Mar 26 2021

NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence exercise tests Allied forces

RAMSTEIN, Germany – Steadfast Armour 21, a major NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) exercise running in collaboration with Joint Project Optic Windmill 2021 (STAR 21/JPOW) March 8 to 26, has concluded.

Personnel from Allied Air Command alongside dozens of military units and staffs conduct the combined missile and air defence exercises across fifteen locations in Europe and the United States. The scenario that explored the transition from peacetime to crisis, highlighted the speed and accuracy of coordination across the multi domain environment.

This demonstrates NATO’s ability to execute the IAMD mission from the operational to the tactical level when faced by an Air and Missile threat to NATO territory including Ballistic Missiles

“The combined exercise enabled the testing of systems and procedures to ensure collective defence from all possible air threats,” said STAR21 Lead Exercise Planner, Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Schillig. “This demonstrates NATO’s ability to execute the IAMD mission from the operational to the tactical level and the ability to transition to crisis response when faced by an Air and Missile threat to NATO territory including Ballistic Missiles,” he added.

NATO experts from the Ballistic Missile Defence and Surface Based Air Defence disciplines at Allied Air Command Headquarters, Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem, NATO Ballistic Missile Defence Operations Centre and the Competence Centre Surface-Based Air and Missile Defence contribute to the coordination, synchronisation and deconfliction of Allied efforts during JPOW/STAR21.

During the JPOW21 part organisation, coordination and most of the activities took place at the Vredepeel barracks in the Netherlands offering participating nations the opportunity to share knowledge, connect systems, and exercise international procedures for integrated missile and air defence.

The IAMD exercise is part of a series of events throughout 2021 that aims to test the readiness of NATO and national forces, alongside Allied Air Command’s ability to deliver this vital mission. The ability for commanders to exercise defence plans in realistic scenarios assures NATO’s capability to deliver a credible IAMD which is essential to the Alliance’s collective defence.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office

Operators based at Allied Air Command provide shared early warning via the available datalink, communication networks, and analysis tools to the diverse participants around Europe. Photo by Sébastien Raffin.

 JPOW21 main operating base at the Vredepeel barracks, Netherlands demonstrating a deployable capability able to link to HQs remotely. Photo courtesy of JPOW21 .

Participating nations are able to experiment with their weapon systems, real or simulated, in the areas of interoperability, interconnectivity, Tactics Techniques and Procedures in an international simulated environment. Photo courtesy of JPOW21.