THE Army's new armoured reconnaissance vehicles are being used on Salisbury Plain as part of Exercise Wessex Storm.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, who have just moved back to the UK after 40 years in Germany, are changing roles to be light cavalry and will be swapping their Challenger tanks for the new armoured Jackal.

They have undergone more than nine months of intensive training which will culminate in the two-week exercise with the Army Reserve Regiment and The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry.

The SNIY unit is also equipped with the weapons mounted installation kit which is a stripped back, reinforced Land Rover that carries out similar tasks to the Jackal.

Julian Brazier, Under Secretary of State for Reserves, who visited both units on Salisbury Plain, said: “The regular/reserves pairing has been extremely successful, and this is an example of that.

"This is the result of culmination of a lot of hard work from both units."

The Jackal, a deep battlespace reconnaissance rapid assault and fire vehicle, being used in places such as Afghanistan where mobility, robustness and endurance speed are essential but is now being rolled out to be the main vehicle to equip the British Army's Light Cavalry Regiment.

Lieutenant Colonel James Campbell-Barnard, commanding officer of the SNIY, said: "The work we have done in preparation for this exercise has been great.

"We have a very close relationship with the Scots DG – quite a few of our number have served in the Regulars with the Scots DG, we share permanent staff instructors and we operate together very often.

"It has worked really well and my soldiers have learned a lot.”