Basic strategic Thinking

A series of competitive exercises designed to widen strategic comprehension.

Details

PHASE 1 CURRICULUM

MONDAY

Time Activity
9:00am Discussion on why justice is important
Discussion on why integrity is important
1:00pm Lunch
2:00pm Discussion on the following battle techniques - click to expand:

1. AMBUSH - Teutoburg Forest, 9AD In 9AD, Varus, the Roman governor of Germania, was lured into an ambush by Arminius, a Romanised German and officer of an auxiliary cavalry unit. Varus led three legions through the Teutoburg Forest to suppress a Germanic revolt, and when his 20,000 men were strung out along the line of march, Arminius struck with the full force of his warrior army. The Romans struggled on for days until the survivors made a last stand at Kalkriese Hill, north of present-day Osnabrück. The Roman defeat wasn't just physical; it was also psychological. Ambushes demand patience and careful sighting, with precise coordination of each strike arm. The Germanic tribesmen, so often thought of as wild barbarians, succeeded because of their self-discipline in waiting for the right moment to spring their attack, but ultimately their strategy was an example of effective and channeled aggression.
2. ENVELOPMENT, Operation Uranus in 1942 The unexpected appearance of enemy troops on a flank or from behind can damage an army's morale, and if a force is encircled it can be deprived of supplies or attacked from any side. Ultimately, if completely cut off, it must cut its way out, surrender or fight to the death. Envelopment is the classic example of manoeuvre warfare and has produced some of the most decisive victories in history. The tactic was employed at Stalingrad in Operation Uranus, beginning on November 19, 1942. With the Germans pinned down and unable to manoeuvre, the Soviets delivered a heavy artillery bombardment from 3,500 guns on Romanian and Italian positions on either side of the city, then unleashed several armoured formations, including three tank corps. They combined mobility and speed with devastating firepower, driving deep behind German lines to cut off and then defeat the entire German army in Stalingrad.
3. COMMITTING THE RESERVE, Austerlitz in 1805 One of the principles of war is to achieve one's objectives with an economy of effort, so that a reserve force is preserved to meet the unexpected, reinforce a threatened part of the front or press home to certainty a successful action. At Austerlitz in 1805, Napoleon chose a deployment that would tempt the opposing Austro-Russian force to attack him on his right. In doing so, he knew he would be able to overextend his enemies. Although under significant pressure, Napoleon held his reserve back until he was absolutely certain the allies were committed, then he struck. His troops smashed the allied centre, beat off a counter-attack and then curled around the isolated allied left. It was a decisive victory, won by the precise commitment of resources at the critical moment.
4. SHOCK ACTION, Arsuf, 1191 Often, at the critical moment in a battle, the shock action of a charge or a brief increase in the intensity of fire is enough to break an enemy force. The sudden assault has often been delivered by 'heavy' troops - infantry, cavalry or tanks - designed specifically to punch their way through an enemy line. The impact of that charge - indeed, sometimes the very spectacle of it - can prove too much for the troops on the receiving end. This was the case at the Battle of Arsuf during the Third Crusade (1189-92). The Europeans under Richard the Lionheart had marched under a rain of arrows for hours, as Saracen archers tried repeatedly to goad them out of their tight formation. Then, suddenly, the knights charged at Salahuddin's infantry and light cavalry. The effect was dramatic - the Saracens broke and retreated.
5. CONCENTRATION, Jagdeschwader 1917 The German strategist Clausewitz regarded the concentration of force as the highest principle of war. This required the accumulation of resources at the precise point and moment where a battle would be decided. In World War I, the German strategy of using air squadrons defensively in 1917 enabled them to marshal their reserves, strike only where they were needed, prioritise their resources and preserve the lives and therefore the experience of their pilots. Jagdgeschwader (Flying Circus) formations were assembled to counter Allied sorties at strategic points on the front. These proved effective and built a reputation for success that was epitomised by Von Richthofen, the Red Baron.
6. OFF-BALANCING & PINNING, Trafalgar in 1805 It's often effective to pin an enemy into a position where firepower or manoeuvring can destroy him, or where the enemy is so disrupted by off-balancing probes that he has little idea where the main attack will fall. Napoleon ordered Vice Admiral Villeneuve to concentrate all French and Spanish naval forces to break the Royal Navy and thus pave the way for the invasion of England. But Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson proved adept at unnerving his adversary and off-balancing the French plans. At Trafalgar, Nelson broke with the traditions of naval warfare and thrust two columns into the French line to bring about a general action where his men's superior seamanship and gunnery would win the day. The French were pinned into place and then thrown into confusion by Nelson's bold and courageous action, producing one of England's most glittering victories.
