Shells rain on plain (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Shells rain on plain

THE booming sounds of the Army's big guns have been echoing around the area this week as more than 2,000 British soldiers take part in a massive live firing exercise on Salisbury Plain.

It is the largest exercise of its type seen on the plain for many years and enables troops to train in preparation for deployment anywhere around the world as NATO's rapid reaction force.

On Friday the media were invited to witness the exercise, called Iron Storm, and it went ahead amid the thunderstorms and rain.

The exercise gives the 3rd (UK) Division Offensive Support Group, whose headquarters are in Bulford, and other units in the Army an opportunity to try out a full scale battle.

An Army spokesman said: "The soldiers are doing live firing into the impact area on Salisbury Plain and it's been extremely useful for the troops who have come from a number of artillery units to work and exercise together and work out what they need to do in a battle situation."

The huge AS90 gun that can fire up to 30km is being used as well as the 118 light gun.

The exercise also involves six gun batteries, three multiple launch rocket system batteries and three mortar platoons.

RAF Tornados and Jaguars have been involved in the exercise and in addition there are 38 fighter ground attack sorties supported by infantry reconnaissance platoons, weapon locating radars and Phoenix unmanned air vehicles to identify targets.

The Defence Procurement Minister, Lord Paul Drayson, also attended on Friday and was driven around the plain wearing helmet and goggles so he could witness the soldiers in action.

He also saw one of the Government's latest purchases, the £12million COBRA (Counter Battery Radar) device.

This can track up to 40 projectiles in the air simultaneously and work out their trajectory.

It was the Minister's first visit to Salisbury Plain and said he found it interesting.

He spent time talking to the troops and said it was "absolutely vital" that soldiers should have the chance to train using equipment in a live firing exercise.

Other units taking part in the exercise are the regiments from the Royal Artillery, the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment and the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment.

The ten day exercise finishes at the end of this week and the 3rd (UK)

Division will be taking up their role as part of the NATO Response Force in January for six months.