Personnel from the 3rd Health Battalion trialled innovative ways of deploying their equipment into the field swiftly and efficiently, under the kinds of demanding conditions they would face on operations.
Exercise Surging Forward, held at RAAF Base Edinburgh, tested their ability to operate in a high-risk, contested urban environment, where hostile activity severely limits freedom of action.
The exercise was an opportunity for a fully equipped Role 2 Basic (R2B) surgical facility to deploy into the field using 40M trucks - Army's most commonly used transport vehicle.
Captain Stuart Haggarty, a platoon commander in the battalion's surgical company, and an observer/mentor on the exercise, said it was unique for the R2B to be established in an urban environment, and a first with the new JP2060 equipment.
He said the focus of the immersive and exacting training environment was realism and learning the key lessons from conflicts around the world.
"Our soldiers and officers were able to flex training in a new way that threw up multiple challenges," Captain Haggarty said.
"Our typical training areas in Australia and the way we train is currently unrealistic for tomorrow's conflict, where it's highly unlikely we'll have temperate conditions, clear communications and readily available evacuation platforms."
The exercise planners simulated modern conflict, with medical personnel and equipment being actively targeted by an unscrupulous and indiscriminate enemy.
"This exercise tested our ability to act when we are losing the overall battle - we can't move our patients and we are not protected assets. This accurately reflects our Ukrainian allies' health assets, who are using guile and individualism to create solutions when the opposing force is superior and actively targeting health," Captain Haggarty said.
As well as practising critical medical drills, such as prolonged casualty care, damage control surgery, tactical casualty handovers and blood training, personnel also developed skills in emerging disciplines such as telemedicine and field radiography.
On top of all this, they were also faced with a riot control scenario, when a hostile crowd threatened to break into their company location, testing crisis response and decision-making at all levels.
