Germany

UK specialists join German counterparts to train in annual air logistic exercise

Watch: UK and German troops combine for specialist logistics training.

Specialist troops from the British Army have taken part in the German military's main annual air logistics exercise.

Personnel from the Royal Logistics Corps' 13 Air Assault Support Regiment travelled to Celle, Germany, to train with their German counterparts, the 8th Airborne Logistics Company.

Both units took part in the mass evacuation of Afghan people from Kabul airport in August 2021.

The Colchester-based 13 Air Assault Support Regiment sustains the elite troops of the 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, while 8th Airborne Logistics Company supports the German 31st Paratrooper Regiment.

Captain Joe Jenkins, of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, said: "This is an integration opportunity for us.

"We're getting to know our German counterparts. How they move. How they operate and how they do airborne logistic."

The exercise involved training drills and techniques with a range of air-transportable German combat vehicles, including Wiesel battle tanks, Mungo multi-role armoured vehicles and the powerful A400M Atlas aircraft.

British personnel have been training with German vehicles during their main annual air logistic exercise.

The German army's Lieutenant 'Marco', the Air Terminal Operations platoon leader, reflected on the importance of the training, saying: "Especially at this time we have right now, the political situation and the situation in the world, so it's absolutely necessary to strengthen our co-operation.

"This is the right way. To do exercises together.

"So, to see each other and maybe we have the possibility to go to the UK."

British and German personnel have taken part in a supply and air logistics exercise.

The 14 members of the British personnel who travelled to Germany also trained with various weapons, including the P8 Heckler and Koch pistol, unfamiliar to them, and took part in drills with German forces using the NH-90 helicopter.

Capt Jenkins added: "Hopefully, we can really look for further integration of partnership in the future, but the Germans reached out and we openly accepted and hopefully we can return this in the very near future and continue this partnership."