Koutný explains. ”We are facing a very dif- ge was in 2006. It is a tremendous opportunity provide security cover to his meeting with the fugee assembly camps.“ Sergeant First Class Jindřich Podivínský learns fi cult terrain here, which is a nightmare for all for everybody to prove their activities as if it community leaders and the inhabitants. On the Although the Czech CIMIC may not imme- from them that they need an armed escort on signalpeople. In addition, we have a gamut of was a real combat. There is no one who would way, we were meeting groups of refugees, and Requesting escort diately help the locals instantly, they can still the way leading from the community southward. equipment in the area, many armies. So, sys- not play a role here. Everything is simulated the CIMIC offi cer obtained initial information By then, 1LT Řehová is approached by one of contact the locals with civilian humanitarian He consults the matter with his superior on the tems interference occurs here. We had to take in a completely realistic fashion, from combat from them,“ the leader of the 3rd mechanised the local farmers who complain about the sol- organisations. The CIMIC team may also show radio. all of this into account when selecting the com- activities to casualty evacuation or distributing platoon SFC Jindřich Podivínský explains. ”On diers’ having rutted his fi eld and damaged the them how their situation could be solved. After ”The commander told me it was only up to mand post.“ POL across the area,“ Lieutenant-Colonel Botík every stop, the fi rst thing we did was to provide crop. But it turns out in the end that they are the end of the episode, the team also reports to me whether I would give them an escort or not. For the time being, some sort of probing has points out. combat security to the convoy. not right. So, the situation does calm down. ”If their superior echelon. U.S. CIMIC team, who As our priority task is to provide security to the been going on. The simulation system records The Merklabí community is located at our such a case would really occur, we always seek could also render some help, is a component of CIMIC team, I fi nally gave them negative an- possible hits on any shot. Soldiers or equip- front defence perimeter, so we had to provide to apologise on behalf of the military. Many ti- their superior brigade. First-Lieutenant Řehová swer,“ SFC Podivínský adds. ment are however not always eliminated out of Refugee exodus security cover including in the open. We could mes problems come up in the moment when exchanges greetings with the community inha- the battle. Two short beeps announce injuries, Whereas the combat part of the task force not rule out that there were members of separa- we do everything we can to protect local inha- bitants and asks how they are doing. a long uninterrupted tone means a kill. A light takes defensive positions, additional compo- tist army in some of the refugee groups.“ bitants against some kind of threat,“ First-Lieu- Communication represents the cornersto- Passed through gets lit on heavy armoured vehicles or tanks. nents also perform their duties, including the On entry to the Merklabí community, mem- tenant Řehová says. ”Our primary mission here ne of activities run by CIMICkers. ”We have to In order for its elimination to be visible from Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) team. Their bers of the mechanised platoon move forward nevertheless is to check the current situation in behave in a forthcoming manner towards the Slovenians distance, it should also elevate the gun up. mission is to fi nd out about the situation in the with maximum caution. the Merklabí community. As you could see your- locals and establish the most intensive commu- The sun begins to rise over two hundred But you have to score at least three RPG hits, Merklabí community, from whose environs the The CIMICker First Lieutenant Michaela Řeho- self, we have been meeting hordes of refugees nication with them. Only that way we are able square kilometres of the Hohenfels training sometimes fi ve, before it is eliminated. Some exodus of local inhabitants is imminent. A con- vá is most interested in the local hospital. That is on our way, which indicated not everything was to obtain from them the information we often area. The Czech troops were ordered to take weapons are naturally not able to eliminate it voy of infantry fi ghting vehicles gets moving. where she learns the most important informati- all right. do not think they could possibly posses. It is all defensive positions at full strength at six in the at all. Crowds of refugees are rolling down the road on on the situation in the whole agglomeration. Directly on spot, we sought to get familiari- about communication and mutual confi dence,“ morning. But they have been in defence posi- ”No one in our armed forces has had the facing the team. They are hauling carts and The doctor’s station is full of medical materiel ty with the living conditions, security situation 1LT Řehová points out. tions already from midnight. During the night, opportunity to train with these simulation sys- carriages overloaded with packed suitcases and and really strikingly resembles of medical facili- in the community and especially how we could A vehicle with UNIDO mission insgnia arri- they were attacked by the fi rst tanks and AFVs tems on such a broad scale. It is really a huge other luggage. Two soldiers break up from the ties our soldiers may encounter on operational help the locals in the most effi cient way. They ves in the meantime. The crew shows identi- of the opposing forces. They managed to de- exercise not only for our brigade, but indeed for convoy and start to negotiate. tours abroad. The replicators playing the locals do not have enough food, drinks, there is a bad fi cation cards of that organisation and demand stroy two Norwegian Leopards and engage in 26 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 27

another big battle at the moment. After a fi erce push out the opponent from there. Rather than attack salient will graze the Ravensdorf com- Avalanche of steel fi ght, they managed to neutralise a tank platoon with Norwegian tanks, our lads had much gre- munity, which the Slovenian forces advancing and an AFV platoon. Then the Czech armoured ater diffi culties with the opposing forces played on our right fl ank are intended to take control retaliated vehicles abruptly start off. At full throttle, they by Americans from the JMRC. They simulated of. The C Company performs the role of light But in several minutes, the Czech unit is get- are dashing for the task force’s rear area. T-80 tanks with Bradleys and BMP-2s with M113 infantry in the exercise. Early in the morning, ting under attack with tank gunfi re from a pa- ”When the opponent realised they would not vehicles that are much faster and mobile. “It they are to be transferred by helicopters into rallel road leading down below along a forest. break through our positions, they decided to go was very demanding. We had to make several the opponent’s rear to ensure a seamless pene- One of our team immediately sets out in that di- in the north direction. They managed to break tough manoeuvres. Plan something quickly and tration of the A and B Company through main rection. Another surprise attack comes from the the defences of the Slovenian battalion and pe- mount an attack. crossroads and other strategic points. road that was cleared a while ago. None of the netrate our rear area. We had to respond to the We succeeded only because we have truly But the situation however changes in the Czech servicemembers can yet fi gure out that situation very quickly. Sadly the information that good soldiers and commanders who rehearse morning. The weather worsens considerably. they have got into a well prepared ambush. Fire the Slovenian defence fell did not reach us ear- such assignments regularly. The U.S. observers Clouds of steel literally touch the ground, drop- resounds from all sides. There are U.S. tanks ly enough,“ Lieutenant-Colonel Botík described. also liked our manoeuvre. They appreciated the ping big soaking snowfl akes. No-fl y weather will and fi ghting vehicles everywhere. The canno- ”The opponent’s posture was changing quite way we barraged the opponent’s attack and not change until lunchtime at least. So, they nade up on the road goes silent fi rst. All Czech fast; I had to turn around the whole defence then regained control of the airfi eld,“ the com- must be inserted on land. vehicles are neutralised and soldiers eliminated, and move both manoeuvre companies into our manding offi cer of the 72nd battalion task force but there are still active hostilities going on down rear, as the opponent managed to quickly take underscored. in the woods. We have only a couple of soldiers control of the airfi eld. They got as far as our ”We have taken the following lessons. If On land instead of by air left. The opponent advances through the woods main command post. We had losses in the fi ght we want to operate with partners from other It is still dark as we depart on seven humve- upwards. Our lads nevertheless retain a good for the post, but the opponent eventually did nations, it is necessary for us to have trained es. The fi rst kilometres in the opponent’s terri- sense of humour, even in the hardest moments. not capture it. Our reserve force arrived shortly together. When the opponent managed to pe- tory are high speed low drag. It looks as if the Taking a cover behind trees, they invite the OP- after the opponent, we regained control of the netrate the Slovenian battalion, we were short opponent was sound asleep. But then the recce FOR personnel to give up, that nothing would airfi eld and neutralised the opposing forces.“ of any information whatsoever at certain stage. team reports a infantry fi ghting vehicle monito- happen to them. But they only receive laughter Fortunately it was just some a company- In case we would learn about the defence’s be- ring one of the important intersections we need in response. Yet they nevertheless managed to strong tactical lead unit. Additional opposing ing broken in time, we could have barred and to go through. Company commander Captain disengage and bypass the opponent. The last forces did not get into the area in time. Our de- blocked that attack much earlier. Indeed, infor- Andrej Tomaščák is trying to fi nd a solution to desperate attack described at the beginning fenders managed to overtake them. They for- mation wins wars.“ the situation with his subordinates. There are follows. The Czech dismounted team has been med a manoeuvre defence in the north so that just two options. Either we would bypass the in- neutralised. The only way ahead leading to mis- nobody could surprise them from that side. tersection with a bend, or we send out a patrol sion accomplishment in given circumstances Prepping for attack with RPG to eliminate the vehicle. We are trying would involve giving up part of the force in the A velvet night covers Hohenfels. Lights from to identify the way to bypass the intersection fi rst stage of the encounter. The rest could go Ready for the second headlamps on soldiers’ helmets fl it around like for some time. But there is no way to go for through and continue their mission. But soldiers fi refl ies. Military hardware also moves under co- us, so we have to go for option two. When our debate whether they would be able to do such wave ver of the night. Night vision devices are used soldiers assaulted the infantry fi ghting vehicle, a thing at all. To cut all ties binding you to your Another wave of attack however came ru- subject to availability. Our battalion task force the opponent answered with massive fi re. The comrades, moreover realising that they would shing in through the Slovenian-controlled terri- managed to stabilise the red line. They should IFV was covered by another armoured vehicle be doomed in real combat, is surely not an easy tory, primarily comprising Norwegian Leopard 2 mount a counterattack in the morning. LTC Botík plus with a tank from the above. Majority of the decision to make. tanks. “We were nevertheless already prepared ordered his subordinate commanding offi cers to twenty-seven members of the dismount team Company commander Captain Tomaščák also for them, eliminated three of them and then the come to his place at twenty-one hundred. They eventually joined the battle. Only the company seeks to fi gure out where they went wrong. opponent started to withdraw. At that moment, will not get any sleep tonight – they have to plan commander’s vehicle with a small reserve for- ”You should have withdrawn immediately after we got an order from the Brigade to use the everything. It is also essential to consolidate ce waited almost at a kilometre’s distance from the fi rst attack. I attempted to recall you on the opportunity and push the opponent back to the forces and resupply them. Fuel and ammunition the incident site. Two American combat vehicles radio, but the connectivity was poor.“ Soldiers original line, which we eventually managed. We is brought in on trucks. In addition, there is not have been neutralised and now only the tank shake their heads in disbelief. ”Connectivity was lost four AFVs and two tanks. Considering that peace on the red line for a single moment. The is left there. One of our soldiers gets emotio- OK but no info reached us.“ Whatever way it we sent in twenty-four IFVs and six tanks, our opponent keeps attacking, checking vigilance of nal over having scored three hits on the tank was, one learns best from own mistakes. And losses were not that high. As a matter of fact, the defending forces. The A and B Companies and the tank is still shooting. A complaint by that was the meaning of this training exercise. we faced two tank battalions. Roughly forty ar- are to bear the brunt of the attack effort. That SFC Jindřich Němec with a U.S. observer does As a matter of fact, the rest of the task for- moured vehicles in total,“ LTC Botík describes. not help either. But even the tank is eventually ce redressed that mistake just a little later. The ”When they paralysed our main command post eliminated. Czech soldiers walk down the road task force’s fi ghting vehicles and tanks literally for some time, I was forced to control the ope- and quickly replenish their ammunition. Down- wiped the opponent out and dashed past the ration from a tactical command post. The more time comes. The score is still positively in our Ravensdorf community. The only mistake was challenging it was to coordinate. That improvi- favour at this stage. Although we have lost fi ve that the Slovenian unit intended to occupy the sation ended when we managed to push the soldiers and two humvees, the opponent has community was eliminated. And so our soldiers opponent aback and restore our main command suffered a substantially greater loss. That mo- were up to that clearing operation as well. post. The key benefi t of the day was that we ment will soon turn out to be decisive for poten- had an opportunity to practise manoeuvre de- tial withdrawal. by Vladimír Marek fence, counterattack as well as assuming defen- ce positions again.“ The problem of Slovenian defence was that it comprised a light unit equipped with AFVs, but only with fi fty calibre machineguns. Firing them against tanks had a minimum effect. Although the brigade reinforced them with antitank mis- siles, it was still not enough to fi ght forty tanks and AFVs. Coordination with our forces was also slow. Had they received the information on se- rious penetration of the Slovenian defence early enough, they could reinforce it and would not have to retreat as far as their rear area and A review 1/2014 29

A unique contribution by airmen from Čáslav to the NATO Tiger Association

Virtual Tiger meet For three and a half years, military professionals of the 211th Squadron operating the JAS-39 Gripen multirole fi ghters at Čáslav airbase have been full members of the prestigious NATO Tiger Association (NTA). While dozens of Tiger Meets have been organised in the NTA’s fi fty-three years history, the initiative of airmen from Čáslav and the staff of LOM Praha state enterprise, specifi cally of the Tactical Simulation Center (TSC) in Pardubice was truly unique. They became the organisers of the Virtual NATO Tiger Meet 2013!

To start with, the impressive entry by the given year, is an extremely challenging assign- Squadron Vogler fl ying Saab 105 aircraft in Aus- conducted from eight pilotable cockpits of JAS- Čáslav-based 211th Squadron into the elite club ment. As sixty plus air assets of various types tria. Along with them, Ground Controlled Inter- 39 Gripen multirole supersonic fi ghters and of NATO’s air units should be recalled. That hap- alight, demanding a considerable airspace for ception specialists joined the virtual air training a range of computer controlled identities was pened in October 2010 at the Tiger Meet in the their Composite Air Operations (COMAO), it is exercise. always incorporated into the play. There were Netherlands hosted by the 313th Squadron ho- indeed not conceivable for a Czech Air Force “As a matter of fact, we contacted all Tiger complex scenarios based on combat operations me-stationed at the Volkel airbase. Czech airmen squadron to host the event. But even such squadrons and offered them fl ying sim air mis- in realworld operations. When it was necessary scored an outstanding double there – they obta- logistic and spatial handicap did not prevent sions that are analogous to the operational mis- to train specifi c tactical elements, we provided ined a full membership in the NATO Tiger Asso- the 211th Squadron Čáslav, which performs sions at Tiger Meets. For a variety of reasons, a turnkey solution for the participants of the ciation and simultaneously the most prestigious airspace policing missions in the framework of but primarily for other commitments, the parti- Virtual NATO Tiger Meet,“ says Otakar Prikner, award, the Silver Tiger Trophy, presented to the the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence cipation is as it is. Finding a free day is hard. We the head of tactical training section at the TSC both sides. In total, there were six COMAO For the members of the TSC, who are very best performing NATO squadron. By the way, System (NATINAMDS), to live up to the Tiger are nevertheless not disappointed, as we are at Pardubice. operations in three fl ight days at the Tactical close to the Tiger spirit, the Virtual NATO Tiger that was for the very fi rst time in the NATO Tiger motto – improve joint operating procedures in the very beginning of making this idea happen. It is not a secret that fi ghter pilots from Simulation Centre. That is undoubtedly a posi- Meet 2013 was one of the key tasks of the year. Association’s history that a newcomer accomplis- planning and performance of air operations by Thirty Tigers attending the event is on the edge Čáslav AFB fl y missions based on their profes- tive thing! And it is not diminished in any way “We just continue our close cooperation, as the hed that! On the fourth day of October 2010, the NATO forces on possible foreign deployments. of the capacity available at the TSC Pardubice,“ sional focus at Tiger Meets. In other words, by the fact that no live fl ying was performed. Czech Air Force JAS-39 Gripen and L-159 ALCA 211th Tactical Squadron Čáslav offi cially became ”This premiere event, Virtual NATO Tiger Meet explains deputy commander of the Čáslav-based they primarily focus on air-to-air missions. In “Real fl ight is always much more diffi cult than pilots go for training courses to our place. The NATO’s twentieth Tiger squadron and the second (VNTM) 2013, is an optimal way for us to con- Tiger squadron and leaves for one of the brie- the home airspace, they normally practise four training in a high fi delity sim cockpit. In the air, idea to hold a Virtual NATO Tiger Meet intri- Czech Air Force unit to win that accolade after the tribute to increasing professional readiness of fi ng rooms to communicate some details of the versus four or two vs two. There was a much you have to take into account a whole range of gued us, and so we actively joined the orga- 221st Helicopter Squadron from the Náměšť air- NATO air community. upcoming fl ight mission with other participants. broader range of operational scenarios during indicators you can be confronted with at any nisational effort. It is a prestigious affair for us base to boast the full membership in the prestigi- We are coming up with a new know-how into ”We will talk the tactical scenarios through and VNTM 2013 in Pardubice. Everything was in the single moment. You go to the maximum with to demonstrate the potential of our centre to ous professional association of the North Atlantic the NTA, and if it proves well, we will continue the real conduct of the mission. It will be in an responsibility of the mission commander. The exactly performed activities. On the sim, it is the representatives of NATO operational squa- Treaty Organisation. It should be pointed out that this activity periodically. The fl ight effort in the international community and in English, which individual got an assignment and then it was about methodology and about tactics. You drill drons,“ Mr. Otakar Prikner says and describes the Mi-24/35 gunship squadron from Náměšť be- Tactical Simulation Centre at Pardubice will be is always a good training,“ Captain Pavel Pavlík, completely up to him and his ”subordinates“, it at ease on the ground not to do a mistake the VNTM 2013 program. First two days were came a full NTA member at the Tiger Meet hosted both intensive and effective. Scenarios for dog- nicknamed Speedy, says curtly. what tactical plan to choose to accomplish the in the air. You learn to handle situations in an dedicated to a crash course focused on fl ying by Belgium in 2001. In the very next year, mem- fi ghting are extremely realistic and there will be mission. Professional invention was not restra- optimal way,“ CAPT Pavlík argues and does the Gripen and operating the JAS-39 weapon bers of the then 331st helicopter squadron Přerov minimum restrictions. It is an excellent mix of ined by any means. not brag about the experience of his comrades systems. On the next three days, blues versus stroke a big success. At the NATO exercise Daring professional performance and training cost. The Training benefi t There were two waves fl own at the Tactical from the Squadron. ”Although we are no rooki- reds missions were fl own over the territory of Eagle 2002 in Beja, Portugal, which included an key thing is that we share our experience here,“ Based at the city of Pardubice, the Tactical Si- Simulation Centre, in the morning and in the es on the Gripen, we still need intensive fl ight the Czech Republic. Although those were simu- NTM, they won the silver tiger trophy and beca- says deputy commander 211th Tactical Squad- mulation Center (TSC) that is part of the Flight afternoon. While eight of the pilots were fi gh- training. You cannot be successful without lated air fi ghts, nobody wanted to lose. Many me the fi rst helicopter unit to hold the NTA’s most ron Čáslav Captain Pavel Pavlík and introduces Training Centre in the LOM Praha state enter- ting the other eight were getting ready. Every a hard training. The level of professionalism we a fi ring of the AIM-9 Sidewinder or AIM-120 prestigious award and the fi rst squadron from other participants in the Virtual NATO Tiger Meet: prise became the venue for the VNTM 2013, mission lasted roughly ninety minutes, inclu- have achieved needs to maintained, or impro- AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air the former Eastern bloc. The badge on the Silver German pilots of Eurofi ghter Typhoon fi ghters of specifi cally for simulated air fi ghts of blues ding planning and a debriefi ng, while the real ved. Sims are very instrumental for us in this Missile) missile was accompanied by a multina- Tiger Trophy with engraved inscription: 331. SQN the 74. Jagdgeschwader Neuburg and airmen against reds. And as all those involved concur- or indeed simulated fl ight activity in airspace respect and represent a indisputable training tional commentary in the simulation hall of the CZAF 2002 bears a testimony to that. from the 51st Tactical Taktisches Luftwaffenge- red, that unique training facility for simulated of interest took approximately forty minutes. benefi t. That is why we come up with this pre- Tactical Simulation Center Pardubice. schwader Schleswig-Jagel equipped with Torna- tactical fl ight training was a place most profes- Obviously, dogfi ghts were always replayed at miere event. That is why we expand the Tiger dos. Attendees furthermore included Hungarian sionally appropriate and cost effective. ”There the end of the action, the tactics was analy- spirit with the Virtual NATO Tiger Meet,“ says Premiere Czech style pilots from the 59/1 Puma Squadron Kecskemét was a maximum intensity of fl ight effort. CO- sed and effectiveness evaluated of operation the experienced JAS-39 Gripen fi ghter pilot and To organise a Tiger Meet, which is normal- operating the JAS-39 Gripen multirole fi ghters MAO fl ight missions, usually defensive ones, effort. The role of ”blues“ and ”reds“ switched. praises the sophisticated facilities in the Tacti- by Pavel Lang ly the largest NATO air exercise in Europe in and military professionals from the Jet Trainer followed one after another. Operations were Each of the pilots repeatedly tried to act on cal Simulation Center Pardubice. photos by Jan Kouba 30 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 31

