CET/FIT as the basis for interoperable capability

On 18-19 May, the Finnish training audience to Hedgehog 22 arrived in Estonia in two detachments. After arrival at the exercise drill area, we started cooperating with the 1. Brigade’s Scouts Battalion of the Estonian Defence Forces, as part of which we will operate while at the exercise.

Before start of exercise drill, the phase involving Combat Enhancement Training/Force Integration Training (CET/FIT) was allocated an evening and two full days in total. This also involved orders briefings and necessary preparations. For our reservist force, this training also offered opportunity for upgrading one’s capability to the desired level, as after all, prior to departure, we undertook training in Finland for a day.

Training activity starts

Our training began with the FIT phase that allowed us to familiarise with the Estonian Battalion and introduce our troops and capabilities. Although fully aware of each other’s organisation composition, it was necessary to look into details in order to integrate our forces into one. In conjunction with this, we had to, among others, integrate and connect command and control as well as measures for logistics and support. These remain key to multinational interoperable cooperating. The objective of the FIT phase was to achieve an adequate understanding concerning TTPs and capabilities as well as to coordinate cooperating with sufficient accuracy. As this objective was met relatively quickly, we were then ready to move on to the following phase.

We got to hone interoperability in, for instance, ensuring arrangements for crossing over, and directing and controlling indirect fires.

Immediately on the following day, we completed the CET phase. In practice, this translated into a day of two-sided combat that the Estonians had prepared for us. The exercising included key TTPs to ensure that both parties were able to confirm that we all sustain the combat technical and tactical competence and skills necessary for operating jointly as a multinational battalion as part of brigade’s battle. Well-prepared in advance, the exercising allowed us to hone interoperability in, for instance, ensuring arrangements for crossing over, and directing and controlling indirect fires. 

The final CET exercising day entailed unit-specific training, as well as training for a sub-entity of a particular mission to be carried out during the exercise drill’s implementation phase. By the closing of the second day, we were able to determine that the necessary preparations had been taken and we remain ready for the set mission. Despite the tight timetable for the CET/FIT exercising, the well-done preparations complemented by excellent support from the Estonian hosts ensured that the set objectives were met

Seamless cooperating

Conducting CET/FIT exercising in multinational military drills significantly develops the parties’ ability for joint operating, and ensures seamless and safe interoperable cooperating. While undertaking CET/FIT, we are also able to exchange ideas, compare TTPs, and discuss matters more thoroughly with our partners. During the exercise drill’s implementation phases, the focus will be increasingly on testing the troops’ capability and developing the tactical and combat technical operating activity. In multinational exercise drills, the CET/FIT phase provides the basis for operating, and it would do so also in any real-life situations. Thus, following the exercise, this force will again have gained valuable experience.

The text was authored in Finnish by Lieutenant Colonel Risto Kohonen, National Senior Officer of the Finnish training audience to Hedgehog 22.