Plain to host major training op
3:00pm Wednesday 16th July 2008 in Latest News By Wiltshire Times Reporter
ONE of the largest military training exercises ever to be held in the UK will be taking place on Salisbury Plain later this month.
Between Monday (Jul 21) and August 1, 5,800 Royal Marines and soldiers from Three Commando Brigade will be taking part in the exercise in preparation for future deployment to Afghanistan later this year.
They include 1st Battalion The Rifles, which was formed from the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and still recruits from Wiltshire.
The exercise will also involve with 500 vehicles including 14 helicopters and a small number of jets.
A spokesman for Three Commando Brigade said: "The Brigade has to be ready to deploy anywhere in the world, especially Helmand; rehearsing key skills is an essential element in maintaining operational capability.
"This is an operationally focussed Brigade that gleans its most recently operational experience from Helmand Province in Afghanistan.
"Every effort will be made to ensure that noisy activity is limited to normal training times.
In principle, flying hours have been limited to between 7am and 11pm during the week with only limited flying on weekends.
However, on some occasions flying will be conducted throughout the night."
Local MPs, parish councils, police, the AA and other interested parties will be contacted in advance of the exercise.
Details of the low flying aspects of the exercise will be posted on the Ministry of Defence website at www.mod.uk/issues/lowflying