CCzechzech instructorsinstructors ddeployedeployed aatt tthehe KKoulikorooulikoro The KTC Camp is situated at the Military Institu- TTrainingraining CCampamp iinn MMaliali rrevieweview ttheirheir ssix-monthix-month te of Malian Armed Forces, which made majority ttourour iinn AAfricafrica of buildings on the premises available for the EUTM mission. Soldiers are accommodated in houses of bricks in rooms sized approximately three by fi ve metres. All four Czech instructors are accommodated in one room. It is furnis- hed with bunk beds; every soldier has a closet, table and chair. There are toilets and showers on every fl oor, which usually has eight rooms. “Our neighbours are Spanish, Portuguese, Ita- lian and Polish soldiers,” SFC Kopecký adds. “Food is on very good standards here; most of the input materials are imported from Europe. With more than four months on, none of us has suffered from diarrhoea or nausea as a result of food quality. Meals are prepared by the French, and locally hired employees help them. There are enough liquids and we get issued drinkable water in plastic bottles anytime. In case there is a two-day training session or cleaning day in the cookhouse, we get issued French MREs. Those are similar to the Czech ones, they just contain more sweets.“ There is a gym on the base and horizontal bars almost at every corner. You can go for jogging inside the KTC, the fence perimeter is approximately one kilometre long. There is ano- ther larger circuit approximately eight and half kilometres long. The compound also has several volleyball and basketball courts. But it is only possible to do sports early in the morning and VVeryery cheerfulcheerful soldierssoldiers in the evening. Learning doctrine and Besides the Czech forces providing security to the Headquarters French Army, Irish Camp Commander Ryan and terminology European Union Training Mission (EUTM), there are presently the leaders of the French training company, and additional four Czech servicemembers deployed in Mali to became its members based on an agreement When our team arrived, there was just a thre- between the Czech Republic and France. “The e-week intermission separating individual tra- provide training to the Malian armed forces personnel. They French received us very well, took us in right ining periods. The program only included a re- are stationed at Camp Koulikoro, some fi fty-seven kilometres from the start and helped us to settle down training course for Malian platoon leaders and downstream Niger river from the capital city of Bamako. here. We have quite a good understanding with company commanders of the new GTIA battalion the soldiers of our company; they are members task force. And that was what the Czech service of SAED 126. RI infantry regiment, roughly an personnel attended. The thing was for them to The Czech instructor team reached camp service personnel were made familiar with the equivalent to the Czech reconnaissance unit. gain familiarity with the French training doctrine, Koulikoro in mid-September 2013, right after headquarters and the KTC Camp (Koulikoro They are very good soldiers, and we have qui- particularly tactics and terminology. All training they had arrived Mali and taken over their wea- Training Center). They presented themselves te similar military thinking,“ the Czech team lea- is held outdoors – open-air lecture areas are pons and materiel. On the very same day, Czech to the KTC commander, Colonel Tessard of the der Sergeant First Class Petr Kopecký describes. located behind the camp gate. That essentially 32 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 33

company; all methodology is theirs. To that, we Soldiers protected by grigri, which, although originating from Islam, add our experience, improvements and various infl uenced voodoo for instance. It is a talisman tricks. We are Czechs indeed,“ Sergeant First grigri made of leather or fabric. It usually looks like a Class Petr Kopecký says. “Martin Borovička with According to Czech instructors, the mission in bracelet with pouch that holds bones of small Pavel Štrobl help with heavy weapons training. Africa is a big school full of interesting lessons. animals or other objects. There are verses from We with SFC Mužátko are assigned to an in- It is not possible to compare deployments in the Koran engraved on the bracelet. The amulet fantry platoon, where we have a relatively free Afghanistan and here. It is completely different is meant to protect its bearers and help them hand from our French colleagues in specialised in Mali – a much friendlier environment. Wor- on the life path. But it is not a universal carrier tactical training sessions, such as ambush, as- king with most of European nations involved of good fortune. There are various grigri with sault and so forth. In addition, both of us are in EUTM militarily is also absolutely seamless. various verses for different occasions. Conse- involved in medical training under leadership of There are military personnel from twenty-three quently, local soldiers using grigri carry the one Austrian medics and a doctor. I believe Austrian European nations at Koulikoro. The primary protecting them in combat. So, it is sometimes medics appreciate the knowledge we gained in language here is naturally English, used to ar- diffi cult to explain to a soldier kneeling in the the CLS course in Hradec Králové. Pavel Mu- range most of affairs. Czech instructors also open that he should take cover behind a rock or žátko and Pavel Štrobl also help train Malian attempt to speak French. “I believe the Czech shrub. He does have a grigri...“ military drivers. Obviously there is a job to be military lacks experience from Africa; it is a big On the other hand, Malian soldiers are clo- done.“ unknown for us. We have much to learn from sely tied with the nature and know very well Training is planned by French offi cers. Ma- the French, British or Germans, be it coopera- where danger may come from. They have the lians are very cheerful by nature. Everything tion with locals, or life in the African nature,“ local landscape under their skin. Their eye de- runs smoothly thanks to that, there is not that SFC Kopecký says. ”The possibility to compare tects snakes or a wasp nest early enough. They much stress and haste, although people work with nearly all European armed forces is also know where to pass through, where to sit, whe- from morning till evening. They also have much invaluable. We spent most of our free time di- re to lay down. Knowledge of the territory also less bureaucracy than we have back at home. scussing with the others. And based on what helps them in medical terms. For example, they All paperwork ends on the level of platoon lea- we learnt, I dare say that the Czech Armed use leaves of shrubs to stop bleeding and dia- der. And that individual is only required to fi ll in Forces is well off, almost in all respects from rrhoea, plant roots to repel insects. They brush the necessary document and he can engage in wages through equipment, professionalism and their teeth with the twigs of a small tree called

involves several benches, board and sheet metal based on a fourteen-day plan that is continu- III. There was a three-week intermission on training. Thus, he has more time to concentrate attitude to service duties. We keenly complain Salvadora Persica. Positive effects that plant has roof. Theory is always followed by practical sessi- ously adjusted based on the needs of individual Christmas. The GTIA IV battalion task force on his job. about everything – rightly in many instances, on teeth were even confi rmed by World Health ons in the area behind the lecture shelters. That companies. It starts on Monday morning and formed at that time. The Czech instructors But the attitude by Malian soldiers to the things can always be improved. But compared Organisation. resembles of the Hradiště Military Training Area ends with lunch on Saturday. Emphasis is placed joined the GTIA IV training process from Ja- performance of service duties is different too. with an overwhelming majority of other milita- Fauna and fl ora at large is a great experience back in the Czech Republic. The terrain there is on tactics and the use of weapon. On Saturday nuary 6, 2014. A Malian company has around It often happens that fi ve out of a platoon do ries, we are really well off. Here, everybody ap- in Mali. “We arrived when the rain season was quite rocky; there is much shrubbery and trees afternoon, there are lectures covering human 120 soldiers, platoons roughly comprise thirty not present themselves for the morning mus- preciates the fact that we are highly adaptable ending. We felt like in a Jurassic Park: all insects here and there. For two-day training, vehicles are rights, fi rst aid and other essentials. Sundays personnel. Units are not manned to 100 per- ter and others have no idea where they are. and able to improvise, that we are always able are large, plants either venomous or at least used to take soldiers further into the country. The are free. During training, Malian soldiers are cent levels. As is known, the problematic situ- By the time they fi nally appear for training af- to cope somehow. In addition, we manage to thorny. Plus you have snakes, scorpions, mega- range is located about ten kilometres north of continuously tested by the Czech instructors. ation in Mali is deeply rooted in history: there ter several hours, others are missing instead. keep smiling and maintain a familiar approach bats and camel spiders at night, simply Africa. Koulikoro. In November last year, the range was GTIA training culminates in a three-day training have not been really friendly relations between ”As instructors, we may not punish anybody for even in distress.“ Donkeys and local children frolic on the base. It extended over up to six hundred metres. Heavier exercise, during which all the initiative is alrea- Touaregs populating the desert northern part misconduct. The only way is to notice Malian It may also be of interest to take a look at the is amazing,“ SFC Kopecký describes. ”There are weapons, 50-cals, mortars and SPG-9 man-por- dy in the hands of Malian soldiers, instructors of the country and black inhabitants from the commanders and they settle everything them- religious composition of the Malian battalion. lots of rather pestering insects and we always table recoilless guns are fi red at Kati location one just oversee and mentor every now and then. South. And that is exactly why the national selves. But Malians are otherwise very cheerful That refl ects the local society. Moslems prevail, seek to extinct them in our room before we go hundred kilometres away. After the training program, there are ten days composition of the units we help to develop and open-hearted. They enjoy laughing, singing and Christians are represented at about seven to bed. As one of our Polish friends coined it, The allocation for training Malian GTIA IV off, then the soldiers get issued their personal is interesting. While GTIA II roughly had forty and dancing, even when marching and running percent. Our instructors have not encounte- fi rst thing Europeans have to learn on an Afri- battalion task force is ten weeks. Training is de- equipment and move into the troubled north of percent of soldiers with Touareg origin, GTIA in formations. They sing their original piecesbut red any hatred among followers of various can mission is so-called Hand Defence System. livered to soldiers of whom there are two thirds the country. III only had fi fteen percent and the GTIA IV songs by Shakira for example too. They are also religions. Simply slapping insects.“ of absolute rookies. Training is conducted ac- just around one percent. The rest are blacks very clever and curious by nature. They do not “One example to tell the whole story. There cording to French standards and methodology. from the South. bear so much stress and haste as we Europeans are thirty-two soldiers in our platoon and just Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser vehicles are avai- Dancing even “They do not know any military training are- do. Time means nothing here. three of them Christians. When one of them lable. Czech instructors brought along Land Ro- as here. Savannah is large enough and local After arrival, the fi rst thing we had to do was cries hallelujah, the whole platoon adds amen! ver LR Defender 110 vehicles and they are hap- in formation people are glad to see their soldiers. Our prima- to get on terms with the calm rhythm of life I am not a believer, but I think that is the way by Vladimír Marek py with it. The British legend is said to belong In two weeks’ time from their arrival, Czech ry mission is all-arms training of infantry com- – everything must be adjusted to the local sol- it should work. Simply respect for others,“ SSG photos by Vladimír Marek, EUTM training into African savannah. Training is performed instructors started with training as part of GTIA panies. We work in conjunction with a French diers,“ SFC Kopecký adds. M. B. describes. ”A specifi c phenomenon is instructors and COL Martin Vybíral 34 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 35

Comprehensive logistic support to the Czech Armed Forces service personnel delivered from the Foreign Operations and Emergency Support Centre based at Pardubice

