Spain Prepares for Exercise Trident Juncture 2015
Szöveg: honvedelem.hu / nato.int | 2015. augusztus 22. 10:21Soldiers working 14 hour days, gusty winds and scorching sun… this is only a fraction of what is happening now in Zaragoza, Spain. Foreseen to be the hub of a Joint Task Force Headquarters manned by JFC Brunssum personnel, a tent city is rising from the ground in an extremely ambitious time schedule and equally demanding weather conditions.
Royal Navy Lieutenant Philip Morrison, commander of the Support Group, describes the process: “Plans for exact positioning of every single tent, container and facility in the camp were drafted a year ago and approved in December 2014. What was easy on paper though, turns out to be a real challenge here: particularly as temperatures are often over 32 degrees Celsius, gusty winds turn each part of the tent into a yacht-sail, and sustained long working hours combine to present a real challenge".
When asked about the biggest obstacle, Lieutenant Morrison replies: “We are encountering challenges that we did not anticipate, but the lessons we learn will be valuable for NATO in the future".
Several other locations in Spain, as well as Italy and Portugal, are also now preparing for Trident Juncture 2015, but Zaragoza is unique. Fifteen kilometres north-east of the air base there are numerous road constructions and building works taking place on the San Gregorio training area.
Joint Force Command Brunssum will send over 650 of its staff to command, control and coordinate the actions of 36 000 troops drawn from more than 30 nations.
Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 involves circa 36,000 personnel from more than 30 Allied and Partner Nations. It will take place throughout Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, Canada, Norway, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Trident Juncture 2015 will demonstrate NATO’s new increased level of ambition in joint modern warfare and will show-case a capable, forward-leaning Alliance equipped with the appropriate capability and capacity to meet present and future security challenges. More than 12 major International Organizations, aid agencies and non-governmental organisations, such as the European Union and African Union will participate in the exercise, demonstrating NATO’s commitment and contribution to a Comprehensive Approach to crisis management.
