(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – The ongoing mega Field Training Exercise (FTX), ready to undertake the forthcoming UN Combat Convoy Tasks in MINUSMA – Mali, covering a distance of about 1000 km across the country in the past nine days reached Suriyawewa, Hambantota before a de-briefing brings the FTX to end on Wednesday (05) at the Officer Carrier Development Center (OCDC) at Buttala, the Army Media Unit said.
The FTX officially commenced last March 21 at Kankesanturai, Jaffna but the execution of the FTX proper began on Monday (27 March) after all preparatory arrangements were streamlined.
Infantry troops with Armour, Mechanized Infantry and other logistic elements toured across the Northern Province to reach Sooriyawewa in the South Monday evening (03).
The FTX is to be formally completed on 5 April 2017 after a debriefing at Buttala OCDC.
The FTX convoy during its one-week of the tour paused at Nawaladi, Vidattaltivu, Oyamadu, Minneriya, Puttalam, Maduruoya and Buttala areas to match with hypothetical scenarios of the Exercise settings during its tour from Kankesanthurai to the South.
The FTX participants were educated on combat and supply practices, command and leadership, emergency contingency plans, combat convoy tasks, decision-making during emergencies, application of convoy drills, protest controls, disposal of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), administration and logistic sustenance, maintenance of communication and other techniques and procedures in UN peace enforcement operations, logistics and planning process, unique to UN Combat Convoy Tasks in MINUSMA – Mali, etc.