Support Element to complete the task, we take involves the necessity to strictly observe specifi c emergencies, we will provide them,“ declares over. Requirements are realised either from our procedures, including mandatory limits. A stan- the Chief of the Foreign Operations and Emer- stock or by procurement. The reality is that four dard period of time from the requirement into gency Support Centre. fi fths of the required items are not in depots and the phase of realisation takes roughly six weeks. Attentive readers noticed that no word has must be procured. It goes without saying that The staff of the Centre are however able – in been written about any negative aspects in the we do not export all necessary materiel from case needed – to react operatively. When there Centre. Insiders are however aware of the fact home. We have a close cooperation with our is a very urgent situation, they are able to han- that the level of manning is getting critical. By NATO partners in areas where our deployments dle it literally overnight. To that effect, they as- the way, as opposed to the previous Distribution operate. In case mutual logistic assistance is fe- sign a working team with 120 minutes standby Centre, the number of staff is currently lower by asible, we realise it. It is the best we can get in readiness, who are capable of responding im- more than twenty fi ve percent. No tasks drop- terms of effectiveness,“ LTC Beneš says. mediately. They duly prepare the needed items ped out nevertheless, contrarily: the scope of Speaking about fi nance, another interesting for distribution and the rest is up to road, rail or responsibilities expanded in some respects. It is piece of information should be mentioned. For air transportation organisations and agencies. It not a secret that performance of service duties every fi scal year, the Centre is allocated a fi nan- is particularly important that air transportation in some positions is on the edge. All deadlines, cial limit to meet the costs of required items. complied with the requisites of the Internatio- which are sometimes very tough, need to be met Doing so, it is obligated by the Public Procure- nal Air Transport Association (IATA) that stipu- nevertheless. There is no other way as there are ment Act to buy items valued up to one million lates the conditions for transporting hazardous soldiers and airmen deployed thousands of kilo- Czech korunas (without VAT) a year. But that materials. metres away from home waiting for the needed is not a reason to panic whatsoever. There has To complete the picture, explanation should logistic support. Apparent details may have fatal not been an event recently that the Pardubi- be provided on the second part of the Centre’s consequences. ”The support system realised by ce-based installation would cause the slightest name – emergencies. It is correct to say that it our centre performs well. It has been thoroughly harm to Czech Armed Forces military profes- is nothing heartbreaking. In case of an emer- proven by dozens of recent missions. Not even sionals in supporting their operations abroad. gency, primarily a natural disaster, the Centre the fact that Czech Armed Forces service person- “Such a case has not occurred,“ Major Martyká- is ready to provide its professional know-how. nel show satisfaction with the support leads us nová concludes. That also involves vehicles, including loaders to maintain the current status. There is always Some may be interested in the timelines fol- and materiel handling cranes, and special room for improvement,“ LTC Beneš says. lowed in realisation of the requirements. The equipment including power generators or trans- Chief of the Centre indicates it is largely depen- port containers including refrigerators. ”In case WWee relyrely onon you!you! dent on whether the contract requires a bidding the systems and equipment we operate would Broad range of missions process in the so-called tender market. That be usable for managing the consequence of Generally speaking, every success or failure in We rely on you! Czech Armed Forces servicemembers deployed double deployment of the Czech Air Force fi gh- this or that military installation ultimately associ- abroad for foreign operations and missions of international ters for the Baltic Air Policing mission at the ates with the top manager. In the case of the Fo- organisations (EU, UN, OSCE) address those words to the Shiauliai airport in Lithuania, from where the reign Operations and Emergency Support Centre Czech airmen provided security to the airspace Pardubice, that individual is Lieutenant-Colonel community of Semtín that is a part of Pardubice, because that of the Baltic States. ”Besides missions in Lithua- Jaroslav Beneš. He has been in command since 1 is where a unique military installation is located to meet their nia, I would also mention the deployment of the August 2013. He came to the Pardubice-Semtín requirements for logistic support – the Foreign Operations and Czech Armed Forces fi eld hospital. Those were barracks from Wilhelmsburgkasarne in the city of Emergency Support Centre. truly challenging assignments for us. The key Ulm, Germany. That was where the NATO Re- thing is that we managed them,“ MAJ Martyká- sponse Forces Operations Command (RFOC) was nová says. headquartered, where LTC Beneš served a three- For nine years, this unit was known as the Beneš and adds that the centre is also the hub Thanks to the forthcoming attitude of the year tour in J3 operations. The Multinational Joint Distribution Centre Pardubice. Since 1 July for the retrograde equipment from foreign ope- Centre’s management, it is possible to look Headquarters (MN JHQ) Ulm was newly establis- 2013, its successor organisation – the Foreign rations and additional missions. behind the scenes of how Czech foreign ope- hed in Ulm at 1 July 2013. Operations and Emergency Support Centre – Many a reader would not have an idea what rational deployments are supported. ”Logistic Obviously, he was not given the chief’s post for has been operational. That new component is the center’s coverage in terms of support is support requirements are forwarded via the Jo- nothing. He had to prove himself as the best can- directly subordinate to the MoD Logistics Agen- actually in question. It should be pointed out int Operations Centre of the Ministry of Defen- didate for the position. ”It is not a professional cy, which is a specialist body of the Director of that Czech soldiers and airmen do not perform ce and then through the MoD Logistics Agency downfall after Ulm by any means. Contrarily, I am MoD Support Policy Division. missions only as part of the Czech deployments to us. In case it is impossible for the National going back to logistics and moreover in a position in ISAF in the territory of Afghanistan, but they that allows to control it immediately. I have a vi- are also in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, sion what to improve and how, but I realise it will Entry point for all Somalia, in the Sinai and Mali. As a matter of not happen overnight. I am building on mutual fact, every mission has its specifi c aspects, plus communication with the members of my team property classes there are various numbers of Czech Armed For- here,“ LTC Beneš says and admits he was ini- To start with, an explanation should be offe- ces service personnel deployed downrange to tially surprised by the broad range of missions red concerning the scope of responsibility of the provide logistic support. So, it is not possible to assigned to the Centre. ”I handle a considerable centre in Pardubice. ”All logistic support of Czech say which one is more demanding. ”The Centre number of documents with high price tags at- military professional abroad falls into our basket. is in fact a doorway for all property that is sup- tached to them on daily basis,“ concludes the That involves materiel and military equipment of plied to foreign deployments. Every deployment Chief of Foreign Operations and Emergency Sup- all classes of supply, which we distribute into abroad requires its specifi c logistic support. On port Centre in Pardubice and relishes the high areas where our deployments operate in case our side, we have to exert a considerable effort professionalism displayed by his subordinates, required. The demanded items are either collec- to gather, clear and get the materiel to the car- which builds on previously gained expertise. ted from military stocks at depots or they have rier,“ Deputy Chief of the Centre Major Radka to be acquired through procurement,“ says the Martykánová explains. Asked to single out the by Pavel Lang Chief of the Foreign Operations and Emergen- most complex support task, she ponders for a photos by the Foreign Operations and Emergency cy Support Centre Lieutenant-Colonel Jaroslav while and names Lithuania. She alludes to the Lieutenant-Colonel Jaroslav Beneš Support Centre Pardubice 36 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 37

Exclusive coverage of the introduction of the new OVP-12SL parachute system into inventory of airborne units of the Czech Armed Forces New parachutes in action Every piece of equipment introduced to the Czech Armed Forces’ inventory deserves attention. This time, the Czech Armed Forces Review focuses on the OVP-12SL personal parachute system approved for introduction to the inventory of the Czech MoD components in November 2012 by the Chief of Defence, General Petr Pavel.

There were multiple serious reasons for in- standards. At the end of the day, the outcome troducing a new personal parachute into the matters. Taking a look into the results of the inventory of the Czech Armed Forces. Perhaps tests could nevertheless be of interest. the decisive fact was the OVP-80 system in use The mandatory tests were initially realised by was nearing the end of its life cycle. The available the authorised parachute test facility of the LOM number of the OVP80s decreased rapidly, to the Prague state enterprise. Their results were con- very level that no longer ensured full training for fi rmed by the MoD Military Aviation Branch. Mi- military professionals. It was therefore essential litary acceptance tests followed. At that stage, both to allocate the necessary funding but also the testing commission identifi ed some short- to defi ne the specifi cations including tactical and falls and the tests were suspended. Supplemen- technical performance data for a new personal tary tests were performed to full satisfaction. parachute. The involved MoD components set up The commission concluded that the OVP-12SL a requirement for potential suppliers that the pa- systems met all the evaluated parameters and rachute system would be used for performance recommended the introduction of the parachu- of combat group and training drops of paratroo- te system into inventory. Additional affi rmatory pers, low-level jumps of teams as well as mass positions were given by the Defence Standardi- drops from fi xed-wing and rotary-wing assets sation, Codifi cation and Government Quality As- used in the Czech Armed Forces and NATO. The surance Agency, MoD Logistics Policy Division, parachute system comprises the main parachute MoD Military Aviation Branch, MoD National Ar- (OVP) and the reserve parachute (ZVP). The key maments Directorate, MoD Capability Planning requirement was also the forced deployment of and Development Division and fi nally the Chief a parachute by static line. Naturally, additional of General Staff Czech Armed Forces. The win- functional parameters and operating conditions ning supplier (manufacturer) of the OVP-12SL were specifi ed. For instance, that involved ma- parachute system for the Czech Armed Forces ximum operating weight of the paratrooper with was the MarS Jevíčko joint stock company. equipment and weapons and with OVP and ZVP parachutes (160 kg), the altitude of airplane when jumping on static line and aircraft speed Jumping light up to 250 km/h (from 150 m/T), controllability At this point, it is appropriate to introduce, (two steering elements), landing (upwind and the parachute system in nutshell. The personal downwind), jumping weight of the system (max parachute is designed to perform individual, 17 kg) or surface wind value (0 to 8 m/s). Quite group as well as mass combat and practice interesting data is also the operating temperatu- jumps from minimum altitude of 1,000 ft, at day The ZVP-80.08 reserve parachute serves as a Special Forces Group in Prostějov and fi fty will only guarantees delivery of four hundred sets. The good news though is that all three hun- re interval for the main parachute (from -40 to and night from fi xed wing and rotary wing air- back-up during planned jumps with the OVP-12SL be distributed in the paratrooper training centre Whether the armed forces will receive additi- dred and twenty delivered parachute sets have +93.3 degrees Celsius), as well as its life in terms craft. The parachute harness can hold paratroo- parachute. It is used in case of failure or damage at Vyškov. ”We have accepted three-hundred onal personal parachutes depends on a whole already been jumped, meaning a jump was per- of jumps (270) or years (maximum 15.5 years). per’s weapons and equipment approved for use of the primary parachute. The ZVP parachute is and twenty sets from the supplier. The remai- range of factors and decisions,“ says the seaso- formed with them. The less favourable news is Introduction of military materiel into use with with personal parachutes in the Czech Armed activated upon pulling the operating toggle. ning eighty pieces are to be delivered later this ned military paratrooper and concludes that the that the jumps performed with the parachutes organisational components of the Ministry of Forces so, that the weapons and equipment do ”The contract is for four hundred OVP-12- year,“ LTC Štěpán adds. number of potential users in the Armed Forces are so-called light ones. In reality, without the Defence is usually not a straight-forward affair. not hamper on correct use of the parachute. For SL systems. We received the initial badge last Some may fi nd the number of 400 intere- of the Czech Republic signifi cantly exceeds the paratrooper’s equipment and weapons attached! In case of the OVP-12SL parachute system, the properly trained paratroopers, the parachutes year,“ says Lieutenant-Colonel Petr Štěpán, sting. The comment by LTC Štěpán is as follows: number of delivered OVP-12SL parachute sets. Apparently, the upcoming jumps with equipment mandatory procedures were additionally com- enable a safe landing. The OVP-12SL parachute deputy head of the rescue, para training and ”We have equipped with the new parachute set One does not have to be a phenomenal mathe- and weapons only come after mandatory appro- plemented by certain aspects that delayed the harness has a three-round disengagement sys- physical training section of the MoD Capability the primary airborne units. The OVP-12SL is matician to fi gure out that one ”twelver“ is used val procedure that will be accomplished with the whole fi elding process. Specifi cally speaking, tem to separate the canopy from the paratroo- Development and Planning Division and speci- also planned for introduction with the Recon- by multiple paratroopers. ”Ideally, we should military acceptance tests. Finally, operating pro- everything took almost three years. Disse- per’s body in case he is dragged along on the fi es that three hundred sets will be allocated for naissance Battalion in Prostějov. We aim to use have at least fi fteen hundred pieces of this type cedures will be developed and practical training cting the causes would not be to professional ground. the 4th Rapid Deployment brigade, fi fty to the the parachute in the future, but the contract of personal parachute,“ LTC Štěpán argues. launched. ”I trust the second half of this year 38 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 39

the new OVP-12SL parachute system. The In that respect, the 4th RDBde Commander scene repeats several times on that Wedne- comments the fact that out of the four hundred sday. That is because there are practice jumps parachute sets delivered to the Czech Armed going on by the paratroopers of the 4th Rapid Forces, three hundred fell to the paratroopers Deployment Brigade and other units. Checks based at Chrudim: ”In the Brigade, the 43rd Air- confi rm everything is the way it should be. borne Battalion is the only purely airborne unit Captain of the Hip gets cleared for take-off. and so it has a rationale behind it. Moreover, the Two powerful TV3-117VM engines fi nd it easy para training for the whole 4th RDBde is organi- to lift the helo off the ground. A couple of sed at Chrudim.“ FFieldield SSurgicalurgical TTeameam minutes later, the Mi-171Sh fl ies at altitude Colonel Hlaváč takes the quantity of three fi ve hundred metres and heads for the drop hundred parachute simply as reality. On one point. First goes the fl are to determine the hand he does not regard it optimal for one OVP- wind direction. 12SL parachute to be used by multiple paratro- Fifteen paratroopers onboard the machine opers; on the other hand, COL Hlaváč realises in ACTION fi nd themselves under a careful supervision of the economical situation, or indeed the compass the jumpmaster. The fi rst fi ve are instructed to of possibility the MoD has in introducing new The Czech Armed Forces 10th Field Surgical Team (FST) French colleagues was critical. We also worked get up. The jumpmaster points his hand to the equipment and materiel into the Czech Armed was deployed in Kabul from February through June 2014. It in combined teams and good knowledge of En- cord and commands: “Hook up!“. Then he steps Forces’ inventory. ”I say with full responsibility comprised the personnel of the Czech Armed Forces 6th and glish is a must here for the team to successfully will see us complete military tests and resume aside the door and his place is taken by the fi rst that the existing number of the new OVP-12- work in this international environment,“ Lieute- jumps with equipment and weapons with the paratrooper to go. The command to jump is SL parachute systems suffi ces for us to provi- 7th Field Hospital stationed in Hradec Králové and staff from nant-Colonel Josef Roubal sums up. new OVP-12SL parachute in 2015,“ LTC Štěpán easy to understand – slap on the shoulder and de a full-scale training for the 4th Brigade. The the Central Military Hospital Prague and Military Hospital in The 10th FST commanding offi cer regards describes his objectives. shouts ”Go!“. It just takes a second’s interval paratroopers maintain their professional skills Brno. The 10th FST has experts with vast experience in foreign teamwork a key precondition of success. ”We It is not a secret that certain recent cir- for the next one to jump until the fi fth leaves and that is essential. operations. The were deployed in Kuwait, the Balkans, Iraq and all pulled on the same rope and supported each cumstances impacted the way training was the door. The helicopter egresses from the area The next step we seek to take in the second other in these demanding conditions. It helped practised for Czech Armed Forces paratroopers. of the Chrudim airstrip to return in a bend. The half of this year are jumps with equipment and repeatedly in Afghanistan. Following disastrous earthquakes, us get through the four months spent far away In uncouth terms, jumps without equipment and second and third sticks follow the suite. Then weapons. Jumping light was sort of a restric- some of them were also assigned to Pakistan, Albania or Turkey. from home.“ weapons in fact negated the meaning or indeed the machine lands to take another team on tion limit for us, but now we are able to see Downrange in Kabul, they serve in senior posts in the local fi eld effectiveness of employing paratroopers for ac- board. Everything runs seamlessly. Those invol- the light at the end of the tunnel,“ says Colonel tion in areas of interest. Jumping ”light“ lasted ved in this training activity are also apparently Hlaváč and, shortly after landing on OVP-12SL, hospital, where they again prove the high professionalism of Emergency almost four years and admittedly represented satisfi ed. comments as follows: ”I personally fi nd jumping the Czech military medicine. They have also successfully gone Emergency ward at Kabul Afghanistan Inter- a considerable professional setback. ”Of course ”In the morning part one hundred and fi ve with this type of parachute well. I am satisfi ed through the period of transition of the local medical facility into national Airport (KAIA) base serves for accep- that was not an optimal status. Resuming jumps jumps with the new OVP-12SL parachute were with it. It marks a progress in para training.“ the responsibility of the U.S. Army, which was previously under ting casualties delivered through medical eva- with equipment and weapons is fi nally a step performed,“ says the deputy head of the rescue, The commander of the 43rd Airborne Battalion, cuation and for provision of medical support on ahead. But we are at the beginning of a whole para training and physical training section of the Lieutenant-Colonel Róbert Dziak speaks very French command and the personnel was also predominantly the base, but it also provides to some extent process. You cannot jump headfi rst here, be- MoD Capability Development and Planning Di- much the same tone: “Replacement with the French. medical assistance in the form of consulting and cause safety is paramount. Haste is not the key vision Lieutenant-Colonel Petr Štěpán and adds OVP-12SL actually meant for us that we were treatment for out-patients such as NGO workers indicator and we will proceed cautiously,“ LTC that today’s jumps with the OVP-12SL are also able to carry on training. Another good news is The CO’s perspective personnel went down by half from February and, last but not least, the local inhabitants. The Štěpán states. planned for night. that this type of parachute is suitable not only (the facility transitioned to Role 2+) for Ame- spectrum of patients is surprisingly broad. Eleven. That is the current log of jumps Colo- for services represented by our 43rd Battalion, The Commanding Offi cer of the Czech Ar- ricans to take over progressively. Nevertheless, The other factor relates to working in an in- nel Miroslav Hlaváč, Commander 4th Rapid Dep- but also for senior or better put experienced med Forces 10th Field Surgical Team in Kabul the volume of medical treatment remained the ternational, meaning linguistically different en- Go! loyment Brigade, completed with the new OVP- paratroopers, who prevail among men forming was Lieutenant-Colonel Josef Roubal. M.D. Not same. That period of time was quite challenging vironment. The daily duty shift comprised re- It is a couple of minutes before ten o’clock 12SL parachute. ”The replacement was truly the Battalion.“ His professional evaluation is only was he in command, but he also provided for the Czech team both in terms of labour and presentatives of three teams – French, Czech as Mi-171Sh multipurpose transport helicopter needed. The old OVP-80s were close to the end also in favour of the new OVP-12SL as opposed treatment in the operating room as an ortho- organisation. and Bulgarian. The working mode of the whole from the 22nd Airbase Náměšť nad Oslavou of life and there were not enough of them avai- to the old OVP-80. ”It suits me well, and I am paedist - traumatologist to patients who mostly ”I believe working in the Kabul medical fa- hospital does not allow for anything else anyway lands at the Chrudim airstrip. Soon it is appro- lable. Introduction of the OVP-12SL is defi nitely content with very much,“ LTC Dziak concludes. had war injuries on their extremities, which are cility was interesting for us as we were able to at this time. In addition, Czech soldiers only ached a fi fteen-member team of the Czech Ar- a positive step forward, including because the very frequent in Afghanistan. During their dep- practically apply and prove the principles of war form a tiny percentage among treated patients. med Forces service personnel. The fi rst sight new system clearly outperforms the parachute it By Pavel Lang loyment, the Czech FST had to bridge a diffi cult surgery, which we thankfully do not encounter ”Thanks to the attitude of our senior colleagues reveals that they are equipped identically with has replaced,“ COL Hlaváč underscores. photos by Jan Kouba time period, as 2014 number of French medical back at home. Good communication with our who have amassed extensive experience from 40 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 41 foreign deployments and are willing to share information on security threats on daily ba- After returning home, I intensively focused on them, this fi rst deployment of mine is interesting sis and gives the team members new security microbiological and parasitological training.“ professionally and rewarding personally for me,“ codes and passwords. In case of Mass Casualty During her previous tours with the Czech Fi- says the Czech doctor at the Emergency, CPT Do- (MASCAL) CPT Pražák acted as a member of eld Hospital in Kabul, she always performed la- minika Chrásková, M.D. the Scriber Team tasked to record actions taken boratory jobs only in her specialty area. Thanks during primary treatment of the specialist to to understanding of her superiors, she was able, the relevant form. after an intensive training at specialised microbi- Perspective of ological department at the Central Military Hos- pital in Prague, to perform laboratory analysis in anaesthesiologist High demands for lab other above-mentioned fi elds to the standards – intensivist required in the KAIA medical facility. specialists In was very pleasing for the Czech service Major Radek Uher M.D., who served in ope- The 2014 deployment of the Field Surgical personnel to fi nd out they were able to manage rating rooms and the intensive care unit, says: Team is the fi rst opportunity for medical lab spe- mass casualty cases to high standards and with ”After initial ”sizing up”, gaining mutual trust, cialists to work in an international environment necessary level of professionalism, which was respect and harmonising urgent care procedu- as is customary in French fi eld medicine. Czechs proven in reality in multiple instances. res, we developed a very friendly cooperation had to accommodate to those new conditions. It should be pointed out that majority of the to very high professional standards, which al- Lab specialists obtained initial information al- Czech 10th FST medical personnel deployed at MAJ Vlachovský and CO 10th FST during operation Czech X-Ray lab specialist (right) with her colleagues lowed us to operate in combined Czech-French ready during a foregoing internship. Warrant KAIA have been through a foreign operational teams.“ According to MAJ Uher, the trickiest part Offi cer Radka Köhlerová comments: ”I learnt experience. ”I realised that here again and I am examination or diagnosing with the use of con- patients undergo so-called betadine protocol is the spectrum of patients. ”That is truly broad only during the internship that lab specialists very glad that the Czech military medicine does trasting fl uid, but not complex radiologic exa- that has its specifi c sequence and order and and variegated here. Medical doctors in Kabul in French fi eld medical facilities are responsible not have to ashamed of anything,“ WO Köhlero- minations. With today’s communication possibi- involves multiple disinfection that signifi cantly must be able to cope with anything, including for performing analyses across laboratory bran- vá continues and adds: ”It will be interesting to lities, it is possible to reach back and consult reduces the risk of infecting the wound,“ SFC patients who would be sent to specialised clinics ches: haematology and blood transfusion, clini- follow the lessons subsequent teams will learn with radiologists at home in more complicated Baťa explains. He also points out that there are or wards back in the Czech Republic.“ cal biochemistry, microbiology and parasitology. already operating as part of the U.S. fi eld me- cases. multiple teams involved concurrently when tre- Besides classic war and especially fragmen- dical hospital.“ The experienced Czech X-Ray lab specialist ating patients with multitrauma. tation injuries, which the team members had adds: “I should admit cooperation with the been largely prepared from previous tours, the French team is another valuable experience for 10st FST members treated with several severe- me. In specialist terms, we had agreement with Nurse at Emergency ly burnt children, especially in the fi rst months our colleagues almost universally and the lan- The post of the medical nurse in the 10th FST of their deployment. Their care required high- guage barrier diminished every day. I departed was fi lled with Warrant Offi cer Adéla Stavělová, ly specialised and time-consuming treatments Kabul for the third time again with a feeling of who serves in a cardiologic ICU in the Czech both from the viewpoint of surgery and anaes- a job well done and hope to have represented Republic. She expressed the impressions from thesiology – intensive care. the Czech military medicine, the Czech Armed her fi rst foreign deployment as follows: ”It was Along with such demanding cases, the Czech Forces and our homeland well.“ obvious when we arrived that I would not be team in Kabul encounters common spectrum of up to anything easy. But all my concerns dis- diseases like back at home in infants to old-age pelled soon. Tackling the language barrier see- persons. There are cases of appendicitis, her- Czech medic in an international team Anaesthesiologic med easier every day, working in new branches nia, fractures, lacerations, as well as patients and operating room suddenly came natural to me. The Czech team regularly treated at ICUs in the Czech Repub- X-Ray and tomography proved to be cooperating outstandingly and to lic: polytrauma, highly decompensated diabe- personnel be friendly. Long duty shifts allowed me not to tics, lung failures and other cases. Major Uher differently miss a single interesting case that I could be put concludes: ”Although the procedures we follow Warrant Offi cer Lenka Stuchlíková, an X-Ray Warrant Offi cer Vít Baroš served on the to good use or learn something new.“ Last but back at home do not exactly match the French lab specialist, served her fourth foreign tour Czech team in the post of anaesthesiology nur- not least, working with the French team taught ones, we were able to fi nd common ways ahead with the 10th FST already. She was a member se. ”From the viewpoint of anaesthesia, it was me patience, adaptability and also to improvise and learn a lot from each other both professio- MAJ Uher at work, CPT Pražák right of the deployments mounting the Czech Field a defi nitely a huge experience for me for several in case needed. nally and personally.“ Hospital in 2002 and 2007 in Afghanistan. The reasons. First, I have only served in this speci- French fi eld hospital’s radiology unit comprises alty area for a shorter period of time, mostly in two sections – central tomography room and a district hospital, where an overwhelming ma- Czech drivers – MEDOPS X-Ray facility. The former one is nearly identical jority of operations is planned and one hardly The 10th FST also included a Medical Opera- to what the Czech Field Hospital has, but the encounters urgent surgeries, but the conditions paramedics in Kabul tions (MEDOPS) specialist, a non-medical mem- latter is to higher standards in our facility. in Afghanistan differ radically,“ WO Baroš draws Sergeant David Ramík confi rms that the mis- ber of the team, whose mission is to support ”Predeployment preparation was more deman- a comparison. The different standard of anaes- sion has benefi ted him from the perspective of the FST in various other areas of responsibili- ding in specialist terms and different, and becau- thesia applied here enriches people with new driver-paramedic in expanding his horizons with ty. What the acronym entails was explained by se there is no medical doctor-radiologist posted experience and observations. Anaesthesiologic other than civilian injuries. In addition, most of Captain Petr Pražák, a MEDOPS expert: “I sit in with the French fi eld hospital, the X-Ray and To- nurses have a different scope of responsibility the transfers are performed by air (MEDEVAC) daily meetings of the National Support Element mography analysis fully depends on professional than those in the Czech Republic, which leads both day and night. Therefore, this job requires (NSE) so as to create a notional bridge between qualifi cation of the X-Ray lab specialist,“ says to a greater autonomy, resolution and a more people to be able to communicate well. Mas- our FST and the 8th Task Force Czech Armed WO Stuchlíková, who has a record of over thirty comprehensive understanding of anaesthesia. ter Sergeant Radim Svoboda adds: ”Further, we Forces stationed at KAIA we are subordinate to. years’ of service in this specialisation, and goes Staff Sergeant Zdeněk Baťa has a long prac- provide transport of the locals into the hospital I develop and send individual statistic reports on to say: ”Here, the lab specialist is responsi- tice in the perioperative nurse specialty and and struggle with the language barrier in them. and items into the order of the Task Force Com- ble for examination performed by the surgeon, joined the armed forces, specifi cally the fi eld But communicating with some ISAF personnel is manding Offi cer.“ orthopaedist, urgent medicine doctor or general hospital, two years ago. ”Asked to go downran- sometimes diffi cult too, because at least basics Concerning the French Role 2+ facility, the practitioner. Those only perform diagnostic sono- ge, I hesitated for a moment but then I realised of English are not so commonplace in some mi- Czech MEDOPS (and liaison offi cer) took many graphy (ultrasound) in Kabul in patients with po- the benefi t of new experience in war surgery, litaries as in our armed forces.“ responsibilities after his French predecessors lytrauma. The presence of a doctor– radiologists because I serve in an operating room nurse because of progressive personnel drawdown. is not necessarily needed here in my view.“ position.“ He was in charge of the medical facility’s secu- The local fi eld medical facility only per- French medicine has its specifi cities even by LTC Josef Roubal M.D. rity as a security manager, who communicates CPT Chrásková, WO Stavělová and LTC Roubal performing a surgery forms standard basic X-Ray and tomography in the operating room: ”Before operation, all and CPT Marek Maxim Švancara 42 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 43

