"Trident Juncture 2015 NATO’s most ambitious Exercise for over a decade"
Brunssum, the Netherlands.
NATO, Partner Nations and International Organisations (IOs) will participate in Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 in Italy, Portugal and Spain, from 03 October to 06 November 2015. The event, a flagship activity for NATO’s Connected Forces Initiative (CFI) and the largest exercise conducted by the Alliance since 2002, will have two parts:
- Command Post Exercise (CPX) for Strategic and Operational level staff training, evaluation and certification (3-16 October), which will include participants from the European Union (EU) and African Union (AU);
- Live Exercise (LIVEX) for Tactical level troops engagements (21 October – 06 November).
Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 will mark the climax of a series of dynamic and demanding training events designed to train and test troops and Commanders, including those from the NATO Response Force (NRF).
“The purpose of the Exercise is to train and test the NATO Response Force, a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force comprising land, air, maritime and Special Forces components,” said General Hans Lothar Domröse, the Commander of Joint Force Command Brunssum. “Enhancing our response forces is a key part of NATO’s overall effort to adapt to emerging security challenges. Trident Juncture 2015 has been designed to ensure that our concepts and procedures will work in the event of a real crisis because our job is to always be prepared to defend the people, territory, and values of this Alliance” he added.
The exercise which involves 36,000 personnel from more than 30 Allied and Partner Nations, will take place throughout Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and also Canada, Norway, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Trident Juncture 2015 will demonstrate NATO’s new increased level of ambition in joint modern warfare and will show-case a capable, forward-leading Alliance equipped with the appropriate capability and capacity to meet present and future security challenges. More than 12 major International Organizations, aid agencies and non-governmental organisations, such as the EU and AU will also participate in the exercise, demonstrating NATO’s commitment and contribution to a comprehensive approach.
As the culminating event for units, military and civilian staff belonging to more than 30 participating Nations, Trident Juncture 2015 will provide an opportunity for them to refine their operational capabilities. Air, Land, Maritime, and Special Forces will participate simultaneously in several locations and from different Headquarters to train in a complex environment to improve Alliance’s full spectrum capabilities.
At the conclusion of Trident Juncture 2015, the Headquarters Staff from Joint Force Command Brunssum will be officially certified to lead the NATO Response Force, if activated, throughout 2016.
Base visit Albacete-Los Llanos in Spain 28-30 October 2015
Many thanks to Capt. José Guerreira Velicia, Spanish Air Force, and his team for the great support we had during the three days of our visit. Volkert Jan van den Berg. (On behalf of Jack Bosma and Marinus Tabak).
Photoshoot TLP ramp
Row-1 - RAF Typhoons and French AF Mirage 2000-5s not visible).
Row-2 - Turkish AF F-16C/Ds, RAF Tornado GR4s and Spanish AF EF-18Ms.
Row-2 Spanish AF EF-18Ms from Ala12 based at Torrejeonnear Madrid.
Types/units involved
Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s from Marham Wing.
With thanks to personal from RAF Marham this Tornado GR4 ZA709/078 with 31sq markings was moved from the flight-line to a perfect spot for taking a photo.
Unfortunately this special painted Tornado GR4 from 12sq did not fly during our visit but stayed in the hanger. ZA405 was with "100 years of Leading the field 1915-215" markings.
ZA453/032 back to flight-line after a late afternoon missing.
Spanish Air Force/Army
EF2000s from Ala14 Albacete/Los Llanos.
AS532UL from BHELMA III (Army) based at Logroño.
EF-18Ms from Ala12/Torrejeon near Madrid.
Ala14 photos: On final EF2000 14-05 after a morning mission on 29 October 2015.
EF2000(T) double-seater parked on a nearby flight-line after testing the engines.
EF2000 14-01 returns from a morning mission.
Two EF-18Ms from Ala12/Torrejeon near Madrid.
AS532UL ET-658.
Royal Air Force Typhoons from Lossiemouth Wing.
A Typhoon FGR4 ready for a new morning mission. This picture shows ZK316/FA from 1sq.
ZK311/N is from 2sq.
On loan from RAF Coningsby ZK332/EB-J from 41sq.
Turkish Air Force F-16s from 8 Main Jet Base Diyarbakir.
F-16D 90-0024 from the 182 Filo on his way for a new mission.
F-16C 91-0005 returns to the flight-line. The pilot shows a small Turkish Flag.
F-16C 90-0013 returns from a morning mission.
French Air Force Mirage 2000-5Fs from GC01.002/Luxeuil.
2-EY has three badges of EC002 Escadrilles on the fin. From above:
SPA26 "Cigogne de Saint Galmier"
SPA103 " Cigogne de Fonck"
SPA3 "Cigogne de Guynemer"
2-EM joined 2-EY during this sortie. Three Mirages 2000-5F were present, one stayed in the hanger.
2-EY from the left side.
