SECRET UK EYES A
than in 1988. Only two major exercises took place, and the Contingency Communications exercise had to be postponed:
a.
EX PURPLE WAVE 89. This CPX served as the principle practice in 1989 of procedures for the conduct of an OOA
contingency operation. An intervention in aid of a fictional Commonwealth country in the Caribbean was used to practice CINCFLEET as JHQ, and the JFHQ, in a predominantly
amphibious operation. The exercise proved to be a timely
validation of the arrangements put in hand following the
lessons of Ex PURPLE WARRIOR. Free exercise play first
used in Ex PURPLE VENTURE in 1988, and the exclusion of
commanders from prior knowledge of events, contributed significantly to realism in a scenario characterised by a
high level of threat and adverse political overtones.
FCO assisted greatly in control and conduct of the exercise.
-
The
b. EX PURPLE VENTURE 89. The CPX was conducted with the
French in November. The exercise practised the JFHQ in
command and control of a SPE alongside a similar operation
conducted by the Force D'Action Rapide in a neighbouring
country. Examination of procedures for cooperative
operations in an OOA setting is expected to provide interesting and useful results.
C.
EX PLATINUM MERCURY. An attempt to locate the annual
practice of communications for contingency operations in
southern Africa in June proved too difficult to arrange, and it was replanned for the Caribbean in October. Regrettably,
however, the higher claim of BAOR reinforcement exercises
and Priority One training elsewhere precluded its
deployment.
Despite its value as somewhat of a door
opener after a period of resistance to Western military
activity in Trinidad, the exercise had to be postponed until
1990.
76.
a.
Future 00A Exercises.
PURPLE Exercises. Planning has now started for the
1990 CPX, Ex PURPLE VENTURE 90. This will be based on an
airborne/air landed operation in the Middle East, and will
SECRET UK EYES A
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