Joint exercising – shared objective
The Reccex 23 -participating training audience troops convened at Huovinrinne of Säkylä during 25–27 August. The successful motorised marches of the international units completed and Finnish reservists’ reception and equipping done, it was time to start training joint operating among the total strength of the training audience.
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure to welcome the reservists and international training audience troops participating in the exercise Reccex 23 at Säkylä. The training exercise will start by the CET/FIT (Combat Enhancement Training/Force Integration Training) phase that involves familiarisation with the participating units’ tactics, techniques and procedures as well as equipment and kit. Having completed this phase, the troops will able to operate jointly more optimally and remain ready for their set missions. Honing the joint operating skills will continue during the applied training LIVEX phase of the exercise when the force’s operating capability improves by means of the set missions completed and the after-action-review feedback received.
Prior to the CET/FIT phase, the reservists have drilled their own tasks over the weekend so that they are prepared for operating with the international troops. Joint multinational training provides the service personnel and reservists an increasingly challenging opportunity to develop the operating capability on both the individual and force level. Knowing the TTPs, equipment and kit of the other forces will also enable introducing the best practices as part of our own operating as applicable.
The essential CET/FIT
From the viewpoint of command and control, the CET/FIT phase is particularly relevant when operating jointly with international forces. During this phase, the operating force entities will be established to be submitted under the command of their respective commanders.
The Finnish Defence Forces operates in society.
In Reccex 23, the units will focus on executing demanding CBRNE and EOD missions that provide challenging conditions for the purpose of honing the skills of both the reservists and service personnel for operating in normal and exceptional circumstances. As the Finnish Defence Forces operates in society, it is vital for us to get to train in co-operation with other agencies and civilian operators, for which this exercise provides excellent opportunities. Finland is internationally known for this heritage of inter-agency training conducted in co-operation with other authorities and civilian operators – one of the specific characteristics that this exercise can offer to the international training audience troops.
The participation of the international training audience is bound to affect the regular procedures of inter-authority co-operation, and, by the same token, offers a versatile opportunity also for the authorities and other operators to drill and develop their own readiness for international joint operating. The participation of other agencies and international forces will make the exercise increasingly challenging but also allow for receiving external feedback on units’ operating for further development purposes.
The exercise will strengthen our expertise, interoperability and connectivity with other inter-authority agencies and international forces. This will strengthen the Finnish Defence Forces’ readiness and capability relating to national defence. Drilling execution of missions relating to national defence together with the other Nordic countries will also develop the readiness for providing support to partners and allies.
The article was authored by Exercise Director of Reccex 23, Lieutenant Colonel Aleksi Punnala.
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