UNIPATH STAFF
Omani and U.S. Army troops successfully launched a simulated attack on Oman’s southern coast in January 2018 in what is expected to be part of a series of bilateral exercises between the two countries.
Exercise Inferno Creek 18 engaged Soldiers for three weeks as scouts, engineers, infantry units and mortar teams. Participants came from the 11th Omani Brigade, Royal Army of Oman, and the U.S. 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.
“Inferno Creek 2018 is an opportunity for the U.S. and our partner, the Omanis, to bridge a gap and build a relationship here in the Middle East and to develop ourselves at the company and tactical level,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Genge, the U.S. task force commander.
The climax of the joint training was an Omani-U.S. assault on an enemy compound. Engineers from both armies breached defensive wire using Bangalor torpedoes — explosive tubes used for clearing battlefield obstacles — allowing infantry units to maneuver through the gap.
An Omani rocket-propelled grenade team disabled a simulated T-72 tank attempting to reoccupy the compound. U.S. Army Cpl. Jacob Kehler said both armies took pains to ensure they worked together despite obvious differences.
“Coordination between all units really has to be on point, it really tests how well you can conduct everything going on, how proficient you are at communication between the units,” he said.
Lt. Col. Genge noted that Inferno Creek 2018 was the largest iteration of the annual exercise and expressed his wish that it would grow larger in the years ahead.
Source: U.S. Department of Defense