18 Febr 2002

Exercise ARRCADE GUARD Germany is hosting a NATO exercise, ARRCADE GUARD 2002, from 18 February to 7 March. Organised by the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), the exercise involves approximately 2500 personnel from 17 NATO countries and aims to evaluate the ARRC as a High Readiness Force (Land) headquarters under NATO military restructuring. The ARRC is currently NATO's only corps-sized rapid reaction force with the ability to deploy the headquarters within 15 days to conduct all types of NATO operations, ranging from war-fighting to peace-support and humanitarian operations. This computer-assisted exercise is the final step the ARRC must take to demonstrate its high-readiness capability. Participants comprise the permanently-assigned staff of the headquarters, the headquarters of combat formations and support units and soldiers from throughout NATO. Following the success of ARRC operations in Kosovo in 1999 and in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996, and in line with the evolution of NATO's new military structure, the Alliance identified the need for other, similar high-readiness headquarters. The exercise and lessons learned from it should contribute to the implementation of the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) concept as well as to improve the military response capabilities of the Rapid Reaction Forces.