The Air Defence Missile trailer and comprises two basic functional ele- Regiment has fi elded the ments; the so-called R-Module, a short-range unique ReVISOR surveillance radar surveying the airspace, and the C2-Mo- dule with an information and communication radar. subsystem, which takes care of command and fi re control. Each module has its own worksta- tion that can be operated either directly at the radar unit, or located in a tent, a nearby building or the vehicle towing the trailer. The antenna speed is 30 to 45 revs/min; the radar’s horizontal and vertical ranges are 30 km and at least 4 km, respectively. The C2-Module ra- dio range is 20 km. The radar crew consists of two specialists who must be able to deploy the unit in under 20 minutes. Another signifi cant feature of the radar is its resistance against jamming. “We have fi elded the fi rst ReVISOR surveil- TThehe ReVISORReVISOR lance radar unit today. Additional units will be taken over by the end of November 2014 and during 2015. All in all, our regiment will have four of them. These will undoubtedly improve hhasas aaugmentedugmented VV-SHORAD-SHORAD the combat effi ciency of the V-SHORAD module Technology Progress SAM system. “The conclusion of the process is deployed as a ground-based air defence task fully in line with the current requirement of the force. The completion of the V-SHORAD mo- Achieved by the North Atlantic Alliance, which demands that the dule, which has taken several years to build, Strakonice-Based AD allies retain their ground-based air defence ca- allows us to deploy it in NATO or EU operati- pabilities,” Bohuslav Dvořák stated, voicing his ccombatombat ccapabilitiesapabilities ons,” says Colonel of the General Staff Vladimír Regiment recognition of all those who made the excep- Barca, Commander of the 25th Air Defence tional professional success possible, no matter Missile Regiment; he adds that a platoon-sized The April presentation of the V-SHORAD mo- whether they were from the Ministry of Defence SAM task force can cover an area of up to 400 dule taking place in the barracks of the 25th of the Czech Republic or civilian experts. April 22, 2014, became another signifi cant date in the recent 70NG) SAM systems equipped with the launch square kilometers, protecting it against low- Air Defence Missile Regiment in Strakonice was Lieutenant General Petr Pavel was also satis- history of the 25th Air Defence Missile “Tobruk” Regiment, terminal and mobile platforms for the RBS-70NG fl ying incoming aircraft in both daytime and attended by leading representatives of the Mi- fi ed with the technical progress demonstrated in as it received the ReVISOR short-range radar complementing SAM system (Tatra T 810 AD or Dingo). nighttime and even in a jammed environment. nistry of Defence, including Deputy Minister for the V-SHORAD module. “The very short range To give you a better idea of its capabilities, the Acquisitions Bohuslav Dvořák, a delegation of air defence is absolutely essential for the prote- one of the basic pillars of the V-SHORAD (Very Short Range Air AD missile task force can be deployed for the the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces ction of ground forces. We have achieved a ca- Defence) module designed for the ground-based air defence task The Four “Eyes” and “Ears” benefi t of both ground forces (as an element led by the Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General pability which can be made use of in any ope- force. of, for example, a brigade-sized task force or Petr Pavel and his deputy, Major General Franti- rations, including those mounted abroad. The of the Ground-Based Air NRF – NATO Response Force) and the air force šek Malenínský. Also worth mentioning was the successful completion of the project, in spite of Defence System (augmenting the defence of essential elements presence of Regional Governor of the Region of all cuts and changes, is a great achievement in- The V-SHORAD module, which constitutes Suffi ce to say for the lay community, the V- of infrastructure or air bases). At the tactical Pardubice Martin Netolický and representatives deed. The Strakonice AD Missile Regiment has the core of the ground-based air defence task SHORAD module consists of the following ele- The ReVISOR unit is a surveillance radar de- level, it can be used to support defensive or of the town of Strakonice. The audience was fi rst thus acquired a comprehensive airspace defen- force of the AD missile platoon or battery, has ments: Standby System Access Node (SSAN), signed to scan low levels of the airspace and offensive operations of a mechanized battalion, given a thorough presentation, then a sight-se- ce capability which is fully compatible with those taken almost a decade to build. Step by step, Combat Command Station (CCS), ReVISOR ra- to control and direct the fi re of a SAM platoon deployed in urban areas, or its SAM assets may eing tour of a static display of components of of our NATO partners. It can be effectively used its various components, including command and dar system (RVR), Airspace Observer Unit (AOU) which is a part of the V-SHORAD system. It be transported by air to wherever they may be the V-SHORAD module and a dynamic demon- to protect deployed ground units against aerial control systems, missiles and surveillance as- and the man-portable RBS-70 and self-propelled is a fully coherent, frequency-jumping, digital needed. stration of an AD section deploying the RBS-70 threats,” the Chief of Defence stated. sets, were added. The fi rst step was the fi elding S-10M2D (potentially to be replaced by RBS- Doppler radar. It is mounted on a single-axle Major Jan Suchý, Co of the 252nd AD Missile of the RACCOS automated command and con- Battalion, sees the fi elding of the ReVISOR sys- trol system in 2004, followed by the acquisition tem as a turning point of his professional career of RBS-70 man-portable short-range SAM laun- so far. “The sophisticated ReVISOR surveillance chers designed to destroy hovering helicopters, radar means a major step forward for us in the cruise missiles and incoming (but also departing) acquisition of necessary information on the situ- aerial targets, which are also effective against ation in the airspace segment we are responsi- lightly armoured ground targets. There was also ble for and in command and fi re control, thereby an upgrade of the Strela S-10MD self-propelled substantially improving our combat effi ciency.” SAM systems the mission of which is to support At the very end of the important project, troops, particularly those involved in dynamic there will be two thoroughly trained and fully combat activities, and to protect them against operational AD missile batteries equipped by combat aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and RBS-70 man-portable short-range SAM laun- other air assets to the Strela S-10M2D/IFF ver- chers and Strela S-10M2D self-propelled SAM sion, the takeover of twelve Dingo armoured systems, respectively. “At the moment, we have vehicles by the 252nd AD Missile Battalion, or two fully trained crews capable of operating the the acquisition and fi elding of the RBS-70 Mk2 ReVISOR in combat conditions; by the time the missile systems. The last piece of the jigsaw, so remaining units are delivered, i.e. 2015, the to say, was the ReVISOR, a radar unit designed necessary number of specialist will have been for battlefi eld airspace surveillance and monito- trained as well,” says Major Jan Suchý. ring, the manufacturer of which is the Pardubi- ce-based company Retia. Its essential feature is by Pavel Lang compliance with NATO standards. RBS-70 Man-Portable SAM System 10m 9k35m Strela 13 Self-Propelled SAM System photos by Jan Kouba 44 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 45

The Czech air unit in the MFO mission in the Sinai gains invaluable experience with each fl ight they complete with the C-295 CASA Feeling for Landmarks

Fifteen months of the Czech air unit’s deployment with the C-295 CASA aircraft in the MFO (Multinational Force and Observers) mission in the Sinai Peninsula marks the half of the overall effort timewise. In more than fi ve months spent far from home, the Czech fl ight personnel did a tremendous job. They have logged over a hundred of fl ights, hundred thousands of kilograms of transported cargo and several thousand passengers transported into their destinations. They had to cope with a range of challenges and obstacles; they learnt, for example, how to cope with sandstorms. When the storm was raging, it was necessary to tie the CASA airplane to the ground, seal all openings with plugs, cover the glasses of the cockpit and so forth.

