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Digest #4816
Messages
Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:51 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.nordefco.org/
Nordic Defence Cooperation
Arctic Challenge exercise will see dozens of fighters in the northern sky
The air exercise is part of the Cross Border operations between Finland, Sweden and Norway expanding over the national boundaries. The goal is to enhance Nordic cooperation in the field of defence under NORDEFCO and develop capabilities for combined operations. Aircraft from Great Britain and the United States (US) will be also involved in the exercise.
The Finnish Air Force (FINAF) will participate in the international Arctic Challenge 2013 exercise 11 to 27 September with about ten F/A-18 Hornet fighters. The air exercise is considered one of the major training events this year for the FINAF, and it involves units from Sweden, Norway, Great Britain and the US. A total of some 80 aircraft will fly in the exercise.
The exercise has been planned and will be directed and carried out in cooperation between Finland, Sweden and Norway. The United States and Great Britain will act in the roles of training partners.
Flight activity takes place in the airspace of Finland, Sweden and Norway 16 to 20 September and 23 to 26 September from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. Aircraft mainly operate over Northern Sweden but they also fly over the Gulf of Bothnia and in the airspace of Finland and Sweden. In addition, air activity can be observed in the extreme northwest of Finland and in the vicinity of Bodø in Norway.
The exercise bases are located in Rovaniemi in Finland, Kallax in Sweden and Bodø and
Ørland in Norway. The Swedish detachment will be deployed to Rovaniemi base whereas part of the FINAF F/A-18 Hornet fleet will fly from Bodø. Oulu airport in Oulunsalo is the alternate operating base.
The exercise is performed under the direction of Commander of Norrbotten Wing 21 of the Swedish Air Force. The FINAF flight detachment is led by Lapland Air Command Commander Colonel Harri Leppälaakso.
Cost-effective and diversified training
The aim is to improve air defence capability incorporated with Nordic cooperation in the field of defence under NORDEFCO. Combined operations provide a cost-effective and high-quality opportunity to the fighter pilots of participating countries to develop national capabilities, tactical know-how and various forms of cooperation. One of the objectives is also to train service personnel for command and control, aircraft maintenance and ground support duties in combined operations.
The exercise also enables the FINAF to develop and and test the Mid-Life Upgrade 2 (MLU2) capabilities of the F/A-18, like Link 16 data link and the different aspects of air-to-surface operations.
In addition to Finland's ten F/A-18s, Norway will assign to the exercise ten F-16 fighters and Sweden twenty-two JAS 39 Gripens. The hosting nations will be joined by the US Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) with nearly thirty F-15 fighters and one to two air refuelling tankers. The British detachment will include six Eurofighter Typhoons. The NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft will be involved in the exercise, too.
For further information:
Finnish Air Force Public Affairs Section Tel. +358299291136
------------------------------
http://www.af.mil/News/Article
U.S. Air Force
September 19, 2013
Airmen test skills in first 'Arctic Challenge'
By 1st Lt. Christopher Mesnard, 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ØRLAND, Norway: The first Exercise Arctic Challenge, which includes more than 60 aircraft from five partner nations, here began Sept. 16.
Norwegian F-16 Fighting Falcons, Swedish JAS-39 Gripens, Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and U.K. Eurofighter Typhoons took to the skies with U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, F-15C Eagles and KC-135 Stratotankers to train in a combined environment. They incorporated both strategic planning and tactical war fighting simulations, practicing in-flight maneuvers and communication strategies with each other.
Two NATO E-3A AWACS aircraft also joined in to provided aerial combat command for the dueling aircraft further simulating a real combat scenario.
"(Our) air force has, in periods, had the need to train at bigger scenarios with more aircraft, and this is difficult in Norway, with only our own planes at (our)disposal," said Col. Baid Solheim, Main Air Station Bodø base commander. "Before the cross border training we had to deploy to foreign, far away countries to fly against other types of aircraft, [now] we fly directly from Bodø. In this way it's very efficient in costs."
The Arctic Challenge exercise focused on bringing the Scandinavian nations, the U.S. and the U.K. together in the air, to challenge pilots to react quickly and work together to achieve common goals. During times of maximum participation, more than 60 aircraft are expected to partake in the war-fighting scenarios.
"During this exercise, we will face almost every scenario that could be seen in any war or conflict," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Rich Stringer, 494th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations and lead project officer for the 48th Fighter Wing's participation in the exercise. The different aircraft will take turns as the aggressors and will be tested on how they can respond to a variety of scenarios, according to Stringer.
