North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations/Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
September 23, 2013
NATO Response Force Training, The Road to Steadfast Jazz
Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office
Allied Command Operations will conduct a wide variety of dynamic and demanding exercises this autumn that will put both troops and commanders from the NATO Response Force (NRF) to the test. NATO has ambitious plans to increase training activity over the next few years in order to maintain readiness and interoperability. This will include more ambitious and frequent exercises, a broader range of scenarios, and a comprehensive training plan to cover the full range of Alliance missions.
To that end, several NRF exercises are being conducted in order to keep the Alliance fit for the future.
Exercise Brillliant Arrow
In early September the Alliance conducted Exercise Brilliant Arrow, which involved around 50 military aircraft and approximately 800 exercise participants in the central region of Norway. The exercise, conducted by HQ Allied Air Command, was the first in a series of manoeuvres taking place this autumn designed to hone the skills and interoperability of the NRF. Forty fighter aircraft, two airborne early warning platforms, three transport aircraft, four helicopters as well as other support aircraft trained within a challenging and realistic scenario that also involved air defence units on the ground.
One of General Breedlove’s key priorities as Supreme Commander Allied Powers Europe (SACEUR) is maintaining the unparalleled level of interoperability among allies and partners as a result of recent and intense operational experiences.
“Exercise Brilliant Arrow honed the skills of allied air forces in orchestrating air operations,” said General Philip Breedlove. “This level of capability and interoperability will be needed if the involved units are activated under the NATO Response Force,” he said.
The exercise was centred around Oerland Main Air Station in Norway. Nine other NATO members – France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and the United Kingdom also participated. These units and HQ AIRCOM will be on standby for a potential NRF mission in 2014.
Exercise Brilliant Mariner
A large fleet of warships from NATO’s Response Force (NRF) sailed from ports across Europe on 25 September 2013 to take part in the maritime exercise “Brilliant Mariner” in the Mediterranean Sea.
The warships will take part in integration training that will enable them to respond to operational needs or crisis situations anywhere in the world, as and when required. The exercise, which will end on 6 October 2013, will take place in the Tyrrhenian Sea between Sicily and Sardinia.
Over five thousand military and naval personnel from 10 NATO nations comprising Germany Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, France and the United States will participate.
The exercise will involve a total of 25 warships, including one aircraft carrier, 12 frigates, one auxiliary ship, and 7 mine counter-measure vessels. Two submarines and a range of maritime Patrol aircraft will also take part.
NATO’s Maritime Command at Northwood, U.K will be responsible for directing the exercise known as Brilliant Mariner 2013. They will ensure that the NATO Response Force (NRF) is faced with a realistic and demanding scenario, presenting a number of challenges for the commanders at sea; including, asymmetric or terrorist threats, maritime security operations and embargo operations.
“Brilliant Mariner will not only hone our ability to provide force integration and combat readiness training for the maritime forces assigned to the NATO Response force (NRF) but it is also a tangible demonstration of what maritime power can bring to the various security challenges that we are likely to be faced with in coming years,” said NATO’s maritime commander, Vice Admiral Peter Hudson of the UK Navy. “A key attribute of Maritime forces that is of increasing premium is that they can achieve influence without embroilment, offering political choice and viable military options,” he said.
This exercise is part of NATO’s efforts to maintain connected and interoperable maritime forces at a high-level of readiness. Through dynamic and demanding exercises, the goal is to make sure that maritime NRF troops are ready to deal with any situation in any environment.
Exercise Steadfast Jazz
In addition to these exercises, a variety of land, special-forces, and headquarters staff exercises have also occurred this fall. All NATO NRF training will culminate with Exercise Steadfast Jazz, which takes place in early November in a number of Alliance nations including the Baltic States and Poland. Air, land, maritime and special forces components will all be exercised, as well as the headquarters staff from Joint Force Command Brunssum who will be expected to lead NATO joint operations next year.
The purpose of the series of exercises is to train and test the NATO Response Force, a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and special forces components that the Alliance can deploy quickly wherever needed. The goal is to make sure that NRF headquarters and troops are ready to deal with any situation in any environment.
“The NATO Response Force is a key-component of NATO’s collective defence capabilities,” said General Breedlove. “The NATO Response Force is also essential in maintaining and enhancing the ability of forces from across the Alliance to work together, which will be increasingly important as our mission in Afghanistan winds-down and we prepare to meet future challenges,” he added.
As the operational tempo is expected to decrease after the combat mission in Afghanistan is completed at the end of 2014, NATO will step up training to maintain readiness and interoperability. NATO Defence Ministers in February 2013 endorsed plans to revitalise NATO’s exercise programme. This will include more ambitious and frequent exercises, a broader range of scenarios, and a comprehensive training plan out to 2020 to cover the full range of Alliance missions. Nations will also be encouraged to open national exercises to NATO participation, which will provide further opportunities to enhance Alliance interoperability.
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