Hammer 22 tests capability of mechanised troops

The two-week long army mechanised exercise Hammer 22 ended on Friday where reservists got an opportunity to work on their skills as part of a mechanised battle group, said Finnish Defence Forces in a press release.

About 200-strong training audience from the U.S. Army’s 6-9 Cavalry brought an international element to the exercise. The overall strength of the exercise was about 4100 persons, over half of them reservists. 

The objective of the exercise was to develop the mechanised units’ operating with international partners, train the units to receive international assistance and provide host nation support, and enhance the Defence Forces’ joint fires.

In Hammer 22, the mechanised troops trained offensive and delaying operations with the American troops with the objective of developing the troops’ rapid execution capability and cooperation between branches.

The exercise provided versatile support for developing the Army’s capabilities and the know-how of persons liable for military service, in particular reservists training for their wartime tasks, on the individual and unit level .

The exercise was divided into two battle phases with a firing phase between them.

During the first exercise week, in the first combat phase, the “blue” mechanised battle group formed of the Armoured Brigade’s exercise units fought against Karelia Brigade and 6-9 Cavalry’s ”yellow” battle group. During the weekend, in the middle of the exercise, the Armoured Brigade’s Jaeger Artillery Regiment conducted live firings.

 During the 2nd week, in the 2nd combat phase of the exercise, the Armoured Brigade, Pori Brigade and the 6-9 Cavalry fought in the role of "blue" battle group against Karelia Brigade’s "yellow" group. 

The exercise was commanded by the Commander of the the Armoured Brigade, Colonel Rainer Kuosmanen (31 Oct. 6 Nov.) and the Chief of Staff of the Armoured Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Hannu Koivisto (6 - 11 Nov.)

These mechanised exercises held in the spring and autumn are the Armoured Brigade’s annual main events, and Hammer 22 is Karelia Brigade’s annual main exercise. The mechanised autumn exercise traditionally one week long could the stretched to two weeks this year thanks to the additional funding allocated in the supplementary budget proposal. The preparation of the exercise, as large-scale as it was, went smoothly, because cooperation with the Armoured Brigade, Karelia Brigade, Pori Brigade, Army Command and the Defence Forces Logistics Command was seamless from preparation to execution.  We owe thanks to the Air Force and Utti Jaeger Regiment for the flight activities in the exercise: the air operations involved in the fires of the mechanised troops and battle field threat brought a significant contribution to the training, Lieutenant Colonel Hannu Koivisto said.

“Training as a battle group is an advantage for both leaders and rank and file. Branch operations affecting battle and the planning and execution time line are things you can only learn by training with a large enough entity,” Koivisto added.