K3 in Karlsborg has the main responsibility for setting up the ISTAR Task Force. The Irish company includes more than 100 soldiers and officers with experience from Liberia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Eritrea, Chad and Timor. The company is mechanised and therefore has splinter protected vehicles – both MOWAGs with different arming options and a number of RG32s (Galten). The company consists of an infantry platoon, a cavalry platoon as well as a number of smaller units with competence in engineering, air defence, fire control and close air support among other things.
In order to be able to solve its tasks, the unit is dependent upon various sensors that overlap each other. An important sensor within the company is the unmanned aerial vehicle known as the Orbiter MUAV, which is a modern reconnaissance aircraft that can be quickly set up and controlled by a couple of people. The UAV unit in the company has three crafts.
Another important sensor is the AMRAAM ground penetrating radar, which can spot both vehicles and people long distances away. This system is also modern, easy-to-handle and quick to set up. In addition to these two important sensors, the unit is also used, e.g. by grouping in observation points, in order to locate and verify various targets.
So, how did the exercise go?
It went well, according to the Head of the Nordic Battlegroup, Stefan Andersson, who was present in Ireland:
“I’m convinced that the company gives us excellent opportunities to operate with a relatively large operative depth. Many of the unit’s soldiers and officers have just returned home from a mission in Chad and their experiences are extremely valuable. I feel very confident in the abilities that the Irish unit is contributing to NBG 11.”