After completing five weeks of Development training, Officer Cadets on module two of Initial Officer Training with the RAF Officer Training Academy deployed on Exercise EAGLES EDGE last week.
Exercise EAGLES EDGE is the first tactical deployment the cadets have encountered after completing the majority of their Command and Leadership lessons, supported by two low level leadership exercises.
Under a fictitious scenario, cadets deploy to a country called Gorgas, to a local Airfield following direction from the UK Joint Force Air Component Commander in support of Air Operations. Once deployed the cadets lead their teams through a myriad of complex problems and dynamic scenarios, requiring them to establish vital operations, conduct reconnaissance missions, support Host Nation (HN) Forces and respond to conventional threats.
The Exercise draws on all the Command and Leadership lessons the cadets have received since arriving at the RAF Officer Training Academy. As the scenario develops the cadets will receive further intelligence that will see them start to prepare for their next deployment, Exercise COMMANDERS EDGE in module 3 .
A cadet who deployed on the Exercise said:
"EAGLES EDGE was extremely well planned, thought through and executed. The pre-exercise scenario briefs, information and build up certainly helped to set the scene. Cadets bought into the exercise 100%, feeling we could shape the outcome of our leads through the scenarios and engagements provided a platform to develop meta leadership working with and alongside other sections and the HQ and external organisations. (HN Police, EOD etc).
The exercise tempo changed over the course of the week as the 'threat level' increased and it was amazing to see how each section responded, the Exercise enabled us to act intuitively to rapid change and utilise different leadership functions that were appropriate to the situation".
Please don’t tag our personnel - thank you!
#NextgenRAF
