KOMET 2023: The Fallis are coming

With the exercise KOMET 2023, the Airborne Brigade 1 "Saarland" from Saarlouis intensively prepared for classic airborne operations in national and alliance defense. Utilizing the excellent facilities of the Army Combat Training Center, the Parachute Regiment 26 from Zweibrücken and Merzig, and the Parachute Regiment 31 from Seedorf, as well as the airborne reconnaissance and airborne engineer companies of the brigade, along with soldiers from the 7th Jäger Brigade of the Austrian Armed Forces, practiced a joint attack on an urban conurbation Schnöggersburg following an airborne landing.

Approximately 2,000 soldiers participated in the exercise. The target of the attack is Schnöggersburg, the most modern urban training facility in Europe. It resembles a small city and is very realistically designed, with wide streets, waterways, tall buildings, and even subway tunnels. City life with vehicles and extras can also be simulated. In this terrain, forces must prevail against a heavily armed, professional, and well-prepared opposing force.

The unique challenges of an airborne operation with extreme physical exertion, combat in isolated locations, minimal equipment after a parachute jump, and the complex development of skills in the subsequent airborne landing were excellently mastered by the soldiers of the brigade with physical robustness, readiness to perform, and the right mix of planning and flexibility in implementation. The intensive support and highly professional guidance provided by the leadership and training staff of the Army Combat Training Center were indispensable for us.

The exercise KOMET 2023 took place from September 18 - 29, 2023 at the Army Combat Training Center on the Altmark Training Area. In addition to Airborne Brigade 1, soldiers from the 25th Ranger Battalion of the 7th Jäger Brigade of the Austrian Armed Forces also participated. During the exercise, the Army forces were supported by the Air Force and the Technical Center 61 in Manching, which airdropped loads from the A400M aircraft.

KOMET 2023 successfully prepared Airborne Brigade 1 for participation in the QUADRIGA exercise series scheduled for 2024, which is designed to demonstrate the readiness of the Bundeswehr in the context of NATO operations.

Comprehensive information about the exercise can be found HERE.

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