During Exercise Swift Response in Estonia, paratroopers from the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (3 PARA BG) demonstrated their considerable firepower, supported by Typhoon fighters, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and artillery. The exercise involved a 48-hour live-fire mission to clear and maintain a three-kilometre-long system of trenches.
During the night, troops were embedded with Chinook helicopters to assault trenches at dawn, facing enemy drones and using their own drones to gather intelligence. The 105mm small arms of the 7th Parachute Artillery Regiment Royal Horse (7 Para RHA) and the heavy 12.7mm machine guns of the Wildcat helicopters helped neutralise enemy targets.
According to reports from the official British Army websitethe soldier Matt Hames, a machine gunner in the 3rd PARA, described the experience in the trenches as very cramped and explained his crucial role in providing covering fire to protect his comrades as they advanced. The Engineer Will Coleman of 23rd Parachute Regiment Geniers spoke of the operations to remove obstacles, including blowing up perimeter areas, barbed wire and bunkers, emphasising the versatility of the sappers in combat.
Air support was coordinated by the Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) of the 7th Parachute Artillery, coordinating Typhoon, Apache, Wildcat and Puma Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) aircraft. The Warrant Officer Class Two Adam Colvin described the role of JTAC as a 'force multiplier' of paramount importance during operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Dave Mans, commander of the glorious 3rd Parachute Battalion, praised his soldiers for their controlled aggressiveness and concentration during training, highlighting how such exercises improve preparedness for any operational environment, emphasising the importance of developing and maintaining operational skills under realistic and complex conditions.
The Exercise Swift Response, part of the wider Steadfast Defender 24 involving more than 90,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen from all 32 NATO countriesaims to improve the ability of NATO forces to respond together to crises by strengthening relations and joint preparedness.