7. STRATEGIC OFFENCE & TACTICAL DEFENCE, Panipat in 1526 In war, it's advisable to advance into a region that's strategically valuable and, once there, to defend a strong tactical position and force the enemy to make a costly attack. Babur, the ruler of Kabul, set out to defeat Lodi, the sultan of Delhi, but he had just 12,000 men against 100,000, and though his force was armed with gunpowder weapons, their slow rate of fire made his men vulnerable to Lodi's cavalry. Babur advanced rapidly to Panipat near Delhi, knowing this sudden threat to his opponent's capital would prevent him from seeking refuge behind its walls. He selected the battlefield carefully and formed a barrier of wagons, and Lodi's men made a series of fruitless assaults. Having inflicted heavy losses, Babur counter-attacked, then resumed his offensive into India.
8. DECEPTION, Q-SHIPS, 1915 To work, deception has to establish significant doubt in the minds of the enemy so that they alter their plans. During World War I, the Royal Navy struggled to find a solution to U-boat attacks in the Atlantic. Yet it was noticed early on that the Germans preferred to surface and use the less sophisticated main armament on the foredeck to sink their victims. Named after their home port, Queenstown in Ireland, a number of 'Q-ships' were deployed - civilian vessels with concealed armaments. With holds packed with wood to enable them to float even when torpedoed, they were deliberately sent into areas where U-boats were known to be operating. As the U-boat surfaced, side panels were dropped to clear the line of fire for concealed guns - a technique used by HMS Baralong, which sank U-27 after it surfaced to attack a merchantman off south-west England.
9. INTELLIGENCE, Matapan in 1941 Battlefield victory can hinge on accurate, timely intelligence about the enemy, particularly regarding his intentions and his capabilities. In March 1941, naval intelligence learned through its successful code-breaking that a strong Italian fleet had set out to attack a British convoy. The nearby fleet commander, Admiral Andrew Cunningham, concentrated his forces, and after aerial attacks he disabled an Italian cruiser. The Royal Navy's radar assisted in locating the stricken Italian vessel and its escorts. Cunningham decided to bring to bear maximum firepower by approaching at night. In the subsequent action, the Italians, who possessed no comparable intelligence assets, lost two more heavy cruisers and two destroyers.
10. GUERRILLA WARFARE, CHINA, 1934-49 In the right circumstances, guerrilla forces can achieve great successes. The essence of insurgent warfare is the hit-and-run attack and concealment within the operational environment. Guerrillas need the backing of the population for intelligence and recruits, and to win political power. In China in the Thirties, Mao Zedong, knowing governments seek to resolve insurgencies quickly, advocated a protracted war. If attacked, he would refuse battle, falling back to the interior. The Long March, beginning in 1934, was one such retreat, but his real focus was on political education: by 1945 he had 14 base areas with millions of supporters.
11. SWARMING, Siege of Samarkand Spitamenes used Bactrian horse archers in effective swarming attacks against a relief column sent by Alexander the Great. Bactrian horse archers surrounded various Macedonian phalanxes, staying out of range of their melee weapons, and fired arrows until they had no more. The archers would then withdraw to a supply point, but another swarm of horse archers would sometimes replace them, and sometimes attack elsewhere. The Bactrians eventually caused the phalanx to break formation, and destroyed it. Alexander recognized his forces could not directly combat horse archers, but that the horse archers needed resupply of provisions, horses, and arrows. Alexander split his forces into five columns and began building fortifications in the areas where the Bactrians had resupplied. Eventually, his anti-swarm tactics worked: cut off from resupply, the Bactrians had to meet the Macedonian phalanx, which were vastly superior in melee. Alexander made it priority to engage guerillas or other light mobile forces. Spitamenes was effective as long as his force were mobile, and he had adequate communications with mounted couriers. Once he was forced into direct battle with heavy forces, he literally lost his head. At the Battle of the Jaxartes River, Alexander once again faced swarming tactics from an army of Scythian horse archers. Alexander sent a unit of heavy cavalry ahead of his main line. As expected, the Scythian horsemen surrounded the detached cavalry. At the right moment, Alexander's cavalry reversed direction and pushed half of the Scythians straight into the main phalanx of Alexander's army, where they were slaughtered. Upon seeing this, the remaining half of the Scythian army retreated from the battle.

