Troops undergo urban warfare training

HOHENFELS, Germany, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A unit of Canadian soldiers is at a multinational training facility conducting exercises to prepare for evolving risks in an urban combat zone.

The 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment is at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany as part of the Cooperative Spirit 2008 training initiative along with troops from the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, the Canadian National Defense Force reported.

The monthlong urban combat training initiative is part of an effort to test the allied countries' communication interoperability and whether they can work together effectively. Officials say the exercises include shoot-house scenarios and other live-fire training in an urban combat environment.

"ABCA (America, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) countries have experience in many different areas; a lot of useful knowledge that Canada can use," Cpl. Scott Preeper said in a statement.

"We are getting some very high-speed training. The instructors have been very helpful."