Afhgan rehearsal at Stanford
STANFORD Training area near Thetford was the location for the first training exercise by airmen from Cambridgeshire with little or no operational experience.
STANFORD Training area near Thetford was the location for the first training exercise by airmen from Cambridgeshire with little or no operational experience.
Airmen from 3 Squadron, RAF Regiment, based at RAF Wittering, near Stamford, took part in what is known as a mission rehearsal exercise to prepare them for what they may face during their six-month tour of duty to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.
They also had the chance to train with other nations, including America and Afghan nationals, who they will be working alongside in Afghanistan.
The training area was designed to replicate as closely as possible the situations in which troops could face in the Middle East.
From the call to prayer heard across a busy market place, and a bustling family home, to a network of claustrophobic alleyways with high walls, the areas provide for a complex and realistic way to train troops and test their skills under demanding conditions.
The squadron form part of No 1 Force Protection (FP) Wing, commanded by Wing Commander Mick Smeath.
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The Wing, 123 personnel strong, which also includes 504 Auxiliary RAF Squadron and the RAF Police, will deploy to Afghanistan on November 27 to take over from No 2 FP Wing (34 Squadron, RAF Regiment).
