A discipline championship based on the experience of a special operation was held at the 51st Army training ground.
Biathlon without skis, but with motorcycles and assault rifles. The 51st Guards Combined Arms Army of the Center group of forces hosted the first competitions in a new military-applied discipline — motorcycle biathlon. The participants overcame a multi-kilometer track over rough terrain and hit targets at firing ranges. The Izvestia correspondent found out why the military needed such a training format.
How did the new sports discipline come about?
Classical ski biathlon originally emerged as a military applied discipline. In the European wars of the first half of the 20th century, the ability of units to move quickly on skis and hit the enemy with accurate ambush fire was considered one of the most important combat skills. At that time, infantry mostly moved on foot, and equipment capable of operating effectively on snow and off-road became widespread much later.
Photo: Nikita Gorshchak
Image source: iz.ru
Over time, biathlon turned into an Olympic sport and practically ceased to be associated with its military past. However, the very idea of combining high-speed movement and shooting turned out to be in demand again.
— In our brigade, motorcycle groups often perform various tasks. Against this background, training is underway at the training ground, and trails are equipped," says Senior Lieutenant Denis Vdovin, Assistant commander of the 5th Physical Training Brigade, chief organizer of the 51st Army motorcycle Biathlon Cup. — And we decided to try to hold a biathlon, making the most of the elements necessary for military personnel. It's a competition, but its elements will come in handy when performing special tasks.
During the competition, the participants acted as crews of two people — the driver and the shooter. When entering the shooting range, the latter must quickly dismount and hit the targets with a machine gun. If you miss, penalty rounds are awarded, as in classical biathlon. There are eight points on the route, with a distance of 2-3 km between them. Shooting is conducted from a distance of 50 m. In addition to biathlon, the drivers competed separately in motocross.
Photo: Nikita Gorshchak
Image source: iz.ru
The tournament was attended by military personnel of the 51st Army formations. Each team fielded four participants. These are not athletes or instructors, but ordinary fighters from those who perform tasks on motorcycles. Among them are stormtroopers, signalmen, support crews and specialists from other fields.
Motorcycle biathlon for civilians, although it exists, is limited by legislation and the capabilities of the organizers. Most often these are competitions with air guns and on small tracks. Army training grounds provide an opportunity to compete on a large scale and, of course, use machine guns at shooting stages.
— This is not close to the conditions for performing combat missions. Such competitions, rather, help the military to unload, some kind of sporting interest and excitement is born. And honing your motorcycle driving skills and shooting at moving targets is, of course, useful," says Denis Vdovin.
Photo: Nikita Gorshchak
Image source: iz.ru
The opportunity to share experiences and communicate is also important. Our interlocutor says that between the races, the representatives of the brigades had the opportunity to meet and exchange experiences, especially in those areas that are currently developing rapidly and have not yet become standard: equipping motorcyclists, servicing and preparing equipment for tasks. More experienced motorcycle fighters shared their practical experience with those who were just undergoing training.
How are motorcycle units used in a special operation area?
Earlier, Izvestia reported on how motorcycle units are involved in assault operations. In particular, they played a major role in the liberation of the village of Orekhovo in the DPR, which allowed them to reach the borders of the republic with the subsequent consolidation of Russian troops in the Dnipropetrovsk region. During the preparation of the operation, the Russian command decided to attack the settlement from the south, bypassing the fortified areas of the enemy. From the northern direction, groups on motorcycles diverted the attention of the enemy's air forces, among others. This made it possible to quickly enter the village and gain a foothold in it.
Photo: Nikita Gorshchak
Image source: iz.ru
The motorcyclists operated as a group, and they had powerful electronic warfare (EW) systems in their backpacks. Their motorcycles accelerate faster than FPV drones, and they are a small target that is difficult for the drone operator to hit. The fighters maneuvered and evaded pursuit, and electronic warfare equipment jammed communications on approach. Thus, the motorcyclists managed to take the enemy's FPV drones with them. And when the stormtroopers gained a foothold in the village, they began delivering food, ammunition and other necessities.
Dmitry Astrakhan
