Caucasus
Region Overview
Given the nature of operations over the past 25 years, the Caucuses was the initial DATE Operating Environment (OE) used by the Australian Army upon introduction of the DATE capability in 2018. The Caucuses was the first DATE OE to be fully developed by US TRADOC, and as such provides an excellent level of depth for the delivery of excercises and scenario development.
Countries of interest
The Islamic Republic of Ariana, the area’s second-largest and second-strongest nation militarily, possesses massive oil and gas reserves in its southwest region along the Persian Gulf.
The United Republics of Donovia is a resurgent nation that, prior to two decades ago, was the region’s dominant political, economic, military, and social player.
The Democratic Republic of Limaria, a small and poor country, borders Atropia, Ariana, and Gorgas, and also occupies Lower Janga.
The Republic of Atropia is vulnerable because of its natural resources and as a result of conflicts over its province of Lower Janga.
The Democratic Republic of Gorgas, like Atropia, is a small yet fiercely independent state in a fragile and dangerous area, but without Atropia’s hydrocarbon assets.
Scenarios in this operating environment
Operation IRON GUARDIAN is a DATE-Caucasus land campaign. IRON GUARDIAN is designed for individual training requirements, and is centered around the sudden escalation of a low intensity local conflict. It is constructed to provide all the necessary tools for exercise designers to create deep and layered exercise scenarios. This scenario sees Australia operating as part of a US-led multi-national force against a near peer adversary (Ariana) fighting in Atropia.