The Estrella Austral 2022 exercise provided the Chilean Armed Forces with a platform to showcase their capabilities alongside coalition forces, from August 15-25. Estrella Austral is a joint special operations exercise designed to develop collaboration skills and build interoperability for counterterrorism operations.
More than 1,000 international soldiers gathered to participate in the seventh edition of the Austral Star exercise, which provides many opportunities in all areas, to include special forces operations, as well as the integration of logistics branches.
This year’s exercise had three participating countries and three observer countries. Chile was the host of the event, while the United States and Spain provided the participating means of support. Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia participated as observers.
Support elements from Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) and the 7th Special Forces Group Military Free Fall Team were among the personnel directly involved in the training events. The teams established, organized, and operated a Joint Force Headquarters, capable of maintaining coordination across multiple exercise locations. Special Forces operators also worked alongside coalition forces while executing counterterrorism and parachuting missions.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity and challenge for us, allowing us to deploy from multiple surfaces,” said U.S. Army Maj. Dan Sickles, lead planner for exercise SOCSOUTH Southern Star 2022. “We have Marines , Air Force Special Tactics, Army Special Forces ODA [Destacamentos Operacionales-A]operating in different and strict locations, commanded and controlled from a central location in a joint special operations task force.
Activities included special operations reconnaissance, personnel recovery, joint planning process, medical response drills, and interoperability capabilities. The nations worked together to demonstrate the tactical and professional competence possessed by both the host nation and its participating partner forces.
According to participating Chilean special forces team leaders, Estrella Austral provides lasting enrichment of both the capabilities of the operating forces and the bonds between friendly forces. Special operations teams focused on foot patrols, direct action technical training, as well as military free-fall procedures.
The Chilean Army showed its ability to use its internal assets along with interoperability demonstrations between participating nations, to be a self-sufficient force and regional leader. The aviation media provided aircraft for parachuting and fast rope exercises, along with the mobilization of troops. These aviation assets directly supported ground operations across multiple locations, while conducting simultaneous exercises.
“Estrella Austral is an integration exercise, not only in relation to special operations, but also to the headquarters element,” said Captain Karina Kauzlarich, a communications officer for the Chilean Army. “Five enlisted women, two officers and three NCOs, operated communications and logistics support, alongside our male counterparts. We have fully integrated our fields, which in turn further develops our operational capabilities.”
The integration of women in the operational support elements is an adjacent component that Estrella Austral 2022 facilitates. The integration supports the Women, Peace and Security policy, which promotes the gender perspective and the equitable and meaningful participation of women in peace processes, the consolidation of peace and security. Exercise Estrella Austral 2022 creates a multidimensional stage to showcase and enhance the capabilities of all participating assets, both nations and individuals.