By Juliette Demey.
The French army has built a human scale fake city in the middle of the countryside in the Aisne region, in order to train their men for urban combat.
Reportage in this unique center in Europe.
It could be Kosovo, Afghanistan or the Ivory Coast. One enters Jeoffrecourt through its main road which passes over an artificial riverbed and a railroad that ends half a mile further. On the left, the historical and residential quarter along with its train station, the city hall square and its local shops. On the right, buildings. Far off, malls and a gas station. You will not encounter a single soul in this city of 5000 inhabitants : Jeoffrecourt is an empty shell built from the ground up by the French army right in the middle of the Sissonne’s military camp. « 21st century combats will occure 95% of the time in urban configurations. Hence specific constraints : partitioned spaces on multiple levels, narrow roads, shots fired at short distances ranging from 5 to 100 meters, civilians… more pressure. » lists Colonel Hubert Legrand, the commanding officer of this French MOUT center.
Read more »
To train their soldiers to 21st century combat, the French army has spent no less than 90 million Euros. This heavy equipment, one of a kind in Europe, raises the interests of other nations. These types of training camps exit in other countries such as Israel, The United States of America, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, and Germany, « but none is as evolved as Sissonne’s camp in terms of simulations. We don’t use cardboard here. » Assures Colonel Legrand. « We can send in our tanks without destroying anything ». NATO already plans to make the French MOUT Center one of their main centers of expertise within the Partnership for Peace. Meanwhile, foreign units namely from the UK have already came to train before being sent out on duty.
As in Grozny or Falloujah
At every crossroad interchangeable signs evoke potential conflict zones : “Abu Dhabi street”, “Jumeirah Street”, “KronenburgStrasse”, “Place des Merovingiens”. In these buildings, none of the 1800 rooms look alike. Dead end stairs and walled doors… are just a couple of the traps set to surprise the trainees. Since the end of 2009, over 10 000 French soldiers have been trained here for urban combat. Each session last 15 days and gathers two Combined Arms Platoon Level teams of 180 men. “We get teams with different areas of expertise to work together : logistics, artilleries, foot soldiers…” adds Colonel Legrand. After a week of evaluation, the units immerse themselves for 72 hours in a human scale exercise following a specific scenario. Three days and three nights nonstop, since Colonel Legrand states : “Be it in Grozny, Faloujah or Beirout, the intense combat phase have always lasted about 3 days”.
On this day, 200 trainees are missioned to takeover the modern quarter of Jeoffrecourt before 6pm. The opposing force (OPFOR), which consists of experienced military personnel from the MOUT, will take on the enemy role.
Fake casualties
Atop the hill, at the command post, the information is processed in real time : ammunition stocks, human casualties, or material damage. In the next room, the instructors of the MOUT modulate the scenario according to the positions of the trainees. On the ground, the soldiers stick it out. Guided by an instructor, they discover the reality : the noise, the isolation, the lack of information, the narrow spaces, the difficulty to keep a clear head despite fatigue, and the numbed limbs. Even if they do not face vital risks (they only use blank rounds) the pressure is very real. Every night, their mistakes are analysed and deconstructed in detail and each unit is graded on their performance at the end of the training. “After 15 days, the company is provided with a very accurate snapshot of its level performance” explains Lieutenant Colonel de Kermenguy, in charge of the instructional side of the exercise.
In order to stay as close as possible to the reality of the terrain, the scenario is consistently enriched thanks to the data collected by French and foreign armies over all theatres of operations. A new scenario encountered in Afghanistan can be integrated three months later to the trainees program.
In the rush of the moment the “wounded” and the “dead” add up. “60% of the force is down”, the Adjutant rages impatiently in his talky-walky. “get me the info fast, there’s a sniper, I want to bust his brains”. While the trainees look for the shooter in the buildings, he keeps on emptying his rounds on them. “you must learn to keep a reliable vision. Sending 20 guys against this sniper is useless. In Irak, an isolated shooter kept 200 American soldiers at bay for 6 hours… you’re better off making this mistake here than in Afghanistan.” For the Commander de Riberolles, head of the opposing force, “the aim is not to prevent them from completing the mission, but to highlight their weaknesses to prepare them. If it’s hard for them here, they are on the right track.”
Tonight, his men will infiltrate the trainees position on three separate occasions. At the end of the day, Jeoffrecourt fades away under the clouds of smoke and artillery’s incessant firing. The next day, the civilians and journalists (acted by the ‘opposing force’) will challenge the trainees before another high intensity exercise the following morning and last step of the immersion.
At night, some of the wounded are resuscitated for the need of the action to come. The only concession to realism.
