Spanning some 2,690 square kilometres, this uninhabited semi-arid rolling prairie is one important element of the lifeblood that makes British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) such a unique and nationally important location for intensive military training.
BATUS' role in co-managing the military training area with their Canadian hosts has recently moved under the responsibility of the Defence Training Estate (DTE). BATUS is one of two lodger units at Canadian Forces Base Suffield, the other being Defence Research and Development Canada, a scientific organisation.
The Canadian Forces own the site and also exercise on the area.
Situated 50 kilometres north west of the city of Medicine Hat, BATUS provides the ideal conditions for training battle groups in the planning and execution of all operations of war.
Colonel Ben Edwards OBE, Commander BATUS, said:
"BATUS is all about delivering the highest quality training in basic soldiering skills; fit for operations at any scale of conflict.
"With BATUS as their godfather, conscience and enforcer, soldiers at battle group level become agile, flexible and manoeuverist. They do all of this in a high intensity, high pressure environment with intrusive overwatch from the training staff. They develop in adversity and they depart ready to apply their skills to any situation."
Training is second in importance only to operations for the British Army and training doesn't come on a bigger scale than at BATUS. There is no one area on UK soil that is large enough to facilitate these all-encompassing training exercises simultaneously.
BATUS plays host to five battle group-size exercises each year. Referred to collectively as 'Exercise Medicine Man', they currently each last from 21 to 24 days and the troops remain in the field for the entire period, whatever the conditions.
At the cutting-edge of military training, BATUS employs the latest developments in technology to ensure visiting troops are trained to the highest possible standard. The site is set up to deliver a 'real' combat environment, enhanced, when no live fire is taking place, with weapons effects simulators and lasers that are used to simulate the threats of the battlefield.
And if that's not enough to keep training troops occupied, BATUS boasts a combined arms live fire village that is the largest of its kind. Col Edwards explained:
"It is designed to occupy a complete combined arms battle group in live fire for up to six hours. It has targetry for air, aviation, artillery, mortars, tanks, warriors and reconnaissance vehicles, as well as every small arm issued to soldiers today. Through careful sequencing, all weapons systems can be firing simultaneously."
This sophisticated training is arguably what gives British troops the edge in front line operations.
Since 2002, every battle group that has trained at BATUS has been deployed on operations and Col Edwards has received some excellent feedback:
"All of them have reported that they have found their training at BATUS to be exactly what they required."
He continued:
"That is why BATUS must continue with the Defence Training Requirements Organisation and DTE to drive a plan to develop and maintain innovative and relevant training and the targetry and infrastructure required to support it."
The sprawling base is divided into four parts including administrative and force maintenance areas, as well as Camp Crowfoot which houses the battle group and the village of Ralston where about two thirds of the married personnel are quartered.
As well as the Medicine Man exercises, this infrastructural core supports a host of adventure training activities, including parachuting, whitewater rafting and skiing, which take place in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies.
Despite BATUS' impressive résumé, in Col Edwards' view there are plenty more benefits that could be reaped from this premium training site in the future:
"Current UK policy sees British Army training remaining in Canada for the foreseeable future. Plans are in train to bring back together UK and Canadian training so that within five years we should see soldiers of both nations training alongside each other at both BATUS and its Canadian sister the Combined Manoeuvre Training Centre at Wainwright - some 190 miles [306km] north of Suffield.
"Given that we currently operate alongside each other in Helmand and Kandahar, this development could not be more relevant."
DTE doubles up
Marking another big step towards brigading the entire MOD training estate under one organisation, integrating BATUS into the DTE has, in one swift step, doubled its size.
David Olney, Defence Estates' Chief Operating Officer, commented:
"Absorbing the Canadian training estate at BATUS into DTE is the result of five years' hard work through the Defence Training Estate Rationalisation Study Integrated Project Team. By the end of this year I expect all of the MOD's major training estate to be brigaded under DTE and for the benefits of this major restructuring to begin to flow.
"For the first time we will have a comprehensive overview of the MOD's training estate which will allow us to manage the estate more efficiently and effectively to build on good practice and structural investment."
BATUS - the users' view
A Squadron, 1 Royal Tank Regiment (1 RTR), which is part of the Land Warfare Centre Battle Group, undertook armoured training at BATUS last October, participating in Medicine Man 5.
Trooper David Scott said:
"It was great to be able to train as a tank gunner in a different environment and in a much bigger area with other call signs around."
Explaining how he benefited from the battle group HQ training he undertook at BATUS, Captain Mark Luson added:
"I got to put into practice all of the skills I had recently learnt in the UK. These were focused on the planning and execution of battle group missions."
Corporal Kevin Hoy, a Tank Commander, also participated in the Medicine Man exercise and found BATUS to be a stimulating and challenging environment:
"Map reading was more difficult as there were less features to use. The open ground allows you to command your vehicle in a more realistic manner, making decisions - within safety constraints - as to when and if to fire."
For training troops it is the sheer size of BATUS that seems to add the most value. As a squadron based on Salisbury Plain, A Squadron 1 RTR have ready access to the largest of the UK's training areas; but training at BATUS brought an entirely new dimension. Lance Corporal Anthony Newton said:
"On Salisbury Plain, even at night, you are still in your comfort zone. But the size of BATUS is, and probably will remain, intimidating no matter how many times you train there."
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