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By Lt E Pashley RM, X Coy

In late April, X Coy Gp embarked HMS Albion and deployed on Op Rondache, the annual LRG(N) deployment to the Baltic Sea Region.

After a short training exercise on Barry Buddon Training Area, where we familiarised ourselves with the latest IRCs, the group made its way across the North Sea to Sweden, where we would take part in the first exercise of the deployment. Ex Aurora 23 was a Swedish-led multinational exercise, with over 25 nations and 16,000 troops participating. The exercise aimed to simulate the Swedish national defence plan.

For X Coy, Aurora began with the infiltration of Team 2 (FIND) to Gotland via civilian air transport, five days ahead of the main body who would arrive via HMS Albion. Team 2 arrived and established a safe house on Gotland, before building relationships with local partners and developing an understanding of the operating (exercise) environment.

Infiltration by IRC

Simultaneously, the rest of X Coy began preparations for the first action of the exercise, a raid to secure an airfield in southern Sweden. Launching from HMS Albion, which was operating at a safe distance from the coastline, a reconnaissance team was taken ashore in IRCs under the cover of darkness and worked with a Swedish reconnaissance unit to take control of the target and generate assault options for the rest of the Coy. The insertion went well, with the long range and challenging sea conditions testing even the most experienced LCs. The raid itself proved to be a valuable training opportunity for the Coy, and a skilled and realistic enemy ensured that we remained on our toes throughout. Memorable moments included Team 1 executing a textbook snap ambush on enemy reinforcements, and a pair of Grey Wolves infiltrating Team 5’s observation post in pursuit of a herd of elk!

The second phase of the exercise took place on Gotland, a quiet and peaceful yet strategically important island situated in the centre of the Baltic Sea. This phase began with discreet reconnaissance and counter-surveillance operations by Team 2, followed by a Military Assistance phase involving two of the Coy’s strike teams working with the local Home Guard Battalion to defend the island, which was under attack from enemy Special Operations Forces attempting to set the conditions for an invasion. Team 4 contributed significantly with their combat engineering skills, and Sgt Gough notably assisted the locals in identifying and locating trip flares scattered around the harbour area…

The final phase of Aurora saw the Coy redeploy to the Stockholm archipelago and prepare for a force-on-force package against a Swedish Amphibious Battalion. Equipped with CB90 Fast Assault Craft, the Amphib Bn proved to be a formidable foe, and over three days, we engaged in a free-play delaying battle across an island chain three times the size of Woodbury Common. Loading up the IRCs with as many NLAW and Javelin missiles as possible, we established a network of ambush locations from which to conduct hit-and-run actions, culminating in a final defensive battle in a prepared area. The sight of Commando teams manoeuvring in IRCs while being pursued by ‘robo-boats’ (CB90s) was truly remarkable and tested our core Commando skills as raiders from the sea. The exercise area, coupled with a highly capable enemy, allowed us to thoroughly test our tactics and the Coy’s fighting structure in an unparalleled amphibious training scenario.

The exercise concluded with a beach barbecue and a high-level visit (which included the Swedish Prime Minister and numerous generals). This also gave us the opportunity to meet the ‘enemy’ and discuss tactics in a social setting. Ex Aurora 23 provided X Coy with a diverse range of experiences, comprising three distinct mission sets, each designed to challenge the Coy in a different way – and it achieved its objective. We hope to return at the earliest opportunity to leverage Sweden’s unique and demanding coastal training areas.

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