The exercise will be carried out in varying terrain routes that resemble intense fighting that relies on multi-armed cooperation from the foot soldier to the general staff.
By Aryeh Savir, TPS
Israeli Special Forces landed on the beaches of Cyprus on Sunday and commenced with the “Beyond the Horizon” drill, the last phase of the military’s month-long “Chariots of Fire” exercise simulating a multi-front war.
At the end of three weeks of intensive training as part of the IDF’s “war month,” the last week of drilling opened with an exercise in Cyprus.
The exercise is taking place in collaboration with the Cyprus Army and “is an important component in maintaining the capabilities of the forces for a variety of emergencies,” the IDF stated. “Cooperation between armies helps increase regional stability and the ability to face common challenges.”
The Air Force, Special Forces, naval units, the Intelligence Division and cyber units, including reserve units, are maneuvering together in the exercise.
“The purpose of the exercise is to improve the readiness of participating forces and their competence in operational missions deep in enemy territory, while combining and maximizing multi-armed capabilities such as assisting ground forces with combat helicopters, evacuating wounded by assault helicopters, directing and escorting forces with intelligence, and dropping logistics equipment with transport squadrons,” the IDF explained.
The exercise will be carried out in varying terrain routes that resemble intense fighting that relies on multi-armed cooperation from the foot soldier to the general staff.
The exercise is unique and the first of its kind, and “is an opportunity to practice adaptation to unfamiliar territory, distributed activity within physical distance, under emergency and sudden events, in a way that simulates reality as much as possible.”
The Beyond the Horizon exercise will end this coming Friday.
The objective of the Chariots of Fire drill is to prepare the army for war, especially in the northern arena, with an emphasis on a combined confrontation in several different sectors at the same time.