iXpress Strikes Swiftly

End-of-year exercises successfully showcases iXpress adaptability

Rivalries were tested recently during Exercise Strike Swiftly, the iXpress training operation, at an undisclosed inner city location where minimal points separated first and last place.

Patrol 200 rode to victory and the messengers used a perceived disadvantage to their advantage.

"Everyone under rated us because we didn’t have radios on the day but we rose to the challenge and surprised everyone" one member said.

"We worked together as a team, I’m proud of them and they should be proud of their achievement."

A composite Patrol 300 took second place with third going to Patrol 700.

The scenario was set over 72-hours with patrols in a mounted and dismounted advance to contact passing through various field situations, by day and night.

The patrols conducted a variety of stands ranging from reconnissance, withdrawals, and a basic messengers skill assessment, which tested individual and collective skills.

The exercise provided iXpress with its first opportunity to test it's communications techniques since Mayday 2002, when the unit deployed to Maribyrnong.

It was designed to practice mid-intensity operations across a TAOR of 8sq km.

iXpress Patrols conducted clearance operations to test counter surveillance skills, procedures and photographic equipment.

The subjects, were given freedom of movement, meaning the patrols were required to locate and observe all encountered within their AO.

The high-tempo exercise put the Melbourne based messengers through their paces in conducting patrolling, surveillance, covert ops and cordon and searches.

The success in achieving the exercise’s objectives proved it can adapt quickly and effectively to any scenario in today’s high operational tempo.