THE latest brigade preparing to deploy to Afghanistan, 19 Light Brigade, has just completed its Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRX) on Salisbury Plain.

Some 4,000 soldiers, 550 vehicles, helicopter and fast attack aircraft have been honing their skills ready to deploy beginning next month.

Troops include elements from 32 Regiment RA in Larkhill, Egypt Squadron, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment and C Company, 2nd Bn The Royal Welsh, both from Tidworth, who will be deployed outside their normal operational brigade organisation.

C Coy 2 R Welsh will deploy in their armoured infantry role with their Warriors, but Egypt Sqn is training in the Viking BVS10 all-terrain vehicle (Protected) ATV (P). BV stands for “bandvagen” in Swedish which means it is driven via rubber tracks.

Squadron Sergeant, Major Pat Burgess, described their change of role as “something very different from our Challenger 2 MBTs”. He added: “It’s a lot smaller and more mobile, and we are used to the 120mm gun which has a lot more firepower, but this is proving a good vehicle out in Helmand.

“The Viking will be used in a variety of roles, such as an armoured personnel carrier to carry infantry into battle, it can also be used for reconnaissance and mobile protection for combat logistic patrols. It is very versatile.” “Our guys will be crewing the vehicle from the front rather than the rear and, as we are a brigade asset, we will be deployed across the AOR when and where we are needed.”

The troopers I spoke to were getting to grips with their new role and enjoying the experience, their only complaint: the seats were uncomfortable. Well, a complaining soldier is a happy soldier!

Commanded by Brigadier Tim Radford, late Rifles, the brigade will field five infantry battalions, plus three reinforcement infantry companies, an armoured reconnaissance regiment, plus the sqn from 2 RTR, an artillery regiment with support from five additional gunner regiments plus engineers and supporting arms.

Giving his briefing, Brigadier Radford was positive about the equipment his soldiers would use: “This is the best-equipped brigade ever. I feel really comfortable with the level of equipment we have,” he said.

He went on to emphasise the multi-faceted nature of the deployment, elements of the Danish Battle Group (BG) deployed on the Plain along with members of the Afghan National Army – and there is close liaison with the Estonian BG who will join the brigade, the FCO and Difid were also deployed in the HQ.

“We have been training for this for almost a year,” he said. “This exercise is the culmination and is designed to put the Brigade HQ through their paces. The snow has not put us off as severe weather, of whatever nature, tests us.”