Army MPs Increase Stealth, Enhance
Skills At Allied Spirit
by U.S. Army Spc. Dustin Biven
April 13, 2018
In a combat environment, the knowledge of where a threat is
could mean the difference between life and death.
The U.S.
Army gains the upper hand in identifying where threats are with the
use of a lightweight small unmanned aerial system (SUAS), called the
RQ-11 Raven.
Spc. William Ritter, a military policeman with 287th Military Police
Company, 97th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police
Brigade, Fort Riley, Kansas, prepares to launch the RQ-11 Raven,
small unmanned aerial system (SUAS), into the air during Allied
Spirit VIII at Hohenfels, Germany, Jan. 26, 2018. Roughly 4,100
troops from 10 nations are participating in Allied Spirit VIII, a
multinational training exercise designed to test participants'
readiness and capabilities. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Dustin D. Biven
/ 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
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Military policemen with the 287th Military Police Company, 97th
Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Riley,
Kansas are putting the Raven to use during Allied Spirit VIII at
Hohenfels Training Area, Germany from Jan. 15 – Feb. 5, 2018 and
enhancing their skills from prior training.
Soldiers who
operate the Raven go through a training course that teaches them how
to conduct day and night operations with the equipment as well as
how to perform basic maintenance on the system.
“I went
through the training back in Fort Riley, Kansas,” said Spc. William
Ritter, a military policeman with the 287th MP Co.
Ritter and
other Soldiers in his unit are taking their knowledge learned from
their training and applying it to the simulated situational training
exercises they are conducting in Hohenfels.
“Being able to
use the system during Allied Spirit is a great advantage,” said
Ritter. “I am able to identify possible hazards or threats in the
area almost instantly.”
Allied Spirit immerses Soldiers into
a combat-like environment by having them face difficult challenges
they might see when deployed in a combat area.
Some of the
threats the Soldiers face include small-arms fire, enemy artillery,
enemy surveillance, as well as having to seize enemy-held villages
that have civilians.
The Raven system provides Soldiers the
ability to view opposing forces, OPFOR, in their areas of operation.
Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Rombold (left), an observer coach at Hohenfels
Training Area, Germany, shows Spc. William Ritter (right), a
military policeman with 287th Military Police Company, 97th Military
Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Riley, Kansas,
how to properly set up the system to operate the RQ-11 Raven, a
small unmanned aerial system (SUAS), during Allied Spirit VIII at
Hohenfels, Germany, Jan. 26, 2018. Roughly 4,100 troops from 10
nations are participating in Allied Spirit VIII, a multinational
training exercise designed to test participants' readiness and
capabilities. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Dustin D. Biven / 22nd Mobile
Public Affairs Detachment)
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OPFOR are Soldiers who play the role of the enemy for units
conducting training at Hohenfels Training Area, HTA. The OPFOR give
units an experience as close to real combat as possible.
“Having the ability to assess the terrain and situation before
exposing troops to hazards is essential,” said Sgt. 1st Class Joseph
Rombold, a mentor for troops going through the training. “With the
Raven system, you are able to locate and follow high-value targets
from a distance without exposing yourself, giving you an advantage
and the element of surprise.”
The Raven system is designed
for rapid deployment and high mobility. At just over four pounds,
its lightweight frame makes transport easy for ground troops. The
sUAS has a range up to 10 kilometers from it's launch point.
“Once I launch the Raven into the air, it takes off,” said Ritter.
“I am able to control it and see where it's going through a remote
control with a screen on it, showing me everything the Raven sees.
No matter if its day or night – with the Raven – if there's a
threat, I'll be able to see it.”
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