Colchester's Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg — Exercise Blue Valkyrie saw the Global Response Force train in their own backyard, carrying out mock-up air assault missions to mimic real-life overseas deployments (Picture: Cpl Stone/British Army).

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone, British Army .jpg — Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard (Picture: Cpl Stone/Army).

Colchesters Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army.jpg — Colchester's Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard (Picture: Cpl Stone/British Army).

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg — Paratroopers have been testing their combat readiness in a simulated exercise at Merville Barracks (Picture: Cpl Stone/Army).

RAF Chinook helicopters picked up Paratroopers from the Colchester barracks during the exercise 02022022 CREDIT Army.jpg — RAF Chinook helicopters picked up Paratroopers from the Colchester barracks during the exercise (Picture: Cpl Stone/Army).

Colchester's Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone, British Army .jpg

Colchesters Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army.jpg

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg

RAF Chinook helicopters picked up Paratroopers from the Colchester barracks during the exercise 02022022 CREDIT Army.jpg

Army

Paratroopers train at home for missions abroad

Colchester's Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg — Exercise Blue Valkyrie saw the Global Response Force train in their own backyard, carrying out mock-up air assault missions to mimic real-life overseas deployments (Picture: Cpl Stone/British Army).

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone, British Army .jpg — Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard (Picture: Cpl Stone/Army).

Colchesters Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army.jpg — Colchester's Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard (Picture: Cpl Stone/British Army).

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg — Paratroopers have been testing their combat readiness in a simulated exercise at Merville Barracks (Picture: Cpl Stone/Army).

RAF Chinook helicopters picked up Paratroopers from the Colchester barracks during the exercise 02022022 CREDIT Army.jpg — RAF Chinook helicopters picked up Paratroopers from the Colchester barracks during the exercise (Picture: Cpl Stone/Army).

Colchester's Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone, British Army .jpg

Colchesters Paratroopers global missions training in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army.jpg

Colchester's Paratroopers train for global missions in their own backyard 02022022 CREDIT Cpl Stone British Army .jpg

RAF Chinook helicopters picked up Paratroopers from the Colchester barracks during the exercise 02022022 CREDIT Army.jpg

Paratroopers have been testing their combat readiness in a simulated exercise at Merville Barracks.

Exercise Blue Valkyrie saw the Global Response Force train in their own backyard, carrying out mock-up air assault missions to mimic real-life overseas deployments.

In several waves, two RAF Chinook helicopters picked up 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment troops from the Colchester barracks, delivering A Company onto Fingringhoe Ranges and C (Bruneval) Company to Friday Woods, where they attacked make-shift enemy positions.

Major Chris Duncalfe, Officer Commanding A Company 2 PARA, said they "need to do the repetitions together to be able to do it right".

He added: "Air assault is not a simple task – there's a lot of planning required and it's important to build relationships with helicopter crews."

Air assault is one of the defining capabilities of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team (BCT) – a key element the Army says "will shape its Future Soldier vision as an ever more agile, lethal, and expeditionary force".

As the Global Response Force, the BCT is trained, equipped, and held ready to deploy at short notice anywhere in the world by air in response to global crises.

WatchUsOn

RAF C-17 becomes biggest aircraft to land on tiny remote island

Ukraine war: What we know about the destroyed Nova Kakhovka dam

Inside the world of an RAF fighter pilot policing Nato's Baltic skies

WatchUsOn

RAF C-17 becomes biggest aircraft to land on tiny remote island

Ukraine war: What we know about the destroyed Nova Kakhovka dam

Inside the world of an RAF fighter pilot policing Nato's Baltic skies

Browse hundreds of jobs for ex-forces

Houseman and Driver

Midhurst, Sussex, United Kingdom

£30,000 to £35,000 Per Year + 8% Pension; Private Healthcare; 26 days holiday plus bank holidays

Apply

Linux Unix Engineer

Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom

Apply

Technical Specialist Citrix and Virtualisation

Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom

£45,000 to £55,000 Per Year + £45,000 - £55,000

Apply