Air Unit commanding offi cer Lieutenant-Colonel not much downtime left,“ LTC Laniak explains. Ambassadors were transported jointly to attend Milan Laniak explains. ”The program of our unit also includes shooting a ceremony held at an MFO camp. ”Similar situation was with accommodation on practice, physical exercises, maintenance of as- Speed, safety and comfort of air transport the base. We had to wait until the building allo- signed equipment and materiel and many other only magnifi ed the positive response we rece- cated for us had been refurbished. Those minor activities associated with keeping it up and run- ived from our passengers,“ Lieutenant-Colonel The Czech air unit is stationed at El Gorah in complications nevertheless could not hamper on ning. Also, we have to be ready to perform un- Laniak recalls. ”Flying over desert radically dif- the so-called North Camp, where they are ac- the performance of our operational assignment. planned fl ights on call at any time. That involves fers from fl ying we are used to back in Europe. commodated and operate from. It is a square Mere two days from the start of our assignment, medical evacuation missions.“ The list of specifi cities would defi nitely include area roughly 2 by 2 kilometres in size. The base on 6 November 2013, we were to perform the Flight missions are tasked through command the lack of landmarks, minimum infrastructures, perimeter comprises double fencing with guard fi rst transport mission.“ and control system using LAN network in accor- large unpopulated areas, absence or rivers and towers. There is everything necessary for the dance with monthly planning. The very mission lakes, just a monochromatic view of omnipre- life of soldiers inside. A dining facility, library planning under supervision of airplane captain sent sand. After some time though, even people with DVDs, an education facility, gym, football Daily program is carried out in a standard manner of prepa- from Central Europe obtain certain feeling and fi eld, swimming pool, the movies, accommoda- The MFO has its specifi c Battle Rhythm that ring a tactical fl ight mission. The Czech service appreciation for landmarks over that brown-an- tion structures, motor pool and materiel depot, sets timing for all activities such as working personnel obtains all information necessary for d-brown land. You start to recognise the types headquarters and staff building, shooting range, hours, dining, morning and midday physical the performance of fl ight planning from AirOps, of surfaces of individual areas: sand dunes in training area, hangars and apron. The runway exercise etc. The daily program for the Czech Air open sources on the Internet and dedicated the north, plain rough landscape without a sin- as such is outside the fenced base. Prior to each Unit is driven by the fl ight effort, i.e. performan- U.S. sources. gle sign of vegetation with arid riverbeds in the departure and landing, security forces have to ce of operational assignments. A member of the middle of the Sinai and the looming peaks of the perform necessary action to provide for air traf- Czech team is assigned to the AirOps offi ce on mountainous south of the peninsula. Hard to fi c safety. The MFO also uses the so-called Sou- daily basis. There are permanent working hours Magic of Sinai recognise from the distance, small settlements th Camp in the Sharm el Sheik resort, which is from eight a.m. till fi ve p.m. and then night duty Flight missions primarily comprise COU (Ci- with minimum vegetation form the notional be- built in the same spirit. shifts. The individual is however employed to vilian Observers Unit) verifi cation fl ights and acons in the sea of sand. Every landscape has “Although we had information available ahead cater for fl ight planning requirements and active transportation of persons and cargo; secondary its peculiar magic, which also holds true for the of our deployment from former MFO members monitoring of all changes based on the situati- tasks involve VIP transport and MEDEVAC. Ma- harsh Sinai Peninsula.“ and from two previous fl ights to El Gorah, we on. Given that, it is virtually a 24/7 duty. Ground jority of the fl ights carrying persons and materi- still needed to cope with acclimatisation and so specialists spend their working time in the airfi - el are missions connecting the North Camp and to say settle down in our new station. The fi rst eld performing prefl ight and afterfl ight activities the South Camp in the territory of Sinai. Then Verifi cation fl ights month brought about some diffi culties. Besides on the aircraft. come the fl ights between the camps and Cairo According to the unit commanding offi cer, our and an U.S. unit with C-12 airplane, there ”Maintaining the airplane requires an inten- performed for the sake of force rotations. There fl ying over the territory of Egypt and Israel fur- was another U.S. force stationed at the airfi eld sive effort, including because of the different were also several airlifts to Israeli airports such nishes a host of experiences and observations. with two C-23 Sherpa aircraft. Given the lack of climate conditions and dusty environment. The as Tel Aviv and Eilat. Everybody entering the airspace of the two space, we had to position all of our materiel on program for the fl ight crew comprises prepping ”We became known to Ambassadors of se- countries would experience differences from pallets into a hangar and wait until the premises for individual fl ight missions and their realisa- veral countries by a VIP transport from Tel Aviv, European standards. Over Sinai, communication assigned for us are free,“ pilot and the Czech tion. The fl ight effort is extensive and there is Israel. It was for the fi rst time that all invited with air traffi c management authorities on the 46 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 47 radio is rather complicated as opposed to the maintenance back at home is the internal wa- communication with their Israeli counterparts. shing of engines, which has to be done every Traffi c in the confi ned Israeli airspace is a bit month in the Sinai. dense, which also refl ects in smaller vertical se- Logistic support of the CASA air unit can be paration. That shows in passing by traffi c on the divided into two parts. Accommodation, dining, fl ight level, but also on approach. offi ce and regular consumable materiel are fully ”For example, approach at Eilat is interesting. provided by the MFO. Members of the Air Unit The airport there is situated in an area with high are accommodated in standardly equipped sing- building density right next to a seaport. On vi- le rooms that provide an appropriate degree of sual approach, you fl y unusually low above the privacy. Boarding is provided cafe-style at the rising cranes and shortly before touchdown you Main Dining Facility (MDF) that offers varied di- literally stroke a shopping center roof. Traffi c ets every day. Fuel is provided and paid by the here is completely different from what we are MFO. The Czech unit brought along a basic set used to and the noise from an airport located of spares and operating equipment – so-called in the very proximity of housing is completely Fly Away Kit (FAK) – set up based on the manu- inconceivable for people in our country. The air- facturer’s recommendation and experience the port nevertheless lives in harmony with the city service personnel gained operating the system. and its people,“ LTC Laniak describes. Always On the other hand, even the best equipped FAK veiled in smog, the international airport at the may not comprise all spares. For such instances, centre in Cairo is not a different case either. Ap- options are prepared for deliveries of the neces- proach to all three runways lead across the city. sary materiel to ensure full serviceability.

It was just a couple of times that we were lucky enough to see the amazing pyramids from the Exotic colleagues times of famous pharaohs.“ The MFO is a multinational organisation. In Verifi cation fl ights are performed at low levels addition to the Czech Armed Forces service- from fi ve hundred to one thousand feet with ob- members and other NATO nations’ military per- servers onboard. Performance of those assign- sonnel, there are also soldiers from Australia, ments ranks among demanding fl ights. Low level New Zealand, Fiji, Uruguay and Columbia, with fl ights are particularly demanding for navigation whom our soldiers do not come into contact and orientation. To that, you need to add modifi - much. ”We meet members of all nations repre- cation of the planned route according to current sented in the MFO practically on daily basis. The requirements of observers themselves and also limiting factor for cooperation with Columbian an increased level of attention the aircrew has and Uruguayan soldiers is the language barrier. to pay to eliminating confl icting traffi c (Egyptian Majority of them only speaks Spanish. military helicopters fl y with their transponders We maintain the closest working relations switched off). A standard COU mission lasting and everyday contact with U.S. service person- fi ve hours of continuous fl ight along the whole nel who comprise the other half of the MFO air Sinai is very impressive, but also demanding. An unit. We also share the hangar and its facilities exhausting fl ight, during which you will gain an with them,“ LTC Laniak explains. The MFO has in-depth familiarity with the country and its his- clearly defi ned rules for going off base. Those torical sights,“ LTC Laniak adds. are adjusted according to the current security situation. There are safe locations, hotels and routes that must be strictly observed. Dry and warm climate Principles of reasonable conduct and ac- ceptance of Arab world apply when it comes suiting the hardware to relations with the local inhabitants. Even the Composition of the Czech air unit refl ects the armed security guys on the airport gate have structure and numbers authorised by the MFO. are permitted to pray regularly. Many times, one It is a small-size force comprising just thirteen does not have any choice but to nerve oneself was just an instrument to increase visibility and ballistic protection and with weapons. Air traffi c military professionals, which provides for a very and wait until the gates opens and a go-ahead is attract attention of local Egyptian authorities,“ is also meets the needs of the current security limited but still maintained personnel substituta- given. The security situation in Egypt has been Lieutenant-Colonel Laniak explains. ”Informati- situation. Tactical fl ying principles have their say bility. The higher demands are then placed for unstable and aggravated for a long time, espe- on security situation is obtained from open sou- as well. Every aircrew member is equipped with work effort in performance of the fl ight missi- cially in the north of the Sinai. After the Czech rces, analysed and measures are taken accor- special materiel used for tactical fl ights in crisis ons. Particularly the fl ight crew, who changes unit joined the mission, the situation changed dingly to ensure maximum security of all areas (survival vests). the location they stay overnight several times markedly. An area of unrest is in close proxi- MFO members. Restrictions are primarily ap- ”Every one of us has had many experiences a week, and so they are ”packed to get on the mity of the North Camp. That is shows prac- plied to the freedom of movement, which is in during this deployment. Demanding but beau- road“ based on their destination. tically every day in shooting and detonations. complete contrast to everyday life MFO mem- tiful COU missions are among those most inte- The work personnel perform here does not An Egyptian military helicopter was shot down bers lived several years ago. At that time, it was resting ones. Remarkable are also experiences differ much from the activities performed at the several dozen kilometres north of the camp in possible to move freely without any limits not induced by the African climate, quickly changing home station. Ironically, it is rather the humid, January. Consequently, the MFO adopted en- only across the Sinai but also throughout the weather with greatly reduced visibility, kicked- cool and chilly weather in the Czech Republic hanced security measures. ”MFO personnel whole territory of Egypt. Off duty, it was possi- up dust or sandstorms. Those are all lessons that adds work for the maintainers. Warm and have never been targeted with an attack in the ble to familiarise oneself with the country rich we have learnt,“ the unit’s commanding offi cer dry Egyptian climate suits the CASA aircraft past. They maintain neutrality, oversee compli- in history, its historical sights and recreation re- concludes. systems well. Nevertheless the high dustine- ance with truce and conventions, and are there- sorts. Today, off-base movement is restricted to ss poses increased requirements for cleaning fore an important actor in the realm of stability maximum extent.“ and oiling individual parts and components of of both states involved. Depending on the security threat level and the machine and increases periodicity. Perhaps Event the attack by Berbers several years the adopted measures, transfers to the air- by Vladimír Marek the greatest difference as opposed to current ago did not target the MFO organisation itself. It port and back are performed in a convoy with photos by the Czech Air Unit 48 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 49

Exercise Saber Junction II saw a battery of the Czech Army 13th Artillery Regiment provide a critical fi re support DANA even took out Leopards Although the Czech tank and mechanised unit managed to push the opposing force out of the airfi eld, the opponent was far from giving up and tackled badly. At that moment, the support by the Czech artillery came in like help from the above. In a relatively meant a progress for us. We have drilled certain short period of time, a battery of eight Model 77 DANA self- procedures and suddenly we were led to consi- propelled howitzers managed to take out three Norwegian der other ways to accomplish the mission,“ LT Leopard II MBTs. Rajská adds. Other artillery gunners concur. In the very start, they managed to establish an excellent That was, at least for the Czech forces, one exercise itself. It focused on harmonising tacti- cooperation with the artillery unit from the Jo- of the key moments of the international exercise cal procedures and coordination of the whole int Multinational Readiness Centre Hohenfels. Saber Junction II that took place in the US Army system. The Czech contingent became a com- climbed up to a nearby road through muddy technological edge in that they are able to main- insurgency groups and the like. And that was “Those guys know what they can expect from Joint Multinational Readiness Centre at Hohen- ponent of brigade task force formed on the ba- terrain. They covered two miles´ distance in tain a continuous digital battlefi eld picture. Each what happened. We try to be as fast as we can us. They are able to understand the differen- fels, Germany, in November last year. Artillery sis of the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat a couple of minutes. There they arranged for battery of the mechanised battalion with assets not to allow the opponent to detect acquire our ces between their tactics and ours. I would say gunners took to road at Jince, Czech Repub- Team. In addition to Czech service personnel, it the fi ring position. In parallel with that, platoon larger than calibre 120 mm had to coordinate position,“ Major Křenek adds. they are very forthcoming experts. They asked lic, on November 7th in two columns. On the also incorporated Slovenian light battalion. All leaders aimed the fi re azimuth and shots could with us before they opened fi re. Our task was to The artillery part of exercise Saber Junction II every day what else they could do for us, what Czech-German border, they contacted with the those main components, i.e. American, Czech be fi red. ”We received an order to perform a fi re clear the airspace not to cause any harm to own did not focus primarily on fi re support as such, training they could prepare. A considerable German Military Police and continued in a single and Slovenian, had to be harmonised into single mission. We had to leave our standby positions, air reconnaissance and fi re support systems,“ i.e. live fi ring exercise. Same as mechanised for- part of the exercise actually involved experien- convoy on into Hohenfels. The whole stage took machinery. perform a quick manoeuvre into the identifi ed Major Křenek explains. ”At the outset, we had to ces, artillery gunners and their equipment were ce sharing. We offered some sort of lectures, place without slightest problems. Movement fi ring post. Then they contacted with the recce explain to the Americans the tactical procedures also equipped with MILES units. That was why and they reciprocated with certain information organisers did not hide their satisfaction. They unit and accomplished the mission,“ Major Mar- to employ the artillery battalion. Their observers the exercise was rather conceived tactically, in- thanks to which we were able to speak common regarded that phase of the exercise one of the Always on the move cel Křenek explains. ”Some may regard it chic- evaluated us throughout the exercise somehow. cluding from their perspective. They had to ma- language in the artillery domain. That was not most demanding. It turned out commanders at We headed for the battery’s standby posi- kenhearted, but it is a part of our tactics. We The differences between our and their tactics noeuvre, evade regular and irregular opposing just about coordinating fi re, but indeed about all echelons had considerable experience both tions. We did not even manage to get out of have to fi re a salvo round as quickly as possible are driven by varying technology. In addition, forces. ”Having MILES is undoubtedly an advan- how the whole artillery system works. If a mul- with fi eld tactics and with organising such move- the vehicle and the whole unit got moving. The and get lost. Firing gives away our position and our guns are not fully autonomous like theirs. tage. It forces us to avoid incorrect command tinational artillery task force was to be formed ments. The exercise had two levels. Phase one howitzers were quick to leave their covert posi- it is obvious that the enemy will seek to elimi- Ours do not have own satellite navigation. Ame- decisions to maximum possible extent. Every in the future, we would have a foundation to was designed to prepare the artillerymen for the tions, automatically lined up into a convoy and nate us.“ rican guns are equipped with GPS that enables mistake we make is immediately refl ected in our build on in this respect,“ Major Křenek pointed Major Křenek was assigned to the ops-tac them to operate in substantially smaller teams. ”losses”,“ Major Křenek underscores. out. Some of the U.S. observers were already centre of the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade. The- In our environment, the primary artillery com- familiar with the Czech equipment from the last re was a multinational team mostly comprising ponent is battery.“ exercise, but for others it was a completely new U.S. Army service personnel and a small Czech Seeking better ways stuff. They did not hide their surprise over some fi re coordination team and liaison elements of Artillery platoon leader Lieutenant Veronika of the performance parameters, for example the manoeuvre battalions became a part of it. MAJ Insurgency hard on your Rajská graduated just eighteen months ago. quantity of ammunition DANA carries onboard. Křenek was responsible to the Brigade com- Saber Junction II was her fi rst multinational Each howitzer has sixty artillery rounds, which is mander for coordinating all fi re support in their heels training event. “The experience I gained is in- a big amount for the Americans. They obviously sector. By then, the whole battery has lined up into valuable. We could not anticipate at any sing- did not expect to see the speed at which our ar- The Czech Armed Forces had battery com- a convoy and returned back into their standby le moment how it will evolve. It depended on tillery men replenished ammunition. They were prising eight DANA self-propelled howitzers at position. That is already within sight, but the what the OPFOR would do and on the situation also pleased to see the logistic support too. ”The Hohenfels. The other battery was simulated radio reports the convoy has been tailed by around us. The most challenging for me here terrain was quite bad, soaked in many places. virtually so as to generate activity by a full fi - unidentifi ed pickup truck. There is a suspicion was to respond to some assignments that I have And so it happened every now and then that eld artillery battalion. That represented primary that it could be an insurgency vehicle trying to not had an opportunity to tackle before. That a howitzer got stuck. But we are able to deal artillery assets of a multinational brigade that identify the position of our artillerymen. They involved a hot calling of MEDEVAC for example. with such situations very quickly. We connected also had airborne fi re support assets, such as may not afford any risk in such situation. The Orientation in a completely unknown area was the howitzer to a towbar and recovered it using helicopters and FWA. In addition, each mano- convoy turns around, gets rid of the vehic- demanding. Communication with their American another howitzer. The whole thing took no lon- euvre battalion had its small artillery element, le tailing them, and departs for an alternative counterparts was not always seamless either. ger than seven minutes. They often found those usually a mortar company. ”Our mission was to standby area. ”We were faced with the threat But Americans are very forthcoming. We usually time limits amazing,“ MAJ Křenek concludes. coordinate the whole support. It is similar like in of being detected by forces active in the area of speak with them about what we do and how our military, the only difference being that the operations. That may be performed by regular we do it. Then we have a discussion whether American system is quite centralised. They have as well as irregular elements such as guerrillas, it could not be done differently. That naturally by Vladimír Marek 50 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 51

The 3rd Czech unit in the EUTM in Mali has coped with omnipresent heat and gathered experience WWithith tankstanks oonn thethe border,border, iitt iiss ttoooo latelate Arid, cracked and hot land resembling of freshly spilled lava was all around. A Malian training area was to be located there. Although we looked around thoroughly, we could not see a single stationary facility. There were just a couple of recently erected tent shelters on the horizon.