3:00pm Squad/Fire Team Formation Theory
3:30pm Virtual Fire Team Formation Practice
4:00pm End Session

DAY 2

Time Activity
9:00am Virtual Marksman Training Laser and VR weaponry.

Laser fitted Handguns and automatic weapons will be used to hit animated targets.
Virtual weapons will be used in a virtual range.
Virtual weapons available are:

1 Pistols 1.1 Beretta 950BS Jetfire
1.2 Beretta M9A1
1.3 Beretta Px4 Storm
1.4 Browning Hi-Power
1.5 Colt M1911A1
1.6 CZ 75 SP-01 SHADOW
1.7 Desert Eagle Mark VII
1.8 Glock 22
1.9 Remington Rolling Block
1.10 Ruger Mk III
1.11 SIG-Sauer P250 Compact
1.12 Tokarev TT-33
1.13 Walther PPK

2 Revolvers 2.1 Smith & Wesson Model 29
2.2 Smith & Wesson Model 327
2.3 Smith & Wesson Model 629 Stealth Hunter

3 Shotguns 3.1 Benelli M4 Super 90
3.2 Beretta DT11
3.3 Fabarm Martial Pro Forces
3.4 Franchi SPAS-12
3.5 Mossberg 590A1
3.6 MTs255
3.7 Remington 870
3.8 Sawn-off Double Barreled Shotgun
3.9 Serbu Super Shorty
3.10 "KWG1"

4 Submachine Guns 4.1 AEK-919K “Kashtan”
4.2 Beretta Cx4 Storm
4.3 Brügger & Thomet MP9
4.4 FN P90 TR
4.5 GEPARD
4.6 Heckler & Koch MP5A2
4.7 Heckler & Koch MP5KA4
4.8 Heckler & Koch MP7A1
4.9 Heckler & Koch UMP45
4.10 Intratec TEC-9
4.11 Kedr PP-91
4.12 MAC-11
4.13 PP-19 Bizon
4.14 PP-2000

5 Assault Rifles 5.1 AK-101
5.2 AKM
5.3 AKS-74U
5.4 FAMAS F1
5.5 Heckler & Koch G36
5.6 Heckler & Koch G36C
5.7 IMBEL IA2
5.8 FN SCAR-L
5.9 L85A2
5.10 M16A1
5.11 M4A1 SOPMOD
5.12 Mk. 18 Mod 1
5.13 Steyr AUG A

6 Battle Rifles 6.1 FN SCAR-H
6.2 Galil 7.62
6.3 M14
6.4 M14 DMR
6.5 MAS-49/56
6.6 SKS

7 Sniper Rifles 7.1 Barrett M107A1
7.2 Kimber Model 8400 Advanced Tactical SRC
7.3 Sako 85
7.4 SVD Dragunov

8 Machine Guns 8.1 General Dynamics GAU-17/A
8.2 RPK

9 Launchers 9.1 M79
9.2 RPG-7

10 Other 10.1 M67 Hand Grenade
10.2 Orion Flare Gun
1:00pm Lunch
2:00pm Fighter Jet Flight and Weapons and Reconnaissance Training VR cockpit, Startup, Take Off, Weapons management, GPS and sensor tracking.

Jet Fighters Available:

AJS-37 Viggen The AJS-37 Viggen is a Swedish double-delta supersonic attack aircraft from the late Cold War. It was the backbone of the Swedish Air Force during the Cold war, serving as the main attack and anti-ship platform. The AJS is the 90’s upgrade of this 70's era aircraft, adding several advanced weapons and systems functionalities. The aircraft was designed around the pilot, with an excellent man-machine interface, supporting the pilot through the smart use of autopilot systems, radar and HUD symbology in order to deliver the ordnance onto targets from treetop level with high speed attack runs.

The aircraft is armed with multiple weapon systems ranging from programmable stand-off weapons such as the RB-15F antiship missile to the BK90 Cluster munitions dispenser to various bombs, rockets and missiles for a wide range of target types. The aircraft can also carry gun pods and the Sidewinder series of infrared-guided missiles for air defence and self-protection purposes.
SU-27 The Su-27, NATO codename Flanker, is one of the pillars of modern-day Russian combat aviation. Built to counter the American F-15 Eagle, the Flanker is a twin-engine, supersonic, highly manoeuvrable air superiority fighter. The Flanker is equally capable of engaging targets well beyond visual range as it is in a dogfight given its amazing slow speed and high angle attack manoeuvrability. Using its radar and stealthy infrared search and track system, the Flanker can employ a wide array of radar and infrared guided missiles. The Flanker also includes a helmet-mounted sight that allows you to simply look at a target to lock it up! In addition to its powerful air-to-air capabilities, the Flanker can also be armed with bombs and unguided rockets to fulfil a secondary ground attack role.
MIG-21bis The MiG-21bis is a delta wing, supersonic, fighter-interceptor jet aircraft. Much like the AK-47 became the everyman's rifle, the MiG-21 has been operated by more than 40 countries worldwide, and has enjoyed the longest production run of any modern jet fighter to date. The MiG-21, in all of its variants, has fought in wars stretching all the way from the Vietnam War in the 1960's to the modern day Syrian Civil War. Owing to its unique blend of versatility, ruggedness and maintainability, the MiG-21 remains in active service to this very day.
F15c The F-15 has often been labeled as the greatest U.S. fighter aircraft from the 1970s until the early 21st century. The F-15C is a pure fighter with outstanding performance and has scored over 100 air-to-air victories without suffering any confirmed losses.
A10c - Warthog The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin turbofan engine, straight wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). Commonly referred to by the nicknames "Warthog" or "Hog", its official name comes from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, a World War II fighter that was effective at attacking ground targets. The A-10 was designed for close air support (CAS) of friendly ground troops, engaging armored vehicles and tanks, and providing quick-action support against enemy ground forces. It entered service in 1976 and is the only production-built aircraft that has served in the USAF that was designed solely for CAS. Its secondary mission is to provide forward air controller – airborne (FAC-A) support, by directing other aircraft in attacks on ground targets. Aircraft used primarily in this role are designated OA-10.

