3 minute read
Op MAKARA 3
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JACKAL Crew in high spirits
Scribe: Captain Walker (2 Royal Anglian, OC LAD)
MAN SV requiring recovery, axle change awaits
With the vehicle rehab following Op MAKARA 2B close to completion, the LADs focus switched to preparing for what would be the most challenging Op of the NEWCOMBE ROTO 2 deployment. Op MAKARA 3 would see the Task Group (TG) travel circa 330km on road and cross country to a UN Super Camp. Once there the TG would conduct operations for a 7-day period before returning to Camp BAGNOLD in preparation for the subsequent handover. The end was very much in sight for the LAD team with only one last hurdle to overcome (MAKARA 3).
D Day saw the TG head South to the UN Camp in ANSONGO (approx. 90km by road) to conduct a fuel re-supply. Following the re-supply, the TG broke track and began the 240km cross country march East towards MENAKA Super Camp. The initial stages of the march went to plan, the deployed REME soldiers found themselves trucking through the day and then conducting repairs on the fleet in the evenings. Four days and 180km in to the cross-country march, all was looking good from an ES perspective. The team had conducted no less than 25 repairs on vehicles which would have otherwise been Non-Taskworthy. From a tactical
Using a puller on the upper wishbone of the suspension unit
perspective, C Sqn came under contact from small arms fire after following two armed men on motorcycle into an area of bushland. This resulted in a close-range dismounted extraction from contact followed by a mounted exchange of fire that resulted in 2 EKIA. Morale was high, and the thought of air-conditioned accommodation and some well-deserved rest was at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
However, the final phase of the march to MENAKA would prove extremely difficult; the terrain was very sandy with some pretty large dunes and wadies for the TG to negotiate. The terrain and route were further exacerbated with an SV axle breaking and the vehicle then requiring an SVR for the remainder of the journey. This was followed up by both SVRs experiencing significant gearbox issues which resulted in them then being recovered by other platforms. Finally, to top it off, the TG encountered a bush fire with the end state being a JACKAL completely destroyed due to fire damage. The REME team deployed, took this all in their stride, the SVRs were nursed into MENAKA Camp, the burnt-out JACKAL placed on to a flat bed and transported to MENAKA and several other repairs on vehicles saw the TG complete in MENAKA Camp on the 6th day of the march.
Once in MENAKA, with all required ES Mat flown forward, a 3-day rehab commenced, this would see the TG back to 97% availability and ready to commence the patrol phase of the operation. From an ES perspective, the patrol phase proved to be normal jogging, no significant issues. The TGs attention then switched to preparing the fleet for the march back to Camp BAGNOLD. The march back proved to be a lot less eventful. The ES team would continue to work their magic and the end state saw only one FOXHOUND on tow following the 330km march back to Camp BAGNOLD.
From an ES perspective, Op MAKARA 3 was a resounding success; the entire TG made it to MENAKA and was quickly turned around for future operations. The development of the spares packs held forward meant that 85% of spares required were available on the ground; the other 15% would be flown forward from Camp BAGNOLD. The TG maintained an availability of between 90-97% throughout the Op and on ENDEX, only one FOXHOUND was on tow due to a hydraulic issue which was quickly resolved once back in Camp.
