16 Air Assault Brigade earns wings in special Japan training

Some 25 troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade, which is based in Colchester Garrison, have been in Japan to train alongside Japanese, US and Australian paratroopers.

They used Japanese parachutes and practiced air assault missions from their chinook helicopters.

The training culminated in a combat demonstration in front of a crowd of thousands at Narashino, a training area on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Brave - Brigadier Nick Cowley hooking up his static line (Image: JGSDF)

Supported by tanks and attack helicopters, the multinational force was inserted by helicopter and parachute to attack a simulated enemy position.

Bombardier Chris Kearney, of 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, was one of 400 paratroopers to jump in.

“I had a fantastic view of Tokyo, which is just vast, and it really felt like we were jumping into the middle of the city,” he said.

“Mount Fuji was on the horizon and it was all quite distracting, so I had to make myself concentrate on my landing drills.

Don't look down - troops jump from a chinook helicopter (Image: JGSDF)

“It was really interesting to go to Japan, on the other side of the planet, to find that their paratroopers were doing the same thing as us and had done the same training with similar equipment.

“Even with the language barrier, we worked together easily and got along very well. I think that’s because we all have that shared experience of jumping out of an airplane.”

The training was organised by the Japanese 1st Airborne Brigade to celebrate both the New Year and the partnership between multinational paratroopers.

Dating back to the 1960s, this year is the first time British soldiers have participated.

Force - the troops in Japan (Image: British Army)

During the exercise, Brigadier Nick Cowley, Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, met with fellow commanders to talk about their units’ roles and capabilities and plan further joint activity.

“As the British Army’s Global Response Force, it is critical that we train to be ready to operate alongside our allies, wherever and whatever the mission is,” he said.

“It has been a fantastic opportunity to come to Japan and build new relationships with our Japanese and Australian counterparts, while deepening our existing links with US airborne forces.”