This is Allied Air Command’s annual internal C2 training event which includes 24 Allied countries, and Partners Finland, Sweden and Ukraine, totalling over 600 personnel. The primary focus is to train personnel from Allied Air Command Headquarters, the Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOCs) at Uedem, Germany, and Torrejón, Spain; and the Deployable Air Command and Control Centre on operational and tactical level C2 of the NATO Command Structure Joint Force Air Component (JFAC) amongst national augmentation. The desired outcome of the computer-assisted exercise is to ensure the Supreme Allied Commander Europe’s Area of Responsibility is secured.
Bringing our Allies, Partners, and our outer stations together under one roof despite COVID challenges provides invaluable readiness for the Alliance
"Bringing our Allies, Partners, and our outer stations together under one roof despite COVID challenges provides invaluable readiness for the Alliance,” stated Brigadier General Andrew Hansen, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations Allied Air Command. “The efforts by all participants ensure our peacetime operations are up-to-date and further our Alliance’s interoperability with one another," he added.
CAOC Torrejón is participating remotely for the first time in order to train different elements of Air C2. While Allied Air Command Headquarters runs the lead Ramstein Ambition 21 exercise from its location in Germany, it tasked CAOC Torrejón to simulate Joint Operational C2 connected through NATO networks over land and space.
Exercise Ramstein Ambition 21-1 will culminate on May 14 with the annual training certification of over 140 JFAC personnel. All participants are wearing masks at all times and are given two COVID-19 self-test kits a week to help minimize the spread of COVID.
Participants from exercise Ramstein Ambition 21 work together through the exercise scenario. Photo by Sébastien Raffin.