Thousands Of UK Personnel To Train With Omani Military
Apache helicopters will be used during the exercise (Image: British Army/MoD).
Apache attack helicopters and more than 4,000 tri-service personnel will train with the Omani military on Exercise Saif Sareea 3 (SS3) in October.
SS3 is the third UK-Oman joint exercise, with the previous two taking place in 1986 and 2001.
The exercise is being led by the UK Armed Forces and will culminate in ‘firepower demonstration’, designed to test the UK and Oman’s ability to operate together in austere conditions through the deployment of a Coalition Joint Task Force.
Ahead of SS3, Apache crews from 644 Squadron, 4 Regiment Army Air Corps, have been put through their paces on Exercise Archers Alastor.
Over three days, air crew carried out day and night qualification shoots at Holbeach Air Weapons Range in Lincolnshire, refuelling at a Forward Arming and Refuelling Point (FARP) in Norfolk.
Major David Mills, Officer Commanding 664 Sqn AAC, said: "Exercise Saif Sareea is a fantastic opportunity which will showcase all of the Squadron’s equipment, capabilities and people.
"We’re overcoming the logistic challenges of shipping the Apache, including all of the associated equipment and munitions by sea to Oman, and are ready for the complexities of maintaining the Apache in the desert and operating in support of British armoured infantry and our Omani partners.
"Before we deploy it’s been great to get the Squadron out on our home turf for a final test of our skills – both on the ground and in the air, and including the first CRV7 rockets fired at Holbeach.”
Earlier this month, more than 3,500 tonnes of UK armoured vehicles were shipped into the Omani port of Duqm, including the Warrior, Scimitar CVRT and Bulldog, which are all set to be used in the exercise.
The vehicles and equipment were then transported to the Joint Logistics Support Base in Duqm, and other locations ahead of the start of the exercise.
Ahead of SS3, Airtrooper Harry Woodward, said: "I’m really keen to get out and do my job overseas.
"It’s great to work on the Apache, which is a very robust aircraft but will need extra care and attention in a hot and dusty environment.
"It’s also about looking after yourself in different conditions. A lot of the more senior groundcrew served in Afghanistan, so there’s a lot I want to learn from them about working in the desert.”
Meanwhile, Joint Medical Group has already deployed to Oman for the exercise.
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