Iron Hammer 88
Divisional Training Exercise of the 3rd (BR) Armoured Division "The Iron Division"

The General Defence Plan of I (BR) Corps towards the end of the Cold War envisaged deploying the 1st and 4th (BR) Armoured Divisions on the forward edge of defence and keeping the 3rd (BR) Armoured Division with its three brigades (4th, 6th and 33rd Armoured Brigades) back as a reserve. Against this background, the British manoeuvre Iron Hammer, as the last of NATO’s Autumn Forge manoeuvre series in Germany, took place in the autumn of 1988. The total number of troops participating in Iron Hammer 88 was approximately 25,300, including 1,600 Territorial Army soldiers from the United Kingdom, who were in the field with 275 main battle tanks, 2,000 tracked vehicles, 4,000 wheeled vehicles and 75 helicopters. For field testing, FV4030/4 Challenger 1 Mk 2 tanks of one squadron of the 17th/21st Lancers were each fitted with auxiliary fuel drums at the rear of the tank hull. For the first time at the divisional level, the new mechanised infantry fighting vehicle, the FV510 ISV Warrior, also deployed.
This publication shows the military vehicles of the participating units in dramatic exercise photographs partially in severe winter weather conditions.

Quantity Photos and Illustrations:
Illustrated with 105 colour photos, 20 black&white photos and 6 graphics
Text - Language:
English Text
Number of Pages:
64

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