NATO-Russia exercise to take place in Germany

Under the aegis of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), the Theatre Missile Defence Ad Hoc Working Group (TMD AHWG) will conduct a joint NATO-Russia TMD Computer Assisted Exercise (CAX) from 16-25 January 2008. Germany is the host nation for the event, which will be held at the Simulation & Integration Test Center (SIT) of the Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft (IABG) located in Ottobrunn, near Munich. 

This is the fourth in a series of joint NATO-Russia TMD exercises. The three previous exercises were hosted in 2004 at the Joint National Integration Center (JNIC) in the United States, in 2005 at De Peel Airbase in the Netherlands and in October 2006 at the Russian Simulation Facility located in the Research and Development Center of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation in Moscow. The TMD CPX programme has validated the jointly developed Experimental Concept and associated Experimental Concept of Operations (CONOPS). Moreover, together with a joint Interoperability Study conducted under the lead of the NATO C3 Agency (NC3A) and the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, the CPXs have provided the basis for future work on interoperability issues. 

While previous CPXs have focused on command and control of TMD forces and the execution of operations in a joint theatre of operations, this CAX will concentrate on the planning processes required to enable an effective and efficient employment of such forces. This is another important step in the practical cooperation between NATO and the Russian Federation as foreseen in the Rome Declaration of 2002. 

More than sixty representatives from eleven NATO nations and the Russian Federation will participate in the CAX. The German Air Force Command and IABG provide the overall framework for the exercise, with additional support provided by the NATO Military Authorities (NMAs), the International Staff (IS), the tri-national¹ Extended Air Defence Task Force (EADTF), NC3A, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. 

A Distinguished Visitor's Day is scheduled for Tuesday, 22 January 2008.

For more information on the exercise please contact LTC Ralf Haack, German Air Force Command, +49 (0) 2203 908 6079, or Mr. James Lovell, Defence Investment Division, NATO HQ, +32.2.707.4763.

Tel: +32 (0)2 707 50 41 - Fax: +32 (0)2 707 50 57
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