KEEPING THE PEACE Military exercise at Lohatla
THE SOUTH African National Defence Force (SANDF) is currently hosting its United States counterparts for a joint military exercise in the Northern Cape.
The SANDF said that the exercise started yesterday and will end on August 4 and is taking place at the South African Army Combat Training Centre (SAA CTC) at Lohatla.
SANDF spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Piet Paxton, said that the aim of the exercise was to conduct a bilateral peace support operation (PSO) exercise known as Exercise Shared Accord 2017.
This exercise was planned as a result of the Defence Committee discussions that took place in 2015 between South Africa and the US and is a follow-up of Ex Shared Accord held in 2011 and 2013.
The SANDF said the exercise would be based on a scenario where a Combined RSA/US Task Group (CTG) would conduct a Peace Support Operation and Intervention operations under a United Nations (UN) Chapter 7 Mandate.
“This is the more robust mandate whereby belligerent forces are forced to disengage and to discontinue the armed conflict within the region of the exercise area of Lohatla.
“The exercise officially commenced on July 3 2017, when the movement of forces started as part of the mobilisation phase. The field training phase started on Monday and the participating forces will return to their respective basis on August 4 2017.”
The SANDF added that the US Army would exercise strategic lift by means of sea, air and road movement and the SANDF would exercise road movement support and replenishment.
“This mobilisation will be done from various and multiple locations in South Africa to the Northern Cape, with the aim to strengthen a bilateral relationship between RSA/US forces that allows mutual benefit to improve understanding of partnered operations with a highly capable allied force.
“The main port of entry will be the Upington Airport and a number of C-17 aircraft from the United States Air Force will land on the airport to off-load equipment and personnel.
“On completion of the exercise the movement and strategic lift will reverse during demobilisation from the same airport.
“During the same period various convoys will travel to the training area with the most significant one being that of US Army Combat vehicles between Cape Town and the Northern Cape.”
The SANDF said the exercise would focus on inter-operability during military actions on various subjects, including shared interest in tactics, techniques and procedures between SA and US forces, individual skills training, bush craft, counter improvised explosive devices drills (C-IED) and night operations, as well as a UN peace keeping scenario that incorporates elements of RSA/US recent experience such as strong point defence, direct action and targeted offensive operations.”