Exercise Desert Warrior is the first time in 15 years that British troops have conducted joint training in Kuwait.
In the heart of the desert, British and Kuwaiti troops approach a mock village. They’re trying to rescue it from a group acting as so-called Islamic State.
To its North and West, Kuwait shares a border with Iraq making terrorism a tangible threat here.
3 RIFLES have been embedded with Kuwaiti troops for Exercise Desert Warrior.
They’re looking to pass on the skills that could protect Kuwait from suffering the same fate as its near neighbours.
The brigade here are Kuwait’s most northern troops known as ‘Al Soor’, ‘the wall’.
The Udairi ranges are only a few miles from the Iraq border. Kuwait knows only too well the threat is close.
Exercise Desert Warrior is a demonstration of what both the Kuwait Land Forces and the Kuwait National Guard are capable of and how British training has helped them.
For 3 RIFLES the unforgiving Kuwaiti desert has been a challenging place to train.
However, they’ve got an insight into operations, a world away from their Edinburgh base.
It’s been 15 years since there was joint training here on this scale but Kuwait has long been a friend to Britain in the Middle East.
It’s now a friend the UK is helping to ensure is ready, for the very clear and present danger at its door.
