The Luxembourg Army has used the former 'Metzeschmelz' steelworks site in Esch-sur-Alzette as the backdrop for its latest series of military exercises, the first of their kind to take place there.

Once part of the ARBED (now ArcelorMittal) industrial complex and now a planned future residential district between Esch and Schifflange, the historic site briefly transformed into a training ground last week.

The exercises focused on tactical medicine, allowing troops to simulate emergency field conditions inside the old industrial buildings. A spokesperson for the Army explained that the terrain offered ideal conditions for realistic training, with tunnels and structures similar to those soldiers might encounter in actual operations.

Participants included the Army's Medical Support Unit, composed of three tactical medical teams, a total of 27 personnel. Over four days, they conducted exercises both during the day and at night, deploying the new PAV2 armoured ambulance for the first time in such operations. Introduced to the military fleet in August, the 6x6 vehicle can navigate difficult terrain and carry up to two severely injured patients.

According to the Army, the exercises were highly successful, and the site offers significant potential for future training. Collaboration with the City of Esch, the Emile Mayrisch Hospital Centre (CHEM), and AGORA – the development company responsible for transforming the area into a new urban quarter – was also described as exemplary.