NATO sends message to Kremlin: “We are ready”

fear of conflict

Involved 90,000 soldiers from 32 member countries of the alliance On a variety of different missions, including live-fire exercises, strategic and logistics game planning, and the deployment of intercontinental forces from North to Central and Eastern Europe. It’s not just ground forces: hundreds of military aircraft and more than 50 ships are carrying out exercises to measure and strengthen NATO’s air and maritime capabilities. The purpose of these exercises is to “prepare troops from multiple NATO countries for a possible deployment in a scenario in which one of the alliance countries is attacked by hostile forces,” he explains. marten grendel, communications chief of the Dutch 11th Air Mobile Brigade. And one of the exercises that generates the most interest, because of what it means: quick response to aggression; And where it is done: On NATO’s eastern edge, not far from Russia, this is what has been done in Romania this week: Swift Response.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February 2022, what seemed impossible (that Moscow would attack a NATO country) has become more than likely. If this were to happen, which according to analysts is close to happening due to Putin’s imperial ambitions, then Article 5 of the NATO Washington Treaty would automatically be activated by which they would respond to said aggression. Putin’s eagerness to recapture what was once part of the Soviet Union has long been a passion of states that border Russia or are uncomfortably close.

Focus on Eastern Europe

The invasion of Ukraine strengthened NATO’s eastern flank. That is why it makes sense that these maneuvers are conducted in Romania, about 400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Committed to securing an export route for Ukrainian grain (and therefore a target for Russia), the country has the largest NATO base in Europe under development and hosts large-scale military exercises. And the fear of Russian invasion is real. We are approaching the 27th month since the Kremlin launched a brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine.

There have been attacks near the Romanian border in recent months. Added to this are troubling factors that have affected the security situation in the Black Sea region. However, the Romanian Air Force, together with its allies, has taken strong surveillance measures. As a result, we. As an alliance, we are able to respond quickly and effectively in crisis situations,” explains Daniel Pop, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Army.

The capture of the city of Calarasi-Gara by a contingent of the German army is another link in the entire maneuver in which six countries work together: Germany, the United States, the Netherlands, Spain, Romania and France. Within the framework of Swift Response, helicopter landings and landings are practiced in combat situations to demonstrate the rapid movement of operational troops. And in addition to training, the main objective is to demonstrate the defensive readiness of the country and the alliance on NATO’s external border,” Faust explains.

two phase maneuver

Everything is studied to reach the final objective: conquering the Campia Turzi airfield, about 30 kilometers from where the maneuvers begin, which had been captured hours earlier by enemy forces (Romanian troops on the contrary Were acting). To reach the airport, first of all, you have to start by exploring the area. And the only brigade deployed is in charge of it: the Advanced Reconnaissance Company, a vanguard unit within the Parachute Brigade of the Spanish Army. Four days before the paratroopers landed, this group of 12 men inspected the area where their comrades were to fall, as they can fly over terrain for more than 40 kilometers. “They are the elite people of our brigade,” explains Jesus María Artaza, an infantry corporal at the training camp. He explains, “Their work is very important so that later we paratroopers can land in a place where the danger is less.”

After this it is the turn of paratroopers. In several explosions, two thousand men and women take over a corn field in less than 40 seconds. One of them is Joaquín González Tapia, who jumped from the Spanish A400M and as he touched the ground and regrouped with his team, he took a breath (he took more than 40 kilos of equipment and uniforms) and explained What the exercise is includes: “Parachute forces are the context in which armed forces are required to conduct initial entry and immediate response actions.” Now, what we have just done is to simulate entry into a certain area in a very short time frame.

The next step, which would take no more than 72 hours in a real situation but is done the next day in this simulation, is the reinforcement of these teams. Large aircraft land at reclaimed airfields and are responsible for supplying large equipment to personnel on the ground. They carry food, ammunition and even off-road vehicles. Once the area is secured and supplies are available, it’s time to engage the objective. This time they do it by air, with helicopters. There are Spaniards, Germans, Americans, and it is essential that all soldiers participating in the maneuvers know how each machine works. The size of each vehicle varies, and is not the same as the Spanish A400 or the German H145M. “These vehicle identification exercises are essential. “At the end of the day, when you only work with people from your own military, you can pick up some bad habits that are of no use to you in the case of a multinational operation,” Artaza explains.

End of mission. Objective achieved: The airport is successfully taken and thus, Allied forces control a vital infrastructure. This is the objective of every mission. An example in a real situation was the Eva Sierra operation to rescue 34 Spaniards in Sudan.

The commanding general of the operation says, “We demonstrated what we can do, that we are able to quickly deploy people on the ground, take responsibility for infrastructure, and solve problems.”