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BIERSET
Master base of the Belgian Light Aviation Army
©Belgian Light Aviation Army- ANTI-TANK MISSION -
8.45 p.m., on the Bierset base near Luik, warrant officer Dupont, who will be our guide during our visit, welcomes us. After having compiled usual formalities, we enter the Belgian Light Aviation Army's den. We pass by the line of helos waiting for their crew. Ground engineer are working on 3 Agusta 109 BA. We are now within the Anti Tank Helicopter Battalion's premises (Bn HATk), which has recently become the Multirole Helicopter Battalion.
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At the bar of
the 17th Bn MRH , some pilots are having a cup of coffee. They have
just come back from the weather forecast briefing : the ceiling
is broken, they are allowed to fly. Captain Mignolet asks his men
to go to the briefing room and invite us in the same time. In a
relax but serious atmosphere crews take place in semicircle at the
back of the room.
A company leader he is in charge of
choosing the characteristics and the scenario of the mission. The
most important thing for him is to confirm the knowledge and know-how
of pilots in a situation not too far from reality, just in case...
A map is fixed to the blackboard. Fictive frontiers are established,
big red arrows are not good signs for the country " Good land
" the company will intervene for.
The kind of
threat for A 109 is clearly identified : tanks from the Varsovia
pact (T-55, BTR...) absence of air component, jamming… The
killing ground is situated around Ambly. It is an area around which
are positioned attack helicopters ready to engage their target. |
The two groups
of 3 helicopters he manages, represented by only one A 109 for
the mission, will take off after 30 minutes and will meet their
captain on a point designed by crypted transmission where they
will get more observations from the leader. They will then do
their own reconnaissance flight and will define more precisely
the area they may fly in. Then they come back to the base.
Captain Mignolet
will be advised by the headquarter, who will have accepted the
action plan he proposed, one hour before the enemy column reach
the Killing Ground. He will then take off to observe the progression
of targets. At 11.50 GMT, the two groups will be ready to respond
to the order of their chief, or anyway will take off at 12.10
GMT to reach the Attack point.
No TOW II
missiles will be launched : mirrors have been put on the Belgian
vehicles will enable to define by simple reflection of the laser
if the target is destroyed. From now on, the trucks won't be designed
by their true names, but will be designed as Russian ground vehicles.
For example, a Mercedes Unimog is now known as a T55 tank. In
case of failure, helicopters will self-rescue. Other details are
finally explained such as how to react in case of attack, frequencies
of transmission, coded words. No question : the mission presentation
is exhaustive. |
