Exercise Desert Warrior: Enhancing close combat skills in Kuwait
Troops from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards (The Welsh Cavalry) and 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment have spent four weeks with their Kuwaiti allies on Exercise Desert Warrior.
Their month of training together culminated with a joint demonstration of their mounted and dismounted close-combat skills prior to Kuwait’s Liberation Day.
The bilateral exercise involved the development of the Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF) Reconnaissance Battalions by integrating troops from the QDG's B Squadron and elements from D Company, 1 Royal Anglian.
Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kierstead, the QDG's Commanding Officer, said Exercise Desert Warrior, which is running for the seventh time, presented an ideal opportunity to practice operational effectiveness with allies across varying climates and cultures:
"This is an example of the British Army's global presence and how we consistently work with our allies to further develop those strong bonds that we share."
Major Dhari Alazemi, Company Commander of the Kuwaiti Reconnaissance Battalion, was the lead officer for the joint demonstration, called Al Tareer.
He said there was mutual respect between both nations: "We really value the combat experience of the British Army and every year we put on this exercise we get a greater understanding of each other.
"Not just that, we also look forward to spending time with the British troops and our relationship is very strong."
Jordan Murphy joined the QDG three years ago and was promoted from trooper to lance corporal just prior to the exercise.
He said: "The build-up to the joint demonstration brought out what we've been learning together over the past month after conducting close-target reconnaissance drills, tactics in advancing to the enemy in how to peel right or left and dealing with the enemy in clearing buildings.
"This is what you join the Army for – to keep learning and keep advancing."
Join Our Newsletter
