During this video the 12th infantry Battalion Air Mobile (AASLT) of the Dutch 11th Air Mobile Brigade (11LMB) is dropped in the landing zone (LZ) near Rucphen. The 12th Infantry Battalion is also known as the Regiment van Heutsz and has a long history in the Royal Netherlands Army. The drop off was done with two CH-47D Chinook helicopters of the Royal Netherlands Air Force 298 Squadron from Gilze-Rijen Air Base. Both helicopters landed on a small grass field simultaneous in a pretty confined area.
The 11th Engineer Company Air Mobile is based in Schaarsbergen near Arnhem and consists of engineer explorers, advanced search teams, engineer platoons and a construction machine group. This unit was involved in the Air Mobile action in Rucphen shown in this video. The unit was dropped off and picked up by an AS532U2 Cougar helicopter from the 300 Squadron from Gilze-Rijen. The company performs engineering tasks such as mobility and counter-mobility support. Mobility support means that the engineers ensure that their own troops can move undisturbed by, for example, detecting improvised explosives (IEDs), clearing mines or building bridges. In counter mobility, the engineers disrupt the movement of the enemy by, for example, constructing obstacles. The engineer company operates integrated with the infantry battalions. A special feature: the engineer explorers can also dive, making them particularly suitable for use on, in and around the water. The engineer reconnaissance groups and the advanced search teams are assigned to the EARS platoon (Engineers Advanced Reconnaissance and Search).
During the Air Mobile training in Rucphen, also the procedures for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) were trained. For medical care, the 11th Air Mobile Brigade falls back on the 11th Medical Company. The unit is 165 soldiers strong and is stationed in Assen; also has the unit a branch of two medical platoons in Schaarsbergen. The unit consists off a company staff, a logistics platoon and 3 medical platoons. It houses nine aid stations and 51 medical disposal equipment. This provides emergency, curative and preventive care to all personnel within the brigade and provides support far beyond. A large part of these resources are airmobile transportable.
The command elements of the unit contribute to the medical decision-making and planning of the medical resources in the preparation and execution of missions. Together with the Section G Med of the brigade, they can jointly form a Medical Cell. Their task is to coordinate the timely evacuation of injured and sick soldiers from the moment they are injured to a hospital in the Netherlands.
The Training and Preparation Office ensures that the unit's personnel have sufficient knowledge and are trained to perform their medical tasks under the most diverse circumstances. In this task they also support the personnel of the other units of the brigade.
This is a subscription only section
Want to read more? It's only €10/year.
No account yet? Just Create an account first and head to the shop