At the 37mm and 57mm anti-aircraft artillery positions of the Brigade, the battery teams practiced plans to fight the enemy's airborne infiltration. The combat situation was increasingly escalated. Mixed with the urgent sound of the alarm bell were hurried footsteps. The sound of command commands resounded in the battlefield.

- 12 low flying! Speed ​​90! Long range shooting...

- 34 dive! Head speed 250! Down angle 30!...Long shot…

- 1 shot! 2 shots!... 3 done, 4 done, 5 done!...

- Stick to the target!

- Ready…! Fire…!

On the battlefield, the gunners were like shuttles, operating quickly, skillfully, and accurately, each movement as if pre-programmed. That showed that the troops had received very basic and solid training.

57mm anti-aircraft artillery team practices tracking and destroying aerial targets.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Phung Hoi, Deputy Brigade Commander and Chief of Staff of the 210th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, said: “The characteristics of air defense troops are coordinated combat, operations in large spaces, fast times, and difficulty in determining boundaries. Therefore, destroying targets right from the first volley of bullets is of special importance, and is a measure to evaluate the training process close to combat situations.”

To effectively implement training and combat readiness in the spirit of Resolution No. 1659 of the Central Military Commission on improving training quality for the 2023-2030 period and the following years, the Party Committee and brigade commanders focus on leading, directing, and strictly implementing the regime and regulations on combat readiness, command duty, and combat duty; combat preparation regime at command posts at all levels and combat duty units. Strengthen night training, train troops in bad weather conditions, master technical expertise, master existing weapons and equipment, practice combat plans proficiently, resolutely not to be surprised, miss opportunities...

Visiting Company 2, Battalion 1, we found the training atmosphere here very exciting. After the practice session, the battery teams gathered to listen to Captain, Company Commander Nguyen Huu Toan summarize his experience. Many hands were raised to express their opinions. The activity on the battlefield was short but democratic and open.

Company 2, Battalion 1, Air Defense Artillery Brigade 210, Military Region 1 practices alerting for combat readiness.

Senior Lieutenant Nong Truong Binh, Political Commissar of the Company, said: "The success of the unit is first of all due to the attention paid to human development, especially the political and spiritual factor, in which political education and propaganda of traditional history are always given due attention by the Party Committee and commanders at all levels." In order for the emulation movement in the unit to always take place vigorously, the unit attaches special importance to the work of building discipline, management, and discipline training, taking the youth union as the core force to sign emulation covenants with each individual. The political agency directs units to launch many sudden emulation movements, creating strong changes in the awareness and actions of each officer and soldier; effectively implementing emulation and reward work... Thanks to that, the sense of responsibility in performing the tasks of the troops is enhanced.

Having just completed the sports competition between the batteries with excellent results. Sergeant Tran Van Quang, Battery Leader of Battery 5, Platoon 2, Company 2, Battalion 1, excitedly shared: “To achieve stable and excellent results in the sports competitions, our battery has always actively practiced to improve our skills in operating and using weapons and equipment. We set a goal to strive to be good at our own tasks and to grasp and master the work and tasks of our teammates so that we can be ready to replace each other to complete tasks in all situations.”

With the viewpoint of “training cadres and training soldiers”, it is important to focus on synchronous and specialized training; to train officers and soldiers to have a firm grasp of knowledge according to their duties and tasks; to master key points and commands, and to coordinate closely between departments. The unit commander has proactively trained soldiers in each movement, from easy to difficult, from simple to complex.

During training, the unit usually selects a model training team and a practice team. The model team is usually cadres. For coordinated training, the platoon leader is responsible for teaching, and the battery leaders act as the model team. In the case of tactical team training, the company leader teaches, and the model teams are the platoon leaders and battery leaders. After each training content and each training week, all levels organize experience sharing, democratically discuss, and agree on optimal and effective solutions.

A break on the training ground of officers and soldiers of Company 2, Battalion 1, Air Defense Artillery Brigade 210, Military Region 1.

In harsh weather conditions, weapons and equipment have degraded over many years of use, lack of uniformity... but the unit's officers and soldiers have proactively overcome difficulties, focused on thoroughly disseminating and educating officers and soldiers to raise their vigilance; strictly maintained 10 air defense combat readiness regimes, implemented "4 know" (Know the flight plan, know whether the aircraft has flown or not, know where to fly, know how to fly in the air) in airspace management; "4 can" (Observe and detect, notify the alarm, shoot, destroy) in fighting enemy infiltration.

Colonel To Tien Duong, Brigade Commander of the 210th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, affirmed: "Clearly identifying the motto "Sweat on the training ground, less blood on the battlefield", so despite the harsh weather and unpredictable sunshine and rain, the unit's officers and soldiers always have a good sense of responsibility, proactively practice plans, handle situations well in the air and on the ground, and are determined to successfully complete the task of protecting the airspace of Thai Nguyen, the northern gateway of the capital Hanoi".

Article and photos: BUI HIEP