Photo By Spc. Anthony Ackah-Mensah | Chief Warrant Officer 3 Haiha Vu briefs U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 12th Combat...... read more read more
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HOHENFELS, Germany – One hundred and seventy Soldiers with the U.S. Army 12th Combat Aviation Brigade trained alongside United Kingdom forces in the German countryside during exercise Saber Junction 2024, honing their skills and operations on the UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64 Apache and the CH-47 Chinook.
The training exercise, held at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany from Aug. 25 - Sept. 19, 2024, brought together service members to execute multi-domain operations in a combat environment, promoting interoperability.
“With the training area here at Hohenfels, we can actually train in real-world, realistic combat situations,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Haiha Vu, an observer coach with “Falcon” Team, Joint Multinational Readiness Center. “And with Saber Junction 24, we have multinational units here. Our aviation task force is actually led by the UK, and we have U.S. units with U.S. aircraft that fall under that command. So that helps us test our NATO capabilities and interoperability and how we can function together as a team.”
The exercise provided 12th CAB Soldiers with a unique opportunity to practice operating in conjunction with UK partners and improve interoperability between the respective aviation elements.
“Within this task force, we have both British and U.S. personnel and aircraft,” said Vu. “So within our scenarios, each team plays a specific part. The U.S. team, they've had the aircraft a lot longer. They're more familiar with operating it and maintaining it. Our British counterparts have only had the aircraft for a year. So they can rely on us for that experience. And also, on the British side, they have more advantages in communication.”
During their time training together, 12th CAB and their British counterparts gained familiarity and built common ground with one another, enhancing stability and their ability to respond together to any future adversary.
“Working with the Brits and any NATO ally, it's always interesting to see how they operate, especially when it comes to field scenarios or how they react to contacts,” said Spc. Caleb Roberts, an aircraft structural repairer with the 12th CAB. “Granted, a lot of it is the same, similar ideas. But it's been enjoyable. Whether we’re hanging out with them in trenches, fighting positions or setting up trip wires. It's just been an experience all around.”
In the ever-evolving environment of combat aviation, adapting to new challenges and technologies is critical for maintaining readiness across international allied forces. Saber Junction 24 allowed 12th CAB and UK counterparts to work together to strengthen aviation capabilities and maintain a forward and ready force.
“Saber Junction not only strengthens our interoperability but also showcases the power of combined aviation training,” said Col. Ryan Kendall, commander of the 12th CAB. “We are training combat-ready forces alongside our UK partners, further bolstering the NATO Alliance.”
| Date Taken: | 09.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.13.2024 10:09 |
| Story ID: | 480775 |
| Location: | HOHENFELS TRAINING AREA, DE |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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