The Betione Field of Instruction was the stage for the closing of the Force Readiness Certification (FORPRON) of the 4th Mechanized Cavalry Brigade, on Friday, May 20th. The fire drill, called Operation Fire and Steel, ensured the certification of the FORPRON of the Western Military Command.
The operation included individual and collective firing from the heavy mortar platoon, shell battery, 90 mm cannon, .50 machine gun, 7.62 mm machine gun, and Specialized Module from the 6th Missile and Rocket Group. According to the Commander of the 4th Mechanized Cavalry Brigade, Brigadier General Adilson Akira Torigoe, this was the only phase missing to start the readiness cycle.
“In Betione, we performed the individual and collective shooting, and thus closed another stage of the FORPRON certification. Now we are entering the 10-month readiness cycle, and from then on we will be able to act in any case of employment of the Land Force,” explained General Akira. Organized by the Operations Coordination Center of the Western Military Command, the training had approximately 420 military personnel employed in the most diverse functions and counted on weapons of different calibers and different ways of acting.
“We have gathered different calibers and different ways of operating, which are very important, because they all have their purposes. The 120mm Mortar is used with Cavalry or Artillery troops to facilitate maneuvering, and is used to overcome nearby vertical obstacles. The 105mm Artillery, on the other hand, a light-caliber shell, is used to hit longer and more distant targets, with zone shooting, which allows the opponent’s artillery to be hit with precision. So, this training has the objective of enabling the troops to fulfill artillery missions well”, explained the Chief of the Operations Coordination Center of the Western Military Command, Brigadier General Valério Luiz Lange.
The general also highlighted the presence of members of Embraer, who offered technical assistance on site to ensure that their radar capabilities are used in favor of the Brazilian Army and Brazil. The Western Military Commander, Army General Anísio David de Oliveira Júnior, the Brazilian Army Artillery Commander, Brigadier General Moisés da Paixão Júnior, and representatives from the Campo Grande Military School also attended the exercise.
*** Translated by DEFCONPress Team***