BACKGROUND

The Canadian Army set the standard for fighting in cities such as Ortona in WWII. Since then the Canadian Army’s ability to conduct operations in urban terrain has eroded to the point where we rely on other countries to develop tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) and doctrine. However in future operations Canadian Forces will likely be operating in urban terrain rather than over open plains. Exercise Ortona Ram is designed as a progressive exercise to re-introduce 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group leadership to urban operations.

MISSION

1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group will conduct Exercise ORTONA RAM from 17 – 26 October 00 by re-introducing, doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures for Fighting In Built Up Areas (FIBUA) and Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) in order to prepare leaders to execute their duties and tasks at the Battle Group and Brigade level in urban terrain.

GOAL

Leaders are adequately prepared to execute the major tasks and activities they will face in future operations, and Battle Groups have demonstrated the capability of conducting offensive operations within the Brigade Group in a variety of complex terrain conditions. Reserve Participation is encouraged and reserve Brigade Groups are invited to send 15 personnel above and beyond any personnel requested in the tasks.

CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

ORTONA RAM will consist of three distinct developmental phases:

Phase 1. A series of lectures presented by Canadian and International guest speakers, re-introducing the Brigade to past, present and future TTPs, experiences, and doctrine for operations in urban terrain.

Phase 2. A series of Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTs) or discussions of tactical problems conducted on actual examples of urban terrain. The Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) will conduct a TEWT on the break in battle on Sturgeon Road in the suburb of St. Albert. The 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry will conduct a demonstration of entering and fighting through buildings in the abandoned part of the old Griesbach Barracks then move their participants to Sir Winston Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton. 1st Combat Engineer Regiment will conduct a TEWT on defence of a city at the old Federal Public Building to include examples of heavy weapons set up in the vacant building and Armoured Fighting Vehicles next to the building.

Phase 3. A Brigade controlled JANUS computer wargame to confirm lessons learned from the previous phases. The primary training audience will be the Battle Group Headquarters.

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