Ex SAILFISH

Ex SAILFISH 21/1

Ex SAILFISH is a Joint Force Enabling Exercise (JFEE) held in the hot and humid conditions of Belize, on the Caribbean Coast. Belize is a paradise country and presents unique opportunities to conduct construction in a challenging, austere, and real-world environment at the extremis of both logistics and lines of communication. This iteration of the Exercise consisted of three task sites using 30 pieces of plant equipment and multiple pieces of green fleet. 53 Sqn Fitter Section was responsible for the activation of the plant, the receipt of the green fleet, maintaining fleet availability during the Exercise and handing back the green fleet and deactivating the plant at the end.

LCpl Evans VM Class 2

53 Squadron, 39 Engineer Regiment deployed on Exercise SAILFISH21/1 on 2nd May 21 after 10 days of isolation in Kinloss Barracks. After 12 hours on the coach to Brize Norton followed by a nonstop 12-hour flight, we finally arrived at Price Barracks in Belize. This was to be our base location and where the LAD would be sited. As usual for the first few weeks of an exercise, we were extremely busy activating a fleet of plant vehicles at 0% availability. COVID has ruined most things and the plant availability was no different. The RE Fitters embedded within the Fitter Section and the Plant Operator Mechanics (POMs) set about the fleet to try and achieve the highest possible availability to enable the three task sites to begin work. The Class 1 Vehicle Mechanics inspected the Green fleet loaned to us from BATSUB. I and one other Class 2 VM began to fit the spares that we brought from the UK.

Acclimatisation PT was a particular highlight at the start of the

Altun Ha Mayan Temple, not far from camp.

Exercise, walk for 50 minutes, 10-minute break and then walking for another 50 minutes was really exciting and action packed. After around two weeks of grafting on the plant kit, we managed to achieve the required availability for the Royal Engineers to deploy onto their sites and begin the construction phase of the JFEE. About halfway through the exercise the work calmed down and we were able to concentrate on the worse vehicles and we were able to max out availability at 79%. No mean feat when you consider the state of the equipment and the three-month lead time for spares! Once we were in a good place, we were able to do more things such as going out and seeing the amazing country of Belize and what it had to offer. The two biggest jobs we faced was replacing the clutches on two Land Rovers. As we didn’t have any overhead cranes, we used the SV(R) crane to lift the engines out. As usual, towards the end of the exercise the workload picked up again as the Engineers finished their tasks and collapsed back into Price Barrack. Both Class 1 Fitters and Class 1 VMs swung into action, began triaging the equipment and the Class 2s would fix them if we had the spares or demand them, before we handed the kit back to BATSUB.

LCpl Newman VM Class 2

Ideployed on Ex SAILFISH 2021 and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit one of the islands called Caye Caulker. While I’ve been here over the course of the exercise, I decided to take advantage of being in the Caribbean and planned to do an Open Divers course. This was open to the entire Fitter Section including the RE Fitters, RLC storeman and Recy Mech. The PADI Open Divers Course was spread over 4 days which accounted for bad weather. We spent the first day completing theory lessons including a 3.5-hour DVD which was emotional, but totally worth it for what took place over the next few days. After that we were given our diver manuals to revise from. These had quizzes at the end of each chapter ranging from personal admin, how to deal with cramps, decompression, and the importance of the buddy/buddy system while on diving expeditions.

On the second day it was all hands on practical after meeting our instructor and deckhand. We went through how to set up all the gear, fittings & skills

and drills. This included things like mask flooding, oxygen tank becoming insecure, running out of air and a controlled emergency swimming ascent. This was practiced down at 5-6 meters and we would have to get up safely due to no air and on our last breath. At one point the instructor even turned off our regulators so we would have no oxygen. We then had to turn to our dive buddy to get air off them! This was followed by three more dives, each a little deeper. The last day were the “real dives” took place and was by far my favourite day. Our deepest dive (15-17 meters) was where I found my favourite spot called “Rock Beauty”. We managed to stay there and enjoy the beautiful scenery for 36 minutes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see a turtle, but that just means I’ll have to try again next time! On each day we had lunch on the was in Price Barracks working with the Vehicle Mechanics and boat, and on the last day we had good music and we were helping them in any way possible. This allowed me to learn a lot and surrounded by Nurse sharks and Stingrays which we were allowed to it was really beneficial to my trade. I was also lucky enough to just jump in and swim about with them too. We finished the course shadow the BATSUB Recovery Mechanic who was able to give me an with 4 quizzes and a final exam. We all passed, got our logbooks, introduction to Lifting Equipment testing at the start of the Exercise. logged our dives, and went away happy. After all the planning and preparation I put in, I’m please we all came away with a qualification that allows us to go diving anywhere in the world. It is definitely an experience none of us will forget.

A Nurse shark on the sea floor A Ray swimming along

Cfn Legge Recovery Mechanic Class 2

I’d been a Class 2 for five months prior to deploying on Ex SAILFISH 21/1 and I was the sole Recovery Mechanic from 39 Engineer Regiment in Belize. My primary role was to recover any vehicles that were stuck or broken down anywhere in Belize and to provide recovery advice to the Squadron. Before deploying we were briefed on what the weather may be like as it was at the start of monsoon season. This would make a big difference on the road conditions and would indicate how busy I was going to be. Thankfully, at the start of the Exercise, the rain was not too much of a problem, but the heat was. Early in the Exercise I had two recovery jobs due to overheating which led to significant coolant leaks and radiator damage. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to fly in a helicopter to visit both construction sites that were outside the wire.

Typically, whilst in mid-air, a vehicle had broken down and recovery was needed, and unfortunately this cut my flight short. I did get to visit the two sites (Camp Charlie and Cooma Cairn) which gave me a bit of knowledge on what the roads were going to be like. When doing so, I figured that the SV(R) would not get up the last part of the journey to Cooma Cairn due to the width of the road and the two small bridges that wouldn’t take the weight of the SV(R). Whilst I was not doing any recovery jobs, I

SV(R) helping with a clutch change

Cfn Legge with the first of many successful recoveries