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Approximately 150 soldiers from the 5e Régiment d’artillerie légère du Canada (5 RALC) are scheduled to take part in Exercise Pieces Mobiles.
The purpose of this training is to validate and maintain the skills of gunners who are on operational high readiness.
The Canadian Army (CA) will practice procedures for the planning and execution of firing plans for the M777 Lightweight Towed Howitzer on the battlefield. Throughout the duration of the exercise, three M777 Howitzers and approximately 1,300 rounds of artillery will be used to achieve training goals.
The majority of the exercise will occur from Monday, March 21, to Wednesday, March 23, between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m.
This will serve to recreate conditions in which gunners may find themselves during expeditionary operations, and to promote operational readiness of the CA during the day and night. The training will take place mainly in the western sectors of Canadian Forces Base Valcartier.
The exercise also includes air support from the Royal Canadian Air Force that will train gunners in the surveillance and detection of shells using radar.
During this training, two CF-188 fighter aircraft from 3 Wing Bagotville, Que., will release one to three 500-pound bombs during each day of the training. Furthermore, a CC-150 Polaris from 8 Wing Trenton, Ont., will provide air-to-air refueling support.
Exercise Pieces Mobiles will also be used as work up training for Exercise Pieces Aguerries taking place in Gagetown, N.B., from April 25 to May 13, 2016, which officers from 5 RALC will undertake during their Battery Commander’s Course.
