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Australian Defence Force personnel have taken part in a Foreign Forces Desert Immersion Course provided by the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.
Eleven members from the ADF and one from the New Zealand Defence Force, stationed at Headquarters Middle East, took part in the training at the Saeed Bin Tahnoon Desert Survival School, about 80km south of Abu Dhabi.
All 12 participants were attended the training in the Arabian Desert environment, learning specialised survival skills from experienced local Bedouins over the course of four-and-a-half days.
Among the attendees was Wing Commander Simon Longley, a former commanding officer of the survival school at Townsville, who spoke highly of the experience.
“This was a great opportunity to gain some valuable training with our Emirati colleagues and strengthen our friendship with the UAE military on a different level,” Wing Commander Longley said.
“It was fantastic to immerse ourselves in the local Bedouin culture and apply what we learnt to our roles on Op Accordion.”
The Saeed Bin Tahnoon Desert Survival School offers a range of survival training programs, primarily focusing on survive, evade, resist and escape techniques.
This curriculum is comparable to the RAAF’s Combat Survival Training School at RAAF Base Townsville.
The course is vital for fostering key leader engagement with local partners in the UAE and has welcomed participants from various countries in the past, including the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mauritania and the United States.
The Foreign Forces Desert Immersion training is specifically designed to acclimate military personnel to UAE military customs, cultures and traditions.
Focusing on practical applications, training includes celestial navigation techniques, military camel handling and desert driving skills, essential knowledge for operating effectively in extreme desert environments.
The training opportunity highlights the importance of fostering cooperation among international military forces and the value of understanding diverse cultures, ensuring that participants return with enhanced skills and a deeper appreciation of their allied counterparts.
