Ex KERNOW EAGLE

Course students and Gunners from across the RAF Regiment on VHF/ HF radios for the first time, giving them an understanding of how to employ them and ensure they can effectively communicate on operations.

Regimental Training Squadron (Basics) Trainee Gunner Course 6-21, Meiktila Flight, started Air Force Protection week with a series of lessons focused around the ‘on base’ delivery of Force Protection in the Complex Air Ground Environment. The trainees observed a series of live demonstrations at RAF Honington’s Main Guardroom, assisted by the station’s RAF Police Flight to add realism. The week culminated with a hugely successful on-base confirmation exercise. Afterwards the TGs reflected that using a real gate on an active RAF Station, coupled with the support of the RAF Police, significantly enhanced their overall comprehension of the delivery of AIR FP in this environment. Close Quarter Battle was next on the agenda under the expert supervision of the Squadron’s Instructors and included Section level tactics enhanced by using Marker Round Training System, effectively a paint round, to simulate real ammunition and improve training value by being able to identify your fall of shot, and experiencing being hit, which encourages students to apply themselves more fully to the training. Finally, Meiktila Flight deployed to STANTA for their final summative assessment, Ex OMEGA. Meiktila graduated 18 Gunners on 4 August. Trainee Gunner Course 1-22, Salalah Flight, conducted Live Firing Marksmanship Training on the 25 metre range at RAF Honington before moving onto longer ranges at Colchester, before taking on their Annual Combat Marksmanship Test which is a mammoth achievement for any TG. Deploying on four separate fieldcraft exercises in July, the Flight Commander and Sergeants had to remain agile and pragmatic to safely achieve training objectives in the soaring temperatures we saw in July. With the high heat forecast across East Anglia, to those exposed on the training areas, at times the temperatures were reminiscent of Afghanistan! The remaining 37 TGs go into the Autumn with Module 1 complete and look forward to a well-deserved two-week summer break. When they return, they’ll commence Module 2 and a final 10 weeks of hard graft working towards their October Graduation. After a brief introduction on the first morning to the methods the coastguards use to save/recover casualties at sea as well as information about the risks of the beach, the afternoon saw some coasteering where we also learned about the wildlife that can be found on the rocks and in the caves.

On the second day, we grabbed the surfboards and headed to Fistral beach for an exciting day of surfing introduction before travelling to St Austell to learn

by Air Specialist (Class 1) Technician Bradley Welsman

Five individuals from Armament Engineering Fight, Support Wing Headquarters and Training Wing set off on a three-day Eagle scheme exped on the Cornish coast on in June looking to enhance key work-related abilities like teamwork, communication, and physical resilience.

the fundamentals of stand-up paddle boarding on the final day – all while exploring the Cornish coast in search of the greatest ice cream.

The team would like to say a big thank you to every member of the Robson Resilience Centre staff for making it possible for the training to take place. As well as Kernow eagle RAF St Mawgan offer another 4 eagles schemes ranging from mountain biking to climbing, these can all be accessed on the RAF Eagles Scheme Sharepoint page.