What if the crew of Rudy 102 had driven a Leopard and trained at the Świętoszów Leopard Training Centre (OSL)? They would not have had such problems. The Leopard Training Centre is the only institution in Poland training Leopard 2 tank crews. Classes are conducted in the form of specialist courses.
Courses that began on November 30 last year and will end on February 29 are currently under way at the OSL. Soldiers from the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade (10BKPanc) and the 34th Armored Cavalry Brigade—a unit forming part of the Black Division—are taking part. The classes will culminate in final examinations, and participants who pass them will receive certificates.
The training takes place in four groups. The first two platoons consist of specialists: commanders, gunners and loaders. The remaining two platoons consist of Leopard 2A4 tank drivers who, in a separate training track with instructors from the Leopard Training Centre, train using the tactical exercise area. Their programme mainly covers driving instruction.
Asked about the trainees’ progress, OSL instructor Sergeant Tomasz Potęga replies:
Some of the trainees are soldiers who have already served on Leopard tanks in other specialities, so the tasks set before them are easier to master. Judging by the results of last week’s training, the effects are highly satisfactory. The shooting scores averaged above 4.50 and even reached 5.0 in the case of night firing. This gives us great satisfaction, as these results are the outcome of training based on the simulators available at the OSL: ASPT, for training gunners and commanders, and AAT turret simulators.
“The course participants have already completed live-fire exercises in limited visibility, at night, while moving and at long distances, as well as exercises involving combat against helicopters. In addition to practising tank gunnery, the soldiers are also honing other skills, such as evacuating a wounded person from a tank, crew battle communication during combat, moving a tank into a parking position and evacuating the crew through the emergency hatch,” reports Senior Warrant Officer Artur Głos.
Senior Private Rafał Siwik, who conducts classes on evacuation, recalls how he took his first steps as a tank crewman:
“When I look at the soldiers we are training now, I remember my own training, which I completed on Twardy PT-91 and PT-72 tanks, and later on Leopard 2A4 and 2A5 tanks. I have served on tanks for almost seven years, but I remember evacuating from a tank for the first time myself, and I can say that it is not an easy task.”
OSL Commandant Major Krzysztof Kacperek concludes:
“During this course, we are conducting intensive training for the crews of two companies. The current course is being conducted for an increased number of participants because of the need to prepare for the fulfilment of allied commitments. It involves 90 soldiers—members of tank crews.”
The Leopard Training Centre conducts two to three courses of this type each year, both for crew specialists—commanders, gunners and loaders—and for tank drivers. In addition, the centre runs courses for technical personnel preparing them to operate and repair Leopard tanks, Bergepanzer 2 armoured recovery vehicles and M113 armoured personnel carriers. The training programme is complemented by courses for officer cadets from the General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces in Wrocław. The next training course will begin as early as March.
Capt. Adriana Wołyńska, 10BKPanc; consultation: Maj. Krzysztof Kacperek, OSL/ii