RAMSTEIN, Germany – The German Joint Force Air Component Headquarters (JFAC HQ) based at Kalkar, Germany, will train with assigned units for NATO Response Force during exercise Brilliant Arrow 2017 from September 11 to 22.

Brilliant Arrow 2017 (BRAW17) is the name of the NATO exercise which will take place between September 11 and 22 with approx. 1,000 German and international participants on the north of Germany and the northeast of the Netherlands. Being one of the exercises the German air force is focusing on this year, BRAW17 is the formal conclusion of the certification process for the Air component of the 2018 NATO Response Force rotation. For the second time after 2012, the German JFAC HQ will be responsible for command and control Allied assignment.

BRAW17 will see participation of F-16 fighter jets from Greece, Poland and Turkey as well as German Eurofighter aircraft from tactical air wings 71 "Richthofen”, 31 "Boelke” and 74. Flying activities will take place in reserved training areas between mostly out of the air bases Nörvenich, Wittmund, Hohn and Laage; during BRAW17 there will be no training activities on weekends or low-level flights.

The live-fly exercise offers the final opportunity to fine-tune interaction of the deployable JFAC HQ when it comes to execute command and control of multinational air forces and the units assigned during the upcoming stand-by period in 2018. During this stand-by period the JFAC HQ together with assigned units will be capable of establishing operational readiness within a few days and of planning and executing NATO Response Force air operations worldwide. 

Exercise activities will be supported by AWACS aircraft flying out of the NATO Air Base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, an Airbus A-310 MRTT tanker aircraft taking off from Cologne and target simulation aircraft and forces from Hohn, Nordholz and Nordhorn. Moreover, 26th Surface-to-Air Missile Group in Husum and 3rd Tactical Air Command and Control Group in Holzdorf/Schönwalde with their deployable Control and reporting Centre will provide key support to successful training during the exercise.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office based on information provided by the German Air Operations Command