Potential recruits must also complete a planning exercise, working out how to move men and equipment across enemy terrain at night.

Once taken through a budget planning exercise, most found that they required about 10,000 to 15,000 in the early years of retirement.

The idea to begin the company was conceived over a strategic planning exercise, when they were, with scholarships, taking postgraduate studies.

The army said the plans had been discussed but only as part of a scenario-based planning exercise at a military seminar.

The course included 26 syllabus sorties, seven simulator missions, four mission planning exercises and more than 400 hours of academics.