The purpose of this exercise is to train air forces to operate cohesively. Arctic Challenge, in particular, allows multiple nations to perform aerial operations simultaneously; give critical feedback on how to improve processes; and become a more efficient and effective force - especially in a multi-national environment.
"These exercises provide the U.S. and NATO forces an opportunity to integrate their operations at both the tactical and strategic levels with a high level of fidelity that could not otherwise be achieved without live-fly exercises," said Capt. Timothy Gerne, 100th Operations Support Squadron chief of wing weapons and tactics and director of operations for the 100th Air Refueling Wing portion of the exercise. "Similar to a Red Flag exercise in mission sets, large force numbers and multinational integration, the benefits of hosting locally allows us and our allies to focus resources toward operations."
In addition to flying with allies, Airmen on MAS Bodø and MAS Ørland combined the exercise with a simulated deployment. The movement tested many assets in U.S. Air Forces in Europe including air lift, medical, legal and financial services.
"This exercise improves the readiness of everyone because of the variety of scenarios and the high level of skill that we are flying with and against," said Stringer. "The Finns, Swedes, British, and Norwegians are all very skilled aviators and have very competent forces."
The Arctic Challenge exercise is scheduled to continue until Sept. 26, before culminating in a final scenario which tests the pilots on their ability to operate in a diverse force.
==============================
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==============================
Nordic Defence Cooperation
Arctic Challenge exercise will see dozens of fighters in the northern sky
The air exercise is part of the Cross Border operations between Finland, Sweden and Norway expanding over the national boundaries. The goal is to enhance Nordic cooperation in the field of defence under NORDEFCO and develop capabilities for combined operations. Aircraft from Great Britain and the United States (US) will be also involved in the exercise.
The Finnish Air Force (FINAF) will participate in the international Arctic Challenge 2013 exercise 11 to 27 September with about ten F/A-18 Hornet fighters. The air exercise is considered one of the major training events this year for the FINAF, and it involves units from Sweden, Norway, Great Britain and the US. A total of some 80 aircraft will fly in the exercise.
The exercise has been planned and will be directed and carried out in cooperation between Finland, Sweden and Norway. The United States and Great Britain will act in the roles of training partners.
Flight activity takes place in the airspace of Finland, Sweden and Norway 16 to 20 September and 23 to 26 September from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. Aircraft mainly operate over Northern Sweden but they also fly over the Gulf of Bothnia and in the airspace of Finland and Sweden. In addition, air activity can be observed in the extreme northwest of Finland and in the vicinity of Bodø in Norway.
The exercise bases are located in Rovaniemi in Finland, Kallax in Sweden and Bodø and
Ørland in Norway. The Swedish detachment will be deployed to Rovaniemi base whereas part of the FINAF F/A-18 Hornet fleet will fly from Bodø. Oulu airport in Oulunsalo is the alternate operating base.
The exercise is performed under the direction of Commander of Norrbotten Wing 21 of the Swedish Air Force. The FINAF flight detachment is led by Lapland Air Command Commander Colonel Harri Leppälaakso.
Cost-effective and diversified training
The aim is to improve air defence capability incorporated with Nordic cooperation in the field of defence under NORDEFCO. Combined operations provide a cost-effective and high-quality opportunity to the fighter pilots of participating countries to develop national capabilities, tactical know-how and various forms of cooperation. One of the objectives is also to train service personnel for command and control, aircraft maintenance and ground support duties in combined operations.
The exercise also enables the FINAF to develop and and test the Mid-Life Upgrade 2 (MLU2) capabilities of the F/A-18, like Link 16 data link and the different aspects of air-to-surface operations.
In addition to Finland's ten F/A-18s, Norway will assign to the exercise ten F-16 fighters and Sweden twenty-two JAS 39 Gripens. The hosting nations will be joined by the US Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) with nearly thirty F-15 fighters and one to two air refuelling tankers. The British detachment will include six Eurofighter Typhoons. The NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft will be involved in the exercise, too.
For further information:
Finnish Air Force Public Affairs Section Tel. +358299291136
------------------------------
http://www.af.mil/News/Article
U.S. Air Force
September 19, 2013
Airmen test skills in first 'Arctic Challenge'
By 1st Lt. Christopher Mesnard, 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ØRLAND, Norway: The first Exercise Arctic Challenge, which includes more than 60 aircraft from five partner nations, here began Sept. 16.