We have just arrived at a training area nearby into desert areas in the north of the country. Refreshment training is shorter than the Malian Land Forces comprise two tank the city of Kati approximately twenty kilometres When the fi rst governmental soldiers are killed standard ten-week program; it just takes three battalions, a mechanised battalion, four infan- north of the capital city of Mali, Bamako. Four fi ghting the insurgents, drop out rate further weeks and teaches the basics such as operating try battalions, special operation forces battalion, Czech instructors from the 7th Mechanised have increases.“ weapons, tactics, shooting, defence, attack etc. airborne battalion, two artillery battalions, engi- been training the Malian 1st GTIA (Joint Task The positive thing is that unit has experienced neer battalion and three air defence batteries. Force) battalion that had recently returned from soldiers who have gone through combat. They The total strength comprises 7,350 soldiers, 400 operational tour in the north of the country. Keen to learn are in position to pass on their knowledge and airmen forming the Air Force and 130 personnel ”On standard basis, we provide training at One of the biggest challenges the Czech ser- tell what the others should focus on, what will serve with the river navy. In addition, there are the Koulikoro Training Camp. The unit is howe- vice personnel had to cope with in Mali was the come in handy. paramilitary forces with the Republican Guard ver stationed in barracks close to the local tra- temperature. It is not really easy to learn to They also have a lecture on human rights. An being the most numerous with the headcount ining area. In order to save everyday journey sleep in the open at thirty degrees Celsius at American female instructor is just explaining tho- of two thousand. There are eighteen hundred for the Malian soldiers, we moved over here. night. When the thermometer shows forty-fi ve se principles to Malian soldiers taking cover be- service personnel forming the Military Police, We sleep on the ground in the open. Termites at day, it is not completely commonplace for fore the piercing sunshine under a patulous tree plus one thousand regular Police forces. The are a problem – they have eaten everything we people from Central Europe either. Having com- heavy with ripening mango fruits. One would backbone of military education is the Joint Mili- had, even the mats. We are here together with menced performance of their operational as- assume they would fi nd such theoretical lessons tary School in Koulikoro, where the Czech trai- instructors from France and Germany and the signment in March, this deployment fortunately tedious, but the contrary is true – they are keen ning instructors have been stationed. Given that cooperation we have is excellent. They treat us had some acclimatising nevertheless. They star- to learn. They introduce specifi c situations and personnel strength, four battalion task forces like true professionals. They primarily value our ted at roughly thirty-eight degrees Celsius that ask how to behave in such circumstances. progressively formed and trained to good stan- specialty. The Malian Armed Forces has primarily progressively rose to forty-fi ve. The good thing dards with the assistance of EUTM instructors Russian weaponry in its inventory and we bene- was it was dry weather. Now the rain season has represent a signifi cant fi ghting force. fi t from having familiarity with those weapons,“ started. The temperatures dropped to thirty-fi ve Beware of rashness explains one of the four Czech instructors Staff but at ninety to one hundred percent humidi- The lecture ends at twelve hours. Then there Sergeant Radim Kulík. ”When we arrived Mali ty. So, Czech servicemembers like to recall the is a four-hour intermission. Every afternoon, life In love immediately at the beginning of March, we overlapped with time when it was forty-fi ve. But otherwise they stands still for several hours in this African coun- Besides four training instructors, there are 34 our colleagues from the 2nd Czech deployment concur that they managed to acclimatise fast. try; the armed forces is not an exception. Malian additional Czech soldiers of the Czech Armed and we jointly attended the fi nal exercise of the Shortly after the arrival, they were able to join soldiers climb onto a truck. They take the advan- Forces’ 3rd unit EUTM deployed in Mali. Their Malian GTIA IV. Now we are in the process of training and yet keep up their physical training tage of the truck’s being parked under a large mission is to provide security to the Headquar- training GTIA I. After operational tour, the task standards. We could see it on our own eyes dri- mango tree. They stuff their pockets with the ters of the European Union Training Mission in force was manned with novice soldiers to full ving through the city as we passed by the local ripening fruits. SSG Radim Kulík says good-bye Bamako, escorting vehicles carrying the EUTM levels and undergoes training again. Just about ZOO. Not only French but recently also Czech to several of them. ”Malian soldiers are quite hot- commander and staff and other convoys. The twenty percent of the original manpower rema- soldiers go for jogging into the park next to the headed; we have to emphasise safety and wea- EUTM HQ is based at Hotel Nord Sud in Bama- ined. Certain dropout occurs already upon com- ZOO. It is one of the few places in the town with pon handling for them. On the other hand, I must ko. Before we even enter the premises, we meet pletion of the training. By then, the unit moves some green foliage. admit they are very studious,“ SSG Kulík adds. Czech soldiers at the gate guard post. The unit 52 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 53

commanding offi cer is Captain Martin Náplava step they take, there are perhaps the nicest and forces also enjoy a high popularity and respect including for teeth brushing for example. Inva- peace, the insurgents took advantage of the to be extended though thourgh the end of the of the 71st Mechanised Battalion based in Hra- friendliest people they have ever encountered. among security services. When Czech military luable were particularly the observations and in- fact that the new Prime Minister of Mali Mr. year. There are also discussions to authorise the nice. ”Apart from those key priorities, we may The only disadvantage is lack of knowledge of vehicles drive through the city and local police- structions we got from the members of the 1st Moussa Mara visited the town of Kidal in the mandate for the mission through 2015-16. ”For also pursue own training at the range. MEDE- the language. But there is always a way to com- man notices them, he would start to control the contingent whom we met during our predeploy- north of the country and attacked the local go- a variety of reasons, I will personally vote for VAC rehearsals also rank among interesting and municate or indeed understand each other. The traffi c in our favour in majority of cases and give ment training at Vyškov. They served their tour vernor’s residence. What came out of that was its extension. Although for ordinary people Mali productive events. After so-called dry practise greatest experiences include the joy of the local an exemplary salute. in the same season as we do, so they knew very a capture of thirty governmental offi cers some can be slightly abstract faraway country with at the airport, all our teams had a fi eld training children when Czech soldiers give out something There are no great differences among nati- well how to instruct us. Equally important was of whom were executed and the remaining strange shape looking like drawn with a ruler, it exercise including loading the casualties into the for them. Most of the members of the Czech onal militaries forming the EUTM. Their mutual not to underestimate acclimatisation. It was not ones were released after diffi cult negotiations. is actually a very rich country. They have gold, helicopter for medics to take over,“ Captain Ná- unit strive to do some sports and keep up the- cooperation is to excellent standards as well. a pleasant measure to undergo for many of us: The Government had to augment the forces in gas, oil. Most of those materials are however plava explains. ”There is a STARLITE contractor ir physical training standards so that they have ”We are in Africa, where time is not what re- any increased physical effort was prohibited du- the town signifi cantly with additional reinforce- in the northern part of the country where ins- company from the RSA to provide those servi- many sweets and biscuit left when they eat their ally matters, but that rather applies to locals. ring the fi rst two weeks. But it was defi nitely ments. Many governmental soldiers were killed urgencies render it impossible to extract those ces. Their workforce predominantly comprises meal. And then they give those to children. A standard international environment prevails in worth it and I may only recommend that for the in the ensuing fi ghts. “The aggravated security resources and turn Mali into a fl ourishing state. ex-military personnel who have been through our mission. Yet some things may raise a lau- next deployments.“ situation does not practically affect the way we In addition, that territory is on a drug trail where various operational deployments. And Sou- gh. For example, when a French offi cer comes perform out job. That only applies to the north various mafi as intersect and come together. We th African English, moreover coupled with the Acclimatising not up to thank me for cooperating on an escort of the country. The infl uence it has on us here may not pretend it does not concern Europe. It helicopter noise and stress, that may already and values our men were in the place in time Occasional in Bamako is that there are demonstrations ta- is not far from Algeria and local resources are al- make the training diffi cult. Those trainings are underestimated and everything clicked the way it was meant king place here from time to time. But those are ready very important. The time when countries nevertheless always a welcomed change for us, Although Mali is a Moslem country, most of to click,“ Captain Náplava points out. ”I should demonstrations mostly organised to voice support to the gover- are defended only when enemy tanks are on the which we request ourselves. Event to the extent the inhabitants are very tolerant. Therefore, touch wood, the threat of malaria and other se- Insurgents in the north of Mali divide into nment and are rather peaceful. In case we are border is long gone. Now it is critical to antici- that we are sometimes kidded that not all fl ight Czech soldiers do not have to observe any strict rious diseases has avoided our soldiers so far. two main groups. First are Touareg separatists off base at that time, we avoid those areas,“ pate developments in the context, think forward hours are committed just for our unit.“ rules; they just do with good manners. EUTM We have been vaccinated against some disea- from the national Movement for the Liberation Captain Náplava adds. and plan defences,“ Czech Defence Minister Many of the Czech servicemembers do not forces are accepted here very positively. As ses, and we take medicaments continuously to of Azawad and the other are so-called Islamist At the beginning of last year, the Czech con- Martin Stropnický said during his visit. hide that they immediately fell in love with Mali. a matter of fact, the EU Training Mission is not prevent others. The key thing is to perform hy- militia represented primarily by radical Al-Qa- tribution to the EUTM was set to fi fteen mon- While Czechs run into incredible mess every the only one to have operated in the country. EU giene thoroughly and strictly use bottled water, eda Islamists. After several months of relative ths. That expires in June 2014. It is most likely by Vladimír Marek 54 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 55

The 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade Battalion, 41st and 42nd Mechanised Battalions, honours its 20th anniversary the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Signal Battalion, an engineer company that was later reorganised into the 4th Engineer Battalion, a support battalion and a medical detachment. What was originally the 4th Artillery Battalion Where was later equipped with DANA self-propelled howitzers and transformed into the 46th Combi- ned Artillery Battalion. The Brigade was planned to the size of 3,500 personnel. The roots of the 41st Mechanised Battalion are to be found in others the Territorial Defence Battalion No. 30, which was formed in the town of Vysoké Mýto in 1870. After the 1919 unifi cation, Infantry Re- giment 30 was built on the basis of that unit and Infantry Battalion 98, which was given the fall honorary name of ”Alois Jirásek“ in March 1930. After World War II, the unit was restored in the original garrison. At the end of 1950, it under- went reorganisation into the 30th mechanised regiment and the town of Benešov became its diffi culties with available fl ights hours of air mo- Benešov. Named Cooperative Spirit, the fi rst behind permanent station. In Benešov, the unit was bility and paradrop airplanes. training exercise of the 4th Rapid Deployment transformed in 1958 into the 79th Motorised That naturally affected para training. And so Brigade with foreign forces took place as early Rifl e regiment that became the personnel and a reduction had to take place. Already at the end as March 1994 in the Boletice Military Training The decision to establish a rapid materiel core for building the 41st Mechanised of 1996, i.e. within mere thirty months, 989 ma- Area. Airborne troops from Chrudim trained reaction force was made in the Battalion in 1994. les and 15 females successfully completed air- there with Dutch marines. Soldiers practised context of an overall reorganisation The tradition of the 42nd Mechanised Battali- borne training. Progress was stepwise achieved. hand-to-hand combat barefooted in snow then. on goes back to the 3rd Tank Battalion of the 1st Soldiers adopted the brigade’s motto – ”Where That training event was followed by a number of the Czech Armed Forces in Czechoslovak Independent Tank Brigade in the others fall behind“. They realised they belonged of highly successful efforts by the 4th RDBde the second half of 1993. General USSR. That unit was the basis on which the 3rd to the army’s elite. That motivated them to fulfi l personnel not only in the Czech Republic, but Karel Kuba became the founding Tank Brigade was formed in Pardubice, which the motto with their deeds. From its inception, also in the U.S., the UK, Spain, the Nether- father of the new unit. Originally became the basis for forming the 18th Tank Re- the brigade was subordinate directly to the Chi- lands, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Hunga- giment stationed in Tábor after some reorgani- ef of General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces. ry, Turkey, Poland, but also in exotic countries a paratrooper, who had once served sation and restationing measures. And that was Only in 1997, the 4th Rapid Deployment Bri- such as Peru or the French Guyana. with the 22nd airborne brigade, where from the new 42nd Mechanised Battalion gade was transferred into subordination of the In 1995, the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade realised how much the nature of was born. Six years later, the President of the Land Forces Command in Olomouc and then servicemembers took part in exercise Coope- Czech Republic bestowed the historical title of the Joint Force Command. With the accession rative Nugget in the territory of the U.S. and confl icts in the world was changing Saint Wenceslas to the Battalion. of the Czech Republic to NATO coming up, units the international exercise Cooperative Challen- and that heavy armoured formations The history of the 46th Artillery Battalion also of the 4th RDBde were assigned into the NATO ge held in the Czech Republic. Particularly the needed to be quickly replaced reached back into the fi rst days after the war. In Immediate Reaction Forces. In May 1999, the exercise in the U.S. was an extraordinary event. with forces capable of performing summer 1945, the Artillery Regiment 203 was unit was bestowed the historical name “Obrany It was the fi rst time for most of the 4th RDBde established in the town of Příbram. After many národa” by President of the Czech Republic Vác- members to get to U.S. Army Base Fort Polk. peacekeeping duties in addition to reorganisations, it turned into an antitank briga- lav Havel. So, it claimed allegiance to the traditi- Along with them, Canadians, Brits, Americans combat missions. de in 1956. After abolishment of that unit seven ons of the illegal military resistance organisation and servicemembers from fourteen other Part- years later, it gave rise to the 216th Antitank that operated in the territory of Bohemia and nership for Peace countries also took part in the Artillery Regiment that became autonomous. Its Moravia during World War II. manoeuvres. Besides demanding and highly core was used for forming the 11th and 21st During the 2003 Armed Forces reform, the realistic training with MILES, they had to cope The newly formed brigade was built on the Anti-Tank Battalions in Jince and Žamberk. The Brigade was in danger of being renamed the with temperatures exceeding fi fty degrees Cel- basis of the 71st Airborne Battalion in Chrudim, year 1994 saw the 21st battalion transformed 11th Mechanised Light Brigade. Such ”threat” sius and a high humidity in Louisiana. which transformed into the 43rd Airborne Me- into the artillery battalion of the 4th Rapid Dep- was fortunately warded off, but the unit had to From 1994, members of the 4th Rapid De- chanised Battalion. The other Brigade compo- loyment Brigade. In 1997, the unit moved from undergo reorganisation and restationing never- ployment Brigade served tours in UNPROFOR nents were also formed from the existing tank, Žamberk into the Pardubice garrison and gained theless. Its organisational structure only reta- and UNCRO missions in the Balkans. They artillery and mechanised units. Specifi cally, the the historical name of ”General Netík “. The Bri- ined three manoeuvre units – the 41st, 42nd formed the core of the fi rst Czech contingent 42nd Mechanised Battalion was established on gade was built as a modern unit with a high mo- and 43rd battalion, which were complemented in IFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996, the basis of the 18th Tank Regiment in Tábor bility and combat readiness. All career soldiers with the 44th Light Motorised Battalion statio- already led by NATO. The commander of the and the 41st Mechanised Battalion was reorga- progressively had to undergo para training. ned in Jindřichův Hradec in 2008. Further, the fi rst contingent was Major-General Jiří Šedivý nised from the 79th Motorised Rifl e Regiment Red berets were not commonplace either. After Brigade comprised of the command and staff, and Battalion Commanding Offi cer LTC Josef in Benešov. The 4th Rapid Deployment Briga- some discussions and considerations of various a signal company and a support platoon. Other Sedlák. They were in charge of around eight de (4th RDBde) was offi cially activated by the options, the red beret was eventually introdu- units were either abolished or transitioned into hundred Czech service personnel of whom ma- ordinance of the Chief of General Staff Major- ced to use with all units. Development of the other structures. For instance, the 46th Artillery jority belonged to the 4th Brigade. Later on, General Jiří Nekvasil at 14 January 1994, but it brigade was associated with many problems. Battalion was renamed and incorporated into the 4th Brigade servicemembers performed only began training on 1 July that year. Its fi rst The unit was stationed in seven bases. Not all the 13th Artillery Brigade. operational assignments in Kosovo, Macedo- commander became the future Chief of General facilities were in good shape and they did not Its members however resisted the pressure nia (FYROM), Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. Staff, then Colonel Jiří Šedivý. Almost a year’s always match the training requirements. Con- and kept on wearing their red berets, as they Airborne soldiers from Chrudim are presently preparations were directed by another futu- struction effort was essential. Most of the units were assigned for artillery support to the 4th deployed in Mali, Africa. re 4th RDBde commander, Lieutenant-Colonel lacked service personnel, who would match the Rapid Deployment Brigade. František Štěpánek. qualities of the 71st Airborne Battalion stationed The brigade command headquarters moved Besides the command, the brigade original- in Chrudim. Lack of parachute materiel did not from Havlíčkův Brod to Žatec. The 41st Me- ly comprised of the 43rd Airborne Mechanised make things any easier. There were also certain chanised Battalion also restationed there from by Vladimír Marek 56 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 57

