A recent joint training exercise in Mozambique focused on evaluating quick reaction force (QRF) capabilities in the FADM (Forças Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique).
Exercise Gamba 23 was scheduled and conducted by FADM personnel, mentored by the European Union Training Mission (EUTM-MOZ) in the East African country.
It focused on a joint QRF component: army and navy with a tactical air control party (TACP) embedded. The aim was to train and evaluate QRF capabilities, during deployment and in offensive, defensive, stability and sustainment operations.
It called for the QRF “attitude of mind in doing the unexpected, using initiative and seeking originality, combined with a ruthless determination to succeed,” an EUTM-MOZ statement said. This would put the QRF in position to win in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) operational environment, it continued.
The QRFs attached to Gamba conducted operations to create conditions for a safe and secure environment (SASE). All exercises were based on a scenario, portraying a geopolitically fictitious region with mapping adaptations to actual Manica territories (Manica is a town in western Mozambique). This provided a realistic training environment for the QRFs by simulating a scenario closely resembling their intended deployment area in Cabo Delgado.
“The military end state is to ensure both QRFs are self-sustained and operationally ready to conduct the full spectrum of operations typical of a rapid reaction company, as per the QRF concept, in designated areas of operations.
“The QRF’s status was certified with unit evaluation in a counter-insurgency (COIN) environment working together in an exercise area. Through the lessons learned collection plan, lessons observed were identified and analysed to support enhancement of the QRF training cycle.
“Both QRFs which took part in Gamba are aware and ready to be deployed in Cabo Delgado,” the exercise mentors noted.
