North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
April 30, 2013
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During the second part from 21 to 25 April EUFOR, under a fictitious Peace Support Operation (PSO) scenario, the EUFOR multinational battalion, composed with UK, Hungarian, Austrian and Turkish companies, joined with a unit from the Armed Forces (AF) of BiH with the aim to further enhance their professional training and international interoperability. This phase of the exercise…was designed to ensure the AF BiH would gain further experience in working with international military units and would continue to develop as a modern armed force at the level required for Euro-Atlantic integration.
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General Sir Richard Shirreff, OPERATION ALTHEA Commander, inspects Exercise “QUICK RESPONSE 2013
The Exercise “QUICK RESPONSE 2013” was held between 15th and 28th of April 2013 and demonstrated the ability of EUFOR to successfully activate, quickly deploy and integrate companies held at readiness within its Intermediate Reserve Forces normally stationed outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
Exercise “QUICK RESPONSE 2013” was the biggest EUFOR exercise within the last 5 years and showed EUFOR and AFBiH training together. A total of approximately 800 personnel were actively involved in the conduct of this exercise.
Since EUFOR took over from SFOR in December 2004…When in September 2012 the number of troops deployed in EUFOR Operation ALTHEA was reduced it was done in recognition of the significant improvement to internal security and the increasing role played by the BiH authorities. Secondly, those reductions were conducted in the knowledge that, if needed, EUFOR could rapidly deploy over-the-horizon forces to sustain security and safety; in order to train and test this key capability, such deployments are rehearsed on a regular basis.
The Exercise “QUICK RESPONSE 2013” was divided into 3 main parts:
1. The first part showed a successfully activation and a quick deployment and integration of two light-infantry companies, one from the UK and the other from Hungary, into the EUFOR structure between 18 and 20 April in the location of Camp BUTMIR, SARAJEVO and nearby at RAJLOVAC barracks.
2. During the second part from 21 to 25 April EUFOR, under a fictitious Peace Support Operation (PSO) scenario, the EUFOR multinational battalion, composed with UK, Hungarian, Austrian and Turkish companies, joined with a unit from the Armed Forces (AF) of BiH with the aim to further enhance their professional training and international interoperability. This phase of the exercise took place in the areas of KALINOVIK and PAZARIC and was designed to ensure the AF BiH would gain further experience in working with international military units and would continue to develop as a modern armed force at the level required for Euro-Atlantic integration.
3. The third part consisted of a Distinguished Visitors Day held on Thursday 26 April at PAZARIC “Zaim Imamovic Barracks”. An impressive military display took place in the presence of the Operational Commander of EUFOR ALTHEA, General Sir Richard Shirreff, the Deputy Defence Minister of BiH, Mr Mirko Okolic, Commander EUFOR, Major General Dieter Heidecker and Chief of the Joint Staff Armed Forces BiH, Major General Anto Jelec. Also present was a wide variety of distinguished visitors from BiH, EUSR, NATO and the International Community.
Following the military demonstration the Operational Commander General Sir Richard Shirreff added that two remarkable achievements had been delivered from the demonstration that were worthy of particular note.
- The first was the highly effective teamwork and levels of co-operation clearly in evidence between soldiers from the armed forces of Austria, BiH, Turkey, Hungary, the United Kingdom and the multi-national team at EUFOR Headquarters.
- The second remarkable achievement was the visible increase in both the capacity and capability of the AF BiH. The demonstration had shown the great professionalism of the AF BiH and that they are, without doubt, soldiers of quality.
[1] The military EU-lead operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is carried out with recourse to NATO assets and capabilities, under the “Berlin Plus” arrangements.
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