RAMSTEIN, Germany - The United Kingdom Joint Force Air Component (JFAC) is conducting final steps on its road to certification for the NATO Response Force (NRF) 2017. Its staff will be overseeing Allied and Partner air operations during the live-fly exercise Noble Arrow 2016 (NOAW16) in the United Kingdom.

From October 8 to 20, fighter jets, tanker aircraft and a NATO E-3A airborne warning and control system plane will conduct integration training at the tactical level.

NOAW16 will take place in northwest and northeast of the United Kingdom and integrates with the UK joint exercises Joint Warrior 162 (JW162) and Unmanned Warrior 2016as well as the NATO maritime NRF certification exercise Noble Mariner 2016 (NOMR16).

In total, 29 ships, three submarines, 63 fixed-wing aircraft, 13 rotary-wing aircraft, and a small land contingent adding up to 5,700 military personnel from fourteen Allies and two Partners will be involved, highlighting the significant joint and combined interoperability aspects of the exercise between key Allies and Partners.

The enhanced NATO Response Force is at the 'tip of the NATO spear' and stands for the Alliance's resolve, capability, and readiness for defence and deterrence. NOAW16 provides assurance to Alliance members of NATO's capability, resolve, and commitment to collective defence. Specifically, the exercise demonstrates NATO’s air power capability to project stability to NATO borders and beyond. The NRF 17 air component, the UK JFAC, will prove its capability to exercise effective command and control over assigned forces in executing NRF missions and tasks in high-threat environments.