Norwegian F-16 Fighting Falcons, Swedish JAS-39 Gripens, Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and U.K. Eurofighter Typhoons took to the skies with U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, F-15C Eagles and KC-135 Stratotankers to train in a combined environment. They incorporated both strategic planning and tactical war fighting simulations, practicing in-flight maneuvers and communication strategies with each other.
Two NATO E-3A AWACS aircraft also joined in to provided aerial combat command for the dueling aircraft further simulating a real combat scenario.
"(Our) air force has, in periods, had the need to train at bigger scenarios with more aircraft, and this is difficult in Norway, with only our own planes at (our)disposal," said Col. Baid Solheim, Main Air Station Bodø base commander. "Before the cross border training we had to deploy to foreign, far away countries to fly against other types of aircraft, [now] we fly directly from Bodø. In this way it's very efficient in costs."
The Arctic Challenge exercise focused on bringing the Scandinavian nations, the U.S. and the U.K. together in the air, to challenge pilots to react quickly and work together to achieve common goals. During times of maximum participation, more than 60 aircraft are expected to partake in the war-fighting scenarios.
"During this exercise, we will face almost every scenario that could be seen in any war or conflict," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Rich Stringer, 494th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations and lead project officer for the 48th Fighter Wing's participation in the exercise. The different aircraft will take turns as the aggressors and will be tested on how they can respond to a variety of scenarios, according to Stringer.
The purpose of this exercise is to train air forces to operate cohesively. Arctic Challenge, in particular, allows multiple nations to perform aerial operations simultaneously; give critical feedback on how to improve processes; and become a more efficient and effective force - especially in a multi-national environment.
"These exercises provide the U.S. and NATO forces an opportunity to integrate their operations at both the tactical and strategic levels with a high level of fidelity that could not otherwise be achieved without live-fly exercises," said Capt. Timothy Gerne, 100th Operations Support Squadron chief of wing weapons and tactics and director of operations for the 100th Air Refueling Wing portion of the exercise. "Similar to a Red Flag exercise in mission sets, large force numbers and multinational integration, the benefits of hosting locally allows us and our allies to focus resources toward operations."
In addition to flying with allies, Airmen on MAS Bodø and MAS Ørland combined the exercise with a simulated deployment. The movement tested many assets in U.S. Air Forces in Europe including air lift, medical, legal and financial services.
"This exercise improves the readiness of everyone because of the variety of scenarios and the high level of skill that we are flying with and against," said Stringer. "The Finns, Swedes, British, and Norwegians are all very skilled aviators and have very competent forces."
The Arctic Challenge exercise is scheduled to continue until Sept. 26, before culminating in a final scenario which tests the pilots on their ability to operate in a diverse force.
==============================
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Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
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==============================
Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:00 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.voanews.com/
Voice of America
September 24, 2013
NATO Chief Backs US Threat of Force Against Syria
STATE DEPARTMENT: NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the United States should keep up its threat of military action against Syria so as to push forward a deal to end Syria's chemical weapons program.
Rasmussen says it was the threat of a U.S. missile strike that forced Syria into agreeing on a framework to destroy its chemical weapons, so there is no reason to remove that threat.
"The military option should stay on the table because it will facilitate continued momentum in that political process," he said.
In an interview with VOA at the opening of the U.N. General Assembly, Rasmussen called for strong Security Council action to enforce the plan to eliminate or remove 1,000 metric tons of Syrian chemical weapons by the middle of next year.
"Now I urge the Security Council to adopt a firm and binding resolution that can create the framework for a swift, secure, and verifiable elimination of all chemical weapons in Syria," he said.
Russia is resisting U.S., French, and British efforts to include language in a resolution imposing consequences on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if he fails to comply with the chemical weapons deal. Consequences under a Chapter Seven U.N. resolution could be sanctions or force.
NATO has air defense missiles in Turkey...
On Afghanistan, Rasmussen says he is confident that next year's presidential election can take place in a secure environment ahead of the withdrawal of NATO forces by the end of 2014.
==============================
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http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
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==============================
Voice of America
September 24, 2013
NATO Chief Backs US Threat of Force Against Syria
STATE DEPARTMENT: NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the United States should keep up its threat of military action against Syria so as to push forward a deal to end Syria's chemical weapons program.