Czech Armed Forces deliver on the Open Skies Treaty obligations on behalf of the Czech Republic of entry, which is the Pardubice airport. As the inspected state, the Czech Republic is entitled of the Open Skies Treaty. In case a state party to perform prefl ight inspection of the airplane would declare you may not fl y here or there, we to verify it is equipped with instruments and cannot let you, then it would lose sense. For re- surveillance systems in compliance with the asons easy to understand, fl ights are carried out provisions of OST and prescribed certifi cation. over territories having some importance. Natu- Simultaneously, the inspection team presents Quota Four rally, photos of the Karlštejn castle or Hluboká the inspection fl ight route for approval and the chateau may be amazing, but do not fall into escorting team of Czech Armed Forces specia- Quota four. Do not expect any conspiracy or secret. It is the this category,“ says Lieutenant-Colonel Šupšak, lists has four hours to assess it. number of observation fl ights the Czech Republic has been deputy head of verifi cation section of the Arms After two days of requisite action on the allocated under the Open Skies Treaty. In reality it means Control Department the Foreign Activities Direc- ground, the time is right to perform an obser- torate of the Czech MoD. vation fl ight lasting roughly three hours with the Czech Republic may carry out four inspection fl ights over OST surveillance fl ights are performed in ac- Czech military professionals onboard to super- the territory of other state party a year, and has to allow cordance of exactly defi ned principles. The inten- vise compliance with the approved route and performance of four surveillance fl ights over our territory at the tion to carry out an observation fl ight is notifi ed conditions for using the surveillance systems. same time. by a state seeking to do so through a diplomatic Aerial photos taken by special cameras may not note not later than seventy-two hours before- have a higher resolution than 30 centimetres as hand and all other OST state parties are infor- limited under the Treaty. Once the observation and the general public. We do not intend to make inspection team to take approximately 140 pho- By the way of introduction: the active involve- subject to their meeting the conditions and con- med at the same time. Observation fl ight may fl ight is completed, the exposed fi lms are deve- reference to the accident of a Russian An-30B tos in two fl ights. Given a good weather, the ment of the Czech Republic, or indeed the Czech sensual decision by the Open Skies Consultative also be affected by acts of god – the weather. loped in photolabs at the Pardubice airport. The machine on landing at the Čáslav airbase in the rate of success over majority of interest areas Ministry of Defence, into the Open Skies Tre- Commission based in Vienna. It happens from time to time that effectiveness original fi lm belongs to the inspecting state and Czech Republic in May 2012, but completely diff- reached almost ninety percent. aty involves performance of obligations under of photography is hampered by consistent cloud the fi rst copy to the inspected state. Moreover, erent interesting set of facts. As a good example, international arms control and confi dence and layer over the area of interest. But inspection the outcomes of the observation fl ight are avai- there were two interesting activities held last year security building treaties. Besides the OST, the- Photographing without mission over given state territory is nevertheless lable to all state parties of the Open Skies Treaty with the participation of Czech Armed Forces pro- Territory size and armed re are also assignments arising primarily from performed, and so the number of its allocated indicating interest. fessionals. From March 18-22, 2013, the Czech the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, the limit quotas decreases by one. Consequently, timing It is not a secret that the Czech Republic has Republic conducted an OST observation mission forces strength Vienna Document, Chemical Weapons Conven- The benefi ts of the Open Skies Treaty are ob- of the slots reserved for performance of obser- not operated own surveillance airplane since together with the United States over the territory Quotas for the start, quotas to end with. It is tion, Dayton Peace Accords and other internati- vious. It deepens mutual confi dence in the re- vation fl ight is defi nitely important. Obviously, 2003. The special military Antonov An-30FG air- of the Russian Federation in the Far East and wes- important to note that setting the quota is de- onal documents. alm of security! Presently it is regarded the most there is a difference in taking photos in July and craft is no longer operational to take photos of tern Siberia region. The Czech team onboard the termined by the size of national territory and the The initial idea of ”mutual aerial observati- effective vehicle available for arms control and in November. Discussion on OST time limits ga- strategic facilities on the European continent, but U.S. Air Force Boeing 707 OC-135B aircraft com- strength of the armed forces of individual OST on“ that would support transparency in gaining international confi dence and security building. ins on importance also in connection with the it poses (on the ground) as a museum exhibit prised fi ve members of the Czech Armed Forces’ state parties. ”In the autumn, Vienna is the ve- information on military forces came into being In addition to that, the OST state parties are fact that the so-called inspected state is not close to the city of Pilsen. For surveillance fl ights, Foreign Activities Directorate. The mission started nue on regular basis for the Open Skies Consul- in 1950s in the Cold War period. The vision of able to verify the data they declare. The Trea- obliged to receive another OST signatory in its we use foreign assets falling in the OST regime on take-off from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alas- tative Commission to discuss allocation of quotas open skies was then discussed by offi cials of the ty provides for photographing any places in the territory at the same time.. (surveillance aircraft are found in the inventory ka and continued to the point of entry into the for the next year. The negotiations have to end United States of America and the Soviet Union, territory of the host state, including strategic of the United States, Russian Federation, Turkey, Russian Federation for surveillance fl ights, which by an agreement among all OST state parties. but actual positive outcome was nevertheless military and civilian installations and facilities. Ukraine, Sweden, Hungary, Bulgaria and Roma- is the Ulan-Ude airport located at the Lake Baikal. The quota remains constant and may not be achieved much later. The Open Skies Treaty was At the same time, observation fl ights may be Max 1ft resolution nia). Czech Armed Forces are left to share Czech Totalling 5,873 kilometres in length, the mission changed arbitrarily. What can change is only the signed in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. After a de- performed, if desired by the inspecting team, For a better idea, scenario of an OST mis- quotas in international observations missions. was split into two separate fl ights and took over location (state) where the inspection is perfor- cade, on 1 January 2002, the OST entered into in airspaces designated as prohibited (no-fl y) sion S-ON should be described. ”According to eleven hours in aggregate, generating almost med,“ Lieutenant-Colonel Šupšak explains and force after being ratifi ed by Russia, Byelorussia or risky. It is also of interest that open-skies the Open Skies Treaty, an inspection over the four thousand aerial photographs. Those under- goes on to say that the highest quota – forty-two and the Ukraine. By the way, the then Czech fl ights have a priority in the airspace. In other territory of the inspected state may last up to Russia’s and Ukraine’s went the development and duplication process in – is allocated to the Russian Federation. Although and Slovak Federal Republic, which was repre- words, air traffi c management authorities make ninety-six hours. It is stipulated for the Czech attendance of the Russian offi cials at the Wright- the Czech Republic is entitled to perform four ob- sented at the signature of the Treaty, ratifi ed it sure regular airliner fl ights yield to OST aircraft. Republic, that the length of an observation fl ight open sky Patterson AFB in Ohio. servation fl ights over a territory of an OST state as the second state party after Canada by the Observation fl ights may however only be per- over its territory may not exceed the distance of The considerable number of observation fl ights Eight months later, Ukraine opened its sky party, it normally performs just two. Parliament. The OST presently has forty-three formed by airplanes specifi cally certifi ed for that eight hundred kilometres,“ LTC Šupšak specifi es performed over the territory of the state parties, for a Czech-Swedish observation team com- signatories, primarily from Europe and Northern purpose. ”That observation aircraft is allowed basic indications. which has amounted to more than nine hundred plemented with an OST specialist from Spain. by Pavel Lang America. That number is defi nitely not fi nal. It to perform aerial photographing over the whole A typical four-day mission by an OST inspe- since the entry of the Open Skies Treaty into force, Swedish Saab-340 aerial surveillance airplane Photos by Arms Control Department of the Czech is opened for accession of additional countries territory of signatory countries is the essence ction starts with arrival to the declared point undoubtedly attracts the attention of both experts covered some two thousand kilometres for the Armed Force’s Foreign Activities Directorate 58 A review 1/2014 A review 1/2014 59

A report from an air-to- is the meteo situation. In other words, adverse ground live fi re exercise weather may complicate continuity in the trai- involving aircrews of Mi-24V ning of fl ight personnel at the 221st Squadron, because missions at ranges in military training gunships and Mi-171Sh/ShM areas are planned long in advance. ”We have helicopters in the Libavá allocated the timeframe for air live fi re exerci- Military Training Area se in annual plan. Because the military areas are quite busy, it is in fact impossible to change the timing. Inappropriate meteo situation would therefore cause that the planned exercises are not realised,“ Mi-24V helicopter captain CPT Martin Douda says and specifi es that the live fi re exercise is planned for three days a month, normally on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in one week. It is not a secret that live air-to-ground fi re exercises were planned for the Náměšť airbase every month. But the situation is different now. ”The reality is that the likelihood of successful performance of a LIVEX is low in some mon- ths. Therefore, we planned fi rst LIVEX in March and the last one in September,“ CPT Douda describes. Activities like these admittedly require dril- ling, in other words a continuous and intensive decoys with denomination PPI-26-IV that are training. Every longer intermission immediately designed to decoy for infrared homing systems shows in performance of the fl ight personnel, on the rockets. in terms of a lack of self-confi dence in opera- “In a LIVEX, you have to combine a range ting weapon systems. The undesired outcome of professional skills. Everything has to come that we would fail to meet the standards does together ideally for you to achieve the desired not come into question at all. ”All pilots have to outcome. That is why this exercise is one of the undergo, according to their class, verifi cation of most interesting in the air training curriculum,“ fl ight skills. In reality, the question is whether says the Mi-24V captain CPT Jaroslav Šimek the pilots have suffi ciently mastered procedures CClearedleared hhot:ot: once he lands and explains the sequence of to use weapon systems. For Third Class Pilots, efforts that goes from day fi re exercise at ho- it is six months, second class has nine mon- rizontal fl ight performed by a single machine ths and twelve months for the fi rst class. The through a pair and a helicopter fl ight to night exercise may be conducted either by shooting fi re exercise. With all due respect for combat simulated with photography, or live fi re in a ran- rrockets,ockets, mmachinegun!achinegun! employment involving one or indeed two gun- ge,“ Captain Douda explains. But it does not ships, let us shortly elaborate on live fi re perfor- involve fl ight effort only. Various forms of air fi re med by a helicopter fl ight. ”Helicopters operate practising are performed on the ground as well. art the range in an echelon formation. Every- Live fi re exercises are the cream of the crop. Exactly at eight o’clock, the chief of the before and behind the helicopters are a sign tel- helicopter with tail number 9806 starts spin- off black cover on the control stick and pushes one of them has an assigned sector with the The Commander of the 221st Tiger Helicopter fl ight shift kicks off the prefl ight briefi ng on ling enough that a no-go zone for unauthorised ning. Insiders know this is not a standard fl ight the button. Four pieces of calibre 75-milimet- ground target. There are several low structures Squadron comments: ”Periodicity of live fi re the live fi re exercise of the 221st ”Tiger” Heli- personnel was established around the machi- activity but a live fi re exercise of the 221st Heli- re ”S-5” rockers dash out of the UB-32 rocket prepared for today’s live fi re exercise. Helico- exercises is suffi cient for us to maintain our pro- copter Squadron. After a short introduction, he nes. Armourers load live ammo into the rocket copter Squadron. The following three days with pods on the pylons under the helicopter wings. pter aircrews divided them among themselves fessional standards and be able to perform tho- hands over to all involved specialists reporting blocks, gun pods, machine guns and ASO-2 three fl ight windows a day, the Velká Střelná Pilot-operator gets into action soon. ”Machine- and engage them,“ CPT Šimek adds. The Hinds se missions with requisite degree of certainty,“ the essential information to the fl ight crews of rocket launchers for fl ares and hand the Hinds range will be the location for the helicopters to gun fi re!“, the voice says in his headset and he achieved their goal at Velká Střelná range. By Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Janďourek describes the Mi-24V gunships and Mi-171Sh/ShM trans- over back to maintainers. engage targets on the ground, both individually pushes the red buttons on the sides of the stick. the way, they completed roughly forty attacks the essence. port helicopters. Standardly, weather goes fi rst. and in formation. After roughly a thirty minu- The fi rst short burst of about twenty rounds is on ground targets in a single fl ight day. The Many a reader may ask to what extent it is The meteorologist focuses on visibility range, tes’ low-level fl ight from Náměšť, the Mi-24V fi red from the machinegun. In a safe distance fl ight crews of the Mi-171Sh/ShM transport he- challenging to have in the squadron’s inventory changing cloud formation and wind in areas of Roughly forty runs daily gunship arrives the designated point of contact. from the engaged targets, the Mi-24V helo per- licopters also demonstrated their professional completely different types of helicopters – Mi- interest, the lead senior engineer specifi es the Captain of the Mi-24V gunship with number The captain establishes a radio connection with forms a roll and descends sharply to get out of mastery. That was proven for instance by the 24V gunships and the Mi-171Sh air mobility helicopter confi guration including weapons on- 7358 climbs approximately to fi fty feet and per- the fi re director and requests clearance to conti- reach of the enemy air defence assets. Speci- effective fi re by aerial gunners from the calibre assets. ”There are differences undoubtedly. board, and goes through safety measures once forms the fi nal check. Everything is OK. The nue into the ingress point. At the same time, he fi cally speaking, it goes roughly to about fi fty 30 PKM machineguns. The combat employment Every type of helicopter is designed to perform again. Leading specialists then report that air Hind quickly gains speed and altitude. Following specifi es the weaponry, including the quantity of feet above the ground. There is no time to take scenario was built on the target situation: fi re a different mission set. I do not hide it poses in- traffi c management, airfi eld systems and radio the prescribed route at bearing zero-six-three S-5KO rockets and the rotating quad .50 calibre a breath. Combat activities of the helicopter air- from port door, tactical manoeuvre, fi ring from creased requirements. On the other hand, the- support are ready for the action. Prior to the degrees, the aircraft leaves the airfi eld area and machinegun. crew at the Velká Střelná range continues in the starboard door, tactical manoeuvre, after fl ying re is a clear benefi t: we may share experience fi nal go-ahead for the fl ight activity, the word heads towards the fi rst turning point, which is The fi nale comes a couple of minutes later. next four attacks. Roughly after twenty minutes, low over the target and shooting from the rear directly - we learn from each other. Although goes to the Forward Air Controller, who provides the town of Kuřim. It passes Vyškov and Pro- The helicopter captain requests: ”Final Attack the machine departs the range area and returns ramp and tactical departure. The mission has to those may seem as two different units at the an in-depth explanation of the tactical scenario stějov heading for the Libavá Military Training Cone!“ and soon he receives approving directi- to the home station. Peace in the Libavá MTA be performed at maximum possible speed. The fi rst sight, the key thing is that it works in fl ying at the Velká Střelná range in the Libavá Military Area. The peace at the concrete apron called on. The Hind turns to zero-nine-zero degrees battlefi eld however does not last long. A couple helicopter cannot operate in the hot zone longer practice and the squadron performs its assigned Training Area. ”Mike” at the 22nd Helicopter Airbase Náměšť and fl ying at almost two hundred kilometres of minutes later, forward air controllers guide then really necessary. missions,“ LTC Janďourek explains. Concurrently, technical personnel fi nish the nad Oslavou does not last long though. Num- per hour ingresses the target area. ”Five three additional machines onto ground targets. Their prefl ight prepping on the helicopters. Speci- ber 7358 hardly disappears behind the horizon four, fi nal attack bearing, rockets, machinegun,“ mission is to eliminate the enemy military ve- alists for airframe, powerplant, electrical and and two additional Mi-24Vs with tail numbers the captain reports. When the ”7358“ fi nds hicles. That is done effectively using the ammu- No shot without drill radio equipment fi nalise the prescribed actions 7354 and 3369 are taking off. A couple hundred itself fi fteen hundred metres from the targets nition from the twenty-three millimetre GSh-23 One of the key factors driving the amount and by Pavel Lang and yield to armourers. Red fl ags fi ve metres metres away the main rotor on the Mi-171Sh replicating a low structure, the captain takes guns. The training also involves using the PPI type of ammunition eventually used at the range photos by Jan Kouba history

for air mechanics, graduated at the top of the sorties were the most successful? Well, naturally class, and became a qualifi ed airframe mechanic all that I came back from.” in February 1941. “At that time, the commander of the hangar of the 312th Squadron requested two Czech mechanics for his team, and I was From fi ghter planes to one of them,” says Boček. “Sorties were fl own almost non-stop, so we were working without bikes a break. However, my eyes at that time had al- When the war was over, Emil Boček and other ready been focused on pilot’s training, but the fi ghter pilots landed at the Ruzyně Airport on hangar commander did not want to give me up. August 13, 1945. In spite of all bans, he went And you know what did it? My prison term,” he AWOL to visit his family in Brno. “I literally stun- adds with a smile. ned my mom,” Emil Boček smiles mischievously. During a farewell party thrown for one of his “She had had no information about me for six pals who was going to a pilot’s training course, years and now I was standing right in front of the inn where the party was taking place saw her. The meeting with my brother and other fa- fi rst a verbal clash and later a “manual” brawl mily members was also great. But I had to re- with a British Flight Sergeant. “I recall it as if it turn to Prague after two days. were yesterday. He threw something like “blo- ody Czechs” in our direction and the harm was He was then assigned to the Air Regiment in done,” the pilot laughs. “I grabbed his lapels and Praha – Kbely. However, at that time he had al- shouted what that was supposed to mean. I did ready refocused his attention to another love – not wait for an answer; I slapped him once on motorcycles. He thus left the Air Force in March each cheek. I received six days in prison from 1946. He and his friend opened a repair garage the provost court. When I was released, I told which they operated for fi ve years, with motor- coal ship Rod-el-Farag and sailed to Gibraltar. my hangar commander that if he did not send cycles being their core business. Since February We joined a convoy of other ships there, and me to a pilot’s training course, he could put 1948, however, their workshop was closely wa- OOnlynly thethe luckylucky arrived to Liverpool on July 12. Then I traveled me in the slammer for the rest of the war for tched and, threatened by imprisonment, they with others by train to a camp in Cholmondeley. all I cared, but I would not come back to the fi nally had to give it up and start working for We were the last evacuees from France to reach hangar. I only came to collect my pay, so there Mototechna as employees. Emil Boček then also the camp.” was a real threat of imprisonment, but I did not worked at the Research Institute of Instruments budge and fi nally made it.” of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences and oonesnes survivedsurvived He had loved airplanes and everything around later at Drukov. “Flying was replaced by mo- From the airframe them since his childhood and the pilot’s training torcycle races as a source of adrenaline. I was course was a dream come true for him. He was simply crazy about them. I even fl ew from time He was not broken by war, imprisonment or treason. This is the mechanic to the fi ghter twenty when he became a fi ghter pilot. He ear- to time, with a friend’s airplane, at the Brno – life of Emil Boček, one of the Czechoslovak aviators in the United pilot ned fame as a member of the 310th Czechoslo- Tuřany airfi eld. But my wife was not supposed Brigadier-General (ret) Kingdom, an elite part of the Royal Air Force, and the youngest vak Fighter Squadron. He was assigned to the to know – she would have given me a proper In September 1940, Emil Boček joined the unit, then based in North Weald, on October 20, dressing.” Emil Boček fi ghter pilot of the 310th Czechoslovak Squadron, in a nutshell. Royal Air Force. He attended a training course 1944, and he fl ew his fi rst combat sortie a week Emil Boček is full of élan even now, although Date of birth: February 25, 1923 later. he celebrated his 91st birthday on February 25. – Brno-Tuřany “We won’t just sit, we will do something,” there to Yugoslavia. Then we The principal mission of fi ghter pilots was to He travels around the country, sharing his recol- is the motto that has wound like a red thread continued through Greece and escort and protect bombers. With 26 sorties lections and debating with people. And, looking – member of the Czechoslovak throughout the life of Colonel (ret.) Emil Boček, Turkey to Beirut, from where amounting to 73 hours and 50 minutes of fl ight back, he says: You know, only the lucky ones foreign resistance 1939–1945 aged 91. Even when he was sixteen, in 1939, I fi nally sailed on the MV Com- time, he is one of the best. “We also fl ew ro- survive the war. The unlucky ones die. I was luc- – member of the Czechoslovak air when our republic was going through one of the piegne to Marseille on April 5, deos, individual missions against specifi c ground ky and that’s why I am here now.” force in the United Kingdom darkest chapters of its history, the period of the 1940.” targets, such as buildings or locomotives, for Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, he knew This was where Emil Boček, example,” he recalls. “My biggest sortie was Decorations: he would not sit with arms akimbo. He decided then 17, signed a fi ve-year con- escorting some 800 bombers against Helgoland – Czechoslovak War Cross 1939 to leave the country and join the French Foreign tract with the Foreign Legion. in the North Sea. The largest enemy submarine by Jana Deckerová (twice) – Czechoslovak Medal “For bravery Legion. However, the war then broke base was situated there, and it was complete- Photos by Jan Černo and archives before the enemy” out and he joined the Czecho- ly destroyed in two days of bombing. And what of Brigadier-General (ret) Emil Boček – Czechoslovak Distinguished Service slovak army in France instead. Medal, 2nd degree A skiing trip that took six “I joined our army in Agde on – Czechoslovak Military Memorial April 16; I passed a training Medal F-UK years course for telephone operators – Distinguished Military Flyer “No one knew I was going to leave, not even and was assigned in the rank my mom,” Emil Boček recalls. “In the morning of private to the 9th Company British decorations: of December 27, 1939, I and my friend set off of the 1st Infantry Regiment; – The 1939–1945 Star under the pretext of a skiing trip to the Jesení- I was then reassigned to the – Air Crew Europe Star – The France and Germany Star ky Mts., and I came back six years later. All our 2nd Infantry Regiment with – Defence Medal friends whom we met on our way toward our which I took part in rear-guard – War Medal fi rst waypoint, Brno Railway Station, wished us actions against the Germans,” a good skiing experience. And so we traveled Emil Boček continues. “After On May 8, 2014, President of the via Slovakia to Budapest, where we were appre- tough fi ghting, I reached the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman hended and returned to Slovakia. However, luck Mediterranean port of Sete in commissioned Colonel Boček into was on our side; we managed to get to Buda- June 1940, and on the next the rank of Brigadier-General. pest again, to the French consulate, and from day I boarded the Egyptian Pilots of the 310th Squadron – E. Boček, J. Svoboda and M. Kratochvíl history

