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33 Squadron Pumas train with Regiment prior to exercise
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On Wednesday evening of 25th October, 3 Pumas along with the Aircrew and Ground Personnel from 33 Squadron based at RAF Benson arrived at RAF Gibraltar prior to their involvement with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RGR) in Exercise JEBEL SAHARA, Morocco.
The following day, the Pumas were fully utilised and enabled the Royal Gibraltar Regiment to practice their abseiling skills prior to their deployment to Morocco. The Helicopters hovered at 150 feet with safety ground crews on hand whilst the RGR soldiers abseiled out of the aircraft in pairs. The Exercise, which commences on Monday 30 October, is taking place at Ram Ram camp near Marrakech and in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
The Exercise is due to last for just over three weeks and will also involve members from the Moroccan parachute infantry unit; the 2eme Brigade d'Infanterie Parachutiste. Two Chinooks from 18 Squadron at RAF Odiham are also due to participate in the Exercise alongside the Pumas. The skills which the RGR and aircrew of 18 and 33 Squadrons also intend to practice on Exercise JEBEL SAHARA will include medical evacuations, troop insertions, troop extractions and high altitude operations similar to those performed regularly in Iraq.
When interviewed, Squadron Leader Andy Peebles, a Flight Commander on 33 Squadron said "It was advantageous for the Squadron to hone its skills in Gibraltar prior to our deployment to Exercise JEBEL SAHARA in Morocco. With the heavy workload in Iraq over the past three years, this opportunity for the troops and aircrew to practice their skills in a safer but similar environment will be extremely valuable training for future operations.
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