Soldier – August 2019

http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk AUGUST 2019 35

range of battered vehicles, the targets lined up for

the handful of best students chosen for the attack

phase of Racing Snake.

After a snap assessment of the skills and

drills on the approach to the position above the

blackened tank husks, the troops move forward

in pairs to get up close and personal with the

fearsome weapon.

Peering down the sights under the watchful eye

of range safety staff , they carefully lock up the

target before squeezing the trigger, sending the

angry projectile on its journey.

Both Javelin and NLAW have two modes of

attack, with the ability to smash directly into a

vehicle or fl y in a high arc above the target, then

drop into the roof to exploit areas of poor armour.

“It’s a privilege to be able to do this and

amazing when you feel the rocket go,”

remarks Lt Mike Hill (Scots) as he returns

from the line. “Everything suddenly seems

to slow down.

“This is a system that works well – it’s

going to serve us in the new operating

environment.”

This is certainly

true. With anti-armour

capabilities again a key

asset on the battlefi eld,

having personnel who can

master these weapons

and the tactics behind

them is vital. ■

New model Army

Dark clouds are gathering and the fi rst droplets

of rain are blowing through the trees on a hillside

a few kilometres away, enough to wet faces and

bring some relief to those arriving with heavy

lungs at this next serial.

Although destroying enemy armour is their

core business, soldiers leading these ops are also

a key part of the intelligence-gathering machine

for a battlegroup commander. Their knowledge

forms an important component in the decision-

making process.

And troops are being put through their paces

on enemy vehicle recognition, capabilities and

the level of damage they will be able to infl ict

should they engage from a given range in this

serial. Using binoculars they observe scale model

versions of their adversaries in the fi eld.

“Part of the role for these soldiers will be acting

as armoured fi ghting vehicle advisers to the

battlegroup commander,” points out instructor

Capt Jonny Edis (R Welsh, pictured right).

“The basics of this mean they need

to ascertain key features of the enemy

vehicles, such as whether they are tracked

or wheeled along with additional features

like a snorkel.

“Understanding the damage that your

weapons system will do to the target

at any particularly range enables the

battlegroup commander to plan and

use resources accordingly.”

Contacting the foe

The live-fi ring point for anti-tank

weapons overlooks a valley with a

IN NUMBERS:

JAVELIN

2,500

Maximum range

in metres

24

Weight in kilos

1.4

Length in metres

range of battered vehicles, the targets lined up for

IN NUMBERS:

JAVELIN

NLAW

600

Maximum range

in metres

12.5

Weight in kilos

1.016

Length in metres

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