Rasmussen says it was the threat of a U.S. missile strike that forced Syria into agreeing on a framework to destroy its chemical weapons, so there is no reason to remove that threat.
"The military option should stay on the table because it will facilitate continued momentum in that political process," he said.
In an interview with VOA at the opening of the U.N. General Assembly, Rasmussen called for strong Security Council action to enforce the plan to eliminate or remove 1,000 metric tons of Syrian chemical weapons by the middle of next year.
"Now I urge the Security Council to adopt a firm and binding resolution that can create the framework for a swift, secure, and verifiable elimination of all chemical weapons in Syria," he said.
Russia is resisting U.S., French, and British efforts to include language in a resolution imposing consequences on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if he fails to comply with the chemical weapons deal. Consequences under a Chapter Seven U.N. resolution could be sanctions or force.
NATO has air defense missiles in Turkey...
On Afghanistan, Rasmussen says he is confident that next year's presidential election can take place in a secure environment ahead of the withdrawal of NATO forces by the end of 2014.
==============================
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
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==============================
Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:25 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.sargs.lv/Zinas/Mili
Sargs.lv
September 23, 2013
Preparation for NRF exercise „Steadfast Jazz 2013†has begun in Adazi (0)
An active preparation for the upcoming NATO Response force (NRF) exercise „Steadfast Jazz 2013† has begun in Adazi Base in Latvia. During the exercise Adazi Base will be the main deployed NRF Headquarters location, hosting hundreds of exercise participants from Joint Force Command Brunssum and other military staffs.
Since mid-September the building of the camp which will be used as the exercise HQ area is carried out.
NATO Support Agency (NSPA) who is responsible for the creation of the camp is planning to build up 50 tents covering the area of 3,900 m2. The tents will host 500 exercise participants and will be used as the office space, meeting rooms and for other HQ needs.
All the tents will be equipped with electricity and heating, which is especially important taking into account the weather conditions in November in Latvia.
80 containers in total were necessary to transport all the equipment for creation of such a camp in Adazi, using both land and sea transport.
The building is done by 40 soldiers of Staff Battalion of the Latvian National Armed Forces under the command of NSPA instructors.
„We are very pleased with the progress of the building so far. Latvian soldiers are working very quickly. We are ahead of schedule and it seems that we will finish the building of tents a week earlier than planned†, says John Williams, Deployable Team Chief of NSPA. The weather conditions have also helped a lot, as the builders so far have experienced only few rainy days.
...
NSPA is building such deployable HQ space once a year and similar camps have been created also for the previous NRF exercises „Steadfast Juncture†. NSPA will provide also the maintenance of the camp during the exercise in November.
...
After the building of the tents are finished and the electricity and heating is set up, the work on installation of communication and information systems (CIS) will start. It also means that the new cargos with CIS equipment are expected to arrive in Adazi in coming weeks.
NATO and partner nations will conduct exercise “Steadfast Jazz 2013†in Latvia and in Poland from 2 - 9 November 2013 which is designed to train and test NRF. The event involves about 6,000 personnel from many Allied and partner nations. A command and control exercise will be conducted at the Adazi Base, Latvia and several other headquarters locations across the Alliance. In addition, the multinational troops will be involved in the live exercise in Poland’s Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area. At the conclusion of the exercise, the headquarters staff from Joint Force Command Brunssum will be officially certified to lead NATO joint operations in 2014.
==============================
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups
==============================
Sargs.lv
September 23, 2013
Preparation for NRF exercise „Steadfast Jazz 2013†has begun in Adazi (0)
An active preparation for the upcoming NATO Response force (NRF) exercise „Steadfast Jazz 2013† has begun in Adazi Base in Latvia. During the exercise Adazi Base will be the main deployed NRF Headquarters location, hosting hundreds of exercise participants from Joint Force Command Brunssum and other military staffs.
Since mid-September the building of the camp which will be used as the exercise HQ area is carried out.
NATO Support Agency (NSPA) who is responsible for the creation of the camp is planning to build up 50 tents covering the area of 3,900 m2. The tents will host 500 exercise participants and will be used as the office space, meeting rooms and for other HQ needs.
All the tents will be equipped with electricity and heating, which is especially important taking into account the weather conditions in November in Latvia.
80 containers in total were necessary to transport all the equipment for creation of such a camp in Adazi, using both land and sea transport.
