RAMSTEIN, Germany – As part of the Kalkar Sky 2016
exercise, being conducted at Kalker, Germany from Nov. 24 to Dec. 01, the
German Joint Force Air Component Headquarters (JFAC HQ) will be seeking certification
as the Air Force Headquarters for the NATO Response Force (NRF) 2018.
Kalkar Sky 2016 is the last
step towards certification and is based around NATO’s response to a crisis
situation in a fictional region of East Cerasia. Specifically, the exercise demonstrates NATO’s air
power capability to project stability to NATO borders and beyond. The NRF 18
air component, the German JFAC, will prove its capability to exercise effective
command and control over assigned forces in executing NRF missions and tasks in
high-threat environments.
To achieve this, about 400 personnel
are involved in the exercise at Kalkar-Seydlitz barracks, with over half of these
employed in the Air Operations Centre. German augmentation comes from almost all
areas of the Bundeswehr, with multi-national exercise players and mentors from
across NATO and Allied units. The
longest journey has probably been made by members of the Eighth Air Force from
Barksdale, Lousiana, United States who form part of almost 100 personnel from
the USA, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Estonia and Austria
who have travelled to the Lower Rhine as instructors.
The exercise serves not only
as the testing ground for NRF 18 but also enhances interoperability among NATO
Allies and partner countries and demonstrates the increasing range and scale of
military capabilities the Alliance can deploy for collective defence.
The NRF was established in
2003 as a high readiness force comprising of land, air, sea and special forces
units capable of rapid deployment. The
NRF is at the 'tip of the NATO spear' and stands for the Alliance's resolve,
capability, and readiness for defence and deterrence.
Story
by AIRCOM Public Affairs Office from information provided by Kommando Luftwaffe