Improvements to urban training on Salisbury Plain
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is investing more than £500,000 to improve facilities at Copehill Down’s Fighting in Built Areas (FIBUA) village on Salisbury Plain.
Copehill Down’s Fighting in Built Areas (FIBUA) village on Salisbury Plain.
These include the provision of alleyways, tunnels, compounds and high level walkways all of which will add considerable complexity and flexibility to training in one of the country’s busiest individual training features.
The FIBUA village, constructed in 1987, is a purpose built facility to allow soldiers to practice fighting in an urban environment. Over the years it has seen a number of significant enhancements to meet the changing needs of the armed forces.
In tandem with the alleyway project, a ‘shoot house’ is also being constructed to enable teams to practice their low-level urban skills, such as house clearance. They will use simulated ammunition. This allows for more realistic live training but without the need to provide large danger areas.
Maj Alistair Rule, Training Safety Officer (Dry), Salisbury Plain Training Area, said:
DIO is committed to enhancing the service it provides to the armed forces and this investment is a great example of how we are doing this.
The FIBUA Village is an incredibly important and popular facility which is born out by the numbers who train there.
The cost of the alleyway project is £325,000 and the shoot house is £190,000. The work is expected to be completed in early May.