Shifting focus to warfighting
For the past few years, the Royal Anglian Regiment has been focused on security force assistance, helping train allied forces around the world. Now, they are sharpening their own combat skills as they prepare for a major exercise in Kenya.
Major Jet Ryan, Officer Commanding A Company, 1 Royal Anglian, explained the significance of the transition. "We've recently moved into tactical recce strike, so really honing our warfighting skills and getting back to those basic infantry skills," he said.
"But what is really crucial is that the skills we've learned during security force assistance we've brought forward, you know, so we're still really capable with interoperability.
"We operate with partners and we will always do that as part of Nato, and we will take that forward as we go forward with warfighting."
Live-fire training under pressure
The exercise replicates battlefield conditions, ensuring soldiers can make rapid decisions under fire. Lance Corporal Cameron Donald, a section 2IC from A Company, 1 Royal Anglian, described his role in the drills.
"I have to ensure that if there's a fire support element that they are not being unsafe inside the other arcs, they're maintaining a good rate of fire through the attack, constantly moving when they need to move fire and we need to fire and also balance and ammunition throughout that element and through the section," he explained.
The added pressure of a fire support element is designed to test the soldiers' ability to execute precise battlefield manoeuvres. Private Tom Birch, A Company, 1 Royal Anglian, emphasised the importance of staying sharp. "No matter how long you've been in you'll get skill fade," he said.
"So it's important to stay on top of the skills so that whenever we're needed, wherever is in the world, the skills are up to the highest level.
"Kenya might be a training exercise for the Army, but that level of skills and drills allows us to function in potential real-life scenarios."
Having spent months passing on their expertise to partner forces, the Royal Anglian soldiers are now focused on honing their own capabilities as they prepare for their upcoming exercise in Kenya.
