To support each other and to show the coherence of the NATO family were the main ideas lying behind the visit of the MNC NE Deputy Commander Major General Ole Køppen at the exercise area in Sennelager, Germany on November 12th. The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps was conducting there its exercise Arrcade Fusion – Bold Ambition.
The programme for the visitors included a series of briefings and discussions. One of the most interesting speeches was delivered by Lord Ashdown of Norton Sub Hamdon, who presented his experience as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006. He stated that current conflicts could not be solved without the support of the public opinion indicating the importance of the civilian players. He also emphasized the need to involve neighbouring states in establishing peace in a given country. Apart from the discussions, the guests visited the exercise area. General Ole Køppen had even the chance to talk to the soldiers from the Danish Division, who took part in the exercise.
Arrcade Fusion – Bold Ambition
The exercise Arrcade Fusion – Bold Ambition was the culminating point in the Headquarters ARRC’s training year. It was a command post exercise focused on the Land Component (LC) level and Stabilisation Operations. In the exercise a Land Component played by the Headquarters ARRC was combined with the Air Component Command in Ramstein and with the epresentation from the Maritime and Special Forces Components. The subordinate commands and formations included Divisional and Brigade Headquarters from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy, Portugal and the United States. The aim of the exercise was to train Counter Insurgency Operations and Air Land Integration focused at the operational level in a Joint Force Land Component context.
An important part of the exercise was related to the particiaption of the Allied Land Componenet Command Heidelberg. The aim of it was to test the new model of NATO’s Deployable Joint Staff Element concept. These are the elements trained in given functional areas, which would be fully integrated within the headquarters they are sent to.
As General Køppen stated, it is very important to participate in exercises organised by other sister headquarters and NATO organisations as it enhances coherence among the NATO family. It is also a chance to exchange experiences and learn from each other. This results in improving preparations for subsequent NATO training events.