Seventy years since the formation of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps in the Soviet Union However, that source proved to be insuffi cient. With Moscow’s consent, the recruitment was therefore expanded to include Soviet citizens as The situation changed when the Red Army well. The latter included mainly so-called Volyni- advanced far to the west and managed to libera- an Czechs. It was their mass induction into the THE LARGE te the Ukrainian region of Volyn. In March 1944, Czechoslovak Army that made the formation of the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Brigade in the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps possible,” Jo- the USSR was moved to Rovno, the centre of the zef Bystrický of the Military Historical Institute in Czech population in the Volyn region. A recru- Bratislava explains. “The recruitment spectrum, itment campaign was launched and more than however, was ultimately much broader. It inclu- foreign army 12,000 volunteers enrolled. Even women were ded not only Ruthenians, but also some ex-mem- interested in serving in our army. Their number bers of enemy armies, namely Slovak, Hungarian gradually grew to more than six hundred. and German. Some Czechs got to the territory of During WW2, Czechoslovak political representatives in exile led “With so many fresh recruits joining our unit, the Soviet Union as members of the Wehrmacht by Edvard Beneš did not make any secret of their ambitions to problems began. In particular, we were short of and got captured. However, many more got the- lower-echelon commanders. We thus immedia- re as members of the Todt labour organization create a large military formation. The fi rst Czechoslovak unit The Carpathian-Dukla Operation. Offi cers at the Observation Posts, left to right: Černý, Procházka, Svoboda, tely started training courses for platoon leaders units. The Hungarians who had lived in the ter- Soviet Artillery Advisor Savitskiy formed in the Soviet Union was a battalion, which was later and other courses. Just like on previous occasi- fl eshed out into an independent brigade. However, there were ons, the Soviet command helped us again. Step not enough human resources to build a larger formation. by step, we began receiving weapons and equip- ritory of southern and eastern Slovakia were no ment; we dispatched our most capable soldiers exception as well.” who had distinguished themselves on the battle- In the end of July 1944, the building of the The Carpathian Mountains – Autumn 1944 fi eld to Soviet training centres, and experienced corps was essentially completed. At that time, Soviet offi cers came to our unit as instructors,” the corps comprised a staff company, 1st and is how Ludvík Svoboda remembered those days 3rd Infantry Brigades, 2nd Parachute Brigade, in his book “From Buzuluk to Prague”. a tank brigade, an artillery regiment, an engine- The Memorandum of the People’s Commisa- er battalion, a signal battalion, an MP company, riat of Defence of the Soviet Union and the Ge- a traffi c control company and a special purpo- neral Staff of the Red Army on the constitution se company. In addition, there was also a rear of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps in the USSR echelon, consisting of the corps’ supply train was issued on April 10, 1944. In the end of April, and armament train, a vehicle pool, an auxiliary the brigade with the volunteers was moved to company, medical and veterinary support ser- the region of Chernovtsy, when an intensive tra- vices and depots. The corps included a reserve ining programme started. A few months earlier, regiment as well. Brigadier General Jan Krato- in the beginning of January 1944, the formati- chvíl became the corps’ commander. However, on of the 2nd Czechoslovak Parachute Brigade having spent just a few days at the front, he started in Evreevo (an article on the formation was replaced, at the insistence of the Soviet, by was published in the fourth issue of A-Report). Brigadier General Ludvík Svoboda, until then the The unit was composed mainly of Slovak sol- commander of the 1st Brigade. diers, members of the Slovak 1st Division, who “The three months of intensive training in had gone over to the Russian side at Melitopol Chernovtsy elapsed unbelievably fast. We hardly in the end of October 1943. The brigade’s com- had the time to realize it, but then the time came manders were mainly Czechoslovak offi cers not Members of the 2nd Parachute Brigade packing their parachutes when the Soviet Army command decided to give assigned to any unit, who had been transferred us an opportunity to test our combat skills and to the Soviet Union from the United Kingdom. political maturity,” Ludvík Svoboda, the Corps By mid-April 1944, the brigade’s units had com- Commander, later wrote. “At the end of July of pleted their parachute training and were subse- the penultimate war year, the1st Czechoslovak quently moved to Proskurovo, a town located in Army Corps in the USSR started moving. Its the frontline zone. units were heading west, closer to the border Step by step, additional brigades and units of our motherland. Developments along the So- were being formed. As early as on May 20, a tank viet-German frontline did not leave any doubts regiment was established around the core of the that the day of the ultimate defeat of Fascism tank battalion, and later expanded into a bri- was near.” gade. It comprised an HQ company plus three The corps got involved in the fi ghting for the tank battalions, each having two tank compa- fi rst time on September 8, 1944, around Kros- nies. There were also a battalion of submachine no, being a part of the forces taking part in the gunners, as well as auxiliary and support units. Carpathian-Dukla operation. However, the initial The Czechoslovak aviation unit, 128th Czecho- plan, namely to take Prešov in fi ve days by an slovak Independent Fighter Squadron, was also unexpected and swift strike, failed. Awaiting the organizationally attached to the brigade. It was corps were stiff German resistance, bloody fi gh- formed on the Kubinka airfi eld near Moscow in ting for every hill and, in particular, huge losses. May 1944. In mid-June, it was restructured into In fact, the highest the corps sustained during the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Fighter Regi- the war. Prešov was liberated only in January ment in the Soviet Union. 1945. “The initial agreement with the Soviet Uni- on stipulated that our units would consist only Tanks of the 2nd Tank Battalion of the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Tank Brigade in the USSR in a parade in by Vladimír Marek of volunteers having Czechoslovak citizenship. the liberated town of Moravská Ostrava photos by Central Military Archives history

The Allied landing Beneš came to was to fl y as low as possible; apart from infl icting in Normandy losses on the enemy, they were to demonstrate during WW2, say goodbye the allied air superiority and give a moral boost to On August 21, the brigade infantrymen fi ghting their way through the landing codenamed was visited by President Ed- beaches. On that morning, there were practically Operation vard Beneš, who came to say no Luftwaffe airplanes in the air, and our pilots thus Overlord, took goodbye to its members befo- focused on patrolling and destroying targets on the many months re their departure for France. ground. On June 6, they took off three times, each A few days later, our units sortie lasting roughly two hours. Unlike other air to prepare. started moving to assembly formations, we had no casualties on D-Day, in spi- To this end, areas near London and Sou- te of bad weather conditions. huge numbers thampton. The brigade was The 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron issued its operational tanks, RAF was also involved in D-Day operations. of troops and Cromwells and Shermans, the- The fi rst of its Liberators took off shortly after 5 quantities of re. All the vehicles bore the al- AM. The squadron’s tank was to patrol over the equipment were lied sign, a white fi ve-pointed Channel and look for enemy U-boats. However, concentrated star in a circle. The soldiers none appeared. received French francs instead The Czechoslovak pilots had to wait for a real in the United of British pounds. Each also dogfi ght until the next day, June 7. The day star- Kingdom, not just got a life jacket and a combat ted with a tragic event. F/Sgt Miroslav Moravec from the United ration. Their port of embarkat- crashed shortly after taking off. The second States or Britain, ion was Gosport. patrol sortie had more luck. At about 2.30 PM, The fi rst soldiers of the bri- two formations of enemy aircraft were sighted but also from gade to set their foot on the roughly 30 km north of Caen. Their sixteen air- Canada, Australia, territory of France on August planes were clearly heading for the beaches. Our New Zealand, 31, 1944, neat the village of pilots immediately attacked the fi rst eight-strong Graye-sur-Mer, were members group, which turned and tried to escape. W/O Poland, Norway, of the quartermaster’s deta- Jindřich Konvička left the formation and started Belgium and chment. Having passed throu- pursuing one of the fl eeing enemy airplanes. The Czechoslovakia. gh a transit camp and the Focke Wulf ahead quickly dropped its bombs and battle-ravaged town of Caen, tried to escape toward Rouen. In spite of repea- D-Day they moved to a forested area ted attempts, Konvička did not manage to drop roughly 2 km NE of Falaise, his auxiliary tank. Using the WEP (War Emergen- where the camp of our briga- cy Power) engine mode, which he could use for (with the Czechoslovak participation) de was to be built. The work up to fi ve minutes, he fi nally caught up and fi red started immediately. However, fi ve bursts at the Focke Wulf. He hit its left wing, the disembarkation of the bri- from which an unidentifi ed object was reportedly Originally, the landing was to take place on The heaviest fi ghting took place on Omaha Be- attack and that the actual landing would take gade had to be suspended on detached, while F/O Vladimír Kopeček damaged June 5, 1944. However, the operation was can- ach, where US troops landed. In spite of tough place elsewhere. Following his presumption, he September 3 because of a sea another Focke Wulf. The most successful batt- celled due to bad weather over the Channel. resistance of the defenders and heavy casual- kept strong armoured units in reserve, deploying storm, and was completed le of the Czechoslovak pilots took place on the There were discussions as to whether the units ties, the beach was taken by the evening. them only when it was too late. only on September 8. next day. Their second patrol sortie of the day should be withdrawn to their camps; the fi nal The landing itself was preceded by massive Early in October, the briga- took them over Caen. The enemy was nowhere decision, however, was to carry on with the ope- artillery and aerial bombardment. In particular, the unit out to wartime TOEs and replacing all its de received an order to move to the port of Dun- in sight. Our 312th Squadron was protecting the ration, unfavourable weather forecasts notwith- however, the largest airborne operation in history The Brigade not strong equipment. As early as on June 18, our soldiers kirk, which units of the 2nd Canadian Infantry fl ank of two other squadrons. At 13.35 PM, the standing. Operation Overlord was thus postpo- had been launched shortly before midnight, June received new Cromwell tanks for training. In just Division were getting close to. Its 5th Brigade fi ghter pilots spotted twelve Focke Wulfs. They ned by mere 24 hours, which ultimately proved 5. It involved paratroopers of the US 82nd and enough to meet wartime a few weeks, a thousand vehicles and dozens took Bourbourg on September 5, and had the saw them leaving the cloud cover and attacking to be an indisputable advantage. As a matter 101st Airborne Divisions and the British 6th Air- TOEs of tons of military materiel were replaced. In port within sight. However, German defenders the narrow strip of Sword Beach. The 312th of fact, the Germans did not expect the landing borne Division. Their task was to secure impor- the beginning of July, the intensity of combat of Dunkirk were putting up stiff resistance and Squadron’s Spitfi res jumped at the enemy and under such bad weather conditions. Many com- tant bridges, enemy batteries of heavy guns and Czechoslovak forces abroad also contributed training was stepped up as well. It peaked in soon managed to stop the advance of the 5th the chase began in earnest. The fi rst Focke Wulf manders thus took leave and went home to their other strategic objects. The paratroopers jumped to the allied landing and in particular to subse- a large brigade-size exercise followed by live-fi re Brigade – and with it the whole division. Main was shot down by S/Ldr Jan Čermák. Shortly families. The Allies therefore managed to take out or were landed in their gliders behind the quent combat operations on the second front. tank gunnery practice. The brigade’s personnel forces of the Czechoslovak Independent Armou- thereafter, he damaged another with a burst fi - the German units by surprise. enemy’s fi rst line of defence and were expected On September 1, 1943, the Czechoslovak Inde- morale was high. The soldiers wanted to join the red Brigade Group left Falaise in the morning of red from the distance of 400 m. The Czechoslo- to prevent the arrival of German reinforcements pendent Armoured Brigade Group was establis- fi ghting in Normandy as soon as possible. The- October 4, 1944, and reached Dunkirk in the ear- vak pilots could celebrate their triumph. Three for a certain limited period of time. The French hed in the United Kingdom. Its formation was ir turn fi nally came. On July 24, the brigade’s ly morning of October 6. The seven-month siege enemy airplanes were shot down and fi ve others Hitler deceived resistance, organized by the British Special Ope- made possible thanks to Czechoslovak soldiers commander, General Alois Liška, received an or- of the French port began. The German garrison damaged, without any own losses. The skies The Allies landed on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno rations Executive (SOE), also contributed to the transferred from the African theatre in July 1943. der to depart to France. During the days that defending Dunkirk had more men than the at- over Caen were perfectly cleared of enemy air- and Sword Beaches in the early morning hours above task. The Allies enjoyed the absolute air Even so, it lacked manpower – it had only two followed, the brigade was assembled around tacking Czechoslovak brigade and well fortifi ed. craft in a matter of a few dozen minutes. of June 6, 1944. They made use of new wea- supremacy as well. Marshal Leigh Mallory com- thirds of what it should have according to TOEs. Bridlington, some 300 km from London. Another Moreover, the Germans opened lock gates and Our pilots continued to fl y sorties in the following pons and special landing equipment, including manding the expeditionary air force had 11,500 Moreover, it had to be equipped with tanks and exercise, codenamed Oder-Elbe, took place the- fl ooded the whole area around Dunkirk. They days as well, at a rate of up to fi ve a day. In those DUKW amphibious vehicles and DD amphibious aircraft of various categories at his disposal. other armoured vehicles and trained. In May re. On August 18, when it was over, the soldiers surrendered only in the end of the war. hectic days, the fl iers managed to catch only a few tanks, armoured ramp carriers, special mine- In spite of all the preparations, the Allies’ 1944, it moved to southern Scotland, where it received directives on Operation Overlord. The Czechoslovak aviators took part in Operation hours of sleep, having a nap on the grass among clearing vehicles, such as Crabs, and Crocodiles, advance inland was very slow. Normandy’s was supposed to complete its training. equipment had to be checked once again. In the Overlord practically from its very beginning. On D- the airplanes that had just landed. Only to climb which were modifi ed Churchill tanks with a fl a- landscape, segmented by a dense network of And this was also where it was when the Allies last moments, reinforcements were coming from Day, the 134th Czechoslovak Fighter Wing RAF was into the cockpit, strap in and take off again as soon me-thrower installed instead of the hull machine hedges, played into the hands of the Germans. landed in Normandy. On the eve of D-Day, an the personnel sourcing unit. They were mainly alerted as early as on 4.30 AM. On 7.20 AM, the as their aircraft were rearmed and refueled. gun. The AVRE was again a modifi ed Churchill Fortunately, Hitler trusted the deception staged order announcing fi eld mobilization arrived. That soldiers recruited among German POWs coming Czechoslovak fi ghters took off Appledram for their tank the gun of which was replaced by a heavy by allied intelligence services, believing that meant not only an inspection of the brigade’s from the region of Cieszyn Silesia. Even so, the fi rst combat sortie. Thirty-six Spitfi res of the 310th by Vladimír Marek mortar, designed to destroy concrete structures. the Normandy operation was just a secondary personnel and equipment, but above all fl eshing brigade was not at its full TOE strength. Squadron headed for the French coast. Their task photos: archives Connected Forces „ Soldier Systems „ CBRN Defence Cyber Defence „ Unmanned Systems „ Logistics

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