The ‘Estrella Austral 2023’ exercise begins the direct actions implementation phase

• Units from Chile, the U.S. and Spain carry out exercises of urban combat, shooting, tactic movements and Joint Terminal Attack Controller

The ‘Estrella Austral 2023’, a joint and combined exercise that is currently taking place in Chile, has provided the Spanish’ Special Operations Units with the opportunity to improve the interoperability between the different participating armies.

The exercise is being developed in locations with very different types of climate and terrains: from the desert of northern Chile and its mountainous regions in the area of Antofagasta to the Pacific coast at Quintero, and even reaching the southern area of Punta Arena.

In Antofagasta, both the Joint Special Operations Command (MCOE in Spanish) and the Parachute Sapper Squadron have completed the ascent of the Vicuña Mackenna Mount (3114 m), exercises of urban combat, shooting, tactic movements and advanced life support assistance, as well as exercises from the Joint Terminal Attack Controller. In the city of Rancagua, the MCOE is part of the Special Operations Joint-Combined Component Command, where advisory tasks in the domains of intelligence and targeting are undertaken.

Implementation phase of the exercise

The exercise has now entered into the direct actions implementation phase in the Special Operations domain. The different actors involved in the simulated scenario proposed by the host will attempt to rescue a hostage, degrade and even neutralise the supply capacity of ammunition, weapons and provisions of the paramilitary groups on the ground, and even to convey a message of security to the civilian population living in the areas affected by the activity of paramilitary groups.