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POGGIO-RENATICO, Italy -  On March 23, Major General Claudio Gabellini, Commander of NATO’s Deployable Command and Control Centre at  bade farewell to a team of 38 air control and Combat Service Support specialists as they embarked on their deployment move to Greece for exercise Ramstein Dust-II 21.  

"You are getting ready for a new deployment exercise and once you arrive in Greece, you will be setting up for operations and connection to the Europe-wide NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System using your unique expertise on ACCS and thus enhancing the systems database,” said General Gabellini. “The deployment exercises we have conducted under the Ramstein Dust series since 2017 are an important vehicle to prepare, test and challenge our deployable air controllers and CIS/CSS specialists in a realistic international environment. The significant endeavour of this deployment in the middle of the pandemic strongly testifies the resilience and cohesion of the countries of the Alliance,” he added.

The Ramstein Dust series are an important vehicle to prepare, test and challenge our deployable air controllers

NATO’s Deployable Air Control Centre, Recognized Air Picture Production Centre and Sensor Fusion Post or DARS will deploy to Larissa, Greece and support the Hellenic Air Force’s daily live training activities from April 12 to 22.  

Major General Claudio Gabellini, Commander of the Deployable Air Command and Control Centre, meets the team of air surveillance and control specialists who are ready to start the 1,500 km long move to the Ramstein Dust exercise location near Larissa, Greece. Photo by Paolo Di Magno

Once established and operational in Greece, the NATO air controllers will provide deployed air surveillance and control for the Hellenic live-fly training activities integrated into NATO's command and control arrangements.
Archive picture courtesy DACCC.

“During Ramstein Dust II 21 in Greece, we will once again display our readiness as a deployable, sustainable and configurable air surveillance and control unit and integrate our experienced operators into the Greek Host Nation’s and NATO’s air control networks,” concluded General Gabellini before the convoy of 19 vehicles left the garrison for the Port of Ancona, where a Hellenic Navy ship will sealift the unit for onward movement to the area of operations in Greece.