LIVE FIRE IN THE FALKLANDS
By J. Brock (FINN)
A weeklong live firing exercise has just completed in the Falkland Islands and, if Major Terry Turner (TT) has his way, it won’t be the last one. Major Turner ran a year long Premier Course for the Royal Artillery in the UK for Senior NCOs – the best Sergeants and Staff Sergeants - but now is experimenting with setting up temporary ranges anywhere in the world. In this instance, it was at Port Harriet Farm.
High Velocity Surface to Air Missiles were fired at red drones with amazing accuracy on the temporary range, which was a mile from Port Harriet House. It is Major Turner’s job to train the trainers so that they can put the techniques into practice with their own trainees. He teaches them to set up a temporary range and what aspects of health and safety to take into account on the range.
FINN: Why was Port Harriet chosen?
TT: Gunnery ranges were common to the area after the 1982 conflict. I can think of the Hookers Point range and Bertha’s Beach, where there were firing ranges. I think it would be inappropriate to choose Bertha’s Beach now because it is a RAMSA site administered by Falklands Conservation. Port Harriet was ideal.
The HVMs that were used have a larger safety trace of just under 22km and this determined where the temporary range could go. Admittedly, there were suitable places in Lafonia that Major Turner looked at but Port Harriet was better suited for the task at hand.
When firing took place, Fish-ops issued a notice to mariners and the Stanley Civil Aviation authorities were informed. In total, 38 missiles were fired with excellent results for Major Turner’s 13 students. Missiles used were 10 years old and there are two options for them. They either get fired or destroyed.
“If they get destroyed they are of no value,” said Major Turner.
Drones used were called Banshees and were produced by a Company called Meggit Ltd. They were brought down with Major Turner. The rest of the equipment came down on the supply ship and will return the same way, once it is dismantled and packed. Once the site was vacated, aside from a few tire tracks, it looked as if no one was there.
There are many people to thank and Major Turner especially mentioned Owen Summers, Joe Newell, Andrew Newman, Fish-ops and Marvin Clarke. Also, a big thank you went to FIG for permitting the live firing exercise.
“Marvin, the Civilian Range Warden for the troops, did an outstanding job in organising the range package for us,” Major Turner said.
