Two 40M medium Heavy Capability vehicles demonstrating the Australian Army School of Transport’s Land Tactical Vehicle Training Continuum.
Photo by
LAC Chris Tsakisiris
The Australian Army School of Transport has taken a major step in self-protection at Puckapunyal Military Area, trialling a new training continuum focused on defending a “vital” part of the Army Corps.
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On Thursday, September 17, soldiers put months of practice to the test when they trialled the Land Tactical Vehicle Training Continuum with live fire.
The LTVTC equips combat support and combat service support soldiers with the skills they need to protect themselves when delivering supplies to frontline forces.
The training includes utilising mounted firearms to defend against opposing forces, boosting the soldiers’ ability to multitask while navigating towards those on the front line.
An Army School of Transport soldier conducting the self-protection exercise.
Photo by
LAC Chris Tsakisiris
Army School of Transport commanding officer and chief instructor Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Laing said the combat support corps was an essential part of the Army.
“Logistics is vital for the fighting forces to continue to fight,” Lt Col Laing said.
“Without ammo, fuel, food and water, it essentially halts the fighting force.
“It is vital that we have the ability to protect ourselves and get those stores to the elements that need it.”
Army School of Transport Sergeant Xavier Brown said logistics was the “easy target” on the battlefield.
“I feel, as a logistics member, it’s very important for logistics to be able to defend themselves whilst moving forward in a battle zone,” Sgt Brown said.
“The intent moving forward is that we are no longer a ‘soft target’, we’re able to defend ourselves and convince the enemy that we can’t be easily engaged.”
An Army School of Transport soldier fires at a simulated enemy in order to defend the logistics corps.
Photo by
Billie Davern
In a battle space, Lt Col Laing said logistics could be “slow moving” and “less manoeuvrable” than other arms corps assets.
“In the past, there was a much greater reliance on arms corps individuals to provide some sort of security to logistics convoys, and I’m not suggesting that won’t be required in the future ... But, this enables us to find greater levels of area that we can provide protection to ourselves and keep those supply lines open as long as we can,” he said.
Under the LTVTC, the phrase “move, shoot, communicate” guides combat support soldiers.
“(It) means we’re equipped to be able to move within the battle space, we can engage targets on the move and we have the necessary equipment to communicate, not just internal to the vehicle, but between those vehicles and convoys,” Lt Col Laing said.
Commanding officer and chief instructor of the Army School of Transport Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Laing talks to media about the LTVTC.
Photo by
LAC Chris Tsakisiris
He said it wasn’t about equipping these soldiers with the skills to engage in offensive action, but rather allowing them to protect themselves.
“These vehicles are not designed to fight. They’re not part of an offensive operation,” Lt Col Laing said.
“The purpose of this training is to fight our way out of the contact to ensure we’re not stuck and we lose assets, we lose people, but we can continue to provide the resources to the troops that need it.”
The LTVTC ensures the logistics corps can protect themselves when delivering vital resources to frontline soldiers.
Photo by
Billie Davern
The day prior to the live fire exercise, media got a firsthand look at what LTVTC entails, with trained soldiers performing a demonstration of the exercise at Puckapunyal Military Area.
Instructor at the Australian Army School of Transport Corporal Carlee Portloc said she thought the demonstration went “quite well”.
“We conducted a dry run prior to our live fire tomorrow, it was just about getting out all those cobwebs,” Cpl Portloc said.
“Moving into the battle space, we’ll be using live rounds, so we’ll need to be on our game to do that in future in the battle space or in training.”
She said the training process had been rewarding.
“It’s really satisfying to put those building blocks in place and watching people come through whose skills may not have been up to standard yet, but by the time they walk out of here, they’re feeling confident that when they go back to their units, they can play their role and protect themselves moving forward,” Cpl Portloc said.
The LTVTC has been supported by the Land Combat College and delivered by Australian Army School of Transport personnel in Darwin, Townsville, Amberley and Puckapunyal.
