Rolling Bohemian hills become Afghan desert for Flying Rhino 2010

The Czech Republic is currently playing host to the British Army's largest integrated land-air military exercise, called Flying Rhino. More than 2,000 troops from the UK's First Armoured Division backed up by several squadrons of the Royal Air Force are working with Czech and other NATO allies to simulate the conflict in Afghanistan.

Fire Support Team, photo: author

It’s thousands of miles from Helmand province, but for the next week or so this hillside in Central Bohemia will have to make do for Lance Bombadier Steven Cox, a member of the 26th Royal Artillery unit. Hidden under a camouflaged lean-to built onto the hillside, he’s part of a so-called Fire Support Team, and is requesting artillery bombardment of a target in the distance in front of him.

Bombadier Cox’s colleague Captain Steven Smyth says with so much pressure to get it right, training like this is vital.

“There’s a hell of a lot of responsibility put on us, and I think that’s responsibility well-placed, because there’s a huge amount of training that goes into putting a team like this together.”

AS90 155mm self-propelled howitzer, photo: CTK

This particular exercise is designed to see how Fire Support Teams and Forward Air Controllers - who call in airpower - can work together more efficiently. A total of 96 Forward Air Controllers are being trained here in the woods and fields of the Jince military training area, many of whom will soon be deployed to Afghanistan. Brigadier Patrick Sanders is the Commander of the 20th Armoured Brigade.

“What we’ve found in Afghanistan has been that the campaign itself has evolved, and in order to really retain and win the support of the population, General McCrystal, now commander of ISAF in Afghanistan, has really focused people’s minds on how to apply violence, how to apply force. In the past, we tended to say – ‘can I destroy this target?’ What McCrystal is saying is – ‘should I?’. And very often the answer to that is ‘no’, or there will be a different way of achieving effect which doesn’t risk blowing things up or killing civilians.”

A pair of RAF Tornadoes readies for takeoff at Náměšť air base, near the Moravian town of Třebíč. The Czech Republic has made available one third of its air space, providing a rare opportunity to practice integrating land and air power. Wing Commander Steve Reeves is the head of the RAF’s 14 Squadron.

RAF Tornado, photo: author

“They need to work with air units, and we need to work with them, so that we all understand exactly what’s required. Because out there it needs to be done right first time, and not only they ‘can you’ with the rules of engagement, but the ‘should you’ from a moral component as well, and that’s a big part of our training.”

The UK and its NATO allies are acutely aware of the need to avoid friendly fire and civilian casualties as they pursue their goal of establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan. Exercises such as Flying Rhino, they say, are key to achieving that goal, and the Czech Republic has provided a crucial training ground.