An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 13 O ver recent years, the former doctrine of FIBUA (fighting in built-up areas) has been replaced by MOUT (military operations in urban terrain), and the staff of 1 Brigade Training Centre (BTC), Collins Barracks, Cork, are currently writ- ing a new Defence Forces tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) handbook on this new drill. The new handbook will be published by the end of 2019, with the aim of standardising the new MOUT training across the Defence Forces. One of the main contributors to the new training manual is Sgt Seán McEvoy (1 BTC), who has gained vast knowledge of urban warfare drills via the Army Ranger Wing and joint training exercises with special forces units from other nations. This has enabled Sgt McEvoy to adapt new tactics and the old FIBUA drills to suit our equipment, weapons and personnel. A lot of the new drills are based on real-life scenarios, which will help to make them more realistic and more likely to be successful in live operations, such as clearing buildings safely, without harm- ing civilians or unarmed personnel. In June/July 2019, Sgt McEvoy was also in involved in conduct- ing the 3rd MOUT Instructors Course at 1 BTC. This three-week course is designed to pass on the new drills to young entrants and those who were trained using the old FIBUA techniques, and who will help to spread the new doctrine back in their respective units and throughout the Defence Forces. Week one of the course consisted of lectures in the classroom followed by walk-through lessons in buildings, where Sgt McEvoy and Capt John Kelleher introduced the 23 students to the new drills they had just learned about. The course then travelled south to conduct more intensive practice in Fort Davis, the coastal defence fortification in Cork Harbour. The students spent the first part of their second week perfect- ing their drills in different scenarios in Fort Davis, before moving to the Military Training Facility (MTF) in the DFTC, Curragh Camp, for the remainder of the week, where they operated at platoon level in a MOUT environment. While this was a robust and challenging week, it was also a very enjoyable one for the students, who got a chance to experience great MOUT training facilities, including the ARW's. All that had gone before was aimed at preparing the students to take on an instructor role on the third and final week of the course. During this week the course were assessed as they passed on their new MOUT skills and drills to a MOUT young entry course, which had students come from all 1 Bde's infantry battalions: 1 Cn Cois, Galway; 12 Inf Bn, Limerick; and 3 Inf Bn, Kilkenny. The enthusiasm and eagerness to learn displayed by the young entry students was a great help to the trainee MOUT instructors. When everyone was operating their new skills and drills to a high stan- dard, 1 BTC then conducted an excellent company-level MOUT exercise in Fort Davis involving 1 BTC staff and the students from both courses. "It is therefore no longer realistic for armed forces to avoid cities. Because of the complexity of the urban environment, fighting in cities calls for adaptations in military doctrine, structures, training, and equipment." Dr Alexandre Vautravers, Head of the International Relations Department, Webster University, Geneva, Switzerland. (Dr Vautravers, a colonel GS in the Swiss Army and 2i/c of 1 Mech Bde, wrote 'Military operations in urban areas', which was published in the International Review of the Red Cross, Vol 92, No 878, June 2010.)

• Cover