In this video images from the airfield in Drachten Friesland in the north of the Netherlands. This airfield was taken by the soldiers of the Air Mobile brigade the day before.
Before the assault started, scouts had already been dropped off who observed the landing sites before the main force could land. These scouts themselves are also dropped at tactical spots by helicopters and assess the areas in which the helicopters of the main force should land and also explore the enemy positions to gain insight into how the airfield can be taken. They want to be sure that the helicopters can actually land there. In this training scenario, the LMB wants to have the Drachten runway operational as soon as possible. There was considerable pressure on the ground operation to get the airfield operational as soon as possible. Soldiers need to make sure they can clear the runway as soon as possible. To achieve this, they also have soldiers who are specifically trained in air traffic control during an operation like this one. These people can actually talk planes to the ground.
The ultimate success of the mission is not just conquering something, but also getting it operational so that NATO forces can use the location. During the mission it is therefore the consideration that commanders make sure how much force they use during the deployment. If they use a lot of force, they can conquer the terrain, but if it's too damaged, they will never get it operational again. This consideration was the hardest thing to encounter, to get hold of the target as quickly as possible, but also to keep that runway intact in combat. Soldiers eventually came up with only one movement here in Drachten, where they landed simultaneously in several landing zones.
Specific units also participated in the exercise, such as a German Antonov 28. The aircraft was used for the transport of wounded soldiers at the airport in Drachten. This flight in particular was for the CASEVAC. The term CASEVAC stands for Casualty Evacuation and means that for example injured persons are evacuated without the presence of medical personnel. This is in contrast to a MEDEVAC (Medical Evacuation) where the injured also receive medical care along the way. The aircraft has also been used to perform logistical tasks. The fact that this aircraft could land quickly was therefore also proof that forces were able to carry out our mission quickly and effectively, deep in enemy terrain.
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