General view of Jeoffrecourt during a high intensity fighting simulation. The French Military Urban Operations Training Center, that includes the fake city of Jeoffrecourt since 2008, officially opened in 2006 and will be completed by 2015. It is the most up-to-date urban warfare testing centre in Europe. 90 million Euros has been spent on the site and its annual budget is 3,3 million Euros. Sissonne, France – November 30 2010
Some soldiers train under the eyes of an instructor during an exercise of high intensity fighting simulation. Sissonne, France – November 30 2010
At dawn, the Opposing Force (OPFOR) makes a surprised assault against the trainees. Sissonne, France – May 5 2011.
General view of the main road of Jeoffrecourt. Sissonne, France – November 30 2010.
Some soldiers fictitiously injured seat in front of the hospital of Jeoffrecourt. Sissonne, France – November 30 2010
A soldier is about to make a radio transmission to the Operation Center in order to report on the position of his subordinates. Sissonne, France – May 3rd 2011
Some trainees take a break during an exercise of high intensity fighting simulation. Sissonne, France – November 30 2010
Some soldiers from the the Opposing Force (OPFOR) are dressed up as miliciens. Sissonne, France – November 30 2010
At dawn, the Opposing Force (OPFOR) makes a surprised assault against the trainees. Sissonne, France – May 5 2011
A British sapper clears wire so that a French tank can punch a way through for French forces as they continue the assault on the enemy-held town on January 24th, 2012 in Sissone, France. Sissonne, France – January 24 2012
Some soldiers take a break in front of the hospital of Jeoffrecourt. Sissonne, France – May 4 2011.
General view of the fake city of Jeoffrecourt at the French Military Urban Operations Training Centre. Sissonne, France – May 3 2011.
A trainee is fictiously injured during the simulation of a suicide bomber on May 4th, 2011 in Sissonne, France. Sissonne, France – May 4 2011.
A trainee is fictiously injured during the simulation of a suicide bomber. The soldiers practice a sanitary evacuation exercise. Sissonne, France – May 04 2011.
A trainee is fictiously injured during the simulation of a suicide bomber. The soldiers practice a sanitary evacuation exercise. Sissonne, France – May 04 2011.
Place of worship in the historical center of Jeoffrecourt . It is deliberately unclear whether the place of worship is a church, a mosque or a temple. Sissonne, France – May 04 2011.
A fake milicien stands at a check point organized by the trainees at the entrance of Jeoffrecourt. Sissonne, France – May 04 2011.
An instructor throws some fake blood at a fictiously dead soldiers for the credibility of the game. Sissonne, France – May 04 2011.
The Opposing Force (OPFOR) makes a surprised assault against the trainees. Sissonne, France – May 5 2011.
The Opposing Force (OPFOR) makes a surprised assault against the trainees. Sissonne, France – May 4 2011.
Two trainees discuss the presence of a member of the Opposing Force (OPFOR) in a building nearby. Sissonne, France – May 5 2011.
A fake civilian is fictiously injured during the simulation of a suicide bomber. Fake blood is thrown at the body for the credibility of the training. Sissonne, France – January 24 2012.
French and British soldiers seat next to each other at the observation post. The British and French should be able to be deployed as a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force by 2016, or earlier if an urgent call comes. Sissonne, France – January 24 2012.
Fake civilians played by members of the Opposing Force (OPFOR) wishing to enter the city are searched at a check-point organized by british soldiers at the entrance of Jeoffrecourt during an exercise including civilian populations. Sissonne, France – January 25 2012.
A fake civilian is fictitiously injured during the simulation of a suicide bomber. Sissonne, France – January 25 2012.
View of the edges of the modern area of Jeoffrecourt. Sissonne, France – January 25 2012.
Some British soldiers catch up on some sleep before the next part of the exercise. Sissonne, France – January 25 2012.
A British soldier checks the position of his unit before a the beginning a fighting simulation exercise. Sissonne, France – January 25 2012.
The Chiefs of each section of the units are debriefed during the After Analysis Session in which communications, tactics and performance are reviewed. Sissonne, France – January 24 2012.
The Chiefs of each section of the units are debriefed during the After Analysis Session in which communications, tactics and performance are reviewed. Sissonne, France – January 24 2012.
Some British soldiers try to locate the enemy snipers in the buildings nearby. Sissonne, France – January 25 2012.
A British soldier takes position at a window and tries to locate the enemy snipers in the buildings nearby. Sissonne, France – January 26 2012.
British soldiers practice a sanitary evacuation after a medium intensity fighting simulation exercise. Sissonne, France – January 25 2012.
A street of the suburban area of Jeoffrecourt during a high intensity combat phase on the last day of the training. Sissonne, France – May 5 2011.
