The training of Allied forces during Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 shows that NATO is able to defend all Allies against any threat, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday (4 November 2015) after watching a live military demonstration of Allied forces working together in Spain. “Trident Juncture shows that NATO’s capabilities are real and ready,” the Secretary General said.
Trident Juncture, NATO’s largest exercise in over a decade, is currently taking place in Spain, Italy and Portugal. The exercise is testing Allied forces' abilities to work together and with many partner nations and organisations in meeting a wide range of security challenges.
Mr. Stoltenberg said that from what he and other senior officials saw during Wednesday’s demonstration, “NATO is up to the test.” He added: “while our aim is to train and exercise, we are also sending a clear message, to our nations and to any potential adversary. NATO does not seek confrontation, but we stand ready to defend all Allies.”
Trident Juncture also shows that NATO is committed to transparency and predictability, the Secretary General stressed. NATO has invited observers from all member nations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and from other nations around the world to the exercise.
Mr. Stoltenberg was joined by Spanish Defence Minister Pedro Morenés, Ambassadors from the North Atlantic Council and senior Allied military commanders to watch the demonstration at the San Gregorio Training Area in Spain. Forces from 12 NATO Allies conducted an offensive operation involving a hostage rescue, minefield clearing and infantry attacks.
Attack and cargo helicopters including U.S. Apaches, Chinooks and Blackhawks also took part, as well as fighter jets which practised close air support. The demonstration also included the deployment of over 500 US airborne troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, who flew direct from their home base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to parachute drop onto the training ground in San Gregorio.
More than 36,000 personnel from more than 30 nations are participating in exercise Trident Juncture 2015. The live military training element of the exercise, which opened on 19 October, will run until 6 November. The exercise includes more than 230 units, more than 140 aircraft and more than 60 ships.
A view from the ground
The capabilities of NATO's land forces are being put to the test during Exercise Trident Juncture 2015: the largest military exercise of the Alliance in more than a decade. Land forces from 16 NATO Allies are participating in the exercise together with air, maritime and special operations forces to improve their readiness and ability to work together across a wide range of capabilities.
The land manoeuvres cover a wide scope: from Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear decontamination (done by a nine-nation Battalion) through urban combat operations (carried out by the Baltic Battalion, made up of the militaries from the three Baltic states) to artillery training and airborne jumps with US, Spanish, Italian and Canadian paratroopers.
Spain, Italy and Portugal, the host nations for the exercise, are providing the training grounds for the land operations of the exercise. A demonstration of the capabilities of NATO's Land Forces will be given on November 4 at the San Gregorio Training Area in Spain. Forces from 12 NATO Allies will perform an offensive operation that involves a hostage rescue, minefield clearing and infantry attacks. Attack and cargo helicopters including U.S. Apaches, Chinooks and Blackhawks will perform missions in support of the overall demonstration. Fighter jets will also play close air support role to ground troops during the demonstrations. Senior NATO officials and Alliance military officials, including NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, will attend the event.
Trident Juncture will also train and certify the NATO Response Force (NRF) Headquarters for 2016 and test elements of Spanish forces which will lead NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), or Spearhead Force, ahead of it becoming fully operational next year.
More than 36,000 personnel from more than 30 nations are participating in Trident Juncture. The live military training element of the exercise, which opened on 19 October, will run until 6 November. The exercise includes more than 230 units, more than 140 aircraft and more than 60 ships.
Source: NATO Newsroom
