The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) is a unit located at the vast training area of Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada. BATUS is generally regarded as the British Army's largest training field in the world and it can accommodate live-firing exercises up to the brigade level. Canadian Forces Base Suffield (also CFB Suffield), is the largest Canadian Forces Base and one of the largest military training bases in the world. ... Motto: Fortis et liber(Latin) Strong and free Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Official languages English (see below) Government - Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong - Premier Ed Stelmach (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 28 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (split from Northwest Territories) (8th [Province]) Area Ranked... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ...

The Suffield area was first utilised by the British forces during the Second World War. A British chemical weapons testing facility was located in French-controlled Algeria, however, upon the conquest of France by Germany, the facility was lost. The British could find no suitable location in the UK and thus an agreement was signed between Canada and the UK to allow the Suffield area to become available to British scientists for testing. Consequently, British and Canadian forces employed the area for a variety of experiments. Upon the end of WWII, the British departed the Suffield area and it was formally taken over by the Canadian Defence Research Board. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

In 1969, Colonel Gaddafi orchestrated a coup in Libya, and duly took control of the country and proceeded to, after negotiations, close down British military installations located at El Adem and Tobruk, and additionally American installations located near Tripoli. This presented the UK with quite a dilemma as there was no suitably expansive areas to allow the British Army to undertake armoured warfare exercises on a suitably large-scale in Europe. Thus, in 1971, a 10-year lease was signed between the British and Canadian Governments that authorised battle group training to take place in the Suffield area by the British Army. In January 1972 the British Army Training Unit Suffield was formally established. In July the first live rounds were fired by the 4th Royal Tank Regiment Battle Group. In 1981 the lease for Suffield was extended and in 1991, the lease was again extended. In 2006, on the expiration of this lease, the British and Canadian governments concluded an agreement that will allow British forces to maintain their training practices in Canada indefinitely [1]. For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... Colonel Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi1 (Arabic:   ) (born c. ... Tobruk or Tubruq (Arabic: طبرق; also transliterated as Tóbruch, Tobruch, Å¢ubruq, Tobruck ) is a town, seaport, municipality, and peninsula in eastern Libya in Northern Africa. ... Tripoli (Arabic: طرابلس Tarābulus) is the capital city of Libya. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Royal Tank Regiment is a unit of the British Army. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Just over 30 Challenger 2 tanks, numerous armoured personnel carriers (APC) and 29 (BATUS) Flight Army Air Corps are allocated to BATUS. A single regiment is dispatched to Canada on a 6-month deployment to perform the role of 'enemy' for the 6 regiments that annually take part in a variety of exercises that last for approximately 6-weeks. It provides invaluable training for the British Army that they would otherwise mostly not experience. The Challenger 2 is the most recent main battle tank in service with the United Kingdom and Oman. ... The 29 (BATUS) Flight Army Air Corps is an independent flight within the British Armys Army Air Corps. ...

See also

• CFB Suffield

Canadian Forces Base Suffield (also CFB Suffield), is the largest Canadian Forces Base and one of the largest military training bases in the world. ...

External links

• UK MoD site
• CFB Suffield - Official Site