The A-10 was intended to improve on the performance of the A-1 Skyraider and its poor firepower. The A-10 was designed around the 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon. Its airframe was designed for durability, with measures such as 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of titanium armor to protect the cockpit and aircraft systems, enabling it to absorb a significant amount of damage and continue flying. Its short takeoff and landing capability permits operation from airstrips close to the front lines, and its simple design enables maintenance with minimal facilities. The A-10 served in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the American intervention against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, where the A-10 distinguished itself. The A-10 also participated in other conflicts such as Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, and against ISIL in the Middle East.

In 2005, the entire fleet of 356 A-10 and OA-10 aircraft began receiving the Precision Engagement upgrades including an improved fire control system (FCS), electronic countermeasures (ECM), and smart bomb targeting. The aircraft receiving this upgrade were redesignated A-10C. The Government Accounting Office in 2007 estimated the cost of upgrading, refurbishing, and service life extension plans for the A-10 force to total $2.25 billion through 2013. In July 2010, the USAF issued Raytheon a contract to integrate a Helmet Mounted Integrated Targeting (HMIT) system into the A-10C. The Air Force Material Command's Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah completed work on its 100th A-10 precision engagement upgrade in January 2008. The final aircraft was upgraded to A-10C configuration in June 2011. The aircraft also received all-weather combat capability,[29] and a Hand-on-Throttle-and-Stick configuration mixing the F-16's flight stick with the F-15's throttle. Other changes included two multifunction displays, a modern communications suite including a Link-16 radio and SATCOM. The LASTE system was replaced with the integrated flight and fire control computer (IFFCC) included in the PE upgrade.

Throughout its life, the platform's software has been upgraded several times and although these upgrades were due to be stopped as part of plans to retire the A-10 in February 2014, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James ordered that the latest upgrade, designated Suite 8, continue in response to Congressional pressure. Suite 8 software includes IFF Mode 5, which modernizes the ability to identify the A-10 to friendly units.[47] Additionally, the Pave Penny pods and pylons are being removed as their receive-only capability has been replaced by the AN/AAQ-28(V)4 LITENING AT targeting pods or Sniper XR targeting pod, which both have laser designators and laser rangefinders.

In 2012, Air Combat Command requested the testing of a 600-gallon external fuel tank which would extend the A-10's loitering time by 45–60 minutes; flight testing of such a tank had been conducted in 1997, but did not involve combat evaluation. Over 30 flight tests were conducted by the 40th Flight Test Squadron to gather data on the aircraft's handling characteristics and performance across different load configurations. It was reported that the tank slightly reduced stability in the yaw axis, but there was no decrease in aircraft tracking performance.
Black Shark Russian Ka-50 attack helicopter - The Ka-50 "Black Shark" is a unique and deadly single-seat, Russian attack helicopter that has seen combat in the Northern Caucasus. It combines a high performance dual rotor system with a deadly weapons payload of guided missiles, rockets, bombs, and a 30mm cannon. The Ka-50 is also unique in that it has an ejection seat.
4:00pm End Day 2 Session

DAY 3

Time Activity
9:00am Virtual Squad and Fire Team Training Formations, tactics and weapons
Introduction (All Ages)
1:00pm Lunch
2:00pm Fire Team Mission Execution
Winning Team 10 points
Losing Team 5 points

Virtual Airbased Mission Training and Execution
Winning Team 10 points
Losing Team 5 points
4:00pm End Session

DAY 4

Time Activity
9:00am Fire Team Mission Execution
Winning Team 10 points
Losing Team 5 points
1:00pm Lunch
2:00pm Virtual Air, Land and Sea Tactical Warfare

Winning Team 10 points
Losing Team 5 points

Virtual Global Nuclear Warfare Execution
Winning Team 10 points
Losing Team 5 points

Leaders Face off - Virtual tank to tank
Winning Team 10 points
Losing Team 5 points

Points evaluation and certification
7:00pm Certification and End Session

Break Area

Team vs Team

Virtual Reality Flight Pods

Surround Vision Flight Sims