The building is done by 40 soldiers of Staff Battalion of the Latvian National Armed Forces under the command of NSPA instructors.
„We are very pleased with the progress of the building so far. Latvian soldiers are working very quickly. We are ahead of schedule and it seems that we will finish the building of tents a week earlier than planned†, says John Williams, Deployable Team Chief of NSPA. The weather conditions have also helped a lot, as the builders so far have experienced only few rainy days.
...
NSPA is building such deployable HQ space once a year and similar camps have been created also for the previous NRF exercises „Steadfast Juncture†. NSPA will provide also the maintenance of the camp during the exercise in November.
...
After the building of the tents are finished and the electricity and heating is set up, the work on installation of communication and information systems (CIS) will start. It also means that the new cargos with CIS equipment are expected to arrive in Adazi in coming weeks.
NATO and partner nations will conduct exercise “Steadfast Jazz 2013†in Latvia and in Poland from 2 - 9 November 2013 which is designed to train and test NRF. The event involves about 6,000 personnel from many Allied and partner nations. A command and control exercise will be conducted at the Adazi Base, Latvia and several other headquarters locations across the Alliance. In addition, the multinational troops will be involved in the live exercise in Poland’s Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area. At the conclusion of the exercise, the headquarters staff from Joint Force Command Brunssum will be officially certified to lead NATO joint operations in 2014.
==============================
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups
==============================
Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:25 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
September 24, 2013
NATO Secretary General takes part in United Nations General Assembly, discusses partnerships
The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen attended the start of the 68th ministerial session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Tuesday (24 September 2013). He also joined other world leaders in a lunch hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Continuing a series of bilateral meetings on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, the Secretary General met the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych. Mr. Fogh Rasmussen expressed his appreciation for the positive momentum in NATO-Ukraine cooperation. With the deployment of a frigate to NATO's counter-piracy mission Ocean Shield, Ukraine contributes to all NATO-led operations, as well as to the NATO Response Force. At the same time, NATO provides significant support to Ukraine's defence reforms through military training and education, trust funds on the destruction of excess munitions, the disposal of radioactive material, and the retraining of retired servicemen. The Secretary General reiterated that NATO Allies support Ukraine's decision to conclude an association agreement with the EU and continue to follow closely the country's progress on democratic reforms, including on selective justice.
The NATO Secretary General also met the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Stressing the importance of the recent constructive discussion on Syria in the NATO-Russia Council, Mr. Fogh Rasmussen spoke of the need to ensure the swift, secure and verifiable elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons stocks, and full Syrian compliance with the US-Russian framework agreement.
The Secretary General praised NATO-Russia practical cooperation in areas such as Afghanistan, counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism, and looked forward to a robust work programme in 2014. He also discussed with Minister Lavrov reciprocal transparency regarding military exercises, including Russia's ongoing Zapad 2013 and NATO's forthcoming Steadfast Jazz.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
September 24, 2013
NATO Secretary General takes part in United Nations General Assembly, discusses partnerships
The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen attended the start of the 68th ministerial session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Tuesday (24 September 2013). He also joined other world leaders in a lunch hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Continuing a series of bilateral meetings on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, the Secretary General met the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych. Mr. Fogh Rasmussen expressed his appreciation for the positive momentum in NATO-Ukraine cooperation. With the deployment of a frigate to NATO's counter-piracy mission Ocean Shield, Ukraine contributes to all NATO-led operations, as well as to the NATO Response Force. At the same time, NATO provides significant support to Ukraine's defence reforms through military training and education, trust funds on the destruction of excess munitions, the disposal of radioactive material, and the retraining of retired servicemen. The Secretary General reiterated that NATO Allies support Ukraine's decision to conclude an association agreement with the EU and continue to follow closely the country's progress on democratic reforms, including on selective justice.
The NATO Secretary General also met the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Stressing the importance of the recent constructive discussion on Syria in the NATO-Russia Council, Mr. Fogh Rasmussen spoke of the need to ensure the swift, secure and verifiable elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons stocks, and full Syrian compliance with the US-Russian framework agreement.
The Secretary General praised NATO-Russia practical cooperation in areas such as Afghanistan, counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism, and looked forward to a robust work programme in 2014. He also discussed with Minister Lavrov reciprocal transparency regarding military exercises, including Russia's ongoing Zapad 2013 and NATO's forthcoming Steadfast Jazz.
