EXERCISE ARRCADE LIGHTNING 2022
Terrain Walk in Poland
Whilst planning is the essential core activity of the Corps Headquarters , it is only when you see the ground that you realise how effective your plan might be . Through the Corps Comprehensive Planning Process ( CPP ), we seek to achieve decisive effect in all domains ; however the ground we fight over is still the most decisive of domains for the Corps , and this is why reconnaissance , battlefield studies and terrain walks are so important . We all know that first hand ‘ boots on the ground ’ reality can be quite different from the mental pictures we may have built up within the confines of our HQ .
Therefore , the Exercise ARRCADE LIGHTNING Terrain Walk was undertaken to give us a chance to see how accurate we had been with our considerations of ‘ The Ground ’ – and whether the assumptions we had made had been correct . Did our plan therefore survive the additional scrutiny we would subject it to ?
Conducting this walk as the Russian aggression continued in Ukraine brought home to us all the nature of the threat and ‘ clear and present danger ’ that it posed . And whilst the DEFENDER M3 CPX might have been cancelled , the process we had been through continued , in order to develop the ARRC staff and the ARRC ’ s capability . The Terrain Walk became the opportunity to stress test our plan , to see what we got right ; and where and why we had gone wrong .
Exercise attendees included : ARRC senior officers , senior NATO officers from sister formations and higher headquarters , and Polish Army senior leaders including COM Polish Land Component Command Maj Gen Stanisław Czosnek , and Polish Land Forces Inspector Maj Gen Maciej Jabłoński .
Walking the ground gave us an opportunity to understand how others , in the past , have solved ( or not ) similar problems . Poland ’ s geographical location has meant its history and indeed its current borders have been dominated by the numerous battles and wars that have been fought on and through it . Winston Churchill wrote , “ Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it .” Lessons from the past may not always ward off doom , but they can provide insights into the present and even the future . We were lucky to be joined by Dr Paul Latawski
Engineer capability demonstration
– an acknowledged historical expert on Poland – who helped us to understand how others succeeded and failed in their endeavours .
A modified Rehearsal of Concept ( ROC ) was held at JFTC Bydgoszcz . This introduction to the ARRC plan was conducted on a terrain model in order to ensure common understanding and set the context for the subsequent stands during the Terrain Walk . The event provided an opportunity to get into the detail of the ARRC Scheme of Manoeuvre , and to highlight specific areas of interest that would be explored during the remainder of the Terrain Walk . Subject Matter Experts provided insights into topics that added detail to how the plan would be executed ; and representatives from the Polish Armed Forces provided extremely useful context regarding how host nation support could enhance ARRC activity and provide additional opportunities for exploitation .
Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it .
After an introduction participants undertook static and dynamic studies of Polish capability , at Chełmno . A static demonstration of equipment of the Polish 16th Mechanised Division was conducted . After short introduction to the tactical situation by COM 15th MechBrig ( POL ), attendees observed a dynamic demonstration of the methods of crossing the Wisla ( Vistula ) River with air support ( pair of F-16 ) and land forces aviation ( pairs of MI-24 , W-3 Sokół ). Attendees then crossed the river , using the impressive PTS-M medium amphibious transport vehicles provided by the Polish troops .
10 SUMMER 2022 the imjin @ HQARRC
Allied Rapid Reaction Corps