Poggio Renatico, Italy - The execution phase of AIRCOM’s command post
exercise (CPX) Ramstein Ambition I 2016 (RAAN I 16) has started today with
final rounds of spin-up briefings for the training audience from HQ AIRCOM, the
two Combined Air Operations Centres at Torrejon and Uedem and the Deployable
Air Command and Control Centre (DACCC) at Poggio.
Major General Giovanni Fantuzzi,
Commander of the Italian Air Operations Command welcomed the participants from
25 NATO nations. The Italian Air Force is hosting the AIRCOM CPX RAAN I 16 at
Poggio Renatico; its Air Operations Command is responsible for command and control of Italian air assets employed in
airpower operations and exercises and for training air force personnel
earmarked for employment in national, coalition or multinational command
and control centres.
During his welcome address to the RAAN
I 16 leadership and personnel, Major General Fantuzzi said: "NATO’s strength
comes from the combined efforts of all its members through practice and
commitment; my command and the Italian Joint Force Air Component (JFAC) are
ready to support these efforts during RAAN I 16”.
The Poggio Renatico garrison is also
home to NATO’s DACCC whose commander, Brigadier General Kraak, met with RAAN I
2016 leaders Italian Brigadier General Robert di Marco, Turkish Brigadier
General Mehmet Yalinalp, U.S. Brigadier General Kevin Huyck and Portuguese
Brigadier General de Matos Branco.
Until 29 June, about 300 NATO air
experts are going to exercise standing up and executing a Joint Force Air
Component or JFAC headquarters. This event is a first block in a continuous
process enabling staff across the AIRCOM organisation to plan, integrate,
synchronise and command airpower capabilities in any Allied joint operation.
While at RAAN I 16, the focus is on transferring
knowledge from soon to be departing experts to newly arrived personnel, the
skills developed and honed here will be needed to accomplish more complex tasks
in upcoming CPXs that are joint, involving sister service commands and higher
headquarters.