North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
September 15, 2014
EXERCISE ‘RAPID TRIDENT 2014′ STARTS IN THE UKRAINE
U.S. paratroopers in Rapid Trident 2011
‘Rapid Trident’, a pre-planned, annual exercise that is part of the U.S. European Command’s (EUCOM) joint exercise program. Rapid Trident is designed to help boost interoperability between Ukrainian, US and other Allied forces. This year’s exercise will involve command post exercises, patrolling, counter-IED training and a field training exercise. Approximately 1,300 military personnel from 15 nations including Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, and the U.S., as well as NATO observers, will participate in the exercise.
The exercise will be conducted near Yavoriv at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre (IPSC), approximately 60 kilometres from the city of L’viv in north-western Ukraine. The IPSC is a regional centre of excellence designed to support multi-national training and exercises with regional and bilateral partners.
‘Rapid Trident 2014’ will consist of a multinational field training exercise (FTX). In preparation for the FTX, units will undergo one week of situational training exercises (STX) that focus on FTX key tasks such as countering improvised explosive device(s), convoy operations and patrolling. There are no live fire exercises scheduled for Rapid Trident 14.
‘Rapid Trident’ is an annual exercise, and was planned well before the current situation in Ukraine. The last Rapid Trident exercise was held in July 2013. It is not a NATO led exercise but Alliance nations do participate. U.S. European Command, based in Germany, is the lead entity for the exercise.
Story by: EUCOM Public Affairs Office.
U.S. and Ukrainian paratroopers during Rapid Trident 2011
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