On the 5th of July 2010, 16 Air Asault Brigade took part in their Mission Rehersal Exercise FTX-13.

Up to 4,000 troops and 400 vehicles took part in the Final Training Exercise on Salisbury Plain Training Area ahead of their deployment in October 2010 until March 2011. This will be the fourth deployment to Afghanistan for Colchester-based Headquarters 16 Air Assault Brigade, three of which were in Helmand – the last in summer 2008.

Elements of 16 AAB taking part in the exercise:

D Squadron, The Household Cavalry Regiment
2nd Royal Tank Regiment
23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)
Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment
1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment
13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
29 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Royal Logistic Corps
16 Medical Regiment
7 (Air Assault) Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
615 Tactical Air Control Party

Aircraft seen taking part:

6 x Apache WAH64D
1 x Lynx AH9
1 x Lynx AH9a
1 x Lynx AH9 ISTAR
2 x Merlin
2 x Seaking HC4
3 x Chinook HC3
1 x Chinook HC2
1 x Gazelle AH1 ISTAR
1 x Dornier 228 ISTAR
2 x C-130 Hercules