So exactly on schedule: future officers will be taught how to operate locomotives
Cadets of the railway troops are planning to train locomotive management so that in emergency situations they can independently remove the train from the danger zone and save not only expensive equipment, but also people's lives. Experts interviewed by Izvestia believe that such training reflects new requirements for military specialists.: Today, they have to not only build and restore tracks, but also ensure the stability of the transport system in conditions of increased risks.
Responding to new challenges
The training program of the Military Institute of Railway Troops and Military Communications is planned to be expanded in order to improve the quality of officer training. As part of the program, they want to add a new discipline for managing locomotives of various types. It will include theory and practical exercises. First, the cadets will have to study the design of locomotives. After that, he will complete an internship as a train driver's assistant. At the end of the course, they will be able to operate all the main types of locomotives used in Russia, Izvestia's interlocutors said.
The idea to introduce a new course appeared after analyzing the experience of the SVO, the interlocutors of the editorial board clarified. According to them, current training programs are being reviewed and current areas of training for future officers and military personnel are being developed.
The new discipline will help officers to better understand the specifics of the operation of rolling stock, said Colonel Alexander Perendzhiev, Associate Professor at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.
Traditionally, railway troops were primarily associated with construction, cargo transportation, and track restoration. However, modern conditions require an expansion of the tasks they perform, the expert explained.
"The inclusion of locomotive management skills in the curriculum is a response to new challenges,— stressed Alexander Perendzhiev.
Incidents on the roads
The emergence of a new discipline was facilitated by the study of real incidents, in particular, the attack by a drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Moscow-Simferopol passenger train in early June this year, the expert noted. Then the driver was injured, and his assistant was killed, reported the head of Crimea Sergey Aksenov.
"Under the threat of new attacks from the air, a stationary train is both an easy target and the cause of congestion, which can paralyze traffic at an important site or hub station," explained Alexander Perendzhiev.
In such situations, an officer of the railway troops at the scene, whether a company or platoon commander, should be able to take control of the train. This will allow him to independently take the train to a safe area, for example, to the nearest station or to a siding, in order to save equipment and people, preventing a new strike, the expert explained.
There can be from five to six officers in one company, which creates a sufficient reserve to replace retired machinists in dangerous areas, Alexander Perendzhiev noted.
— In the future, we need to consider the possibility of teaching these skills to junior commanders, such as warrant officers and sergeants. A contract sergeant, for example, could replace a train driver's assistant," the expert noted.
In many ways, it is rail transportation that provides for the needs of troops operating in the area of their military operations, said military expert Yuri Lyamin.
"For the enemy, all the facilities that are connected with our logistics are on the list of priority targets," he noted. — Many railway tracks run close to the line of contact. To act in a difficult situation, it is necessary to have a personnel reserve, and it is better that it includes military personnel. This will allow you to solve important tasks more quickly.
Now, future officers are required to learn how to load automotive, armored and special equipment onto railway trains. They must be able to drive a tank, an APC or an infantry fighting vehicle and other army vehicles onto cargo platforms, including in the field.
But in modern realities, an officer of the railway troops ceases to be a narrow specialist in the construction of tracks or the transportation of equipment and army cargo.
"New skills should make him a versatile commander, capable not only of making or restoring railway connections, ensuring safe and uninterrupted cargo transportation, but also of responding competently to any emergency,— concluded Alexander Perendzhiev.
Armored trains against drones
The SVR has shown the special importance of railway communications and the need to increase their level of protection. Izvestia wrote that the railroad warriors are actively practicing their skills in dealing with unmanned aerial vehicles as part of a special military operation. Various types of weapons are used to destroy drones, including standard small arms and smoothbore weapons, as well as anti-aircraft artillery installations mounted on special armored trains. In addition, electronic warfare (EW) equipment is being used, which makes it possible to effectively counter threats from the enemy.
Anti-UAV classes are conducted under the guidance of instructors with combat experience. This ensures a high degree of training for personnel who learn to use both traditional methods and the latest technologies to protect railway tracks and infrastructure.
Special armored trains, such as Volga, Amur, Baikal and Yenisei, operate in the SVO zone. They are equipped with powerful weapons, including mortars, infantry fighting vehicles and heavy machine guns, which allows them to effectively protect railway communications from drone attacks.
Experts emphasize the importance of railways as one of the key transportation routes for supplying troops. Reliable protection of these communications is critically important for the successful fulfillment of combat missions and ensuring the position of units on the front line. The restoration and protection of railway infrastructure are the main tasks of railway warriors.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
