Army

British soldiers hone urban warfare skills on Exercise Iron Shield in Kuwait

Watch: UK and Kuwait strengthen their skills in the desert in Ex Iron Shield

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Rifles have been training alongside their Kuwaiti counterparts to mark 125 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The British soldiers have been honing their urban warfare skills as they train with the Kuwaiti army on Exercise Iron Shield.

The troops have also been taking part in mounted and dismounted battle tactics in the Gulf state alongside members of Kuwait's 94th Mechanised Brigade.

Iron Shield coincides with the 125-year anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between the two nations.

The UK military played a key role in the liberation of Kuwait in the Gulf War in 1990-1991, and British forces assembled in the country ahead of the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Officer Commanding 3 Rifles, Major Stephen Watts, said: "I think they see that we bring a lot of different skills, so our use of urban tactics is far more advanced.

"We've also really done a lot of drone work here with them, so we've taught them how to fly small uncrewed aircraft systems.

"As we know, the region has its problems and upstream defence engagement exercises like this where you could bring the Kuwaiti armed forces alongside the UK, you could practise warfighting in an exercise context.

"So [it's] really important from a long-term defence engagement perspective."

Kuwaiti soldiers stack up ready to clear a building

The serial included troops clearing a village in the desert from insurgents using the Kuwaiti army's Sherpa armoured vehicles and going from building to building.

Rifleman Kieron Power said: "As you're looking at the urban village there's so many threats.

"The highest casualty rate comes from urban, so you look at doors, windows and any entrances - long threats, short threats - so overall, it's just a dangerous place to be.

"Working through the villages, you'll realise how easy it is to obviously get hit so that's why we train on it as hard as we can, so we have to make sure our skills and drills are there."

The riflemen have previously been part of the security force assistance unit but are now taking on the role of a tactical recce strike unit.

Troops from the UK and Kuwait training their weapons skills in the desert — Troops from the UK and Kuwait train with their weapons in the desert

Part of this involves using technology like drones to help on the battlefield.

Colour Serjeant Matt Davies said: "In an urban environment it is an absolute game changer. You can cover the areas where the guys can't see.

"We're using the drones for the reconnaissance, looking into the buildings before the guys get there so we can identify the enemy within the building, and it just builds the battle picture.

"The key thing with drones is it's an asset, not an answer. The guys are still doing sketches conventionally.

"This is just another layer to build into the battle picture."