Brazil’s Tiger and U.S. Foxes face off against Geronimo at Fort Polk

Two hundred and nineteen Brazilian Army soldiers deployed in CORE Company are in the United States participating in the Combined Operations and Rotation Exercise 2022, or CORE 22, which has been underway at Fort Polk, Louisiana, since August 5.

Among the exercises, the night exercise, Fight Night, pitted the Brazilian company Tiger and the U.S. company Fox against the opposing force Geronimo.

CORE 22 is the result of a cooperation program between the governments of Brazil and the United States, created to carry out annual bilateral exercises until 2028, promoting interoperability between the two armies.

The exercise also contributes to improving the Land Force Operational Readiness System (Sispron) and the Readiness Forces (Forpron) training, certifying Brazilian Army troops for international operations.

Troops from the 12th Light Infantry Brigade (Airmobile) of the Brazilian Army and the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army will share experiences and knowledge on doctrine, techniques, tactics, and defense and combat procedures until September 6, the eve of Brazil’s Independence Day.

The selection process of the military participants was meticulous, based on strict parameters such as technical-professional knowledge and the physical condition of the participants.

In CORE 2022, the Forpron troops are proving to be the best prepared and equipped in the Brazilian Army, ratifying the success of this important Land Force project.

The preparation of the personnel for Operation CORE 22 took place through the Aratu Operations conducted during the first semester of 2022, the first two in the Paraíba Valley (State of São Paulo) and the third in the Formosa Training Camp (CIF), in the savannah of the State of Goiás.

In Formosa, with its typical savannah vegetation and dry climate, the Coordination and Liaison Team looked for the Brazilian region that most resembled the one the troop would find in the United States to carry out the most important stage of the preparation.

BR SPECIAL FORCES

A Brazilian Army Special Forces Operational Detachment, composed of military personnel from the Special Operations Command, is operating in CORE 22 along with Operational Detachment Alpha 7221.

On August 9, these special forces troops held the final briefing to initiate their operational activities and infiltration into simulated enemy territory. Pre-combat activities consist of rehearsals, final inspections, and material preparation.

The employment of these forces then began in parallel with CORE Company missions.

COMBAT

In the early morning of August 12-13, CORE Company conducted an airmobile assault with U.S. military personnel from Battalion 2/506, initiating the operational employment of Brazilian Forces.

After the Airmobile Assault, CORE Company continued to maintain the airmobile bridgehead, along with troops from the 101st Airborne Division.

In the early morning of August 17-18, the confrontation with the opposing force, known as Geronimo, took place in the activity known as Fight Night.

On this occasion, the combat was intense and lasted several hours throughout the night. In the previous phase, the Brazilian troop maintained its defensive position and carried out its operational action planning.

“The Geronimo, a highly trained U.S. Army troop, is the opposing force used in the certification process of the active troop in the field.

The activity verifies the readiness and readiness of Airmobile Brigade troops and their training. The techniques, tactics, and procedures carried out during Fight Night successfully defended the position of Brazilian troops on American soil.

In the early morning of August 20-21, a new airmobile assault took place. The CORE Company called Tiger in the exercise, and the North American Company, called Fox, acted together against the opposing force, the dreaded Geronimo.

The airmobile assault is the typical operation for airmobile troops with a high level of training. The assault is aimed at engaging, capturing, or destroying enemy forces and conquering and holding vital terrain regions to continue military actions.

The huge Chinook helicopters (a long-standing desire of the Brazilian Army Aviation) carried personnel and material for military use. After the assault, the Brazilian military met the opposing force of the exercise. From then on, the night combat took place.

After the airmobile assault and the night combat, the Brazilian company proceeded to conquer and consolidate the Ford and Dodge objectives on the morning of August 21.

This situation would be maintained without updates on August 23 and 24.

TRAINING AND COMBAT RESOURCES

The CORE company employs in the United States individual weapons manufactured in Brazil by IMBEL.

The rifles used by Brazilian troops are Imbel IA2 in a 5.56mm NATO caliber, used by the CORE Company and the Copesp Special Forces Detachment.

The live simulation equipment worn by the troops attached to their uniforms is the North American version of the well-known DSET (Simulated Tactical Engagement Device), a high-tech vest with sensors that map the military’s performance during the simulated war.

These devices produced by the Swedish Saab allow activities with greater realism, tactical immersion, immediate correction, and training feedback based on real and accurate data, among many other advantages.

One of the great differentials between individual, vehicle, and small arms DSETs is that live ammunition is not used.

At the end of the CORE 22, a data package will be generated with the information, statistics, and reports collected during the training period, which are essential to certify the level of readiness of the CORE Company and its actual condition for employment.

Among other qualities provided by the system, the exercise becomes very realistic, requiring the correct execution of Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures (TTP) to allow the fulfillment of combat missions with the least number of casualties.

With information from InfoDefensa