The British Army’s dogs have taken flight to develop their combat readiness during a major exercise with NATO airborne forces in Estonia.
The British Army’s dogs have taken flight to develop their combat readiness during a major exercise with NATO airborne forces in Estonia.
The British Army’s dogs have taken flight to develop their combat readiness during a major exercise with NATO airborne forces in Estonia.
Patrol dogs and their handlers from 1st Military Working Dog Regiment (1 MWD) took to the air in a Wildcat helicopter to expose the dogs to different methods of moving around the battlefield.
Veterinary officer Lieutenant (Lt) Lucy Hardingham said: “It's really important for the dogs to have experienced what different vehicles sound like and feel like, especially helicopters, because they're very unnatural for a dog.
It's really important for the dogs to have experienced what different vehicles sound like and feel like, especially helicopters, because they're very unnatural for a dog.
“We call it battle inoculation, just so that when they have to do it for real one day, they're not completely stressed out and not able to do their actual job afterwards.”
1 MWD was working with 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, the British Army’s global response force, as part of Steadfast Defender 24. The British-led training in Estonia saw more than 2,300 soldiers, sailors, and aviators from four countries working together to build their ability to respond together to crises.
The dogs went on patrol with British, US and Polish paratroopers, using their acute senses to detect the presence of enemy forces. A dog’s bark can be enough to deter aggression and gain the initiative, while their athleticism and bite offers a sub-lethal option to detain an intruder.
Private Amelie Phillips described herself as “a very proud parent” after a year as the handler of Davis, a three-year-old German Shepherd.
“It’s our first big exercise together and it took a lot of work to get him out here,” the 21-year-old said. “When we started out he didn’t really have an off switch and know how to settle down around people. He was also very nervous about going to the vets, but we’ve worked through it together and he’s performing well.
“We’re a team and, as much as I’ve been training him, I’ve learnt a lot from Davis.”
Lt Hardingham described military working dogs as “a really adaptable force multiplier” and praised the human-canine partnership that delivers their capabilities.
“I think some people underestimate how much it takes to get these dogs up to standard,” she said. “And while it can take months to train a dog, to then keep that dog at a good level is a real skill too.
“The handlers put in a huge amount of effort and are very skilled – they are not only keeping up their own soldiering skills but doing that in partnership with a dog.”
Steadfast Defender 24 was NATO’s largest military exercise since the Cold War. Some 20,000 British personnel were among 90,000 troops from all 32 NATO allies training together to test plans to reinforce European defences.
1 MWD is based at North Luffenham in Rutland and provides search and patrol dogs, as well as the associated veterinary capabilities, in support of military operations.