Tomorrow, conscripts at Kuperyanov Infantry Battalion take a grand final exam on Defence Forces central polygon – a 1.5 hour battle exercise as supported by anti-tank complexes, six heavy mortars, eight howitzers, and allied aircraft A-10 and Su-22.
Largest ever combat shooting arranged by Army
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11th May 2015, 12:49
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Over 300 servicemen will participate, shooting thousands of bullets, hundreds of shells and mines, and a couple of rockets to show what units composed of recruits and reservists can accomplish in case of real war.
According to Lieutenant-Colonel Vitali Lokk, battalion commander at 2nd Infantry Brigade composed of Kuperyanov Battalion recruits, the combat shooting demonstration will be largest during the again-independent Estonian history. «Perhaps there were some shootings grander in 1920ies and 1930ies, but after regained independence shootings on this scale have not been arranged,» said Lieut.-Col. Lokk.
According to script, the enemy has invaded Estonia and has been halted by 1st Infantry Brigade units at Aseri-Sonda-Tudu line. Meanwhile, a brigade-sized enemy naval unit had landed in Loksa, aimed at gaining control of Tapa military base.
The brunt of the hit is to be borne by B-Company of Lieut.-Col. Lokk’s Battalion, composed by recruits in army service till end of May.
Due to this being the main attack line of the enemy, the infantry company has been reinforced by anti-tank complexes Milan and a 120 mm heavy mortar battery as included in each infantry battalion in Estonia.
Just to make sure, the infantry company is also supported by artillery of 155 mm howitzers. For the training battle, German air fire controllers are included who direct strikes by US and Polish attack aircraft.
The infantry company involved features 140 conscripts and four active servicemen. According to Lieutenant Meelis Uibo, in charge of the company at the exercises, the recruits had two days to train for the battle, which is totally sufficient. «I would not call the recruits participating at the exercises an elite, as the entire Kuperyanov Battalion makes for an elite unit,» Said Lieut. Uibo.
Even an ordinary infantry company comes with quite an impressive firepower – in addition to the usual automatic weapons, machine guns, precision rifles and anti-tank grenade throwers, a company commander may support his subordinates with mortars of 12.7 mm and 81 mm in calibre.
At first glance, such an amount of support weaponry for an infantry company of 150 men may seem slightly fantastic. Even so, Lieut.-Col. Lokk says this is according to reality.
The training battle lasts for 1.5 hours, approximately. Though the amount of ammunition used is vast for our Defence Forces, in real battles multiplied times more would be shot out. He underlined that in real life such defence battles will not last 1.5 hours but days, perhaps weeks.
«First, an armoured enemy spy vehicle appears on the battle ground, hits a mine and explodes. Thereafter, the enemy will come under gun and mortar fire, while firing back. Then the enemy armoured vehicles come in for an attack, repelled by an anti-tank platoon,» said Lieut.-Col. Lokk, describing the start of the battle.
«The retreat of anti-tank forces to standby positions will be covered by 12.7 mm heavy machine guns Browning. Meanwhile, another infantry platoon will line up for defence, and in cooperation with other subunits if the company will, with allied aircraft assistance, destroy the main forces of the attacking enemy,» he said.
«Twice, the allied aircraft open fire on the enemy, from 30 mm guns. To add reality to enemy operations, they will answer by an air attack against our positions. In the final stage, our pioneers will provide a passage through mine field to take the defence positions of the enemy, and by counter-attack the remaining enemy troops will be destroyed.»
On the battle field, no-one will be playing the enemy. «They would die,» explained Lieut.-Col. Lokk. Neither will real armoured vehicles be destroyed in the battle, rather cardboard imitations. For enemy soldiers, cardboard targets are used which rise and fall at the right moments.
The battle area is about 700 x 1,200 metres, while the danger zone spreads to dozens of kilometres. The company defence positions spread for about 500 metres, and these were prepared by pioneer battalion of 1st Infantry Brigade – afterwards adjusted by infantry according to their own needs.
Using dozens of cameras, Defence Forces will video-record the exercises. Also, the cadres of most interest will be displayed on a large screen for invited guests. Several cameras have been placed in the target-area, considering that these may be destroyed yet able to broadcast something of the heat of battle before that.
Weapons employed at exercises
7.62 mm automatic rifles AK-4
7.62 mm machine guns Ksp-58
7.62 mm precision rifles M-14 TP2
12.7 mm heavy machine guns Browning M2
84 mm anti-tank grenade throwers Carl Gustaf
Mid-range anti-tank complexes MILAN2
81 mm mortars
120 mm mortars
155 mm howitzers FH 70/A1
US attack aircraft A-10
Polish attack aircraft Su-22